Paying Homage to the Murray Morgan Bridge
June 28, 2018A while back we asked some of our readers what symbolized Tacoma in their eyes. While “Bikini barista stand” gave us a good chuckle, the most popular answer was the Murray Morgan Bridge. Tacoma is full of symbols, some more obvious than others. The Murray Morgan Bridge was our easy favorite though. It’s been around…
All the Cool Things You Didn’t Know About Fort Nisqually
June 20, 2018If the last time you visited Ft. Nisqually was on a fourth grade field trip, it’s time you got reacquainted. Summer is a great time to go, especially with all the events going on. The first after hours 21+ Homespun Happy Hour is happening at the end of this month, on June 29th. But even…
Here’s the Story Behind Puget Creek’s Hidden Sculpture
June 15, 2018Have you ever noticed the mysterious sculpture near the northern trailhead of the Puget Creek Natural Area? If not, don’t feel bad. It’s pretty easy to miss. If you have seen it though, you may not know the whole story attached to it. This sculpture is actually part of a multi-piece installation with identical markers in…
An Introduction to Tacoma’s Peregrine Falcons
June 7, 2018You may not know it, but Downtown Tacoma has played an important role in the recovery of peregrine falcons for nearly 20 years. The tall buildings emulate the rocky cliffs falcons naturally gravitate to. That, combined with a ready supply of pigeons, makes for prime falcon real estate. The resident falcons of the downtown corridor…
Tower Bells to Jail Cells: A Rare Look Inside Tacoma’s Old City Hall
May 18, 2018Old City Hall is one of the most prominent structures in Tacoma, but for the last decade it’s been little more than a curious ornament on the city’s skyline. Before the city bought the building, it had fallen into disrepair after a failed attempt at converting it to condos. Throughout the building, remnants of past…
One of Tacoma’s Best Radio Stations Broadcasts From a Tree
May 15, 2018Recently, two Low Power FM stations started broadcasting over the Tacoma airwaves. They are located on the FM dial at KTAH 101.9 and KTQA 95.3. Between the two unique signals, much of the Tacoma area is covered. Although still in the testing phase, they play noncommercial programming twenty four hours a day. Both stations have…
Exactly How High Can You Get in Tacoma? We Investigate
April 20, 2018Getting truly high in Tacoma isn’t as easy as one might expect. Sure, there are pot shops on quite a few corners, but we just can’t compete with the likes of Denver, Colorado. This is sea level, man. Being a waterfront city, it’s no surprise that on average Tacoma only gets to about 243 feet…
Ruston Way Piling Bikes Spread to Downtown Tacoma
April 1, 2018The phenomenon which was previously confined to the Ruston Way waterfront has now shown up in downtown Tacoma. Whether or not it’s the same person(s) responsible for the original guerilla art project is unclear. Whoever it is, though, seems to have stuck to the theme of mid-century folding bikes. The bike stuck to the giant W…
Kraken the Case Behind One of Tacoma’s Most Popular Local Legends
March 30, 2018Washington State has no shortage of octopus myths. The well known Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus haunts our canopies from coast to mountain top, but it’s Tacoma that is home to the real King of the North. Deep below the surface of the Tacoma Narrows, among the ruins of a bridge once nicknamed “Galloping Gertie,” the…
What do Seattleites Think Tacoma is Like? We Ask, They Answer
March 27, 2018For decades Tacoma has been seen by many as a redheaded stepchild compared to the shiny glory of Seattle. But as the housing market skyrockets in the Emerald City (median Seattle house value in 2017 was over $700,000, compared to Tacoma at $264,000), the appeal of our gritty city is on the rise. Is Tacoma’s…
7 Types of Tacoma Weather
March 19, 2018Many think of Northwest weather as a wet, grey homogenous blob. Not so! This Northwest native will tell you it changes by the minute and, good or bad, it’ll keep you on your toes. On great days it’ll remind you why you live here, but on bad days it’ll make you appreciate passing through the…
Tacoma’s Buffalo Soldiers Museum Packs Big History into a Small Space
March 12, 2018The 9th and 10th Horse Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers Museum stirred up a lot of emotions as I walked among its exhibits. There was admiration, fascination, sympathy, and a bit of anger—sometimes a lot of anger. As a veteran who knows how difficult military service can be, it bothered me to learn about how the African…
