OLYMPIA: Thurston County

Directions: From I-5, take the Capitol exit. Go south on Capitol Way from downtown Olympia. Cross over the freeway to a Y-intersection with Cleveland Avenue. Bear left on Cleveland and go 2 blocks to the stoplight. Turn left onto North Street. The cemetery is on the right. The Jewish portion is at the back, distinguishable by a chained perimeter. The gates carry the Star of David. The Olympia Lodge of the Masons formed the cemetery in July 1857 although the Jewish portion was established in 1874 when the Hebrew Benevolent Society of Puget Sound purchased three acres of land for $50. In 1922, a portion of that land was returned to the lodge. In 1955, it was turned over to Temple Beth Hatfiloh. Around 1995, the cemetery purchased another section of land within the Memorial Park. The new section is called the family cemetery and provides an alternative for those who wish to be cremated or buried next to a non-Jewish spouse. Ben Bean oversees the cemetery, as did his brother and father before him. Source: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . [June 2011]