Olympia in the Fall of 1851
The First Papers issued at the Puget Sound Custom House
Washington Standard 
April 25, 1868

From a journal kept by a then resident, we have been kindly permitted to extract the following; The place is situated near the head of Budd's inlet, on a low flat, and the tide rises and falls nearly 25 feet. On the margin of the Sound clams and mussels abound and ducks of diverse varieties are most numerous. The largest house by far in the place is now occupied by the Custom House. It is a large two-storied house, not far from the extreme northernmost point, and on paper is designated as being near First and Main streets, though the streets to a great extent exist in the imagination.

It belongs to Colonel Simmons, the pioneer American settler on Puget Sound, who has a little room parceled off for a store, though the stock is slim, and a still smaller apartment dedicated as a post office. As the Colonel repudiates being "school larnt" the post office runs itself, or rather some half a dozen or more having been sworn in as deputies, help themselves and a few who come here to inquire for letters. The upper story has just been fitted for the Custom House and residence of the collector and his family, for which Colonel Simmons receives the snug littel rent of $50 a month

There are about a dozen one story frame cabins, of primitive architecture, covered with split cedar siding, well-ventilated but healthy. They answer the purpose well, for the winters are mild, though moist. Snow and ice are comparatively unknown, but it rains on short notice and without any difficulty. There are some 20 or more Indian huts at a short distance from the Custom House. The Indians are of the Duwamish tribe, who live without much effort and are content with such clothing and conveniences as they can purchase or obtain with the little they earn by occasional labor for the whites and the trifle they receive for fish, ducks, venison, oysters, berries, etc.

Old Seattle is their chief, a venerable looking personage who, by his stately walk and dignified carriage, would remind you of Colonel Benton. He is very friendly to the whites, claims to remember the voyage of the renowned Vancouver, and while he considers it beneath his dignity to use the jargon of the country, he will show you by the friendly shake of the hand and a grunt that he expects to be noticed by the newcomer.

The only advantage this place seems to possess over numerous places on the Sound is the fact that it is the first point on the magnificent inland sea reached in the overland portage from the Columbia river, but I see nothing which justified the recent location here of a Custom House for these waters, should there ever be any trade. Just as natural would it be, by port regulations, to compel a vessel trading in the Mediterranean sea to enter at Marseilles, intending to discharge her cargo at Gibraltar.

It never can be an important commercial point, for several reasons: It is too far inland, and the long flats, bare at low water, place, it away above the head of navigation. It will, however, always prove an important distributing point for the growing settlements at the head of the Sound and for transient travel.

The people are very hospitable, consisting mostly of immigrants from Missouri and Illinois, but there is a goodly sprinkling from the state of Maine. Colonel Isaac N. Ebey is perhaps the most influential of the citizens, but Goldsborough. Simmons, Poe and the Custom House officials are worthy of mention. Edmund Sylvester, the town proprietor, a native of Maine, has recently erected a dwelling. Beside it stands the old log cabin, the first house built upon the old town site.

Dr. Lansdale has a little shanty east of it on a back street, where he dispenses calomel and occasionally justice, for the worthy doctor has been selected by his fellow citizens as justice of the peace. I recently witnessed a trial before him in which Captain Crosby and Colonel M. T. Simmons were parties, growing out of a question ot title to or possession of the Tumwater claim. 

It originally was taken by Simmons in 1845, but purchased by Crosby In 1849. J. B. Chapman, Esq., of Steilacoom, was attorney for Crosby, Colonel Simmons being represented by Daniel R. Bigelow, Esq., of Massachusetts, who crossed the plains this last season and arrived in Olympia in the schooner 'Exact' from Portland, on a voyage to Queen Charlotte's Island, where gold is supposed to exist In large quantities.

Mr. Bigelow is a retiring, modest man, but seems to understand his profession well, and though his old and unscrupulous antagonist attempted to badger and bully him. yet he held his own with imperturbable good temper. Bigelow had the grammar and good English on his side, anyhow.

Quincy A. Brooks, Esq., now employed in the Custom House, is another attorney, just arrived. He has on several occasions helped us while away these dreadfully long nights of this northern latitude by his admirable playing on the violin, of which he is a master. It really seems to me that, should he fail to convince a jury by his oratory, he might, by leave of the court, prove irresistible with his fiddle.  "Truly, he draws a fine bow."

Dr. D. S. Maynard, hailing from Ohio, like his brother Lansdale, with the melancholy experience that there is no demand for 'pills,' has taken to store-keeping, in a little shanty on Main street about a hundred yards south of the Custom House. He offers great inducements to his very limited supply of purchasers. Captain Plummer of the brig 'John Davis,' peddles out goods and small wares on the beach to Indians or whoever may want them, in quantities to suit purchasers. 

He is a close Yankee trader, embodying all those peculiarities which the word is intended to convey by Southern and Western men. Of course Plummer makes money, underselling the Olympia storekeepers, and hence they justly inquire, "What's the use of a Custom House here, without such an invasion of our rights can be put an end to?" Such was the town of Olympia when the Custom House was located here by virtue of the act of Congress approved February 14,1851, creating the collection district of Puget Sound and establishing Olympia as a port of entry and Fort Nisqually as the port of delivery.

In May of this year President Fillmore had commissioned Colonel Simpson P. Moses of Ohio collector of customs and General W. W. Miller of Illinois surveyor of the port of Nisqually. Colonel Moses reached his district early in November, was sworn in on the 10th by Henry C. Wilson, Esq., then Justice of the peace of Lewis county, and reached Olympia on the 15th. General Miller, who crossed the plains this year, had arrived at his post about a month preceding the collector. 

November 19th marks the first day upon which there was business for the Custom House. From the journal quoted we learn that upon this day prepared papers for brig George Emery and schooner 'Exact,' the latter being cleared for a voyage to the gold diggings on Queen Charlotte's island.