Earl N. Steele Photograph Collection, circa 1920-1955

Nicknamed the "Daddy of the Pacific Oyster Industry", Earl Newell Steele was born in Altoona, Iowa on April 19th, 1881. He grew up in Perry, Iowa where he graduated from the University of Iowa with a law degree in 1903. In August 1903, he moved to Seattle, Washington and then moved to Olympia where he opened his law office in 1904. Steele married Clara Ann Remdt on December 25th, 1917. They had three children: Margaret Ann, Richard N., and Bonny Jean. He owned a summer home in Oyster Bay, a large production area for the native Olympian oyster. He became interested in the scientific development and improvement of the oyster industry starting in 1907. Steele described oysters as "luscious, exquisite, delightful, delicate, food for the Gods." In 1924 he imported his first large order of Japanese oyster spat (seed) from Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Civic minded and interested in the development of his community, Steele also served as Director of the Olympia Chamber of Commerce for three years and President of the Olympia Chamber of Commercefor two years, elected Olympia City Commissioner of Finance for seven years, Mayor of Olympia for two years, and State Senator from Thurston County for four years. All the while, his interest in his oyster growing hobby and commitment to the oyster industry continued to develop. Using his numerous connections to the extended oyster community, he helped form the Pacific Coast Oyster Growers Association in 1930 where he served as president and secretary until December 1945 and a Trustee and valued consultant beyond that. As the oyster supply began to outgrow demand, Steele suggested unity between growers and on January 1st, 1922, helped launch one of the most unique and effective advertising campaigns of its day. It was hugely successful, creating "an oyster right for the market, a market right for the oyster". However, with the Great Depression from 1929-1939, people could no longer afford luxury foods such as oysters. The Code of Business was developed to set reasonable prices and rules for fair competition industry wide. In September 1933, Steele was made administrator for the Pacific Coast division of the Oyster Code. Unfortunately, with the construction of the sulfite pulp mill in Shelton, Washington in 1927, the local oyster industry was in steady decline. Waste from the mill was discharged into Oakland Bay, polluting the surrounding waters with bleaching compounds and other chemicals preventing the oysters from seeding. Those that did seed died quickly or contained little meat. Doctor A. E. Hopkins researched this issue and found the mill directly at fault. Steele died in 1968.