Welcome To KEY TO THE CITY's Page For
Tacoma
Pierce County, Washington
ZipCodes
98402, 98403, 98404, 98405, 98406, 98407, 98408, 98409, 98421, 98422, 98443, 98465, 98466, 98467
Motto
"The City of Destiny"
Page Contents for Tacoma, Washington
History & History-related items
Chamber of Commerce.
Organizations, Churches, and Sports.
Statistics & Facts
The Washington state capital is Olympia.
The population of Tacoma is approximately 195,898 (2005), 198397 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 75,147 (1990), 78541 (2010).
The amount of land area in Tacoma is 124.441 sq. kilometers.
The amount of land area in Tacoma is 50.1 sq. miles.
The amount of surface water is 32.318 sq kilometers.
The distance from Tacoma to Washington DC is 2470 miles.
The distance to the Washington state capital is 25 miles. (as the crow flies)
Tacoma is positioned 47.25 degrees north of the equator and 122.45 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Tacoma elevation is 380 feet above sea level.
Tacoma median income is $ 40,290 (2005).
The Tacoma median home price is $ 190,000 (2005).
Location
in northwest Washington on Commencement Bay in the lower Puget Sound; 28 miles south of Seattle and 28 miles north of Olympia (state capital). It is 18 miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Other nearby communities include Fircrest, Ruston, University Place, Midland, Waller, Fife, Lakewood and Parkland.Return to Index
History & History Related Items
The Tacoma area was discovered by George Vancouver in 1792. But the area did not grow rapidly until business was begun there in 1852. A Swedish settler, Nicholas de Lin started his sawmill here which was the first business to help the local people with employment. Once the lumber industry began to grow and the Puyallup Indians left the area, the settlement grew. The name, Tacoma, which is close to an Puyallup word (Tahoma) for Mount Rainier, was given to this area by General Morton Matthew McCarver. He hoped to encourage the Northern Pacific Railway to establish its end in Tacoma. While there are many industries in the Tacoma area, shipping and wood products remain the major economic leaders for Tacoma.
Tacoma is from the Indian name for Mt. Rainier, "Tacobet," meaning "Mother of Waters." It was interpreted by the white man as Tahoma, later Tacoma, name of the new settlement in 1865. "City of Destiny" became Tacoma's slogan when it was designated, instead of Seattle, as the Northern Pacific Railroad's western terminus for its transcontinental route in 1873.
A history page for Tacoma.
Tacoma Past and Present - good for history
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse
Return to Index
The incorporation of Tacoma
1884, with a population of approximately 5,000 at that time.Attractions
See the attractions page for things to see in the Tacoma area.
Tacoma Visitor and Convention Bureau
More attractions in the Tacoma area.
City of Tacoma website
The Museum of Glass
International Center for Contemporary Art
Opened July 2002!
1801 East Dock Street
Tacoma, WA 98402-3217
Phone 253.284.4750 (Pierce County only)
or 1.866.4.MUSEUM
Fax 253.396.1769
Tacoma has it's own wonder of the world - the leaning cone of Tacoma! This 90 foot cone, designed to tilt north at 17 degrees, is located at the new Museum of Glass, International center for Contemporary Art. Not only are wonderful pieces of art on display, but there is a working hot shop where visitors may watch glass artists at work. All this and more is situated in the 75,000 square foot concrete and glass museum with 13,000 feet of gallery space.
Return to Index
Tacoma City Government
City Government for Tacoma747 Market Street
Tacoma, WA 98402
Tacoma Chamber
Tacoma-Pierce Convention & Visitor Bureau1001 Pacific Ave, Suite #400
Tacoma WA 98402
Toll-free: (800) 272-2662
Phone: (253) 627-2836
Fax (253) 627-8783
Tacoma Organizations
Tacoma-Pierce Convention & Visitor Bureau1001 Pacific Ave, Suite #400
Tacoma WA 98402
Toll-free: (800) 272-2662
Phone: (253) 627-2836
Fax (253) 627-8783
Tacoma Libraries
Tacoma Public Library1102 Tacoma Avenue South
Tacoma, WA 98402
Tacoma Schools
The population of Tacoma was:1996 - 185,000
2000 - 187,200
2005 - 195,898
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