Mud Bay, Thurston County, Washington facts for kids
Mud Bay is a part of Puget Sound in Washington State. It's located just outside the city of Olympia, Washington. While its official name is Eld Inlet, most local people call it Mud Bay.
This area was once famous for its many Olympia Oysters. These oysters were a very important food source. The first building for the Indian Shaker Church was built near Mud Bay around 1890. This was because the church's founder, Sam "Mud Bay Sam" Yowaluch, lived there.
A company called the Mud Bay Logging Company used to have a railroad that went to the bay. They used it to bring logs to a special area called a log dump. Here, the logs were put into the water.
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Fun Things to See at Mud Bay
Mud Bay has some interesting sights and places to visit.
Cool Sculptures and Art
In 2002, some big metal sculptures were placed near U.S. Route 101. These sculptures show cows and a bull. A local artist named Gary Vig made them. The bull sculpture is huge, about 22 feet (6.7 meters) long and weighs 3 tons!
Historical Markers and Trails
You can find a special sign along Mud Bay Road. It tells the story of Peter Puget landing at Mud Bay a long time ago.
There's also a walking path called the William Cannon Footpath. It's about 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) long. This trail was built in 2002 and lets people walk along the bay. Many groups helped build it, including local schools like McLane Elementary and Capital High School.
Famous Local Bakery
The Blue Heron Bakery was a well-known bakery near the bay. It opened in 1978 and made delicious whole-grain breads. In 2015, the bakery moved closer to Olympia.
First Indian Shaker Church
The Mud Bay Indian Shaker Church was the very first church building for this religion. It was built in 1885 on a hill overlooking the bay.
Important People from Mud Bay
Several important people have lived in or are connected to the Mud Bay area.
- Mud Bay Sam Yowaluch: He was one of the people who started the Indian Shaker Church and was its first leader.
- Mud Bay Louie Yowaluch: He was Sam's brother and also helped start the Indian Shaker Church.
- Angeline Tobin Frank: She was from the Squaxin Island Tribe. She grew up on Mud Bay in a family that farmed oysters. She was also the mother of Nisqually Tribe chairman Billy Frank, Jr..
- William McLane and Martha McLeod McLane: They were among the first settlers to claim land in Mud Bay around 1852. William McLane later served in the government of Washington Territory.
