Mary Olson Farm in Auburn, Washington Restoration Summary: Patricia Cosgrove, Executive Director (253) 288-7437 or pcosgrove@auburnwa.gov

Background The Mary Olson Farm is a one-of-a-kind historic treasure located on the Green River in King County, Washington, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is comprised of six historic buildings, a century-old orchard, a year-round stream with two indigenous salmon runs, and extensive pastures and woodlands. Olson Farm has been called the best-preserved 19th century family farmstead in King County. This unique 60-acre open space property is being developed as a living history and environmental education site by the White River Valley Museum, a 501(c)(3) organization, in partnership with the City of Auburn.

Accomplishments

The City of Auburn purchased Olson Farm in 1994 with Conservation Futures funds, and leased the property to the White River Valley Museum for restoration and educational programming.

An award winning Master Plan for restoration of the farmstead was developed in 1999.

$640,000 has been raised from public and private sources, including 4Culture (King County Lodging Tax), Auburn Soroptimists, Beardsley Family Foundation, Capital Fund for Washington’s Heritage, King Conservation District, King County WRIA 9 Waterworks, McEachern Charitable Trust, NationalTrust for Historic Preservation, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, and private donors.

The City of Auburn has allocated $100,000 per year in its Capital Improvement Plan for 2007 and 2008, bringing the total of funds committed to the project to $840,000.

Funding has supported stabilization of each of the farmstead’s historic buildings, including new roofs and foundations, along with several environmental enhancement projects.

Goals Our remaining fund raising goal of $760,000 will support historic building restoration ($200,000); environmental enhancements such as invasive species removal, salmon habitat improvements, and archaeological protection ($215,000); and development of ADA-accessible visitor amenities including interpretive signage and exhibit materials, a parking area, and restrooms ($345,000). The Museum and the City are working together to seek funding from public and private sources, and to ready the farm for public use. We hope to finish the restoration and enhancement project in 2007 and to open the property in 2008.

Benefits to the Community When completed, the Mary Olson Farm will:

Provide outstanding educational opportunities for K-12 students in public schools throughout the region, integrated with National Standards and Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements, and linked to core curriculum in history, environmental science, and the arts;

Support economic development in South King County by promoting the Farm as a heritage tourism and agri-tourism destination drawing visitors en route to Mt. Rainier; and,

Enhance Auburn’s parks and open space system by welcoming residents to a site where a variety of recreation programs and community events will be offered, and where the value of preserving both local heritage and our natural environment will be conveyed to people of all ages.

Contributions to support the restoration of Mary Olson Farm are tax deductible, and may be sent to the White River Valley Museum at 918 H Street SE, Auburn, WA 98002. For more information about this project, contact Museum Director Patricia Cosgrove, at (253) 288-7437 or pcosgrove@auburnwa.gov. Visit the White River Valley Museum on line at www.wrvmuseum.org. Revised 4/06