Old 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. Read More
In celebration of the Tacoma Dome’s recent renovation, we were invited to look through the archives at the Tacoma Dome to see what kinds of historical tidbits we could find. From David Bowie to the Backstreet Boys, Truckzilla to RV shows, the archives held all the Dome’s most cherished memories. Read More
In 1955 Kaiser Aluminum decided there was no better way to promote safety on the job than to have models—in bikinis—demonstrate proper equipment handling. Read More
Well 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...
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Judging 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. Read More
Sitting a block down from one of Tacoma’s busiest intersections at Sprague and 7th Ave. sits a 105 year old building that, for the last decade, has sat vacant and largely ignored by passersby. Read More
Say the words "Steve's Gay '90s" and you're sure to confuse anyone new to Tacoma or born in the 1980s and beyond. For those in either group, we're talking about a restaurant that used to rock South Tacoma Way — and the 1890s. Read More
Parking in downtown Tacoma wasn't any easier in the late 1930s than it is today. In fact, that decade was filled with disputes between shop owners who wanted spaces to be available for customers and "parking hog" employees that stayed all day. Read More
Spin the dial back on what Saint Patrick's Day has been like in Tacoma history and you're as likely to find a triumph as a tragedy. Here we take a look at bits of our past, ranging from the start of a tradition to an old-ass cat with no fucks left to give. Read More
When Mark Twain arrived in Tacoma in 1895 he was broke, smoking 10 cigars a day, and seemingly unimpressed by the area. Much like our summer of 2017, wildfires were wreaking havoc in Washington and most of our beautiful scenery was completely hidden from view. Read More
Here’s the backstory: People talk a lot about busted roads in Tacoma but this 500 foot strip of awful is literally more patch than road at this point. The potholes are so deep you can actually damage your chassis if you don’t navigate them properly. Its infamy is so widespread that, in years past, whenever there was a paving project elsewhere in the city that ended up with surplus asphalt, the crews would bring the extras here to dump into the potholes. Read More
Look up Harold Bromley in the history books and you'll find photos of a man ready to take off for Tokyo from Tacoma Field. Read More
