Tag Archives: Irving Park

Tacoma Screw has a really big flag

imageI took a break from my fireworks nervous dogs today to see the region’s largest U.S. Flag at Tacoma Screw, 2001 Center Street. It weighs 150 pounds and is the largest U.S. flag west of Wisconsin and north of Sacramento. The measurements are 80’x40′ and the pole is 180 feet tall, which is 90 feet above the adjacent Highway 16. In comparison, the largest U.S. flag is located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and is 120’x60′.

Tacoma Screw commissioned the flag as a way to celebrate their 70th year in business and to give back to the community.

It was a little difficult to photograph and to give a sense of the sheer size of the flag. I started at Tacoma Screw and then moved up to Irving Park to capture it from above. The full summer hillside at the edge of the park didn’t provide a full view, but finally some people came by and I had my shot that showed scale (thanks people!).

A short video can be found here. IMG_1099

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Irving Park, more history than you’d think

Originally uploaded by Gexydaf

 

I thought I’d best make some outside places my new place of the day, while I still have some daylight to work with. So, off I went to the 4+ acre Irving Park on Hosmer. It was a pretty typical park, a big field, restrooms, some playground equipment. I suspect what makes this park special is the view it has of Nalley Valley. But there was nobody in the park and I just wasn’t comfortable walking to the isolated area to check out the view. Maybe when I have company I’ll try that.

http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=664

The part is on the site of what use to be the Irving School, which was named after Washington Irving. The school was closed in 1930 and demolished in 1934. If you’d like to see a photo of some students from the Irving School in 1926, go here

http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?un=11&krequest=subjects+contains+School+children+Tacoma+1920-1930&stemming=&phonic=&fuzzy=&maxfiles=