Lake Lawrence-Yelm, Washington
Lake Lawrence is a 330-acre lake located roughly six miles south of Yelm and six miles southeast of Rainier in Thurston County. The lake offers public-access areas and is a popular location for fishing, swimming, and water skiing.
Yelm is a small city 35 miles from Tacoma and 24 miles from Olympia in Thurston County. Our local history attributes the name Yelm to the Native American word “shelm,” which refers to the rising heat waves from the prairie flatlands.
Traders, including the Hudson Bay Company, passed through Yelm to exchange their products from dairy farms, grain operations, cattle ranches, sawmills and shingle mills. The Northern Pacific Railroad lines increased traffic through the town in 1912 when it established a stop along this commercial passageway.
Living in Yelm
One of the oldest establishments in our area is the Lake Lawrence Community Club, an extension of Edwards Resort, built in 1923. In 1929 the owners made a 20-foot water slide that drew visitors from neighboring cities like Olympia and Tacoma. It is now a privately owned development with lakefront homes and membership access to amenities.
Lawrence Lake is 330 acres and is open to angling year-round for a chance to hook a largemouth bass, yellow perch, and trout. Public-access areas and is a popular location for fishing, swimming, and water skiing. The lake is fed by the Deschutes River, which runs through town, and borders some private properties in the county.
Schools in Yelm
The Yelm School District enrolls 5400 students per year in six elementary schools, two junior high schools, one high school, and one alternative school.
Community support is achieved by an innovative alliance known as the Business Partnership Program. The members of the Yelm Area Chamber of Commerce co-op with the Yelm School District to financially contribute to the education of our youngsters in return for recognition.
A portion of the proceeds of the Business Partnership Program fund teachers and equipment needed for the extended classes offered by the schools, including career and technical education. The Career and Technical Education programs focus on skills leading to success in the following:
- Agriculture
- Natural Resources
- Arts
- Communications
- Information Technology
- Health Science
- STEM- Science, Tech, Engineering, Math
Real Estate in Lake Lawrence-Yelm
Yelm and Lake Lawrence are close enough to Olympia and Tacoma for commuters to the cities or vacation homeowners. We welcome both and encourage you to explore the possibilities of homeownership in Thurston County.
The Deschutes River, named by French fur traders because of all the small waterfalls and whitewater shoots, is a scenic addition to prairie land available in Yelm.
You’ll discover single-family homes on generous land parcels with dozens of acres. Prairie home sites with views of Mt. Rainier where you can raise cattle or horses, walk through established orchards, and fish from your private lake.
Log cabin lovers will feel right at home in Yelm, as pioneer construction is alive and well in our city. Except now we include running water, electricity, wifi, and privacy gates. Undeveloped land invites you to build your dream home with a choice of uninterrupted views of landscapes, including Mt. Rainier.
Please see the Yelm-Lake Lake Lawrence area for yourself, as words don’t do it justice. Contact me today.
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