Step into Tacoma’s shadowy past. Have you heard about the 1951 vice raids – the kind of story that doesn’t just make the headlines, it rearranges a whole city. Hear about the scandal, the secrets and the shockwaves. From bootleggers and bordellos to a former city attorney who died in a mysterious fire, these aren’t…

In 1906, seven square blocks became something more than a dot on the map, they became Ruston. A small town shaped by the people of the Tacoma Smelting Company who wanted what everybody wants, safety, better streets and services. A steadier kind of everyday life. And maybe most of all, that simple, beautiful thing called…

This area was known as Edison to honor Thomas Edison, a friend of the railroad owner, before transitioning to the name South Tacoma. The Northern Pacific Railway moved its railway shops from downtown Tacoma to the prairie land which is now known as South Tacoma. Soon South Tacoma became a bustling route for early auto…

What if Tacoma was built twice…once in lumber and brick and again in courage? Meet Mrs. Bethel Schneebeck, Miss Alice Humble, Mrs. Elsbeth Haering, Mrs. Violet Graham - strong women, business owners, well ahead of their time. Not waiting to be invited into the room – but creating the room. Through vision, risk and persistence,…

This area was known as Edison to honor Thomas Edison, a friend of the railroad owner, before transitioning to the name South Tacoma. The Northern Pacific Railway moved its railway shops from downtown Tacoma to the prairie land which is now known as South Tacoma. Soon South Tacoma became a bustling route for early auto…

Earl and Floyd Willits are two brothers who came from Iowa with a talent like no other: determination, perseverance and unique carpentry skills. These brothers worked together along the shore of Commencement Bay while a neighborhood of homes and families grew up alongside them. Discover how the Day Island Yacht Club was formed, how documenting…

Long before the term serial killer became part of everyday language, one man left a dark and mysterious mark on Tacoma history. In 1947, Jake Bird was convicted of murdering a Tacoma mother and her daughter. After a trial that lasted just three days, he was sentenced to death. But the story didn't end there.…

This area was known as Edison to honor Thomas Edison, a friend of the railroad owner, before transitioning to the name South Tacoma. The Northern Pacific Railway moved its railway shops from downtown Tacoma to the prairie land which is now known as South Tacoma. Soon South Tacoma became a bustling route for early auto…

Ever feel downtown Tacoma whispering? Streetcars once rolled out from the transportation barn, carrying the city forward. A child was christened on the girders of the Rust Building – steel and blessing, high above the street. Department stores where you shopped for everything from washing machines to violins to jewelry, you will be fascinated to…

What if Tacoma was built twice…once in lumber and brick and again in courage? Meet Mrs. Bethel Schneebeck, Miss Alice Humble, Mrs. Elsbeth Haering, Mrs. Violet Graham - strong women, business owners, well ahead of their time. Not waiting to be invited into the room – but creating the room. Through vision, risk and persistence,…

What if Tacoma was built twice…once in lumber and brick and again in courage? Meet Mrs. Bethel Schneebeck, Miss Alice Humble, Mrs. Elsbeth Haering, Mrs. Violet Graham - strong women, business owners, well ahead of their time. Not waiting to be invited into the room – but creating the room. Through vision, risk and persistence,…

A beautiful stretch of Commencement Bay has been home to the well-loved Top of the Ocean restaurant, Fourth of July celebrations, Cummings Boat Company and over 30 lumber mills through the decades.  Come hear the history of how Ruston Way got its name, Tall Ships that shipped lumber from Tacoma to San Francisco and Japan…