Category Archives: Tacoma

Central Tacoma FREE RADICAL Media Exchange

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Little FreeWhen I went to visit my last Little Free Library in November 2012, there were two in Tacoma, this one in the alley between South Anderson Street and South Oakes north of South 19th Street (#666) and the one pictured here http://blog.firsttries.com/little-free-library-tacoma/.

Now Tacoma has a total of four Little Libraries, so they are gaining popularity. Today’s Little Free Library is really more of a midsized free library with three freestanding shelving units and a several shelves towards the top of an outbuilding. Everything is covered with heavy plastic to protect the books from the Northwest rains.

There were a bunch of books in this collection that I’ve read and enjoyed. I picked out two, Ghosts Stores of Washington State and a dog identification book. The dog book I’m giving to a young friend who wants to be a vet when he grows up. In exchange I left a Lemony Snicket blank book for a budding writer. I’ll drop off another title soon (heaven knows I have a couple of books!). Per the Wikipedia article, there are currently over 200 of these libraries. There are building plans to create the containers or participate may design their own. Each of the libraries is registered and can be located by their GPS coordinates. Per the website:

Our Mission

  • To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide.
  • To build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity, and wisdom across generations
  • To build more than 2,510 libraries around the world – more than Andrew Carnegie–and then more.

Details about the Library Project can be found here: http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/.

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DeLong Elementary School

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8413129330_9e01f8b2a2_bDeLong Elementary School is a neighborhood school located at 4901 South 14th Street, Tacoma. There mascot is a Dragon and their motto is “Preparing all students for a bright and productive future” .There are about 400 students enrolled.

If the most recent school bond passes DeLong will receive some upgrades, which can be seen here http://www.tacoma.k12.wa.us/information/2013%20Bond%20Issue%20Materials/SchoolPoster-INFO%28side1%29-Delong.pdf

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Xipe Totec and Sun Mask-Kwakiutl by Granum, Doug

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The Xipe Totec and Sun Mask-Kwakiutl Masks by Doug Granum are located on the exterior wall of the Rialto Theater in Tacoma.

The Xipe Totec Mask is from the Mexican culture and represents the god of spring and growing seed.  The Sun Mask image is from the Native American-Kwakiuti culture from Vancouver Island.

Mad Hat Tea

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8403401219_8727163692_bMad Hat Tea at 1130 Commerce Street in Tacoma has more teas available to brew then I have ever seen in one place. I had seen packets of Mad Hat Tea loose tea available for purchase around town and it is of course there is also a large selection available here. I bought a bag of orange peel and another bag of butter cookie, which I have discovered at home, go well together. Mad Tea has a no cell phone policy, which is refreshing and the customers were visiting with one another and the employees. Altogether a great atmosphere, thought it would have been nice of there had been something to snack on.

http://www.madhattea.com/

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Tacoma General Hospital

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Tacoma GeneralTacoma General Hospital at 315 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. is Tacoma’s largest hospital and part of the Multicare Health Systems. Their website is here http://www.multicare.org/tacomageneral/

The hospital has a long history, beginning in 1882 in the Old Town neighborhood of Tacoma under the name of Fannie C. Paddock Memorial Hospital. It has 437 licensed beds and 16 operating rooms. Dear daughter was born there almost 18 years ago!

I went to TG to hear a sexual assault nurse (forensic nurse examiner) discuss the nature of her job, a fascinating and heartbreaking topic. The link for that department can be found here http://www.multicare.org/home/sexual-assault-services-2

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What’s left of Tacoma’s original Greyhound Station

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8385992474_fa5dc8c5b5_b(1)While driving around today I told dear daughter that I was going to stop at the old Greyhound Station and she was surprised when I stopped at the southeast corner of Pacific Avenue and South 13th Street. But I remember when the Greyhound station was here with its full cast of assorted riders. The station was dedicated in  April 1959 and was really something in its hay day with an underground parking garage, a large waiting area, a restaurant, a row of enclosed phone booths and a gift store. Up to 82 buses per day came through the station.The majority of the building was demolished in 2000 with only the small portion photographed remaining near the entrance to the parking garage.

A photo of the original building can be found at this Tacoma Public Library page http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?un=15&pg=1&krequest=subjects+contains+Greyhound+Bus+Terminal+and+Tacoma+&stemming=&phonic=&fuzzy=&maxfiles=

And a photo of the restaurant can be found here http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?un=13&pg=1&krequest=subjects+contains+Greyhound+Bus+Terminal+and+Tacoma+&stemming=&phonic=&fuzzy=&maxfiles=

Tacoma Public Library’s Northwest Room was instrumental in figuring this property out!

 

Pawn 4 More

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Loans

Pawn 4 More at 1222 South 38th Street, Tacoma, WA is an unusually shaped building that has gone through several uses. I remember it as a produce stand, Green Frog Shelters and that it use to have mastiff dogs. Until recently the extended roof line boosted that they accepted all types of collateral including boats, cars, helicopters and 747s.  I liked their optimism, but when I stopped by today that offer seems to be gone. The building was originally constructed in 1926 as a gas station.

My Flickr friend has a picture with the old signage. You can see it here http://www.flickr.com/photos/justintron/5859272661/

Update: In 2/2015 the building was demolished.

 

The News Tribune

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ntThe News Tribune is Tacoma’s daily newspaper. It had its origins in 1918 when the city’s three existing newspapers merged under its current name. The paper, which serves the south Puget Sound, has a present day circulation of 85,000, which increases to 100,000 on Sunday (including our household!). The New Tribune address is 1950 State Street, Tacoma.

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Pretty Blue Glow on the Sounder Overpass

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8369573766_80947d9e5a_b(1)I’ve often admired the nice blue LED light glow on the Sounder Overpass and tonight on the way back from a meeting I stopped at a red light and snapped a photo. The ribbon cutting for the Tacoma Dome Station to the Lakewood Station was on October 8th, 2012.

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The Dental Office on Union and 31st St.

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Dental OfficeI’ve always liked then dental office at 3104 South Union. The building has a mission style design and was constructed in 1929.