Tenino is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States. It is a little town just south of Olympia, rich in history - and wooden nickels. Incorporated in 1906, the city sits upon land first established as a food-source prairie for Native Americans living in the area. It was originally settled by Stephen Hodgden when he came west from his home state of Maine for the California Gold Rush. The town grew around an economy of stone quarrying, with local sandstone being used in several government and university buildings. Its downtown district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Tenino gained notoriety during the Great Depression for the use of wooden money as public currency for its residents. Today, Tenino is a tight-knit community of about 1800 people. Tenino families enjoy the beautiful, quiet town with it's historic stone structures.
