Here we provide documents for neighborhoods where racial restrictive covenants were imposed in the decades when they were legal. Most restrictions in Olympia and Thurston County date from 1928 to 1955 and covered a large percentage of subdivisions developed in that period. We have documented more than 1,600 restricted properties in 35 subdivisions. Do not assume that areas without circles were unrestricted. Neighborhoods without covenants often practiced racial exclusion by other means. And the practice extended throughout the county. In 1940, Thurston's population of 37,285 included only 33 Black people and 315 other nonwhites, including members of the Nisqually nation. As the population increased to 55,049 by 1960, the number of non-white residents (690) remained miniscule. Exclusionary practices ensured that the county remained 98.7% white.

The map below is still in progress. For a searchable map of individual properties go to our Thurston parcels map