Tacoma’s Loch Ness is an Electrified Sea Monster
October 18, 2018Every 60 years or so the tale of Tacoma’s electrified version of the Loch Ness Monster manages to find a way to be told once more. Here, we present the 1960 retelling of the event that terrified local fisherman in 1893, as found filed away in the Tacoma Public Library’s Northwest Room archives… Sunday, August…
May We Have Tacoma’s Attention, Please?
October 2, 2018Well before the online era, promoters and performers went to great lengths to capture the attention of Tacomans. A look back at some of the creative lengths businesses, and the city itself, have gone to as catalogued and in the Tacoma Public Library‘s online archives… On April 27, 1915, the Tacoma Publicity Committee sponsored a race…
Here’s What It Took to Be Named the Perfect Mrs. Tacoma Housewife in 1955
September 6, 2018From the ‘you can’t make this stuff up files’ comes a look back at the 1955 Tacoma Home Show, where there was plenty for guests to see at the College of Puget Sound’s field house (now the University of Puget Sound).
This Is What It Looks Like When Nature Reclaims a Piece of Tacoma
August 28, 2018Have you ever wondered how long it would take nature to reclaim a neighborhood if everyone just got up and left? It’s hard to say how long an average house would last, but if you wiped the neighborhood off the map and left the ground bare, 67 years is, evidently, more than enough time to…
The Lesser-Known History of Stadium Bowl
August 3, 2018When Stadium Bowl first opened in 1910 it was a pretty big deal. Theodore Roosevelt visited a year later and had this to say about it: “I have visited, I think, most of the cities of the world, and there is not one of them which has such a stadium as this, situated with such…
89 Years Ago Tacomans Were Obsessed With Flying to Tokyo
July 30, 2018Look up Harold Bromley in the history books and you’ll find photos of a man ready to take off for Tokyo from Tacoma Field. There are shots of the crowd of thousands, which began gathering at 2 a.m. on July 28 of 1929 to see the pilot off on the historic 4,762 mile flight. There are…
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…
Snapshots of Father’s Day in Tacoma History
June 17, 2018Judging by photos from decades past, all-out Father’s Day pampering is a time-honored Tacoma tradition. Here we take a look at snapshots of what Father’s Day has been like in Tacoma history, including a birthday note for a cat named Tricia. Father’s Day, 1950 as noted in the Tacoma Public Library’s Northwest room files: “Dr.…
A Rare Look at the Remnants of Tacoma’s Realart Theater
May 29, 2018Just inside 5415 So. Tacoma Way you’ll find wall art from a Chinese restaurant, graffiti from the building’s medicinal marijuana growing days, a modern apartment, and a small glimpse of what was once the Realart Theater. Built in 1919 by Radnor Pratsch (who, yes, went by “Rad”), the Realart opened its doors in 1920. Along…
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…
Snapshots of Mother’s Day in Tacoma History
May 13, 2018Sorry to make your hanging basket and brunch date look bad, but the bar for great Mother’s Day gifts in Tacoma was set pretty damn high decades ago. Here we take a look at snapshots of what Mother’s Day has been like in Tacoma history, including one son who took a big plunge to impress…
Long Time Tacoman, Bob Piatt, Remembers Tacoma of the 1940s
April 11, 2018Tacoma has museums, photo archives at the library, and many websites dedicated to preserving its history. However, a truly invaluable way of learning about the history of a city you love is talking to someone who actually lived it. One such person in Tacoma is Bob Piatt. Bob is a charming 81 year old man…