n.
City (pop., 2000: 42,514), capital of Washington state, U.S. It lies at the southern end of Puget Sound , southwest of Tacoma .
Originally called Smithfield, it was renamed for the nearby Olympic Mountains and incorporated as a city in 1859. It developed port facilities and a lumber-based economy, supplemented by oyster farming and other industries. Its harbour is the site of a large merchant reserve fleet. Located at the base of the Olympic Peninsula, it is the gateway to Olympic National Park .