KGY Encore Presentation: The Hotel That Saved Our Capitol

The Northwest Playwrights Alliance & 95.3 KGY present a recreation of the July 1920 opening night festivities for the Hotel Olympian, “The Hotel that Saved Our Capitol.” Tune-in for this matinee performance on-air 95.3 FM and online at KGYfm.com

ON-AIR 95.3 FM and online at KGYfm.com – 28th March at 95.3 KGY

Encore broadcast! The Northwest Playwrights Alliance & 95.3 KGY present a recreation of the July 1920 opening night festivities for the Hotel Olympian – “The Hotel that Saved Our Capitol.” After a devastating fire destroyed Olympia’s largest hotel, Olympia lacked proper accommodations to house Legislators, lobbyists and visitors. The lack of a first-class hotel was used as a club against Olympia in attempts to move the Capitol to Seattle or, heaven forbid, Tacoma. Plans for a new hotel were delayed by World War I, the Spanish Influenza and a faltering economy. Just when it appeared our Capitol would be lost, over 150 private citizens pooled their resources (over $320,000) to build a “world-class hotel.”

This one-hour, 1920s-style radio recreation of the Opening Night Gala & Dance features a small orchestra, ten songs, a love story, and speeches from the major players who spoke at the original ceremony.

Sponsored by Olympia Arts Commission, Thurston County Historic Commission, Oly Arts magazine, ROXY FM, the Northwest Playwrights Alliance, The Academy of International Education, KGY Radio, PARC Foundation of Thurston County, Jocelyn Dohm PARC Music Fund, PBIA Downtown Parking District, TwinStar, & Venables Pest Management and Twin Star Credit.