Helen Sommers: An Oral History

Chapter 18
Third year of tie; and
the Nisqually Earthquake!
In the Legislative Building, over 173 million pounds of stones, bricks
and building finishes moved in response to the Nisqually earthquake.
Structural damage was limited to the upper rotunda.
Monahan: You’ve got to say that 2001 was an interesting
year. Not only did the voters extend the
49-49 tie in the 2000 election but, barely six weeks
into session the devastating Nisqually Earthquake
occurred on Feb. 28! The 6.8 magnitude earthquake
had a large impact on the legislative campus and
certainly the 2001 session.
Representative Sommers: Oh, yes. The Nisqually
earthquake forced the Legislature out of the Legislative
Building, which was damaged extensively
and had to be closed for several years. The House
and the Senate were quickly moved into makeshift
meeting rooms. The House sessions were moved to
‘Hearing Room-A’ in the John L. O’Brien Building.
The room was never intended to hold 98 members
plus staff. So it was very tight and very crowded. The
Senate was moved to the John Cherberg Building,
but with only 49 members, I think it was easier for
them than the jam-packed House chamber.
The Nisqually Earthquake event had a big impact
on the flow of the session, but I do think, in some
ways, it may have brought legislators closer together.
Despite the size of the quake (6.8 magnitude) and
with the epicenter just 11 miles from the Capital, the
sandstone Legislative Building survived remarkably
well! As I wrote in my 2001 Legislative Newsletter:
“For days we watched industrial climbers rappelling
up and down, inspecting every section of the dome.
During that week, I attended a briefing by a seismic
engineer who advised us the Legislative Building
is one of the safest places to be in when there’s an
earthquake – and the rotunda, under the structural
circle of the dome is the safest of all.”
But, year three of a House tie really slowed progress
again.
Monahan: Do you remember where you were about
six weeks into session when that earthquake occurred?
And, any recollections you might have of
that historic event?
Representative Sommers: I sure do! There was a
group of us in a
meeting in Speaker
Chopp’s office, off
the House floor,
including Speaker
Chopp, Lynn Kessler,
Bill Grant, Eileen
Cody, Mary
Lou Dickerson, Jeff
Gombosky and me
along with a few
staff people. We
knew it was an
earthquake, but we
had no idea how
Legislative Building Dome under
reconstruction, March 2003
severe it was. The
building really
shook mightily! It
was quite frightening for many. I remember stories
of people in the elevators when it happened, which
trapped them in for awhile.
As it turned out, the buildings held up very well.
But, of course, the earthquake required us to quickly
pack up and move out right in the midst of session.
Monahan: Given that the session was just six weeks
in, and the disruption was so sudden, and they had
to vacate the Legislative Building quickly, was there
added turmoil to a session that was dealing first