In some ways, you could say that Tacoma has a long and complex history. In other ways, the earliest parts... Read More
GRIT /grit/ noun small loose particles of stone or sand courage and resolve; strength of character; firmness of mind or... Read More
On South 11th and Yakima sits a building where Prince Olav of Norway, President Taft, President Truman, President Wilson, and Orson Welles have all paid a visit. A building that holds over 100 years of monumental history, it once held home and garden exhibitions, boxing matches, car shows, and rock concerts. It was also home to the Washington State National Guard. Read More
Sorry 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. Read More
You’ve seen it on T-shirts, bumper stickers, and murals. You might even have a 24”x36” poster of the original lithograph.... Read More
Have 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 blend the land back into the surrounding wilderness. Read More
Brian Williams never went anywhere without his camera and a bag full of lenses. “The story is his first pictures... Read More
The way Easter is celebrated changes a little from place to place and from year to year. We took a look at the image archives at the Tacoma Public Library to see how things have changed through the years here in Tacoma. Read More
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
Nestled in downtown Tacoma in a narrow park stands a totem pole. At one point, it was brightly painted, but the paint is faded. Graffiti is carved into the base. At the top sits an eagle with wings spread, as if surveying the port below. Read More
Tacoma may not be Nashville or Detroit, but it's got its fair share of music history. The argument could be made, in fact, that the Grit City is the figurative birthplace of garage rock, and it's inarguably the literal birthplace of one of America's most beloved music celebrities 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