Tacoma, Washington: Difference between revisions
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'''Tacoma''' ([[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]: {{IPA|[tə ˈko mə]}}) is the [[county seat]] of [[Pierce County, Washington|Pierce County]]{{GR|6}}, [[Washington]], USA, situated on [[Puget Sound]]'s [[Commencement Bay]], [[Tacoma Narrows]], and the estuary of the Puyallup River. The [[2000]] census reported Tacoma's population as 193,556; the city's population on Apr. 1, 2004, was estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau to be 196,800, and a [[metropolitan area]] of 750,000 ( |
'''Tacoma''' ([[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]: {{IPA|[tə ˈko mə]}}) is the [[county seat]] of [[Pierce County, Washington|Pierce County]]{{GR|6}}, [[Washington]], USA, situated on [[Puget Sound]]'s [[Commencement Bay]], [[Tacoma Narrows]], and the estuary of the Puyallup River. The [[2000]] census reported Tacoma's population as 193,556; the city's population on Apr. 1, 2004, was estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau to be 196,800, and a [[metropolitan area]] of 750,000 (''Trends'', No. D3 [Sept. 2004]). |
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Tacoma is the home of such international companies as [[Labor Ready, Inc.]] and the [[Russell Investment Group]], as well as institutions of higher learning, including [[Pacific Lutheran University]], [[University of Puget Sound]], [[Tacoma Community College]], and the [[University of Washington, Tacoma]]. Tacoma is a major international deep-water container port. |
Tacoma is the home of such international companies as [[Labor Ready, Inc.]] and the [[Russell Investment Group]], as well as institutions of higher learning, including [[Pacific Lutheran University]], [[University of Puget Sound]], [[Tacoma Community College]], and the [[University of Washington, Tacoma]]. Tacoma is a major international deep-water container port. |
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[[Image:GreaterTacoma-non.jpg|200px|left|]] |
[[Image:GreaterTacoma-non.jpg|200px|left|]] |
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Beginning in the 1930s, Tacoma became known for its malodorousness, called the "Aroma of Tacoma" |
Beginning in the 1930s, Tacoma became known for its malodorousness, called the "Aroma of Tacoma" — a distinctive, acrid odor produced by local [[paper]] manufacturing on the industrial tide flats. In the late 1990s, however, Simpson Tacoma Kraft reduced total sulfur emissions by 90%, largely eliminating the problem, but a strong smell is occasionally still detectable. |
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A number of noteworthy individuals have come from Tacoma, among them bowling legend [[Earl Anthony]], singer [[Bing Crosby]], authors [[Richard Brautigan]] and [[Frank Herbert]], cartoonist [[Gary Larson]], serial killer [[Ted Bundy]], serial sniper [[John Allen Muhammad]], actress [[Dyan Cannon]], conspiracy gadfly [[Fred Crisman]], Andrew and [[Thea Foss]], first owners and operators of Foss Launch and Tug Company, [[Puyallup (tribe)|Puyallup]] Indian rights activist [[Robert Satiacum]], auto racer [[Pat Austin]], prize fighter [[Sugar Ray Seales]], NFL receiver [[Ahmad Rashad]], Major League baseball player [[Ron Cey]], glass artist [[Dale Chihuly]], and musicians the [[The Wailers (rock band)|Wailers]], Jerry Miller (Moby Grape), [[Jerry Cantrell]] and [[Neko Case]]. Chef-author [[Jeff Smith (TV personality)|Jeff Smith]] learned to cook and began his career in Tacoma at the Chaplain's Pantry, later known as the Gourmet Pantry (now closed), on Tacoma Avenue. |
A number of noteworthy individuals have come from Tacoma, among them bowling legend [[Earl Anthony]], singer [[Bing Crosby]], authors [[Richard Brautigan]] and [[Frank Herbert]], cartoonist [[Gary Larson]], serial killer [[Ted Bundy]], serial sniper [[John Allen Muhammad]], actress [[Dyan Cannon]], conspiracy gadfly [[Fred Crisman]], Andrew and [[Thea Foss]], first owners and operators of Foss Launch and Tug Company, [[Puyallup (tribe)|Puyallup]] Indian rights activist [[Robert Satiacum]], auto racer [[Pat Austin]], prize fighter [[Sugar Ray Seales]], NFL receiver [[Ahmad Rashad]], Major League baseball player [[Ron Cey]], glass artist [[Dale Chihuly]], and musicians the [[The Wailers (rock band)|Wailers]], Jerry Miller (Moby Grape), [[Jerry Cantrell]] and [[Neko Case]]. Chef-author [[Jeff Smith (TV personality)|Jeff Smith]] learned to cook and began his career in Tacoma at the Chaplain's Pantry, later known as the Gourmet Pantry (now closed), on Tacoma Avenue. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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[[Image:sr509bridge.jpg|293px|thumb|right|The [[Washington State Route 509|SR-509]] Bridge leading into downtown.]] |
[[Image:sr509bridge.jpg|293px|thumb|right|The [[Washington State Route 509|SR-509]] Bridge leading into downtown.]] |
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==Education== |
==Education== |
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Tacoma's main public school district is [[Tacoma Public Schools]]. The school district contains 36 elementary schools and 11 middle schools. The district also has 5 high schools, one alternative high school, and one School of the Arts. One of the district's high schools, [[Henry Foss High School]], operates an acclaimed International Baccalaureate program. Also, one of the elementary schools, Sheridan Elementary, operates three foreign language immersion programs (Spanish, French, and Japanese). |
Tacoma's main public school district is [[Tacoma Public Schools]]. The school district contains 36 elementary schools and 11 middle schools. The district also has 5 high schools, one alternative high school, and one School of the Arts. One of the district's high schools, [[Henry Foss High School]], operates an acclaimed International Baccalaureate program. Also, one of the elementary schools, Sheridan Elementary, operates three foreign language immersion programs (Spanish, French, and Japanese). |
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==Newspapers== |
==Newspapers== |
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The city's only daily [[newspaper]] is ''[[The News Tribune]]'', since [[1986]] a subsidiary of [[McClatchy Newspapers]]. The paper's circulation is about 128,000 (Sundays 144,000), making it the third-largest newspaper in the state of Washington. A daily newspaper has been in circulation in Tacoma since 1883; in the period from 1907 to 1918, three dailies were published: ''The Tacoma Ledger'', ''The News'', and ''The Tacoma Tribune''. |
The city's only daily [[newspaper]] is ''[[The News Tribune]]'', since [[1986]] a subsidiary of [[McClatchy Newspapers]]. The paper's circulation is about 128,000 (Sundays 144,000), making it the third-largest newspaper in the state of Washington. A daily newspaper has been in circulation in Tacoma since 1883; in the period from 1907 to 1918, three dailies were published: ''The Tacoma Ledger'', ''The News'', and ''The Tacoma Tribune''. |
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|2000 || 193,556 |
|2000 || 193,556 |
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The [[census]]{{GR|2}} of 2000 indicated that 193,556 persons, 76,152 households, and 45,919 families resided in Tacoma. Four years later, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Tacoma's population had increased by 1.7%, to 196,800 ( |
The [[census]]{{GR|2}} of 2000 indicated that 193,556 persons, 76,152 households, and 45,919 families resided in Tacoma. Four years later, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Tacoma's population had increased by 1.7%, to 196,800 (''Trends'', No. D3 [Sept. 2004]). |
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In 2000, Tacoma's [[population density]] was 1,492.3/km² (3,864.9/mi²). There were 81,102 housing units at an average density of 625.3/km² (1,619.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.08% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 11.24% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.96% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 7.57% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.93% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 2.94% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 6.28% from two or more races. 6.85% of the population are [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race. |
In 2000, Tacoma's [[population density]] was 1,492.3/km² (3,864.9/mi²). There were 81,102 housing units at an average density of 625.3/km² (1,619.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.08% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 11.24% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.96% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 7.57% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.93% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 2.94% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 6.28% from two or more races. 6.85% of the population are [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race. |
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== Transportation and urban form == |
== Transportation and urban form == |
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Tacoma's system of transportation is based primarily on the [[automobile]]. The majority of the city has a system of [[street grid|gridded streets]] oriented in relation to Pacific Avenue and 6th Avenue, both beginning in [[Downtown Tacoma]]. Numbered streets run east to west and are labeled "North" or "South" according to their relationship with 6th Avenue or Division Street. North- and south-running streets are given a name or a letter, and are also labeled "North" or "South" in relation to 6th Avenue. This can lead to confusion, as Union Avenue intersects both North and South 11th Streets. Many first-time visitors have encountered difficulty with this. Most streets east of Pacific Avenue are labeled "East." This system of numbering extends beyond city limits to much of the western portion of Pierce County. |
Tacoma's system of transportation is based primarily on the [[automobile]]. The majority of the city has a system of [[street grid|gridded streets]] oriented in relation to Pacific Avenue and 6th Avenue, both beginning in [[Downtown Tacoma]]. Numbered streets run east to west and are labeled "North" or "South" according to their relationship with 6th Avenue or Division Street. North- and south-running streets are given a name or a letter, and are also labeled "North" or "South" in relation to 6th Avenue. This can lead to confusion, as Union Avenue intersects both North and South 11th Streets. Many first-time visitors have encountered difficulty with this. Most streets east of Pacific Avenue are labeled "East." This system of numbering extends beyond city limits to much of the western portion of Pierce County. |
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A running gag in the [[1985]] [[Tom Hanks]] film ''[[Volunteers (movie)|Volunteers]]'' is the repeated references to Tacoma by [[John Candy]]'s character, "Tom Tuttle from Tacoma, Washington." |
A running gag in the [[1985]] [[Tom Hanks]] film ''[[Volunteers (movie)|Volunteers]]'' is the repeated references to Tacoma by [[John Candy]]'s character, "Tom Tuttle from Tacoma, Washington." |
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Parts of the movie ''[[10 Things I Hate About You]]'' ([[1999]]), whose plot is based on [[William Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Taming of the Shrew]]'', were filmed at [[Stadium High School]] and in the nearby North End neighborhood, although most other exterior scenes were filmed in [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]]. ''[[I Love You to Death]]'' ([[1990]]) was filmed in downtown and central Tacoma. [[Kevin Kline]]'s pizzeria was located in the flatiron building downtown. Also featured was the 1927-vintage Java Jive, a Tacoma tavern shaped like a giant coffee pot.[[Image:BobsJavaJive.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Bob's Java Jive]]]] Other films featuring a Tacoma location include ''[[Get Carter]]'' ([[2000]]). In addition, significant parts of ''[[The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (movie)|The Hand That Rocks the Cradle]]'' ([[1992]]) were shot in a North Tacoma home. The long-running series of ''[[Tugboat Annie]]'' radio dramas, television shows and films (one of which starred a young actor named [[Ronald Reagan]]) was based on Tacoma tugboat operator Annie Foss. Sources: ( |
Parts of the movie ''[[10 Things I Hate About You]]'' ([[1999]]), whose plot is based on [[William Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Taming of the Shrew]]'', were filmed at [[Stadium High School]] and in the nearby North End neighborhood, although most other exterior scenes were filmed in [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]]. ''[[I Love You to Death]]'' ([[1990]]) was filmed in downtown and central Tacoma. [[Kevin Kline]]'s pizzeria was located in the flatiron building downtown. Also featured was the 1927-vintage Java Jive, a Tacoma tavern shaped like a giant coffee pot.[[Image:BobsJavaJive.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Bob's Java Jive]]]] Other films featuring a Tacoma location include ''[[Get Carter]]'' ([[2000]]). In addition, significant parts of ''[[The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (movie)|The Hand That Rocks the Cradle]]'' ([[1992]]) were shot in a North Tacoma home. The long-running series of ''[[Tugboat Annie]]'' radio dramas, television shows and films (one of which starred a young actor named [[Ronald Reagan]]) was based on Tacoma tugboat operator Annie Foss. Sources: ([http://washington.pacificnorthwestmovies.com/PierceCounty/Tacoma/]) ([http://www.worldslargestthings.com/washington/bobsjavajive.htm]) ([http://www.tacoma.k12.wa.us/schools/hs/foss/aboutfoss/HenryFoss.htm]} |
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[[Toyota]] has named a popular line of [[pickup truck]]s the "[[Toyota Tacoma]]" after the city. |
[[Toyota]] has named a popular line of [[pickup truck]]s the "[[Toyota Tacoma]]" after the city. |
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[[Category:Cities in the Seattle metropolitan area]] |
[[Category:Cities in the Seattle metropolitan area]] |
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[[Category:Cities in Washington]] |
[[Category:Cities in Washington]] |
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[[Category:Pierce County, Washington]] |
[[Category:Pierce County, Washington]] |
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[[de:Tacoma]] |
[[de:Tacoma]] |
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Revision as of 22:43, 27 February 2006
- Tacoma redirects here. For other uses, see Tacoma (disambiguation).
Tacoma, Washington | |
|---|---|
| Nickname: The City of Destiny | |
| Location of Tacoma in Pierce County and Washington State Location of Tacoma in Pierce County and Washington State | |
| County | Pierce |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Bill Baarsma (NP) |
| Population (2005) | |
• Total | 196,957 (city proper) |
| 3,769,257 (metro area) | |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| Website | http://www.cityoftacoma.org/ |
Tacoma (IPA: [tə ˈko mə]) is the county seat of Pierce CountyTemplate:GR, Washington, USA, situated on Puget Sound's Commencement Bay, Tacoma Narrows, and the estuary of the Puyallup River. The 2000 census reported Tacoma's population as 193,556; the city's population on Apr. 1, 2004, was estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau to be 196,800, and a metropolitan area of 750,000 (Trends, No. D3 [Sept. 2004]).
Tacoma is the home of such international companies as Labor Ready, Inc. and the Russell Investment Group, as well as institutions of higher learning, including Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma Community College, and the University of Washington, Tacoma. Tacoma is a major international deep-water container port.
The Museum of Glass opened in downtown Tacoma in 2002, showcasing glass art from the region and around the world. It includes a functional glassblowing studio. Tacoma's downtown Cultural District is also the site of the Washington State History Museum (1996) and the Tacoma Art Museum (2003). America's Car Museum is currently breaking ground in Tacoma.
One of the largest urban parks in the U.S, Point Defiance Park, which includes the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Fort Nisqually, is located in Tacoma. Another park in Tacoma is Titlow Beach, which is a popular scuba diving area. Wright Park, located near downtown, is a large, English-style park designed in the late 1800s by E.O. Schwagerl and Ebenezer Rhys Roberts. It contains Wright Park Arboretum.
Beginning in the 1930s, Tacoma became known for its malodorousness, called the "Aroma of Tacoma" — a distinctive, acrid odor produced by local paper manufacturing on the industrial tide flats. In the late 1990s, however, Simpson Tacoma Kraft reduced total sulfur emissions by 90%, largely eliminating the problem, but a strong smell is occasionally still detectable.
A number of noteworthy individuals have come from Tacoma, among them bowling legend Earl Anthony, singer Bing Crosby, authors Richard Brautigan and Frank Herbert, cartoonist Gary Larson, serial killer Ted Bundy, serial sniper John Allen Muhammad, actress Dyan Cannon, conspiracy gadfly Fred Crisman, Andrew and Thea Foss, first owners and operators of Foss Launch and Tug Company, Puyallup Indian rights activist Robert Satiacum, auto racer Pat Austin, prize fighter Sugar Ray Seales, NFL receiver Ahmad Rashad, Major League baseball player Ron Cey, glass artist Dale Chihuly, and musicians the Wailers, Jerry Miller (Moby Grape), Jerry Cantrell and Neko Case. Chef-author Jeff Smith learned to cook and began his career in Tacoma at the Chaplain's Pantry, later known as the Gourmet Pantry (now closed), on Tacoma Avenue.
History
Tacoma was inhabited for thousands of years by Native American people, predominantly the Puyallup people. It was visited by European and American explorers, including George Vancouver and Charles Wilkes, who named many of the coastal landmarks.
The town was originally settled by pioneer and postmaster Job Carr, a Civil War veteran and land speculator who hoped to profit from the selection of Commencement Bay as the terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad. (A replica of Job Carr's cabin, which also served as Tacoma's first post office, was erected in "Old Town" in 2000 near the original site.)
Tacoma was officially incorporated on November 12, 1875. Its early hopes to live to be the "City of Destiny" were frustrated in the late 19th century, when the discovery of gold in the Klondike turned Seattle into a boom town, eclipsing Tacoma's early lead.
George Francis Train was a resident of Tacoma for a few years in the late 1800s, and was an early civic booster. In 1880, he staged a global circumnavigation starting and ending in Tacoma to promote the city's centrality. A plaque in downtown Tacoma marks the start and finish point.
What came to be known as "Tacoma method" was used in November 1885 to expel several thousand Chinese peaceably living in the city. To quote from the account prepared by the Chinese Reconciliation Project: On the morning of Nov. 3, 1885, "several hundred men, led by the mayor and other city officials, evicted the Chinese from their homes, corralled them at 7th Street and Pacific Avenue, marched them to the railway station at Lakeview and forced them aboard the morning train to Portland, Oregon. The next day two Chinese settlements were burned to the ground."
Tacoma was named after Mount Rainier, whose original name was Tahoma, which derived from the Puyallup tacobet, or "mother of waters."
On April 26, 2003 Tacoma's Chief of Police, David Brame, shot and killed his wife and himself in Gig Harbor, Washington.
Utilities
Electrical power is furnished by Tacoma Power, a division of Tacoma Public Utilities, which owns hydroelectric plants on the North Fork of the Skokomish River. Tacoma Power also operates the Click! Network, a cable television and internet service, one of the first public utilities to provide such a service. Tacoma Power is, along with Tacoma Water and Tacoma Rail, a part of Tacoma Public Utilities.
In addition, Comcast also offers digital cable and internet services in the area.
Geography
Tacoma is located at 47°14'29" North, 122°27'34" West (47.241371, -122.459389)Template:GR. Its elevation is 116 meters (380 feet).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 162.2 km² (62.6 mi²). 129.7 km² (50.1 mi²) of it is land and 32.5 km² (12.5 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 20.01% water.
Education
Tacoma's main public school district is Tacoma Public Schools. The school district contains 36 elementary schools and 11 middle schools. The district also has 5 high schools, one alternative high school, and one School of the Arts. One of the district's high schools, Henry Foss High School, operates an acclaimed International Baccalaureate program. Also, one of the elementary schools, Sheridan Elementary, operates three foreign language immersion programs (Spanish, French, and Japanese).
Newspapers
The city's only daily newspaper is The News Tribune, since 1986 a subsidiary of McClatchy Newspapers. The paper's circulation is about 128,000 (Sundays 144,000), making it the third-largest newspaper in the state of Washington. A daily newspaper has been in circulation in Tacoma since 1883; in the period from 1907 to 1918, three dailies were published: The Tacoma Ledger, The News, and The Tacoma Tribune.
Demographics
| City of Tacoma Population by year[1] | |
| 1910 | 83,743 |
| 1920 | 96,965 |
| 1930 | 106,817 |
| 1940 | 109,408 |
| 1950 | 143,673 |
| 1960 | 147,979 |
| 1970 | 154,581 |
| 1980 | 158,501 |
| 1990 | 176,664 |
| 2000 | 193,556 |
The censusTemplate:GR of 2000 indicated that 193,556 persons, 76,152 households, and 45,919 families resided in Tacoma. Four years later, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Tacoma's population had increased by 1.7%, to 196,800 (Trends, No. D3 [Sept. 2004]).
In 2000, Tacoma's population density was 1,492.3/km² (3,864.9/mi²). There were 81,102 housing units at an average density of 625.3/km² (1,619.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.08% White, 11.24% African American, 1.96% Native American, 7.57% Asian, 0.93% Pacific Islander, 2.94% from other races, and 6.28% from two or more races. 6.85% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 76,152 households in Tacoma in 2000; 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. Almost one third of households (31.7%) were made up of individuals living alone; 10.4% of these were 65 years of age or older. The average household size in 2000 was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.10.
In 2000, the population's demographics were evenly distributed: 25.8% under 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,879, and the median income for a family was $45,567. Males had a median income of $35,820, versus $27,697 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,130. 15.9% of the population and 11.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 20.6% of those under the age of 18 and 10.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Transportation and urban form
Tacoma's system of transportation is based primarily on the automobile. The majority of the city has a system of gridded streets oriented in relation to Pacific Avenue and 6th Avenue, both beginning in Downtown Tacoma. Numbered streets run east to west and are labeled "North" or "South" according to their relationship with 6th Avenue or Division Street. North- and south-running streets are given a name or a letter, and are also labeled "North" or "South" in relation to 6th Avenue. This can lead to confusion, as Union Avenue intersects both North and South 11th Streets. Many first-time visitors have encountered difficulty with this. Most streets east of Pacific Avenue are labeled "East." This system of numbering extends beyond city limits to much of the western portion of Pierce County.
In portions of the city dating back to the Tacoma Streetcar Period (1888-1938), denser mixed use business districts exist alongside single family homes. Twelve such districts have active, city-recognized business associations and hold "small town"-style parades and other festivals. The Proctor, Old Town, Dome, Sixth Avenue, and Lincoln Business Districts are some of the more prominent and popular of these and coordinate their efforts to redevelop urban villages through the Cross District Association of Tacoma. In newer portions of the city to the west and south, residential cul-de-sacs, four-lane collector roads and indoor shopping centers are more commonplace.
The dominant intercity transportation link between Tacoma and other parts of the Puget Sound is Interstate 5. I-5 links Tacoma with Seattle to the north and Portland, Oregon, to the south. Washington State Route 16 runs along a concrete viaduct through Tacoma's Nalley Valley connecting Interstate 5 with West Tacoma, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and the Kitsap Peninsula. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport lies about 22 miles to the north in the city of SeaTac.
Public Transport
Tacoma has a wide array of alternative transportation services available including busses, commuter rail, light rail, and ferries. Public bus service is provided by Pierce Transit, which serves Tacoma and Pierce County. Pierce Transit operates a total of 55 bus routes on busses powered by natural gas and diesel. Bus service operates at 15 or 30 minute frequencies on weekdays. Several primary routes of note are:
- Route 1, "Pacific Avenue – 6th Avenue"
- Route 2, "South 19th – Bridgeport Way via Tacoma Community College", and
- Route 3, "Downtown Tacoma – Lakewood via Tacoma Mall"
Sound Transit, the regional transit authority, provides daily Sounder Commuter Rail service and express bus service during the week. Sound Transit has also established Tacoma Link light rail, a 1.6-mile electric streetcar line linking Tacoma Dome Station with the University of Washington, Tacoma, Tacoma's Museum District, and the Theater District. This line is presently under consideration for extension. Tacoma is also served by Washington State Ferries system, which has a dock at Point Defiance, providing ferry access to Tahlequah at the southern tip of Vashon Island, typically on the ferry M/V Rhododendron. Tacoma also has Greyhound and Amtrak service, accessible via Tacoma Dome Station.
Sports
Tacoma, in addition to the professional sports teams of Seattle, has one minor league baseball franchise, the Tacoma Rainiers, a Triple-A team playing in the Pacific Coast League as a farm team of the Seattle Mariners. The Rainiers play inside Cheney Stadium, named after local businessman and baseball enthusiast Ben Cheney.
The city has struggled to keep a minor league hockey franchise, having lost the Tacoma Rockets of the WHL to relocation and having the Tacoma Sabercats of the former West Coast Hockey League go defunct due to financial woes. The Tacoma Dome does still host traveling sports and pseudo-sports events such as pro wrestling, figure skating tours, and the Harlem Globetrotters. At one point, the Tacoma Dome was home to a professional indoor soccer team, the Tacoma Stars. For the 1994-1995 season, the Seattle SuperSonics played in the Tacoma Dome while the Seattle Center Coliseum was gutted and renovated into Key Arena, the team's current home.
Tacoma in pop culture
Neko Case's song "Thrice All American", featured on her album Furnace Room Lullaby, is an ode to Tacoma, which she considers her hometown. The album also includes a song called "South Tacoma Way."
Richard Brautigan wrote of his Tacoma childhood in his autobiographical short stories "Corporal," "The Armoured Car," "The Auction," and "The Ghost Children of Tacoma."
Tacoma is also prominently mentioned in the 1977 Steve Miller Band song "Rock 'N Me" (I went from Phoenix, Arizona, all the way to Tacoma, Philadelphia, Atlanta, L.A.).
A running gag in the 1985 Tom Hanks film Volunteers is the repeated references to Tacoma by John Candy's character, "Tom Tuttle from Tacoma, Washington."
Parts of the movie 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), whose plot is based on William Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, were filmed at Stadium High School and in the nearby North End neighborhood, although most other exterior scenes were filmed in Seattle. I Love You to Death (1990) was filmed in downtown and central Tacoma. Kevin Kline's pizzeria was located in the flatiron building downtown. Also featured was the 1927-vintage Java Jive, a Tacoma tavern shaped like a giant coffee pot.
Other films featuring a Tacoma location include Get Carter (2000). In addition, significant parts of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992) were shot in a North Tacoma home. The long-running series of Tugboat Annie radio dramas, television shows and films (one of which starred a young actor named Ronald Reagan) was based on Tacoma tugboat operator Annie Foss. Sources: ([2]) ([3]) ([4]}
Toyota has named a popular line of pickup trucks the "Toyota Tacoma" after the city.
Tacoma is mentioned in the Sir Mix-a-Lot song "My Hooptie" ("Rollin' in Tacoma, I could get burned (Sound of automatic gunfire) Betta make a u-turn").
Tacoma is also mentioned at the end of Sir Mix-a-Lot's song "Jump On It" ("Tacoma, jump on it...")
Tacoma is mentioned in the song "He's a Grungewhore" from the norwegian punk rock band Turbonegros 1994 album Never Is Forever. [5]
Tacoma was named America's most stressed city in 2004 by Best Places Magazine. [6]
Neighborhoods
- Old Town
- Central
- Eastside
- Hilltop
- McKinley Hill
- North End
- Stadium District
- Dome District
- Northeast Tacoma
- South End
- South Tacoma
- West End
Sister cities
Tacoma has ten sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
Ålesund (Norway)
Davao (Philippines)
Fuzhou (China)
George (South Africa)
Qiryat Motzkin (Israel)
Kitakyushu (Japan)
Gunsan (South Korea)
Cienfuegos (Cuba)
Vladivostok (Russia)
Taichung City (Taiwan)
External links
- Official site of City of Tacoma
- City-Data.com entry for Tacoma
- Port of Tacoma
- Tacoma Watersheds
- Tacoma Art Museum
- America's Car Museum
- ArtRod - a local arts organization
- Beautiful Angle - a wellknown, Tacoma-based underground art project
- Holistic Forge Works - a wellknown, Tacoma-based underground cartoonist/illustrator
- Fort Nisqually- Official site of Fort Nisqually
