Souvenir hunters take history into own hands

Associated Press

OLYMPIA – Like a troubled bridge over water?

Much to the chagrin of local officials, folks in Olympia are grabbing pieces of the Fourth Avenue bridge, which was crippled in the Feb. 28 Nisqually earthquake.

The 1920 bridge is lined with decorative balusters shaped like giant chess pieces. The earthquake knocked the balusters loose, and now souvenir seekers are scavenging them on the sly.

“More and more pieces disappear from the bridge on a day-to-day basis,” said Olympia bridge project engineer Jay Burney. “It is an unsafe area, and the city would be appreciative of people … not removing pieces from the bridge.”

The bridge has been closed to traffic since the 6.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the region. City officials decided it was past saving, so they will replace it with a new bridge. Construction will start in November, the old bridge will be demolished next spring, and a new one is scheduled to open in June 2004.

Meanwhile, the city is trying to discourage bridge fans from taking history into their own hands, literally.

The city is raffling off 100 of the old balusters. Entry is free, and thousands have signed up for a chance to win. They’re also organizing a “Farewell to the 4th Celebration” to honor the bridge on Oct. 22. The celebration will be capped by a walk across the old span.

For years, the bridge was the only link between the east and west sides of Olympia. Like any old landmark, people got attached to it, Burney said.

“The level of interest has been extraordinary,” Burney said. “It’s nice to see people get excited about these things.”

More than a dozen lucky residents have already won 2-foot-tall, 70-pound concrete balusters in the ongoing city raffle. What, exactly, can one do with a two-foot-high, 70-pound concrete baluster?

“It’s going to be a centerpiece in my garden. I’m very excited to have it,” said Harriet Yarowsky, an Olympia resident for 15 years. “As we see a round of history disappear, it’s nice to have a piece of it.”

Her choice is popular – many of the balusters will become garden fixtures or bird baths.

Some people go farther in their pursuit of history.

Olympia wetlands biologist Steve Shanewise fished dozens of fallen balusters from the muck of Budd Inlet four months after the quake. He washed off the crusty barnacles and found they left intricate patterns.

He plans to raffle them off on Oct. 17 to raise money for Safe Place, an organization that helps victims of domestic violence, and The Other Bank, which gives free cleaning and personal care items to poor people.