TACOMA Picture Postcard — A Stroll Downtown on a Summer Sunday

Posted on by Ryan Davis
TACOMA PICTURE POSTCARD
Mount Rainier on full display from the Stadium District.

Tacoma is known as “Grit City” thanks to the spunky attitude of its residents and its hardscrabble past. The city is also known as a haven for lovers of glass art, vintage finds, and turn-of-the-century architecture. There’s often a street fair or other event celebrating local businesses downtown, which makes for a great reason to explore the city.

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Banners marked the city’s celebration of Pride in June and July.
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The Pantages Theatre is at the heart of the city’s Theatre District, along with the Rialto, peering out from behind the stately building. The Pantages hosts a year-round selection of music and live performances.
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The Lily Pad is a beloved spot for one-of-a-kind vintage toys and collectibles. It was a popular spot on the Vintage Walk.
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Fans of Heath Ledger may recognize this iconic location from the movie “10 Things I Hate About You.” The Stadium High School gets its name from this stunning stadium, once known in the city as Old Women’s Gulch.
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A backyard mural by artist Mindy Barker peeking out in the Stadium District.
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Classic homes and apartment buildings abound in the Stadium District and North Slope Historic District.
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Stadium High School was supposed to be a hotel before plans to finish it were abandoned when the railroad companies decided to move their terminus to Seattle instead of Tacoma. It was instead converted to a school, and was the location for the comedy “10 Things I Hate About You.”
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McMenamin’s Elks Temple is a colorful and singular bar and hotel in a fully restored downtown building. It hosts live music and a lively nightlife among unusual antiques and furnishings.
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Glass art on display to the public on the “Bridge of Glass,” which spans Route 705 and connects the Museum District to the Museum of Glass and Thea Foss Waterway.
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Tacoma is known as a “City of Glass.” It is the home of artist Dale Chihuly, whose influence is felt at the Museum of Glass (the silver cone in the photo) and at several installations, such as the “Bridge of Glass” pictured here.
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Looking north from the Pantages block to the 11th Street Bridge.
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The Thea Foss Waterway as seen from the 21st Street Park, with the Foss Waterway Bridge leading to the Port of Tacoma.
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The Union Club hosted a location for a Vintage Walk, highlighting the city’s many antiques and collectible shops.
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Tacoma’s eclectic food scene includes the popular Pho Thanks Brothers and Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max, located downtown in the Museum District.
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A mural is visible behind a building in the Theatre District.

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Photos courtesy of Ryan Davis.

Ryan Davis

About the Author: Ryan Davis

Ryan Davis (@indieartsvoice) is a film publicist and communications professional with over ten years experience in the film industry and arts marketing. She is co-founder and Principal at Smarthouse Creative. Named by Media Inc. as one of Washington State's most influential women in film, TV, and media, Ryan has worked with outlets ranging from CNN and The New York Times, to community newspapers and local radio. She has worked in almost every aspect of the film business--from production and festivals to distribution, exhibition and sales.

Ryan worked for Arab Film Distribution/Typecast Films where she was part of the production and release of the Academy Award-nominated Iraq in Fragments. She has worked for a variety of nonprofit arts groups and organizations, including heading the marketing departments for Northwest Film Forum and Northwest Folklife, and was the assistant director of Couch Fest Films from 2010-2014. Ryan was on the jury for the International Documentary Challenge for 2012-3, and a juror for the 2015 Seattle Shorts Festival. Ryan currently sits on the board of The Grand Cinema in Tacoma, WA.

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