Trailblazing Pioneers

PROJECT HIGHLIGHT:
Rebecca Howard

1859

Rebecca Howard was Olympia's first Black businesswoman. Revered and respected for her hospitality, humor and no-nonsense demeanor, Howard was a well-loved Olympia pioneer.

Born in Philadelphia, she married Alexander Howard, a cooper from New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1843. The couple relocated to Olympia in 1859, where they took over the Pacific House, a prominent hotel and restaurant at the corner of State Avenue and Capitol Way. 

Under Rebecca's management, the Pacific House gained a reputation for exceptional hospitality and cuisine, attracting travelers, legislators, and dignitaries, including President Rutherford B. Hayes and General William Tecumseh Sherman. Known for her culinary skills and assertive demeanor, Rebecca insisted on being addressed respectfully as "Mrs. Howard," challenging the racial and gender norms of her time. 

Beyond her business ventures, Rebecca was a philanthropist and civic leader. This includes donating over 80 acres to support Olympia's bid for the Northern Pacific Railway terminus. In 1862, the Howards took in Isaac I. Stevens Glasgow, a biracial child facing abuse, whom they later adopted as Frank Alexander Howard. Frank became a prominent businessman, continuing his parents' legacy in Olympia and beyond. 

Rebecca passed away in 1881, leaving an estate valued at over $100,000—a remarkable achievement for an African American woman of her era. 

*Learn more about the Howard Family as Land and Food Stewards