Historic Tacoma Lecture Thursday, November 8th, 2007, 7pm
In 2006, local historian Michael Sullivan presented part one of his fascinating commentary on the history of Tacoma and its built environment. He promised to entertain us with more, and we remembered. Please join us for an entertaining evening about Tacoma from the 1920s until the present.
Knights of Pythias Hall, 926 1/2 Broadway *FREE* Call 253-591-2026 for more information.
Tacoma's Historic Churches
Lecture & Discussion Series To Highlight Architectural Treasures
Tacoma is home to a number of architecturally and culturally significant church buildings, each one a powerful presence and anchor in its neighborhood. Across the country, urban ministries are struggling to maintain their historic structures, in light of declining membership and decreased revenues.
A number of Tacoma congregations, all stewards of architecturally important churches, are facing similar challenges. In February, Historic Tacoma, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Tacoma’s architectural heritage, initiated discussions to help these congregations identify the information and resources to address building stewardship and long term maintenance. The group is meeting monthly to craft an ecumenical approach to the preservation and rehabilitation of these buildings.
Historic Tacoma and participating congregations will present a fall lecture and discussion series, free and open to the public.
Tuesday, September 25, 7 pm
Tacoma’s Historic Churches: Architectural styles, history, and their contributions to the development of Tacoma and its neighborhoods
Speaker: Gerald Eysaman, AIA
Location: Center for Spiritual Living, 206 N. J Street
Tuesday, October 30, 7 pm
Historic Building Stewardship: The challenges, realities and opportunities
Panelists: Gary Knudson, AIA, and Gene Grulich, AIA
Location: First Congregational Church, 209 S. J Street
Tuesday, November 27, 7 pm
The Religious Iconography of Tacoma’s Churches: A lecture and building tour
Speaker: Caroline Swope, architectural historian
Location: First Presbyterian Church, 20 S. Tacoma Ave. South
In on-going conversations, ten congregations and several neighborhood representatives have identified the following goals:
- Congregation members value their historic buildings as assets rather than liabilities, recognizing their value to the church’s mission and to the larger community.
- The larger community supports the preservation of historic churches,
acknowledging their contribution to Tacoma’s built environment. - Stewards of historic churches are better equipped to maintain their facilities and to sustain funding to preserve their buildings for future generations.
Historic Tacoma and participating churches invite interested congregations and members of the public to join the discussions. For more information or to be added to the group’s mailing list, contact Sharon Winters or 253-761-9349.
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Historic Tacoma 2007 Old House Tour -
Classic Craftsman Houses
Saturday, September 15th, 10am-5pm, $15
Tickets available at:
Dave’s Meat & Produce
1312 North I Street
253-280-9999
M-Sat 8am-7pm; Sun 11am-6pm
King’s Books
218 St. Helens Avenue
253-272-8801
M-Sat 10am-7pm; Sun 10am-6pm
or call Historic Tacoma: 253-591-2026
Historic Tacoma invites you on a journey through seven of Tacoma's finest Craftsman homes. These dwellings display a range of size and detailing that make this style a favorite in the Pacific Northwest.
Historic Tacoma will have a number of displays with information on Craftsman appropriate kitchen and bath design, period appropriate details, and biographies on some of Tacoma's most prolific Craftsman builders. Also showcased are vendors who can help homeowners breathe new life into their Craftsman gems. Representatives from Rejuvenation (lighting and hardware), Ixia Tile (Arts and Crafts styled tile), and Stories Inc., (reproduction textiles) will be on hand. Lawrence Kreisman will have copies of his newly published book, The Arts and Crafts Movement in the Pacific Northwest.
Sponsored by Legacy Renovations, Phase II General Contractor, Inc., and Historic Tacoma.
Walking Tour will highlight history and buildings of Auto Row
"Autowalk," a walking tour celebrating Tacoma's historic auto row, is scheduled for Thursday, July 19, from 5 to 8 p.m.
The event, free and open to the public, will spotlight the architecture and the dealerships that brought Tacoma into the automotive age. The route will extend from South 9th Street along Broadway to South 7th Street and north on St. Helens Avenue to South 2nd Street. Information booths, route maps, exhibits, and classic cars on display are planned.
The event is co-sponsored by Historic Tacoma and the Tacoma Historical Society with participation by members of the PSC Buick Club, other local car clubs, and the LeMay Museum.
"Downtown Tacoma is known for theaters, great architecture and the renaissance that has saved buildings and brought interest back into the city's core,' event chair Brett Santhuff said. "Many aspects of downtown's development can be tracked along with the emergence and evolution of the automobile. In early years, dealerships found a home in warehouse-like buildings with retail sales on the main ground floor and service on secondary levels."
"As Auto Row developed and cars evolved, so did buildings - from the ornate 1920s Packard dealership to the streamlined 1948 Buick facility, built as Mueller-Harkins and now USA of Yesterday, the last dealership to invest in a building downtown," Santhuff said.
"In the era of Auto Row, there was excitement and activity downtown - shopping, entertainment, enterprise - and a number of car dealers," he said. "Masses would gather in the streets outside papered showroom windows for the unveiling of new cars. Over a season dealers would roll out the new models - Buick, Studebaker, Ford, Pontiac, Chrysler, Chevrolet, Plymouth, Hupmobile, Packard, Dodge, Lincoln, Oldsmobile."
"Today," he said, "Tacoma celebrates the automobile with the LeMay Museum. Autowalk is an effort to raise awareness of Tacoma's automotive and architectural heritage by engaging residents and exploring this portion of downtown. At the end of the walking tour, participants are invited to join in a no-host gathering at St. Helens Café for conversation about historic preservation, automotive history, and economic development."
Contact: Brett Santhuff
360-402-1062 (cell)
santhuff@u.washington.edu
HISTORIC TACOMA ANNOUNCES LECTURE SERIES FOR PRESERVATION MONTH
May is National Preservation Month and to celebrate Historic Tacoma is offering an informative series of lectures covering architectural identification, window repair, historic landscaping, and lighting. A community forum will close the series featuring a moderated panel discussion on rehabilitation and adaptive re-use of neighborhood landmarks.
You won't want to miss this series which takes place in the majestic setting of the historic Pythian Hall in downtown Tacoma. Call or email today to order your tickets. Lectures are free to Historic Tacoma members and $8 per ticket for general public, or $25 for the series. Join Historic Tacoma today and save!
Series details:
May 3:
ID Required: Residential Architectural Styles from 1880-1930 -
Caroline T. Swope, Ph.D., a Historic Tacoma board member and architectural historian at Seattle Central Community College, will guide you through a maze of house styles. Bring photos of your house!
Non-members may order tickets for this lecture via Brown Paper Ticket or pay at the door.
May 10:
Vinyl is for Records: True Window Repair, Restoration and Replacement -
Learn how to fix simple window challenges and how to appropriately replace old windows. Presented by Troy Axe from Legacy Renovation and Lisa Distefano of Bear Wood Windows, Inc.
Non-members may order tickets for this lecture via Brown Paper Ticket or pay at the door.
May 17:
Get the Dirt: Landscaping for Historic Properties -
Susan Black, of Susan Black & Associates, Landscape Architects will guide you through the various options for period appropriate foundation plantings, trees, and garden designs.
Non-members may order tickets for this lecture via Brown Paper Ticket or pay at the door.
May 24:
See the Light: Period Appropriate Lighting -
Renee Peru and Kristine Kyle of the Antique Lighting Company join forces with John and Amber Bray of Tacoma’s Maiden Faire. Learn the various styles and challenges associated with period inspired lighting.
Non-members may order tickets for this lecture via Brown Paper Ticket or pay at the door
May 31:
Community Forum - FREE!
A moderated panel discussion on the rehabilitation and adaptive re-use of neighborhood landmarks followed by conversation with the community.
The forum, moderated by Derek Young, Board member and host of exit133.com, will include panelists Julie Anderson, Tacoma City Council; Jim Dugan, Tacoma School Board; Stacy Kovats, developer of the Marcato condos; Paul Popovich, Parametrix, project manager for the Stadium High School rehab project; and Chip Wilson, key player in rehab and restoration of the Paramount Theatre, Seattle.
Come at 7pm with a dessert to share and we’ll chat informally before the 7:30pm program. For more information call 761-9349.
Tickets are $8 per lecture for the general public ($25 for series) and free for Historic Tacoma members (join online now!). Non-members may order series tickets via Brown Paper Ticket or pay at the door
The series will be held at the Knights of Pythias Hall, 926 ½ Broadway Street in downtown Tacoma. Lectures start at 7pm and a question and answer period will be held following each lecture. ADA access is available via the "Court C" entrance located behind the building.
For more information, call 253-591-2026,
Event sponsored by Historic Tacoma and Artifacts Consulting
Historic House Forum & Tea - February 24, 2007
Historic Tacoma presents their first Historic House Forum & Tea on Saturday, February 24th from 1-4pm.
Meet architectural historian and historic preservationist Caroline T. Swope, author of Classic Houses of Seattle, as she discusses the challenges encountered in restoring the original charm of her 1906 Tacoma house. Ms. Swope and her house will be featured in the March 2007 edition of Sunset Magazine and on the Tacoma Historical Society's Tour of Historic Homes in May. The house is currently nominated to the Tacoma Register of Historic Places.
Talk with experienced trades people involved on this year long renovation, and discuss tricks of the trade. See work in progress and ask questions about appropriateness of lifestyle upgrades, code requirements, and energy efficiency. Learn about the financial benefits of listing a house as a Tacoma Landmark.
Tickets are $25 for non-members. Join Historic Tacoma and receive 20% off the admission price. Space is limited, and reservations must be paid in advance. Please mail your check payable to Historic Tacoma GTCF to:
Historic Tacoma, 201 North Yakima Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98403
Reserve your space by calling 253-370-6984 or contact us via our online contact form.
Proceeds from the Historic House Forum & Tea benefit Historic Tacoma, a non-profit organization devoted to historic preservation through advocacy and education.
Board to organize and plan strategy. Stay tuned for next public meeting date!
Historic Tacoma held an organizational public meeting July 20th, 2006. Forty-five people attended representing a broad cross section of the community. Founding members of the group, including Eugenia Woo, Michael Sullivan, Morgan Alexander, Reuben McKnight, and Sharon Winters reviewed the current state of preservation in Tacoma, possible strategies to retain the city's architectural heritage, and opened the floor to discussion.
Historic Tacoma's efforts are about more than saving old buildings. We are committed to taking a long term, sustained approach to raising awareness and making positive change in the urban character and livability of the City. During the course of the organizational meeting, themes included: 1) The power of place: the impact of our built environment on quality of life and economic development. 2) Inclusiveness: an interest in both high style and vernacular architecture reflecting the lives of people throughout the city, as well as important events in the city's history 3) Proactive: we will take a proactive stand by addressing public policy issues that affect the historic and unique character of our city, so as not to be in a reactive, defensive position when a significant structure is about to be lost. 4) Sustainability: focus on education, advocacy and preservation with the aim of long term sustainability 5) Environment: encourage rehabilitation and re-use of sustainable building materials with which historic structures were constructed; encourage modification of green building standards to discourage demolition and provide incentives for re-use and re-cycling of historic fabric.
Tacoma retains many historic buildings which reflect the city's unique character and cultural heritage. The preservation of these structures adds to the city's vitality and their rehabilitation has been shown to act as an economic development catalyst. As property values escalate and Tacoma continues to grow, we risk losing significant structures. By proactively advocating for, and preserving historic structures, Historic Tacoma can support the rehabilitation of deteriorated buildings and the adaptive re-use of structures which no longer meet current needs.
As a grass-roots effort, we need your participation to identify community needs and effective strategies, attend public meetings as a historic preservation advocate, and raise awareness throughout our City. Please join our e-mail list or email Sharon Winters for more information.
Washington Trust for Historic Preservation Announces 2006 the Most Endangered Historic Properties List in front of First United Methodist Church in Tacoma
The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation will hold a press event on Tuesday, May 23rd, at 11:00 a.m. to announce its annual list of Most Endangered Historic Properties in Washington. The press conference will be held in front of First United Methodist Church at 423 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way in Tacoma. Development pressures threaten First United Methodist with demolition and the church is included in this year's Most Endangered Properties list.
The Washington Trust has identified more than 80 threatened sites since it began the Most Endangered Historic Properties List in 1992. A listing creates awareness and rallies support for key historic resources in danger of being lost. As pieces of the past disappear, so too does a community's sense of place. The Washington Trust seeks to preserve the irreplaceable heritage of our state. The sites on each year's list are thus representative of the various threats faced by historic sites in Washington: demolition, neglect, lack of funds, inappropriate development, or insensitive public policy. For every listed property, there are many worthy and significant candidates in similar circumstances.
The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit organization, promotes the preservation of historic places in Washington State through education, advocacy, collaboration, and stewardship. Founded in 1976, the Washington Trust addresses its mission through the annual Most Endangered Historic Properties List, educational tours of its landmark headquarters, the Stimson-Green Mansion in Seattle, conferences and training workshops, a quarterly members' newsletter, a small grants fund, and action on legislation and public policy. Visit the Trust website at www.wa-trust.org for more information.
