With its shores resting
on Commencement Bay and a looming volcano watching over the city, Tacoma
has no problem competing with nearby metropolitan Seattle
for attention. Tacoma is Washington
State's third largest city and the largest in Pierce County. Located
south of Seattle on the state's west coast, the city of Tacoma has more to offer
than initially meets the eye. It is home to the University
of Puget Sound, the Washington
State History Museum, a 702-acre (284-ha) city park paradise, and numerous
restaurants
and shops.
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Kayakers
with Mount Rainier in the background 1 |
Known as the City of Destiny
because of the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad, Tacoma's name is derived
from the American Indian word "Tahoma" meaning "Mother of the Waters." And while
at first glance Tacoma seems to be simply a port city, it is in fact a place
rich in history, culture, and outdoor bliss.
HISTORY AND ECONOMY
The first European to explore
the Tacoma area was George Vancouver, who arrived in 1792 and encountered the
Nisqually and Puyallup American Indian tribes. The natives called the region
Squa-szucks and lived off the nearby Puyallup River, which flows into the bay
of Puget Sound. In 1841, Charles Wilkes named Commencement Bay but settlement
of the area didn't really begin until a Swedish immigrant by the name of Nicholas
Delin built a water-powered sawmill fed by a creek that entered the bay. The
sawmill business saw a small community grow around it, but three years later
the settlers left the area due to the Indian War of 1855-1856. In the following
years, the area was more or less free of settlers until Morton McCarver came
to the area in 1868 to develop it and encourage settlement. Thus Tacoma City
was born and its real future began.
Tacoma, then a town of about
200, was mainly ruled by the lumber mill industry until McCarver helped campaign
to bring the Northern Pacific Railroad to town. He succeeded in 1873 when Tacoma
was chosen as the site for the Northern Pacific Railroad's last stop. Finished
in 1887, the transcontinental rail service created a population explosion, and
by 1890, Tacoma was about 36,000 people richer.
The railroad saw a boom
for Tacoma with industries budding all over. Coal mines opened, the lumber industry
grew, a salmon cannery was born and shops and other industries flourished. Then,
after many busts and booms due to the Great Depression and both World Wars,
Tacoma finally started to see some economic stability after World War II. This
was due to the founding of nearby military bases Fort Lewis and McChord U.S.
Air Force Base.
Today, Tacoma is a port
city and the sixth largest container port in North America. It is also one of
the United State's key gateways for trade with Japan, China, Taiwan and Thailand.
The city is still involved with the timber industry and is an agricultural and
forestry sector hub. In 1998, Tacoma launched a high-speed fiber-optic network,
the largest municipally-owned telecommunications network in the country, creating
a growing high-technology sector and making Tacoma the country's leading wired
city.
With Mount
Rainier National Park nearby, tourism in Tacoma has always been an important
industry. However, with Tacoma's recent label as a cultural arts presence in
Washington State, tourism has become an even more significant and growing industry.
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Tacoma
skyline at night 2 |
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GEOGRAPHY
Found in Pierce County roughly
36 mi (58 km) south of Seattle, the port city of Tacoma is located on the shores
of Commencement Bay in the Puyallup River valley. Not surprisingly, numerous
waterfront parks and beaches line the city shoreline. With an active volcano
visible throughout most of the city's backdrop and a national park characterized
by mountains and wildlife galore on hand, Tacoma's location make it a great
home base for the outdoor enthusiast, no matter what season.
CLIMATE
Tacoma generally sees a
mild, cool climate throughout the year. With summer highs averaging at about
76º F (24º C), sunscreen is an essential, especially because there are plenty
of opportunities to enjoy beachfront parks. Winters are generally cool with
average winter lows of about 34º F (1º C) and rain dominating the season. Tacoma
is known to be a rainy city and generally receives about 37-39 in (940-991 mm)
of rain a year, so an umbrella is always a good idea when visiting during the
winter months.
TRANSPORTATION
Tacoma's shared airport
with Seattle, the Seattle-Tacoma
International Airport, is located 18 mi (29 km) north of Tacoma. If
arriving by land, the primary north-south route is Interstate 5, while Washington
State Route 16 provides east-west access. Rail service to Tacoma is provided
by Amtrak, which runs numerous trains to the city every day, while Greyhound
provides access by bus. An extensive ferry system also serves the bay of Puget
Sound. In the city, Sound
Transit offers commuter trains and buses that also provide service throughout
central Puget Sound.
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Renowned for its opportunities
for outdoor activities with Mount
Rainier nearby, the city of Tacoma has an array of attractions
to offer. From indoor arts to fine dining and outdoor leisure, there is enough
to do even for those planning a longer stay. With an abundance of hotels,
motels,
and bed and
breakfasts, there is plenty of opportunity to get out and enjoy Tacoma's
sights.
Shopping and Dining
If it's boutiques,
antiques,
and fine dining you're after, Tacoma's Old
Town Historic District is the place to be. Having been Tacoma's birthplace
and the original business district, Old Town is a place of cobblestone streets
and historic buildings. Located at the bottom of 30th hill along Ruston Way,
the district is a mix of old and new with specialty shops, florists
and galleries
set against historic surroundings. Being along Ruston Way also makes the area
part of Restaurant Row. Known for being salmon country, the area is filled with
seafood
restaurants from fine dining names such as C.I.
Shenanigans to the more local Harbor
Lights. A variety of other dining experiences are also available, from
Tacoma's oldest saloon The
Spar to casual taverns and eateries such as Katie
Downs.
Museum District
With a freshly renovated downtown, Tacoma has become a lively cultural arts
hub, and its fairly new Museum
District is at the heart of it all. This triangle shaped district, located
in downtown Tacoma at Pacific Avenue, encompasses the Washington
State History Museum, the Tacoma
Art Museum and the Museum
of Glass.
An attraction in itself,
the Museum district is linked by the historic Union
Station, which served passengers of the Northern Pacific Railroad from
1911 to 1983. Then Amtrak decided on a new location for the railroad station,
and the old Union Station was left abandoned and in disarray. After five years
of desertion and a bleak future in sight, Union Station was registered as a
historic site and $57 million worth of renovations began. A federal courthouse
was added and the station has been returned to magnificence.
With its grand copper dome
and Romanesque architecture, visitors stopover at Union Station not only to
admire its architecture but also to discover the art displayed within. It currently
houses breathtaking glass sculptures and exhibits by Tacoma native Dale Chihuly.
Inside, at the center of the dome hangs a colorful 20-foot-long (6 m) Cobalt
Blue Chandelier consisting of about two thousand pieces.
Just outside the station
is the Chihuly
Bridge of Glass, also designed by glass artist Dale Chihuly along with
architect Arthur Andersson. The public footbridge crosses over Interstate 705,
spans 500 ft (152 m), and consists of three unique phases.
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The
Venetian Wall at the Chihuly Bridge of Glass 3 |
The first phase, the Seaform
Pavilion, is an underwater-like experience with its glass ceiling housing more
than 2,000 pieces of glass art shaped like underwater shells. Standing 40 ft
(12 m) high smack in the middle of the bridge are the twin Crystal Towers, icy
blue in color. The final phase, nearing the Museum of Glass, is the Venetian
Wall displaying 109 Chihuly glass sculptures of varying colors, shapes and sizes.
Walking off the Chihuly
Bridge of Glass is the Museum of Glass, which opened its doors in 2002. Distinguished
by its 90-foot-tall (27 m) steel cone, the museum includes the Hot Shop Amphitheater,
where visitors can watch artists blow and shape glass; an outdoor exhibit area,
a theater and a studio.
A few steps away is the
Washington State History Museum, where the state's history comes alive through
interactive exhibits and storytelling. In the museum resides the largest model
railroad exhibit in Washington State as well as the largest collection of pioneer,
Indian and Alaskan artifacts on the Pacific Coast.
At the other end of the
Museum District's triangle peak is the Tacoma Art Museum, which opened its current
location in 2003. The 50,000-sq-ft (4,645-sq-m) locale now has enough room to
house a variety of exhibits in a series of galleries including permanent works
such as the 19th and 20th-century American, European and Asian art collections.
Theater District
Also part of downtown Tacoma's revitalization is the Theater
District located at 9th Street and Broadway. The Broadway
Center for the Performing Arts, which is made up of three theaters,
can be found here. These include the historic 1918 Pantages
and Rialto
theaters
as well as the more modern Theater
on the Square. Both the Pantages and the Rialto theaters have been restored
to their original splendor making the Tacoma Pantages the oldest Pantages Theater
still in operation. Visitors can experience the Tacoma
Opera, the Tacoma
City Ballet, the Tacoma
Philharmonic, the Tacoma
Symphony, and the Tacoma
Concert Band at the Pantages while the Rialto offers the Tacoma
Youth Symphony Association, the Northwest
Sinfonietta and the Puget
Sound Revels. Theater
on the Square, which opened in 1993, houses the Tacoma
Actors Guild, who put on a variety of performances throughout the year.
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Flowers
at Point Defiance Park 4 |
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Point Defiance
Park
When U.S. military personnel came across the area in 1841, they found it to
be a perfect place for a fortress, so they named it Point Defiance. However,
the area was never used for its intended purpose and eventually became a park
in 1888. With its gardens, beaches and forest trails, the area has been a popular
destination for visitors and residents ever since. Consisting of 702 acres (284
ha) of land, the park is an outdoor getaway located right in the city. Found
at 5400 N Pearl Street, Point
Defiance Park is considered Tacoma's backyard by residents and is the
place to go to for activities such as kayaking, sunbathing, scuba diving or
fishing.
A variety of gardens, complete
with waterfalls and statuettes, fill the space. From the Japanese Garden to
the Northwest Native Garden, the park has since grown in variety from its very
first garden, the Rose Garden. Yet the Rose Garden remains the focus of Point
Defiance Park, the oldest section first planted in 1895 by the park's first
superintendent, a Welsh gardener by the name of Ebenezer Roberts. Overall, the
Rose Garden covers an area of more than an acre and includes a wide collection
of roses. With more than 1,500 rose bushes, the area is in full bloom from June
to September.
Another highlight when visiting
Point Defiance Park is the 29-acre (12-ha) Point
Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, which celebrated its centennial in 2005. Over
its 100-year history, the zoo and aquarium has seen vast changes due to political
change and a better understanding of animal captivity. Today, Point Defiance
Park & Aquarium is a modern facility that houses a range of animals, including
leopards, bears and beluga whales. It is also a leader in captive breeding and
attracts nearly 500,000 visitors a year. While visitors are no longer allowed
to feed the animals, it is still possible to get up close when zookeepers roam
the grounds with certain animals out for an afternoon stroll.
Mount Rainier National
Park
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Mount
Rainier National Park 5 |
Nearby Mount
Rainier National Park is an outdoor paradise for climbing, hiking and
outdoor exploration that sees about two million visitors each year. Officially
established as a park in 1899, it is the fifth oldest national park in the United
States. Although Mount Rainier National Park is open year-round, there
is limited access in the winter. The Nisqually Entrance located at the southwest
corner of the park is the only year-round access point. The four visitor centers
and various areas throughout the park have different dates of operation, so
it is important to check with the park before visiting. Located about 70 mi
(112 km) southeast of Tacoma, it sits on roughly 235,000 acres (9 ha) of land
consisting of alpine forests, valleys, waterfalls and lakes. But undoubtedly,
the park's focal point is the still active volcano visible on the Tacoma skyline.
With its last eruption about
150 years ago, Mount Rainier
is a 14,410-foot-high (4,392 m) Cascade volcano, the highest peak in Washington
State. It is a snow and ice-covered peak that scientists predict will erupt
again in about 100 years. And while thousands of climbers attempt to ascend
the volcano each year, only about half actually succeed in reaching the mountain's
top. Nevertheless, with four visitor centers throughout the park, there are
ways to experience the mountain without the tricky ascend to the top.
There are numerous trails
and spots throughout the area that offer different views of Mount Rainier, one
of the more popular being Paradise. Paradise is located a few miles from the
Reflection Lakes and is accessible by the main Nisqually Entrance. The area
consists of meadows of wildflowers as a foreground to a mountain view. Sunrise,
located on the other side of Paradise, is the highest point in the park that
can be reached by car. At 6,400 ft (1,951 m), it is considered to have one of
the best views of Mount Rainier. The area is located near the northwest boundary
of the park and offers impressive views of the looming mountain.
PHOTO COURTESY
- Washington State
Tourism; Kayakers with Mount Rainier in the background; Tacoma, WA,
USA
- Tacoma Regional
Convention & Visitor Bureau; Tacoma skyline at night; Tacoma, WA, USA
- Tacoma Regional
Convention & Visitor Bureau; The Venetian Wall at the Chihuly Bridge
of Glass; Tacoma, WA, USA
- Tacoma Regional
Convention & Visitor Bureau; Flowers at Point Defiance Park; Tacoma,
WA, USA
- Washington State
Tourism; Mount Rainier National Park; Tacoma, WA, USA
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