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The incorporated City of Lacey is very young but the area in which it occupies is full of history. Since at least the end of the Ice Age, approximately 13,000 years ago, the Nisqually Indians have had a presence in the Lacey area and were the sole inhabitants until the 1840’s. The locations that are now Horizons Elementary School, Indian Summer Golf and Country Club and Panorama, is where the Chambers Family laid their claim when first arriving and settling here in the 1840s. This area would be claimed and known as Chambers Prairie. 10 years later, the Oregon Trail would bring a vast amount of people to the West and the Puget Sound. Many people followed suit of the Chambers Family and laid claims to their own land in what is now Lacey. In 1854 representatives of the Nisqually and other Southern Puget Sound tribes met with Governor Isaac Stevens on the Nisqually Delta to negotiate and sign the Medicine Creek Treaty. Stevens and two prominent Nisqually leaders, Quiemuth and Leschi, signed the Treaty in which almost all American Indian land was ceded to the United States government in return for recognized Squaxin Island, Nisqually, and Puyallup reservations. Descendants of the original tribes of this area still continue to live here and are a vital piece of the community. From that time until 1891 the area was known as Woodland, in honor of settler Isaac Wood and his family. The Wood land claim encompassed 320 acres of land east of present day Saint Martin’s University and is now known as Lacey’s historical area. As you go around town, you will notice names of other early settlers to the area. Those include Hicks, Ruddell and Pattison. As the town grew and nearly 300 residents settled in the area, a decision was made to apply for a United States Post Office. The US Government
denied the residents claim because a town named Woodland already existed in the Columbia River Valley. The name Lacey was decided upon and approved by the Postal Department and Mr. George Warren Carpenter was appointed the first postmaster. The road on which the Post Office was originally built was re-named Carpenter Road in honor of the postmaster. In addition to the new name and Post Office the community also received a train depot, a racetrack and a hotel in 1891. The racetrack is thought to have been the first mile-long sulky oval west of Kentucky and therefore brought hundreds of people via train to the area on race days. The racetrack’s glory days ended in 1909 when betting on horse racing became illegal. Today the site of the racetrack and hotel is occupied by the Lacey Downs Shopping Center. Because of the abundance of lakes located in the community, Lacey became a famous recreation community by the mid 1920’s with more than 19 lakeside resorts. For years people came from all around to visit and make residence in Lacey. By the 1960’s Lacey had grown to more than 8,000 residents and housing and commercial developments were growing at a rapid rate. In 1964, the Lacey Chamber of Commerce along with the Lacey Fire Department and North Thurston School District became the Committee for the Incorporation of Lacey. After two years of tough campaigning Lacey was incorporated on December 5th, 1966.
The Lacey City Council serves as the community’s legislative body responsible for approving ordinances and establishing city policy. Members of the Council are elected for staggered four-year terms. Every two years they select from the Council a mayor and deputy mayor. City Council meetings are held the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. except for November and December when they are held the first and third Thursday.
mee t the l acey cit y cou ncil deputy mayor Jason Hearn CounCIl CommIttees Finance & Economic Development Committee and Transportation Committee
mayor Virgil Clarkson CounCIl CommIttees Finance & Economic Development Committee and Transportation Committee Intergovernmental Boards, CommIssIons & agenCIes Intercity Transit, Mayors’ Forum and the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) areas of speCIal Interest Economic development, creating a sustainable city and youth programs oCCupatIon Retired Resource Operations Manager, Washington State Department of Transportation
Intergovernmental Boards, CommIssIons & agenCIes Joint Animal Services Commission (JASCOM), TCOMM911 areas of speCIal Interest Transportation system efficiency, water resources, balancing growth, the environment and urban trails enhancements oCCupatIon Owner, Northwest Media Management, LLC continue
In 2016 Lacey will celebrate its 50th anniversary and many of the people in this area are descendents of families that have been here for hundreds or, in the case of the Nisqually Tribe, thousands of years. This community has a splendid history with a successful story continuing on today and for many generations to come.
cit y servi ces Outstanding services and support from the City of Lacey are some of the benefits enjoyed by local businesses and residents. From streamlined building permit services to the Business Roundtable and from the outstanding parks to the Lacey Senior Center, the City of Lacey is a proactive, service-oriented, cost-conscious local government, and an effective partner with the Lacey Chamber of Commercein the growth and development of the Lacey Community. Services available at Lacey City Hall include: animal licensing, building permits, notary public, parks program registration, passports, police reports, voter registration and water and sewer utilities. Customers may deposit checks or money orders 1600 4th Avenue E • Olympia, WA 98503 360.456.7368 • andrew@hometownpm.com
for utility bills, assessments, business and occupational tax, or traffic citations at any time in the depository in front of City Hall. Visit www.ci.lacey.wa.us for more information.
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4 l acey chamb er of commerce
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community resource guide
cit y of l acey
think chamber first!