geographical location

Tacoma is located in the northwest of the United States in the state of Washington, on Commencement Bay, a bay in the Puget Sound between Seattle in the northwest (51 km) and Olympia (50 km) at the southern end of the sound. To the west are the Olympic Mountains, to the east are the Cascade Mountains with Mount Rainier. This is part of the so-called Pacific Northwest. Tacoma is the capital of Pierce County.

The largest river in the city, the Puyallup, rises in the cascade mountains at the Mount Rainier and flows into the Commencement Bay in the harbor area. The Puyallup is about 72 km (45 miles) long and transports about 80 m³ of water per second. Other smaller rivers and streams are: Wapato Creek, Hylebos Creek.

shield evacuation route in case of volcanic eruption

The town rises from the bay to 146.9 m (482 feet) altitude. The total area of the city is 162.2 km², divided into 129.7 km² of land and 32.5 km² of water. That's one-fifth of the city's total surface area. Tacoma is the largest city in Pierce County and the third largest city in the state. Mount Rainier is visible almost from all over the city, and the most active and potentially dangerous volcano in the cascade chain is an integral part of the city. In the event of a volcanic eruption, parts of the city, particularly the port area, are at risk of flooding and mudslides. Another danger is volcanic ash, which can reach large areas of Tacomas. It has established flight routes for an effective evacuation, the Volcano Evacuation Routes, which are indicated by special road signs.

geology

Tacoma is located on the North American continental plateau, in the lowland "Puget Lowland", on deposits from the Quartarian Mountains up to a kilometer. The Juan de Fuca plate dives under the North American plate (subproduction).

To the east lies the cascade mountains with the active Mount Rainier volcano. The proximity to this mountain, in particular to Mt. Rainier, poses a potential risk of earthquakes. For Tacoma, an eruption of the layer volcano is a major threat to the urban area around the Puyallup river by mud avalanches and ash fields throughout the city.

The city is characterized by lowlands, the so-called Tideflats in the east and hilly countryside in the north, west and south with sometimes very large slopes, especially in the city center.

earthquake

map Tacoma earthquake 1965

Map Nisqually Earthquake 2001

neighboring communities

Tacoma borders the following neighboring municipalities:

city

districts and neighborhoods

• Central Tacoma
  • Hilltop: Limits: 6th Avenue to the north, 25th street to the south, Yakima Avenue to the east, and Sprague Avenue to the west. Historically, Hilltop is an African-American neighborhood. This district was named after its location on a hill above the Commencement Bay and the port. The main offices of the Tacoma Public Library, Bates Technical College, Pierce County Court and Pierce County Prison are located in Hilltop. In late 1980 and early 1990 the district of Hilltop had major problems with crime, especially gangs such as West Coast Crips and Drugs, especially cocaine. Since the mid-1990s, these problems have been alleviated by a neighborhood watch, a civil neighborhood patrol, an increased police presence and increased investment in commercial buildings, and partly transferred to other districts. The center of the gear activities are currently the eastern districts.

Downtown Tacoma

• Downtown Tacoma: Limits: Between Pacific Avenue and St. Helens Street. The center of downtown Tacoma is the junction of 9. Street and Broadway, with three theaters. The Tacoma Convention Center, the Rialto Theater, the Pantage Theater, the Theater on the Square and the Bostwick Building are all distinctive buildings of the district. The city's Christmas tree is also placed annually in downtown Tacoma. The Tacoma Convention Center was established in 2004 for $84 million and is considered the most important factor in speeding up the neighborhood's revival and modernization. The district is famous for other historic buildings such as the former Union Station, the Winthrop Hotel and the Old City Hall. There are many restaurants in Downton Tacoma, especially on Pacific Avenue.
  • Stadium District (divided by the North End): Limits: Between North Slope and Hilltop. The Stadium District is a historical part of Tacomas, consisting mainly of shops and residential blocks. The Tacoma Little Theater, Tacoma's Landmark Temple Theater and Stadium High School are some of the places where you will find the hotel.

• Eastside
  • Dome District
  • McKinley Hill
  • Salishan: Salishan was created after the Second World War to provide military personnel, veterans and their families with low-cost housing. Tacoma was a primary location for this, due to its proximity to the US Army Fort Lewis and the McChord Air Force Base. The remaining parts were bought by the Metropolitan Park District Tacoma and Swan Creek Park. Salishan is a neighborhood that is very poor. 57.4% of the inhabitants of Salishan, 64.5% of those under 18 and 52.6% of those over 65 live below the poverty line. 43.2% are single parents. 53.53% are Asians, 10.81% are African-Americans, and 23.55% are so-called whites.

In 2001, the city received $35 million from the HOPE-VI program to restore and make the area safer. A $200 million recovery plan has been created. This plan provides for the complete demolition of existing dwellings and the replacement of 1200 new houses in a mix of property and properties to rent. This plan also includes a new hospital, a technology center and several childcare facilities. The main focus of the project is to transform it into a more urban environment with green spaces.

• Northeast Tacoma: Limits: The port of Tacoma in the southwest, the village of Fife Heights in the southeast, Browns Point in the northwest and King County in the northeast form the borders of Northeast Tacoma. Northeast Tacoma has the character of a satellite city by separating Tacoma from the port area. During the last few decades, the district has grown steadily and has had a major impact on the increase in Tacomas population. Northeast Tacoma is the most prosperous part of Tacomas. Thanks to the hillside, many houses have an excellent view of Commencement Bay. With 146.9 meters (482 feet) above sea level, the Indian Hill is the largest elevation in Tacomas.
  • Browns Point (not included): Limits: To the south east Northeast Tacoma forms the border to all other sides of the Puget Sound. Browns Point was named after Alvin Harris, a sailmaker on the Wilkes expedition. The most striking point is the lighthouse built in 1887, which was newly built in 1933 and fully automated in 1963. The tower and the nearby hut were added to the American register of historical sites.
  • Crescent Heights

• South End
• South Tacoma
  • Fern Hill: Limits: Fern Hill is bordered by South 72nd Street to the north, the southern by the city border on 96th Street, the west by South Sheridan Ave, and the east by Pacific Avenue. In Fern Hill there is a branch of the Tacoma Public Library, a large church, an elementary school and several stately historic buildings. Fern Hill has three parks at a distance of three blocks of road.

North Tacoma

• West Tacoma
• North Tacoma: Limits: 6th Avenue in the south and Division Avenue in the east. North Tacoma borders Commencement Bay to the north and west. North Tacoma is more prosperous than the rest of the city, and it is mostly made up of middle class people. North Tacoma was traditionally a quarter of the lower middle class, with many fishermen living there. Although North Tacoma is often seen as a seattle cluster, most of the inhabitants of North Tacoma in Tacoma are working themselves, an unusually high number of occupations such as education, health and social services. From a political point of view, North Tacoma is largely close to the Democrats, both national, state, and local.
  • North Slope: Limits: There are no defined boundaries for this part of the city, often the transition is fluid, especially towards Yakima Hill. It is commonly assumed to be borderline in north-east North I Street, division Avenue in the southeast, 6th Avenue in the south and Steele Street in the west. The neighborhood is relatively wealthy and has a population with high educational standards.
  • Old Tacoma: Old Tacoma is called the Old Town in the daily life of Tacomas. Historical buildings from the 1880s and cobblestones justify the name. The replica of Job Carr's hut was built here and Tacoma's first church was built here. A healthy mix of retailers and offices is available here. In addition, Old Tacoma has a particularly good view over Commencement Bay.
  • Proctor District: In the Proctor District you will find some unique retailers, banks and shops for everyday items. The neighborhood has preserved a small town flair within Tacomas. The Blue Mouse Theater, a small cinema, opened on November 23, 1923.
  • Prospect Hill: It is also the most expensive of the city's houses, because of its location, even if only a few of the sites have a really good view.
  • Ruston (independent) border: Completely surrounded by Tacoma, in the northeast Commencement Bay is a natural conclusion. Ruston is not really a part of Tacoma but a legally independent municipality, but most of the inhabitants of Ruston consider themselves fellow citizens of the city of Tacoma. Ruston is often referred to as the North End of Tacoma.
  • Ruston Way: Ruston Way is a popular excursion destination for walks on Commencement Bay and a meeting place for the teenagers of Tacomas in the summer.
  • skyline: Skyline is sometimes called "Narrows View", a reference to the view of the Tacoma Narrows. The center is Skyline Drive.
  • Stadium District (divided with "Downtown Tacoma"), see above
  • Yakima Hill: Limits: North I Street to the south-southwest, Tacoma Avenue to the north-east, North Borough Road to the west, North Stadium Way to the north and North 3rd Street to the east. Yakima Hill is a quiet, fairly prosperous neighborhood. Most of the building is made up of houses. Annie Wright School and a private tennis club

Military facilities

Several military installations are located near the city limits:

• Fort Lewis (Army)
• Madigan Army Medical Center
• McChord Air Force Base

climate

Tacoma is located in the temperate zone. Generally, the climate is temperate with damp winters and pleasant summer temperatures, reaching and exceeding 30 °C. The climate is mainly determined by the Pacific Ocean, and it produces abundant rainfall. The climate area is called Puget Lowlands. As part of the Pacific Northwest, the famous rains are also found here, but to a lesser extent than is commonly assumed. The average rainfall in Tacoma is only 94 centimeters (37 inches), less than in other metropolitan areas of the US. Most of the precipitation falls during the winter months, the average maximum temperature is 7 °C. In summer, the average maximum temperature is 24 °C with low humidity.

The proximity to the Pacific and the cascade chain contributes to the mild climate. The average number of sunny days is 141 per year.

table

climate diagram Tacoma

weather events

On October 12, 1962, the strongest storm so far hit Tacoma. This is called the mother of all storms of the century. Wind speeds of up to 140 km/h (88 mph) were measured in Tacoma and up to 240 km/h in other areas (150 mph). This event is called The Columbus Day Wind Storm.

The storm killed a total of 46 people in an area from California to British Columbia, Canada, and caused $235 million in damage to buildings. 35,396,000 m³ of wood, at the time worth $750 million, fell victim to the storm.

The Tacoma area was first populated by the Native Americans, mainly from the Puyallup tribe. Several European explorers traveled to the Tacoma area, including George Vancouver and Charles Wilkes, who named many landmarks (including Mount Rainier) and drew first cards.

Job Carr, a civil war veteran, Quakers, Pioneers and Postworker, settled Tacoma Christmas in 1864 as one of the first. He built his hut where now is Old Tacoma. In the Indian language the area Shu-bahl-up is called, the protected place. The first sawmill was built in 1852 by Nicholas Delin, a Swedish native. It had a capacity of about 600 meters (2000 feet) per day. Delin and Carr were the only whites in the area at that time.

In the hope of winning from rising land prices after the completion of the planned intercontinental rail with the terminal at Commencement Bay, though no one knew at the time where the terminal will be for the railway line authorized by President Abraham Lincoln.

Another investor was Matthew Morton McCarver, who bought, among other things, about four hectares of land from Job Carr, which held about two hectares.

The first ship to enter the new settlement had to be steered with burning tree stockings and gunshots, as the town was still very small at the time and the ship's officers could not find the way. McCarver's later son-in-law, Clinton P. Ferry the new settlement. Ferry founded the Ferry Museum and left to the museum two thirds of his wealth for maintenance. Ferry liked to be called the Duke of Tacoma Three other San Francisco investors founded the "Hanson Ackerson & Co." sawmill directly on the waterline. About 12 km (40,000 feet) of wood were sawn every day. The first hotel was founded by Janet Elder Steele and her husband. Opened in February 1869, the hotel has 24 rooms and has been successfully operating for 15 years. In the autumn of 1868, the city consisted of Job Carrs Hut and two buildings under construction, the Hotel Steele and Hanson Ackerson & Co. McCarver, his city, Commencement City, Phillip Ritz, a nursery owner named after the city of Ritzville, Washington, proposed to name the city Tacoma. Ritz was inspired by the book Canoe and Saddle by Theodore Winthorp. Ritz brought the black poplar (Populus nigra Italica) to the Pacific Northwest.

The name Tacoma was officially adopted after a meeting with McCarver's banks and McCarver gave C.P. Ferry ordered to change the name on the map. This map is to be seen in the Ferry Museum today. On December 16, 1873, Job Carr, "Skookum Smith", McCarver, General Sprague, and John Ralston beat the last nail to complete the construction of the railway line from Kalama to Tacoma.

In 1874, Jobb Carr and his son Howard Old Tacoma, among others, represented in the negotiations with the representatives of New Tacomas to unite both parts into a city. Jobb Carr was elected President of the five representatives Old Tacomas. In the broadest sense, he is the first mayor of Tacoma, besides his position as first mayor and first notary. McCarver was no longer officially founded by Tacomas; he died in April 17, 1875, after having caught a severe cold on his way to newly discovered coal deposits in Puyallup.

The first local newspaper, The Pacific Tribune, was published by Thomas Prosch on August 9, 1873, and the newspaper appeared every evening. The last issue was published on 11 March 2009. June 1875, Prosch moved the newspaper's seat to Seattle and changed the name to Seattle Pacific Tribune. After a little more than a year, the newspaper was closed as well. Thomas Prosch subsequently became editor of the newspaper Seattle Post-Intelligence. Job Carr's daughter, Marietta, and her young son died on October 8, 1875, when the ship Pacific fell on Juan de Fuca Street. The Pacific sank after a collision with the ship Orpheus, 273 of the 275 passengers of the Pacific died in the accident.

A replica of Job Carr's hut, which also served as Tacoma's first post office (opened on March 25, 1869), was built in 2000 in the Old Town district near the former site, between Carr Street and McCarver Street. Carr's son, Anthony, was transferred to the post office between Steilacoom and the new post office. Job Carr's grandfather, Colonel Caleb Carr became the first governor of Rhode Island on the east coast of the United States after the civil war.

Tacoma was officially founded on November 12, 1875 and the first settlement was established in 1864. Tacomas’s forerunner Commencement City was founded in 1868. In 1873, the Northern Pacific Railway opened a railway station called New Tacoma near the settlement, above the "Tideflats" of the existing settlement. Nicholas Delin tried to convince McCarver to build the settlement where the new station was built, but McCarver believed that his chosen location was the better. As a result, all those who had invested in Commencement City/Old Tacoma before the construction site of the railway station had little profit. In 1883 the two towns were united under the name Tacoma. The hopes for prosperity that have been placed on the railways, hence the nineteenth-century name of the city of Destiny, have been permanently shaken by the gold rush on the Klondike River at the end of the nineteenth century. Seattle, unlike Tacoma, benefited greatly from this boom.

In 1880, George Francis Train undertook a round of the world that began in Tacoma (March 18) and ended (May 24) to set a new speed record and to highlight Tacomas's central location. His record attempt lasted exactly 67 days, 18 hours, 2 minutes and 55 seconds. Today, a plaque with a starting and finishing point in the city center is reminiscent of this early advertising campaign. Several thousand Chinese peacefully living in Tacoma were driven out of the city in November 1885, and on November 4, 1885, two Chinese settlements burned down to the foundations. This action, led by the then mayor, is now called the Tacoma method.

On December 26, 1886, an electric street lighting was put into operation for the first time. 36,000 inhabitants were counted in 1890.

In 1893, at a meeting of the Loyal Legion of the United States, a resolution was passed by civil war veteran Russell G. O'Brien agreed to demand that all members of the Legion should stand up and take their head cover off when the national anthem come. This behavior soon became a tradition throughout the United States of America.

The Lexington

In the winter of 1929/1930, the city suffered a 30-day blackout. The aircraft carrier Lexington supplied the city with electricity using its own generators. The Navy received an amount of $60,000 for this.

During World War II, 74 warships were abandoned in Tacomas shipyards, and more than 30,000 workers were employed in manufacturing at peak times.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge with new construction

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, also known as the "Gallopping Gertie", crashed on November 7, 1940, four months after its opening, and was only built 10 years later, a necessity, as the number of inhabitants on the "Key Peninsula" peninsula opposite Tacoma increased steadily, and thus the number of vehicles. After the first plans began in 1998, a parallel bridge was built between October 2002 and June 2007 and was opened on 16 July 2007 at a ceremony, as the old Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the 16 Stateroute were no longer able to cope with ever-increasing traffic and earthquake safety requirements. The project was completed in the summer of 2008 with the rehabilitation and earthquake-proof retrofitting of the old bridge construction, as it now uses one bridge per direction, the original bridge in the south-north and the new bridge in the north-south direction. The total cost of the project was $849 million. The new bridge has a tollgate on the side of the kite. The new bridge construction will last until 2070 and the renovation of the old bridge should extend its life until 2030.

The Port Industrial Waterway Bridge, called the Blair Bridge, was built in 1953 and closed in 1997 due to the expansion of the Blair Waterway, because the opening of the bridge at about 46 m (150 feet) was no longer sufficient for the ever-expanding vessels. The bridge covered about 91 m (300 feet) waterway.

The Cheney Stadium was opened in 1960 after only three months of construction. Since its opening, the Baseball Stadium has been home to the Minor League Baseball (Pacific Coast League) for seven teams, and since 1995 to the Tacoma Rainiers, which are part of the Seattle Mariners.

The first platform in the country was put into operation on 27 February 1961 in Tacoma.

In 1998, the installation of fiber-optic lines was started throughout the city. The city-owned company "City of Tacoma Power" thus placed Tacoma at number one in the list of the most densely supplied optical data-line cities, Tacoma being called America's "most wired city." The investment amounted to more than $100 million. Approximately 1,127 km (700 miles) of cables have been moved, and telecommunications companies Qwest and AT&T increased the investment volume by more than $200 million for extensions throughout Pierce County County.

Tacoma has a large-scale tunnel system built by the Chinese population beneath many roads. These tunnels, which are officially inaccessible, have been explored in part by adventurers. tunnels will be available from the stadium to the Tacoma General Hospital.

Historical objects

• In Tacoma the historic Nisqually Power Substation (also known as Tacoma Substation & Storage House), a substation built in 1911, is located. The two buildings were built on the 25th The National Register of Historic Places listed the number 01000429 as a historical monument.

• The historic Fireboat Station (also known as Fire Station No. 18) in Tacoma is located on East 11th Street 302. It was included by the NRHP in 1986 (NRHP 86000978).

Renaissance of the city center

In the last 15 years, the city has made a great effort to improve its image and, in particular, to revive the city center. In 1990 the University of Washington opened a branch in Tacoma and the historic railway station, Union Station, was restored. The "Museum of Glass" opened in 2002 and shows the art of glass by local and international artists. A fully functional glass-blower workshop is part of the museum. At present, a museum is working on an automobile museum, Harold LeMay America's Car Museum near the Tacoma Dome. The Tacoma Convention and Trade Center, a modern building made of steel and glass, was opened in June 2004. In 1996, the historic museum of the State of Washington was opened in the so-called "Cultural District" and in 2003 the Tacoma Art Museum was opened. Since 2002, interest in residential and commercial buildings in the city center has been steadily increasing, and real estate prices have been rising at the same rate.

In 2004, Tacoma was chosen as one of the first 30 cities to live in. This annual survey is conducted by Partners for Livable Communities.

development

population development 1883-2006

Source:

demography

According to the US Census 2000, the proportion of whites is 69.08%, while African-Americans are 11.24%. In 2000, there were 76,152 households in Tacoma, 30.9% with children under the age of 18. 41.6% were married couples. 31.7% were single households. Of these single households, 10.4% were 65 or older. The average number of persons per household was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.10. 25.8% of the population were under 18 years old, 10.4% from 18 to 24 years old, 31.6% from 25 to 44 years old, 20.3% from 45 to 64 years old and 11.9% from 65 years and older.

The per capita income was $19,130, the median income was $27,697 for the female, and $35,820 for the male part of Tacomas. 11.4% of families, 20.6% under the age of 18 and 10.9% over the age of 65, lived below the poverty line.

municipal council

The city of Tacoma is governed by a nine-member City Council. The members shall be: Justin Camarata, Keith Blocker, Catherine Ushka, Chris Beale, Lillian Hunter, Conor McCarthy and Ryan Mello (as of 2018). All members are elected for a period of four years. Elections are always held in an odd year. The Council adopts laws and regulations, approves the budget for two years and performs other functions. The members are discussing individual "standing committees" where work is carried out in narrowly defined areas such as the environment and security. Other areas, such as transport, poverty and economics, are dealt with in individual working groups called "boards". Members of the Concil regularly attend these meetings. The day-to-day business will be taken over by the "City Manager" designated by the Council, which reports to the Council.

mayor

Victoria Woodards was elected Mayor in 2017. Anders Ibsen is her deputy, who is called the Deputy Mayor.

town twinning

Tacoma has fourteen international town twinning partnerships (as of 2017):

A partnership with a Croatian city is planned.

theater

• The Broadway Center for the Performing Arts consists of the Pantages, the Rialto (cinema) and the Theater On The Square.
• Champions Center

museums

• Fort Nisqually Living History Museum
• Hands On Children's Museum
• Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum
• LeMay: America's Car Museum
• Museum of Glass: International Center For Contemporary Art & Tacoma Glassblowing Studio
• Shanaman Sports Museum Tacoma & Pierce County
• Tacoma Art Museum
• Washington State History Museum
• Working Waterfront Maritime Museum

music

• Tacoma Musical Playhouse
• winter
• Tacoma Barbershop Harmony Chorus (Totem Aires)

cinema

• The Grand Cinema
• rialto

gardens

• W. W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory

casinos

• Point Defiance Casino, Cafe and Poker Room
• Emerald Queen Casino

other

• Golden Pacific Railroad
• Tacoma Nature Center

structures

Historical buildings

Court House

• Court House (former Union Station)
• Fort Nisqually
• Pagoda in Point Defiance Park
• Job Carrs Hütte (replica)
• Old Town Hall
• Northern Pacific Building
• Spanish staircase
• Rialto Theater

newer buildings

Museum of Glass, Tacoma

Tacoma Dome

• Museum of Glass
• Chihuly Bridge of Glass
• Port of Tacoma observation tower
• Tacoma Convention & Trade Center
• Washington State History Museum
• Tacoma Narrows Bridge
• Tacoma Dome

The Tacoma Dome was opened on April 21, 1983 and started on July 1, 1981. The construction cost was $44 million. The dome is versatile. Concerts and sports events are the main events. The first big concert took place on 11 August 1983 with David Bowie. The Tacoma Dome is the second largest indoor stadium in the world with a wooden dome and one of the largest with a geodesic dome. The diameter is 161.5 meters (530 feet) and the height is 46.3 meters (152 feet). The dome is also often called The Woodshed because of its wooden structure, which is called the wooden scales. The Shanaman Sports Museum is integrated within the Cathedral. During the renovation of the KeyArena in Seattle from 1994 to 1995, the Tacoma Dome was used as a playground for the home games of the Seattle SuperSonics.

park

metropark administration

These parks in Tacoma are managed by Metroparks.

Fire-fighting boat No.1 at Ruston Way

• Ruston Way: Ruston Way offers about three kilometers of paved hiking trails, picnic tables and barbecues, beach, lawns (open for playing), a boat mooring, a kayak ramp and a pier for fishing. In addition, the first fire-extinguishing vessel, Tacomas, designed and built as such, can be visited.
  • Jack Hyde Park on Commencement Bay
  • Old Town Dock
  • Hamilton Park
  • Dickman Mill Park
  • Les Davis Pier
  • Marine Park
  • Cummings Park

• Point Defiance: With 284 hectares (702 acre), Point Defiance is one of the largest city parks in the USA. Among other things, there is a zoo, an aquarium, hiking trails, a wooden barrels museum, a reproduction of a fort, a beach, a boat mooring and various theme gardens.
  • Zoo & Aquarium
  • Owen Beach
  • Fort Nisqually
  • camp 6 Logging Museum

• Wrights Park
  • W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory: This historic greenhouse displays over 550 different plant species. More than 200 orchids are available.

• Rogers Park: The only park in Tacoma where dogs do not have to be taken on board.

sport

Local team achievements

• In 1960, the football team of the University of Washington Wisconsin beat 44:8 and won the Rose Bowl for the first time in the Rose Bowl Stadium.

Regular events

• Tacoma celebrates July 4, the United States Independence Day, with a big festival and one of the largest fireworks in the north-west of the United States every year.

culinary specialties

Some restaurants are located in downtown Tacoma, others on Ruston Waterfront, especially fish restaurants. A special specialty of Tacomas is salmon, which, among many other fish species, is very often caught and prepared here. Another specialty is a thick shell soup with potato pieces called Clam Chowder.

economy

The biggest employers in 2017 were:

In addition, WestRock operates a corrugated board plant in the city.

traffic

railway

Tacoma is served by four railway companies:

• amtrak

The state-owned railway company Amtrak operates two long-distance passenger services on the North-South route. The Amtrak Cascades operates Talgo trains between Vancouver (Canada) and Eugene (Oregon). The Coast Starlight runs between Seattle and Los Angeles.

• BNSF Railway

The BNSF is the successor to the Northern Pacific Railway, which provides freight services to Tacoma. In particular, the port is an important transshipment point for container traffic for cars and other goods from the Far East, which are transported by rail to the east and to the east. The agricultural products Oregon and Washington are shipped from the railway company to Tacoma.

BNSF is also responsible for the management of the commuter railway Sounder Commuter Rail, which operates several times a day between Lakewood, Tacoma and Seattle.

When the Tacoma-Kalama route was put into service on 5 January 1874, there was a railway line linking south to the Columbia River. From there until 1888 the Oregon & Railway & Navigation Co. tracks had to be used to the near of Pasco. Only with the opening of the tunnel over the Stampede Pass was the direct route to the west completed.

• Tacoma Rail

Tacoma Rail is a company of the city of Tacoma. Tacoma Rail takes over an important task in the loading of short-haul cargoes with about 328 km (202 miles) of length. Originally, the company used only the port as the Tacoma Municipal Belt Line Railway and established the link with the other carriers. After the takeover of the former Tacoma Eastern Railway network in 1995, this power supply was integrated into the company in 1998. At the same time, the company was renamed in order to achieve a better market effect.

• Union Pacific Railroad

Tacoma is connected to the Union Pacific Railroad network via the Seattle route to Portland, Boise (Idaho) and further to Salt Lake City and Cheyenne (Wyoming). From Portland to Tacoma, the Northern Pacific Railroad is used.

In Tacoma, the Milwaukee Road Pacific Route was completed in 1909. From 1917 to 1972, the stretch from Tacoma to Othello (Washington) was electrified with 3000 V direct current. In 1980, the operation was closed on the Miles City (Montana) to Tacoma line.

port

The port of Tacoma is an independent operation of the town of Tacoma under the control of a commission elected by the inhabitants of Tacoma. The port area covers a total of 24 hectares (2400 acres). The area is used for the loading and unloading of ships and trains, for storage, production and general handling of all kinds of goods. The port was founded in 1918 and a plan for the construction of the port was drawn up in 1919. The first terminal, Pier 1, was put into operation on 25 March 1921 when the ship Edmond was the first ship to board.

Tacoma is an important supply base for Alaska, totaling $5.4 billion in 2015.

Key Figures 2015 envelope:

• TEU 2.1 million
• 17.24 million tons (19 million short tons)
• 183,305 cars
• 2.54 million tons of cereals (2.8 million short tons)
• 202,307 tons of bulk cargoes (223,005 short tons)

Key figures Trade volume 2015 ($bn):

roads

Interstates and highways

Two Freeways, Interstate 5 and Interstate 705, pass through the urban area of Tacomas. Interstate 5 connects Tacoma to Seattle in the north, the southern connection extends from Olympia and Portland to California. The end point is in San Ysidro on the border with Mexico in California. Interstate 705 is a small interstate I-5 interstate arm that starts at the northern beginning of Washington State Route 7 and ends in Tacoma Downtown, where SR 7 is released in Schuster Parkway. The street is then split in Ruston Way and NE 30th Street. From Interstate 705 take the Thea Foss Waterway Washington State Route 509. SR 7 connects Parkland with Interstate 5 and Interstate 705 in Tacoma. SR 509 takes you east towards the harbor and Fife, the end point is Seattle. The Washington State Route 16 begins in Tacoma as a branch of Interstate 5 and crosses the Puget Sound via the Tacoma Narrows Bridge towards Gig Harbor on the Kitsap Peninsula. The endpoint of SR 16 is Gorst, where the Washington State Route 3 begins. SR 163 (Pearl Street) is a branch of SR 16 and leads to the ferry terminal in Point Defiance Park.

Main roads

Bridge over Thea Foss Waterway, 11th Street, about 1968

The main arteries in Tacoma include 11th Street, which connects the port to Downtown Tacoma, Pacific Avenue, Portland Avenue, 38th Street with the large shopping center Tacoma Mall, 19th Street, 30th Street and Port of Tacoma Road, which links the port to Tacoma, Fife and Interstate 5.

airports

Two airports are located near Tacoma:

Sea-Tac

Seattle/Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac carried more than 28 million passengers in 2004, making it one of the 25 largest airports in the United States. The operating company is The Port of Seattle.

Tacoma Narrows Airport

Tacoma Narrows Airport (IATA code: TIW) is located about eight kilometers (five miles) north of Tacoma. The airport has an average of 205 movements per day. Instrument launches and landings are as possible as GPS approaches. There is a restaurant, petrol station, also for jets, hangars, customs and repair service. Six business jets are currently stationed at the airport.

Its use is predominantly civilian, with only 2% of the movements being military. In addition to tourist activities, it also provides assistance in the event of disasters. The national FEMA uses the airport for this purpose. Stars and starlets take advantage of the nearby departure and destination airports to perform in Tacoma and its surroundings. A civil aviation school is on the ground and an extension is planned for the future to train fire and police pilots. There are 120 to 140 jobs, in about the same number in dependent other enterprises.

Washington State Patrol, FBI, DEA, CIA, CBP, Coast Guard and the local police use the airport to monitor traffic, fight crime and prevent crime.

The airport's loss amounts to between $200,000 and $450,000 per year.

A special feature is that from Tacoma Narrows Airport planes take off to disperse the ashes of the deceased, for example over the Puget Sound, the Pacific, or Mount Rainier.

ferry

The only remaining ferry connection from Tacoma is the ferry from Point Defiance to Vashon Island. Some 1550 passengers and 820 vehicles are transported in 18 journeys per day.

tram

Tacoma Link

The Tacoma Link tramway serves the area from Tacoma Dome to the Theater District every 12 minutes (every 24 minutes on Sundays) with six stops at the Tacoma Convention Center. The Sounder Commuter Railway to Seattle is connected to the Tacoma Dome Station. Use of the tram is free.

bus

• National: Greyhound Lines
• Local: Pierce Transit

media

newspapers

• The "Tacoma News Tribune" is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. The circulation is approximately 128,000 on Mondays to Saturdays and approximately 144,000 on Sundays.
• Tacoma Weekly is a weekly newspaper.
• South Sound publishes the "Weekly Vulcano" once a week.

Public bodies

• public utility

Tacoma's first gas and water supply company was the Tacoma Light & Water Company, founded by Charles Wright. Due to the increasing demand from an increasing number of inhabitants, the City Council was entrusted with the establishment of the Tacoma Public Utilities in a consultation of the inhabitants of Tacomas on 1 July 1893. Tacoma Public Utilities employs more than 1,200 people and is divided into three areas:

• • Tacoma Power

Tacoma Power supplies the city of Tacoma and some neighboring towns and municipalities with electricity, which comes to about half of the power plant on the Skokomish River. The other half of the demand is covered by purchases. Total electricity demand is 87% hydroelectric, 3% coal, 1% natural gas and 9% nuclear.

Another field is the Click! Network offering cable TV and internet service.

• • Tacoma Rail

Tacoma Rail is the city's own railway company (see Railway section).

• • Tacoma Water

Tacoma Water provides drinking water mainly from the Green River basin. Up to 327,000 m³ (72 million gallons) per day can be collected here. In addition, additional needs are covered by twenty-four wells, a further 281,000 m³ (62 million gallons), and six wells (North Folk), which can provide a further 327,000 m³. The water is so clean that no filtration can be done.

• Waste management and recycling

The town of Tacoma has its own recycling center, which accepts various recyclable materials. The Solid Waste Management provides a system for the collection of industrial and household waste.

• sewage

The town of Tacoma operates two sewage treatment plants. More than 1,100 km (700 miles) of waste water canal have been installed.

education

colleges

Tacoma has two colleges: the Tacoma Community College and the Bates Technical College. Pierce College is located near Tacoma, Lakewood and Puyallup.

universities

Tacoma has two universities, the University of Puget Sound, founded in 1888 and the University of Washington, Tacoma, founded in 1990. Pacific Lutheran University is located in the catchment area of Tacoma, in Parkland.

Sons and daughters of the city

writer

• Keith Abbott (* 1944), author
• Jesse F. Bone (1916-2006), Veterinary and Science Fiction author
• Richard Brautigan (1935-1984), author
• Earl Emerson (* 1948), author
• Frank Herbert (1920-1986), author of science fiction and fantasy, among others Dune and The People of Santaroga
• Marissa Meyer (* 1984), author
• Gjertrud Schnackenberg (* 1953), poet

musician

• Darrett Adkins, Cellist, Chamber Musician and Pedagogical
• Botch, Mathcore/Metalcore band 1993 to 2002
• Jerry Cantrell (* 1966), rock musician
• Brain Cole, musician, bassist group The Association
• David Friesen (* 1942), Jazz bassist
• Dave Krusen (* 1966), rock musician
• Cindy McTee (* 1953), composer and music teacher
• Jerry Miller, musician and singer, played in Moby Grape
• The Sonics, Rock’n’ Roll, born 1960
• The Wailers
  • published in 1961 Louie Louie under the label Etiquette Records.
• Paul Yoder (1908-1990), composer, conductor, drummer
• Geoff Tate (* 1959), singer of Queensrÿche

artist

• Dale Chihuly (* 1941), artist
• Gary Larson (* 1950), Cartoonist The Far Side
• Paul Wing (1892-1957), director assistant and Oscar Prize winner

actor

• Pamela Reed (* 1949), a. kindergarten Cop
• Sarah Butler (* 1985), a. I Spit on Your Grave
• Dyan Cannon (* 1937), a. Inspector Clouseau
• Bing Crosby (1903-1977), successful singer (White Christmas) and actor (Oscar 1945 for The Road to Happiness)
• Elinor Donahue (* 1937), a. Father TV series is the best
• Edith Evanson (1896-1980), a. A corpse cocktail
• Nathan Gamble (* 1998), actor (The Dark Knight)
• Cam Gigandet (* 1982), u. a. CSI, O.C., California
• Bobby Hutchins (1925-1945), children's actor (The Little Stelch)
• Janis Paige (* 1922), u. a. Magic Nights in Rio
• Kyle Secor (* 1957), u. a. The enemy in my bed
• Blair Underwood (* 1964), a. In the Camp of Crime

athlete

• Lauren Barfield (* 1990), volleyball player
• Bruce Bennett (1906-2007), world record holder and Olympic medal winner, film actor
• KC Boutiette (* 1970), speed skier
• Johnny Bumphus (1960-2020), box in half world weight
• Hal Cole (1912-1970), driver
• Patrick Galbraith (* 1967), tennis player
• James Grogan (1931-2000), figure skater
• Toby Hall (* 1975), baseball player
• Megan Jendrick, born Quann (* 1984), swimmer, Olympic medal winner
• Jon Kitna, Quarterback at NFL
• Davonte Lacy (* 1993), basketball player
• Rocky Lockridge (1959-2019), professional boxer and world champion of the WBA and IBF
• Robert Martin (1925-2012), Ruderer, Olympic champion
• Singor Mobley, Linebacker Canadian Football League
• Leo Randolph (* 1958), Boxer, Olympic medal winner
• Caleb Porter (* 1975), soccer coach
• Ken Still, Profigolfer, played both PGA Tour and Champions Tour
• Frank Stojack, NFL player, wrestler and sheriff from Pierce County, describes Tacoma as a hometown
• Phil Sykes, hockey player, participant in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta
• Miesha Tate (* 1986), mixed martial arts fighter
• Desmond Trufant (* 1990), Cornerback of Atlanta Falcons
• Marcus Trufant (* 1980), Cornerback of Seattle Seahawks

businessman

• Jeffrey Brotman (1942-2017), entrepreneur, co-founder of the retail chain Costco Wholesale
• Robert E. Bush, founder of Bayview Lumber Company and Bayview Readi Mix, veteran of World War II, received the Medal of Honor
• Edward Carlson, u. a. CEO of Westin Hotels & Resorts
• Karl-Erivan Haub (* 1960), owner, managing director, personally liable partner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tengelmann Group

scientist

• Philip Hauge Abelson (1913-2004), physicist and chemist
• Lawrence Aller (1913-2003), astronomer
• Eleanor Maccoby (1917-2018), psychologist
• Charles Perrow (1925-2019), organizational theorist and sociologist

politician

• John M. König (* 1958), Diplomat, Ambassador of the United States to Cyprus and Germany
• Mike Kreidler (* 1943), politician
• Brad Owen (* 1950), politician
• Adam Smith (* 1965), politician, member of the House of Representatives
• Al Swift (1935-2018), politician, member of the House of Representatives

other

• Felecia (* 1972), porn actress, nude model and string dancer
• Stacy Marie Fuson (* 1978), Playmate of February 1999
• Roman Heart (* 1986)
• Kimberly Kane (* 1983), porn actress and director
• Jeff Smith (1939-2004), Chef and TV presenter

personalities who worked on the spot

• Clara McCarty ( 1858 - 1929 ) was the first person to successfully complete her studies at the University of Washington in Seattle and was first Head of the Tacoma School System
• Dr. Nena Jolidon-Croake, a feminist, lived in Tacoma from 1910 to 1923, one of the first two women elected to parliament in Washington State.
• Frank C. Mars (1883-1934) started production of confectionery in Tacoma in 1911.
• Elvis Presley (1935-1977) played in Tacoma´s Lincoln Bowl on September 1, 1957 in front of 6000 spectators.
• Sugar Ray Seales, Boxer, gold medal at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich

• In 2003, 754 guitarists played a 10-minute version of Richard Berry's songs Louie at Cheney Stadium, led by The Wailers, and thus missed an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.
• Even a shoe was named after the city: Men's Born Tacoma.
• The first phone was installed in 1878.
• Toyota has named a model for the North American market after the city. In Germany, the Toyota Tacoma is sold as Toyota Hilux.
• The tree Tabebuia rosea is also called Pink Tacoma or Tacoma.

Tacoma in Popular Culture

Tacoma in music

• The Norwegian band Euroboys named an EP after Tacoma: Girlfriend in Tacoma (1997)
• Lucid Nation, an Artrock band, released a double CD in 2002 called Tacoma Ballet. The recording will take place in the Uptone Studios in Tacoma.
• Tacoma is the title of a song on the album Coalmine of The Woes.
• Neko Case sings on her album Furnace Room Lullaby the song Thrice All American, an ode on Tacoma. On this album there is also the song South Tacoma Way.
• Nirvana´s song Polly was written over a 14-year-old girl who was raped in 1987 on her way home from a Punkrock concert in Tacoma.
• The Steve Miller Band sang in 1977 in her song Rock 'N Me: ‘I went from Phoenix (Arizona), all the way to Tacoma, Philadelphia, Atlanta, L.A.’
• The punk rock band Turbonegro from Norway mentioned on her album Never Is Forever in the song He's a Grungewhore 1994 Tacoma.
• David Rovics mentions Tacoma in his song After the Revolution.
• Tacoma Trailer is the name of an instrument by Leonard Cohen.
• Sir Mix-a-Lot, Rapper from Seattle mentions Tacoma in his songs My Hooptie and Jump On It.

Tacoma in Literature

Richard Brautigan wrote about his childhood in Tacoma in his short stories Corporal, The Armored Car, The Auction, and The Ghost Children of Tacoma. Tacoma is also mentioned in his novel So the Wind Won't Blow it All Away.

Tacoma

• The radio and television series Tugboat Annie is similar to Annie Foss, the owner of a port tug company in Tacoma. One of the actors was Ronald Reagan.
• A running event in the movie Volunteers with Tom Hanks is the repeated name of the city on behalf of the character Tom Tuttle from Tacoma played by John Candy
• In Tacomas Stadium High School and in the North End, parts of the film were shot 10 things I hate about you.

Bostwick Building

• I love you to death was shot in Downtown and Central Tacoma. Kevin Klines Pizzeria is located in the triangular Bostwick Building (Hotel Bostwick). Another striking building is the historic Java Jive, a house in the form of a giant coffee pot.
• Get Carter - The truth hurts was partly filmed in Tacoma.
• The Hand That Rocks the Cradle shows various places in Tacoma, including a house in North Tacoma and W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory in Wright's Park.
• The film about the long-distance runner Steve Prefontaine was mostly shot on the campus of the University of Puget Sound. The Baker Stadium has been redecorated for this film into the Hayward Field of the University of Oregon.
• David Silverman, one of the directors of the animated series The Simpsons, claims that Springfield is in the fictional state of North Tacoma. This is also indicated by the often used abbreviation NT, which TA is used to represent Tacoma. NT and TA can also stand for nice try - try again - try again. There is also a presumption that North Tacoma is a reference to the US state of North Dakota.

A small list of other films shot in Tacoma:

US Navy vessels

1. Harbor tug, built in 1893 under the name "Sebago", renamed Tacoma during the Spanish-American War. In 1900, the tug was renamed Sebago to have the name Tacoma released for the next warship. The Sebago was scrapped in 1937.

The Tacoma

1. Tacoma (CL-20), stacking on June 2, 1903, a Denver-class protector who ran on a reef in 1924 in a storm near Veru Cruz. The wreck was sold.
2. Tacoma (PF-3), Tacoma class ship, frigate, batch on 7 July 1943. In 1945 , the Tacoma was reinstated by the Navy in 1945, and the Tacoma was reinstated by the United States Navy in 1949. On 9 October 1951 the vessel was handed over to the South Korean Navy, where the Tacoma was in service until 28 February 1973 as Taedong (PF-63) and was given as a museum and training vessel after return to the US Navy.
3. The USS Tacoma (PG-92) was an Ashville-class cannon boat, launched in 1968, in 1995

crime

The Weyerhaeuser case

On May 24, 1935, George Weyerhaeuser, who was then nine years old, was kidnapped from school on his way home. George Weyerhaeuser was released on June 1, 1935, after payment of $200,000 in ransom. His kidnappers were arrested and sentenced. Harmon Metz Waley received a total of 47 years, his wife Margaret E. two 20 years (parallel) and William Dainard two 60 years (parallel). Edward Fliss, a collaborator in washing the ransom, was sentenced to ten years in prison and $5,000 in fine. 157,319.47 US dollars were seized. Harmon Metz Waley was the last person to be released from prison at McNeil Island, Washington, on 3 June 1963. From 1966 to 1988, George Weyerhaeuser was president of the joint stock company Weyerhaeuser.

The Brame case

On April 26, 2003, Tacomas's chief of police, David Brame, shot his wife, Crystal, in Gig Harbor, Washington, and directed the gun at himself. David Brame died on April 26, and Crystal Blame died in hospital a week later. This event was preceded by a civil war of divorce, with accusations of domestic violence and threats. The city of Tacoma convened a commission to verify whether those responsible for the city had breached their duties. Ray Corpuz, the then city manager, was dismissed on 15 July 2003 for not having involved David Brame, his divorce and the previous threat to shoot his wife, and other charges. Crystal Blame's family sued the city for $75 million, and other victims of David Brame, who was accused of rape, among other things, followed suit.

Beltway Sniper Attacks

The Beltway Snipers, then 41-year-old John Allen Muhammad and then 17-year-old Lee Boyd Malvo, terrified the Washington, DC region from September to October 2002. Ten people were shot indiscriminately by the sniper before they were arrested. The rifle, a semi-automatic bushmaster XM-15 with laser device caliber .223, was stolen by Malvo in a weapons store in Tacoma, the Bull's Eye Shooter Supply. In 2003, the owner of the arms business was banned from owning or managing a arms deal, as 238 weapons disappeared from his business. Bushmaster Firearms Inc., the manufacturer of the used gun, and the arms deal were sued by the survivors of the victims, and a sum of $2.5 million was finally paid out. John Allen Muhammad was a soldier in the first Gulf War and was trained as a sharpshooter, among other things. Lee Boyd Malvo was sentenced to life imprisonment and John Allen Muhammad was sentenced to death.