Third Street becomes William McCleary Road

Oct. 10, 2016. The old 410, the former main road to Olympia.

Campaign season, 2012

Aug. 1, 2012

Am I the oNly Person

Aug. 1, 2012.

"Am I the oNly Person who Thinks this Weather is total Manipulation. It is not A Natural thing Being Done to Us. 'Chemtrails' 'HAARP' 'GeoEngineering' Look These up!"

This sign greeted anyone entering McCleary from the east SR8 exit for a week or so. 

Mailbox for a deserted lot

William McCleary Rd., June 2, 2011

Road Closed

June 2, 2011. Another limited stretch of the old 410 (William McCleary Rd.), once the main route to Olympia.

The Old and New, 410 and SR 8

A place where the old Highway 410 (William McCleary Rd.) runs parallel with the new SR 8, looking east. The final part of SR 8 to be completed between McCleary and Olympia was in the Ranch Kitchen area, between the Summit Lake exits, in the summer of 1964.

That 60 mph speed limit sign back in the 1960s-1970s was 70 mph, which meant people drove at 80 mph in huge cars like it was normal.  Needless to say, the freeway carnage was significant.

June 2, 2011

Dead Man's Curve

The William McCleary Road was named after Henry McCleary's brother. Over the years that stretch of road has been renamed simply "McCleary Road" but on this blog I'll refer to it as I have always known it.


The two lane road was formerly State Highway 410 and served as the main route between Olympia and Aberdeen until State Route 9 (later renamed State Route 8) was completed in the late 1950s-early 1960s. In the old 410 days, this pictured part of the road was called "Dead Man's Curve" and was regularly decorated with white crosses.

June 2, 2011