— by Kim Davenport Many Tacomans will remember Juan Perez (1948-2017), who played the piano at the Tacoma Nordstrom store for 27 years. UW Tacoma student Nathan Hiatt was moved by Perez’ story while enrolled in the class “Musical History of Tacoma” this Autumn, and decided to make it his final project in the class to record an episode for our podcast which honored Perez’ … Continue reading Remembering Juan Perez
by Ed Mattison It was in the fall on one of the weekends I was working at the former Camp 6 Logging Museum. On this particular day I was the switchman, one of many jobs I held at the museum. This job was important but not too difficult. Basically I rode in the caboose and after the train left the station it would stop on … Continue reading Ghost Story at the Logging and Railroad Museum
– by Anu Batsuren Batsuren Battumur was born on October 18, 1967, in the Uvs province of Mongolia. He was the oldest of three sons birthed by Ondogoo Legtseg and Battumur Darjaa. He was raised by his loving grandparents in the northern countryside of Mongolia, where access to basic needs was much more limited. Living in the countryside meant taking care of livestock, melting the … Continue reading Batsuren Battumur: Biography and Legacy of a Traditional Mongolian Dancer
by Hongying Neubauer I’m sitting here listening to The Robert Cray Band playing their monster hit Right Next Door (Because Of Me). Cray blends his soulful vocals and exceptional guitar skills with traditional blues to tell a story that the protagonist’s guilty feeling of causing the woman next door to be accused of unfaithful to the one who really loves her: “I can hear the … Continue reading The Rise of Robert Cray and His Influence on the Blues
by Jenna Swetz Out of all of the musicians and bands that Tacoma has hosted and raised over its long history, one of the most influential of those bands has to be The Sonics. Known for their loud, wild, and raw sound, The Sonics are considered the progenitors of the grunge subgenre of rock & roll. Founded in 1960 by a teenage Larry Parypa, The … Continue reading Grandfathers of Grunge: The Sonics
by Kelsey Lyons Born in October of 1904 and residing at 1224 North Prospect Street, Viola Wasterlain was a Tacoma-based musician who would make a name for herself through her extraordinary violin skills. Throughout her life, Viola would be recognized for her remarkable talent and would go on to give numerous performances all over the United States, one of which would have the attendance of … Continue reading Visionary, Violin, Viola
by Kim Davenport In 1873, the Northern Pacific Railroad announced Commencement Bay as the western terminus of their transcontinental railroad line, frustrating expectant boosters in Seattle, and forever impacting the growth and development of Tacoma. 2023 marks the sesquicentennial of that momentous event, and Tacoma Historical Society will be celebrating that history throughout the year with our museum exhibit, Dreams & Dispossessions: The Railway Comes … Continue reading The Great Big Baked Potato Song
by Mia Wright When I hear people talk about this amazing city, they mention a couple of things: Tacoma aroma, the diverse group of people, and the Tacoma Dome. The Tacoma Dome is the city’s main event place for concerts, festivals, and even football and basketball games. Just like most things, the Tacoma Dome started as just a vision by an engineer named Taylor Gardener … Continue reading Tacoma Dome: Then and Now
by Diana Zagorenko The Ventures was a rock and roll ball band that formed in Tacoma, Washington in 1958. As a band, they recently celebrated their 50th anniversary and continue to perform live shows to this day. They are well-known in other parts of the world and particularly popular in Japan. The Ventures experienced many different band members throughout the years. Bob Bogle and Don … Continue reading The Ventures
by Gabby Quinnett Picture yourself. It’s the middle of summer, your car windows are down, the cool wind blowing through your hair, and you’re blasting your favorite tunes. You’ve decided to take a scenic drive through Tacoma this fine afternoon. Driving past Wright Park, you’ve decided to take South Yakima Ave into the Hilltop area. Your sights are soon set upon a large, castle-like building. … Continue reading The Tacoma Armory
Tales of Tacoma 