Join us for our Members’ Dinner on July 17th where Page Olson will tell the fascinating story about The Great Seattle Fire. 

Page Olson

Page Olson is a fourth-generation Seattlite.  Her paternal great-grandparents immigrated from Sweden in 1900 and 1901.  Her great-grandfather came through the Port Townsend port of immigration, settled in Ballard, and worked out of Fisherman's Terminal as a halibut fisherman. Her great-grandmother came through Ellis Island, traveled across the country, and settled in Ballard where she met and married her great-grandfather. In 2004, Page, along with her two young children and husband, joined Last Resort Fire Department, an organization that restores, preserves, and displays Seattle Fire Department history.  Page is still a member and President of this non-profit organization.  While at the organization, Page took great interest in the fire department's early years - this time period runs from the beginning of the volunteers through to 1924 when the department became fully motorized. There were some large fires during that time period, the biggest being The Great Seattle Fire of June 6, 1889.  Page became fascinated by this fire partially due to all the misunderstandings surrounding it.  After extensive research, Page has become a "go-to-person" for information about this fire.  She has given presentations, been interviewed by people researching the fire, and given walking tours about the fire area in Pioneer Square.