Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
which is built of more than 4,000 panes of glass. The conservatory stands in
Wright Park, which has more than 700 trees of 100 species and is a shady retreat
from downtown's pavement. At press time, the conservatory was just getting ready
to reopen after an extensive restoration.
Wright Park, 316 South G St.
&
253/591-5330.
Free admission. Daily 10am-4:30pm. Closed Thanksgiving
and Christmas.
OTHER TACOMA PARKS
Although Point Defiance Park is Tacoma's premier park, the
Ruston Way Parks
rank a close second. Once jammed with smoking, decaying industrial buildings
and piers, the Tacoma waterfront was an industrial area of national infamy.
However, since the city of Tacoma reclaimed the shore of Commencement Bay
and turned it into parkland, it has become one of the most attractive waterfront
parks on Puget Sound. With grassy areas, a sandy beach, a public fishing
pier, and a paved pathway, the waterfront is popular with strollers, cyclists, and
in-line skaters.
Downtown at the corner of A Street and South Ninth, you'll find
Fireman's
Park,
which has one of the world's tallest totem poles (carved in 1903) as well as
a view of the Port of Tacoma below. After gazing down on the port, if you want
to have a closer look, stop by the
Port of Tacoma Observation Tower
off East
11th Street. Here you can watch as ships from around the world are loaded and
unloaded. To reach the port tower, take the 11th Street bridge from downtown.
HISTORIC DISTRICTS & BUILDINGS
Tacoma has quite a few historic buildings, the most notable of which is
Union
Station,
1717 Pacific Ave. Built in the beaux arts style as the terminal for the
first transcontinental railroad to reach the Northwest, the imposing building is
now home to the federal courts and is adjacent to the Washington State History
Museum. In the lobby of this building you'll find a large glass installation by
Dale Chihuly.
Stadium High School,
111 North E St., is a French château-style structure
that was built as a hotel and later converted to a high school. The school is the
centerpiece of the historic
Stadium District,
which is at the north end of Broad-
way and has more than 100 Victorian homes. This is one of the prettiest resi-
dential neighborhoods in the entire state, and many of the old homes verge on
being mansions. At the south end of the Stadium District is the
Old City Hall
Historic District,
which is the city's main antiques neighborhood. Along
Broadway just north of Ninth Street, you'll find a dozen or so large antiques
stores and malls. At the visitor center in the Washington State History Museum,
you can pick up brochures on the city's historic districts.
VISITING HISTORIC STEILACOOM
Founded in 1854 by a Maine sea captain, Steilacoom is Washington's oldest
incorporated town. Once a bustling seaport, the quiet little community 10 miles
south of Tacoma is today a National Historic District with 32 preserved historic
buildings. To reach Steilacoom, take exit 125 off I-5 south between Tacoma and
Olympia, drive to Lakewood and turn left on Steilacoom Boulevard.
The Steilacoom Museum,
112 Main St. (
&
253/584-4133
), in the old
town hall, houses exhibits on Steilacoom's pioneer history. The museum is
open March through October, Wednesday through Sunday from 1 to 4pm; in
February, November, and December, Friday through Sunday from 1 to 4pm
