Periodic earthquakes affect the Olympia area . The 1949 earthquake damaged many historic downtown buildings beyond repair , and they were demolished . Others were retrofit with new facades to replace the damaged Nineteenth century wood and glass storefronts . Subsequently , much of Olympia 's downtown reflects mid-twentieth-century architectural trends . Olympia also suffered significant damage from the 1965 Puget Sound and 2001 Nisqually earthquakes . It was the closest major city to the epicenter of the 2001 event
1949 earthquake
1949 Olympia earthquake
History of Olympia, Washington