The other day when going to King’s Books, I noticed a delightfully compact city park. Yes, I must have been by it hundreds of times, but that day I really took note of it. And today in the freezing cold I went back to take some photos. The triangularly shaped park is located at 99 Tacoma Avenue South and fronts on Tacoma Avenue South, Saint Helen’s and South 1st. It has been around since 1927 and was named in honor of Percy Dunbar Norton, a Tacoma businessman and city counsel member who died at the age of 44 in April of 1900. The small park includes a commemorative column, a concrete bench, a couple of planters, an old fashioned street light and a bright blue street clock from 1993, which was not keeping accurate time.
More information about the park, including a photograph from 1927 can be found here.
http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?un=1&pg=1&address=99+TACOMA&stemming=&phonic=&fuzzy=&maxfiles=
Small parks like this one are often called pocket parks, as defined here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_park
Thank you! Percy was my great great grandfather. We have named many beloved pets (primarily dogs) after Percy Dunbar Norton. Thank you again for bringing attention to this quaint, but special park. My family hopes to someday replace the portrait of him (it wad removed for its metal during the war). Cheers!
Meredith Alvord Noll
I too am a great great granddaughter of Percy Dunbar Norton. My sister has today sent pics of the park as she and her family are I Tacoma visiting. It’s a lovely memorial and our family is quite grateful it continues to be well maintained and seen/enjoyed by passersby!
I echo my cousin’s thanks to you for bringing attention to it!