Category Archives: Historic Sites

Happy New Year at the Pythian Temple

Leave a reply

 

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

A brisk walk at Wapato Lake Park

Leave a reply

It is a pretty chilly day, but pleasantly sunny. I was thinking about taking a walk and I asked dear daughter what she thought. She said no (something about a school project), but both dogs heard the W— word. Oh no! They pranced and danced and barked and whined and when I took down their leashes, the smaller dog (lLilly) grabbed the end as if to just walk herself. Well, OK then. Wapato Park has a nice, short walk around the lake. My coat was plenty warm enough, but I hadn’t counted on the breeze off the lake and wish I had brought a hat. The dogs thought it was the best walk EVER! We saw other dogs, ducks, geese, lots of crows and some kids. The park includes a covered picnic area, a bathhouse, grassy areas, playground equipment and a observation dock. Apparently the name Wapato comes from some of the native vegetation and means small potato!

The park’s website is here http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=285

Trinity Presbyterian Church

Leave a reply

Tacoma has some wonderful, historic church buildings and the Trinity Presbyterian Church at 1615 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA 98405 is one of the best. It is a massive, brick structure that was constructed in 1922 and was originally known as the First United Presbyterian Church.
To read more about the church, go to their website.  http://tpctacoma.org/

Adam Plenning Residence

1 Reply

The Adam Plenning Residence at 1524 S. Cushman St.,Tacoma, WA 1905 is a two story wood frame cottage with gable roof and cross gable that added to Tacoma Register by Resolution No.33231 on 12/5/1995.

The house is described as a “wall dormer which rests on a side first story three sided bay. There is a half round window with keystone in the front end gable end. Gables have returned eaves and dentils. Windows are one over one double hung. The three sided front bay has hip roof. The over the door porch has a gable roof with small column supports and balustrade. The house is covered with clapboard siding.”

To see how the building looked when it was constructed, go here http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/buildings/bldg1image.asp?j=1&o=3&n=13098&i=9771#text

Engine House #5

Leave a reply

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

 

Carr’s Hall

Leave a reply

The Connelly Law Office is located in a beautifully restored historic building at the corner of North 30th and North Carr Street (2301 North 30th). I confessed to knowing nothing about the firm except I like their mission statement “Seeking Justice for our Clients by holding Corporations, the Insurance Industry and Government  Agencies Accountable.” Their web address is: http://www.connelly-law.com/

I had several fine meals in the building when it was painted a bright green and was Grazie’s Ristorante. The original name of the building is Carr’s Hall and it was built in 1888 and restored in 1983. A photo of how it looked in 1978 can be found here http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/buildings/bldg1image.asp?j=1&o=1&n=29375&i=8948#text

Over its life, the building has been Knights of Pythias Temple, Bethel Mission Presbyterian Sunday School, Star Grocery Store, Anton Bush’s Grocery Store, apartments, Grazie Caffe Italiano in Aug. 1983 and now a law center.

Burkee-Francois House

Leave a reply

The Burkee-Francois House at 2326 South L Street was constructed in 1904 and is on the Tacoma, Washington State and National Register of Historic Places. More information can be found here http://wspdsmap.ci.tacoma.wa.us/website/HistoricMap/scripts/summary.asp?ID=%28346%29&map=%2847.2384900131,%20-122.450535574%29

I was delighted to see that this wonderful historic home is decorated for Halloween!

Charles Madson House

Leave a reply

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

Leave a reply


HIP_339984316.678632

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

Big M Stained Glass/Boys Club/Longfellow School

Leave a reply

Big M Stained Glass at 711 south 25th Street Tacoma, WA 98405 has one of the best signs in Tacoma! The building is home to pretty much anything one would need to make stained glass and they also do lovely custom work.

http://www.bigmsg.com/

The site has an interesting history. In 1886 the South School was constructed. And in 1889, the three story primary school was renamed the Longfellow School. The school closed after 50 years in 1936 because the building had deteriorated. The school’s first 4th grade teacher was Fay E. Fuller who in 1890 because the first woman to climb Mt. Rainier. More information about the Longfellow School can be found here http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/buildings/bldg1up.asp?n=3810

The school was demolished in 1936 and the Tacoma Boy’s Club was constructed on the site in 1942. The club even had a year round swimming pool, which was added in 1951. In 1979 the Boys Club moved their operations to Stanley Playfield, where it is today. In 1983 the property was purchase and remodeled.