Category Archives: National Historic Register

Wyland Mural on the Bowes Building

Tacoma has one of the 100 Wyland Whaling Wall murals “Washington Orcas” around the world and its on the Bowes Building at 100 South 9th Street in Downtown Tacoma. Currently the main level of the building is occupied by Big Whiskey Saloon, but the building has a long history. The architect was Edward Heath and the building was  constructed in 1908 in white Vermont marble. The property was added to the National Historic Register and the Tacoma Register in 1979. Edward J. Bowes, the original owner, eventually gained a national reputation as an entertainment figure. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bowes

Over the years, the occupants have included: Pacific Bldg. & Loan Assoc., M. Schmidt & Son Merchant Tailors, Tacoma Savings & Loan Assoc., All About Travel, Pacific Rim Restaurant, Zeppo Italian Restaurant, and Seven Cities Restaurant.

Wylan started painting his large murals in the 1980s. This was his 21st mural and I remember taking my lunch break from my downtown job at the time to watch him paint. I was fascinated. There were four Whaling Walls in Washington State, but sadly now only the Tacoma one remains.

http://www.wyland.com/

The (Haunted) Old City Hall

Rumor has it that Old City Hall at 625 Commerce Street is haunted by a ghost named Gus.

http://www.ghostsandcritters.com/washingtonghosts.html

The building has a varied history. It was built in 1893 as Tacoma’s City Hall (E.A. Hatherton, Architect) and the original jail cells are still located in the building’s basement. In 1959, City of Tacoma offices moved and the building was vacant until 1969. In the 1970s the building was renovated into shops and restaurants and in 1974 it was placed on the historic register. In the 1980s it was converted into professional offices. I even worked there for a couple of years and enjoyed a water view! In 2005 there was talk of converting the property into condominiums. Thanksgiving week 2010 there was a flood brought on by a broken sprinkler pipe. The property is vacant.

The building has a dedicated website here http://www.thestratfordcompany.com/oldcityhall/

A wonderful post of the building when it was new can be found here http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/postcard/postcardfull.asp?db=60#Front

MV Lotus

The MV Lotus was moor along the public dock during Maritime Fest this weekend in Tacoma. The vessel, which is on the historic register, was built in 1909 as Edwardian Houseboat Cruiser. It is available for event and would be perfect for a wedding! More information can be found here: http://www.mvlotus.org/

Below is another photo I took while at the fest. http://www.maritimefest.org/   What a beautiful day it was!

Update 6.18.17 We again went to the Tall Ships event (to see the Big Rubber Duck) and here are a couple of new photos of the MV Lotus.

 

Hood County Courthouse

20120807-205045.jpg20120808-201141.jpgThis lovely Hood County Courthouse was built in 1890 and is the third (or 5th depending on the source) courthouse on the site with the first two being destroyed by fire. The limestone building is one of three Hood County properties on the National Registry of Historical Places. The middle picture is a mural at the Granbury Post Office that shows the courthouse and several other historic Granbury properties.

One new photo 8/8/15

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Union Station, Seattle

I’ve been past Union Station at 401 South Jackson Street, Seattle, many a time, but today I actually went inside. It was lovely and reminded me of large stations in Philadelphia and New York City. Constructed in 1911 as a train station, it looks much the same today. The property ceased being a train station in 1971, was placed on the Historic Register in 1974 and was renovated in the late 1990s. The hall can be rented out for events.

One of the workers saw me snapping some photos and said that she loved working in such a beautiful building. Of course to off set that nice moment, some guy asked me for $0.50 to make a phone call!

Happy New Year at the Pythian Temple

 

As we usually do, dear daughter and I celebrated New Year’s Eve at Tacoma’s First Night in Downtown Tacoma. We drove to the Dome Transit Center and caught the Link to the theater district and then we kicked up our heals! It is really a top notch event. The weather was cold, but not frigid and there was no rain (a small miracle). I ran into a bunch of folks that I knew, but dear daughter seemed to know almost everybody! She declared that her schoolmates owned the downtown domain!

The new place for the day is the Pythian Temple at 924-926 1/2 Broadway, Tacoma. The building was constructed in 1906 for the Commencement Lodge No. 7 of the Knights of the Pythias. On August 23, 1985, Pythian Temple was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The meeting room is upstairs and is amazing, with dark carved woods and lovely frescoes and a huge organ.

For more on the Temple, including some historic photos, go to here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythian_Temple_%28Tacoma,_Washington%29

This is my sixth building that was designed by Frederick Heath, architect and named after the 25th President of the United States, William McKinley. The others are:

http://blog.firsttries.com/?p=2012 Oakland School

http://blog.firsttries.com/?p=1961 Urban Grace

http://blog.firsttries.com/?p=1335 Titlow Lodge

http://blog.firsttries.com/?p=2370 Tacoma Public School’s CAB

http://blog.firsttries.com/?p=2374 McKinley School

Engine House #5

Engine House No. 5 is located at 1453 Earnest S. Brazil St., Tacoma, and was constructed in 1935 and listed on the National Register in 1984. It is one of 17 fire stations in Tacoma. http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=8023

The City of Tacoma placed 11 individual fire related properties (9 stations, 1 ship and an alarm system) on the national historical register in 1983. The nomination form is located here:  http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/64000904.pdf

 

Charles Madson House

The Charles Madson House at 1419 South Sheridan is another Tacoma residence on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places. The house was constructed in 1909 – 1910 in the Hilltop neighborhood. It was constructed for Charles Madson who was a chief for the City Restaurant.  He lived in the house until 1928. The nomination form states “The (home’s) owners also reflect the ethnic diversity and cultural changes of the Hilltop”. It goes on to say that the design of the house is influenced by both the Arts and Crafts and Queen Anne movements.

James Agnew Residence


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Originally uploaded by Gexydaf

I have to confess that I keep a list of Pierce County properties on the historic register in my car. I suspect that isn’t normal, but I’m alright with it! This lovely house at 605 South G is a Stick Style home built in 1889, 1890 or 1906 depending on the source. It is called the James Agnew Residence. It has been used as an attorney’s office. To see how the property looked in 1986, you can go here http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/buildings/bldg1image.asp?j=1&o=1&n=15292&i=1939#text

Fire Boat #1

Fireboat #1 is one of five fireboats in the country to be a historic landmark. The boat, which is now dry docked along Ruston Way was constructed in 1929 and had served for 54 years.

Information from the Tacoma Park’s Department can be found here: http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=66

The detailed historic nomination form can be found here: http://www.nps.gov/maritime/nhl/fireboat.htm