by Ed Mattison This story takes place on a dry summer day, yes they do happen. I arrived early to learn about getting the train running for the day. Vance was getting ready to move the Shay out of the engine house when I pedaled in on my bike. I was in good shape back then and often took the bike to places around town. … Continue reading The Bald Headed Rail Fan at Camp 6
By Ed Mattison One of the things I discovered at Camp 6 is that railroaders love to tell stories. The difference between fishermen and railroaders is that most of their stories are true. And yes I did say most. This is a story I was told by Larry our fireman. This happened before I started and it is a true story. The morning in question … Continue reading The Almost Great Train Robbery at Camp 6
By Russell Holter (THS member and author) Reprinted with permission. Originally published by Holter, Russell H. “A 1914 Nightmare.” Tall Timbers Short Lines, Number 59, April 1999; Pacific Coast Logging Historical and Technical Society, Tacoma, WA. The day was typical of a summer Friday. Children played in the streets as the men of the Bismarck Lumber Mill toiled hard in the sweat and sawdust filled … Continue reading A 1914 Nightmare
Early-day Tacoma remembered as a busy, pleasant place Clayton Rubidge was born in Tacoma in 1902 and lived here all his life. His recollections give us a look at the city at the time. A lifelong Tacoman, Clayton Rubidge dictated his memories about the Tacoma of his boyhood to Joan Hokanson Harelson an unknown number of years ago. In 2015 she sent the memoir to … Continue reading Clayton’s Memories
— by Hannah Currie Nettie Asberry was a shining public figure and musician in Tacoma history. She paved the way for many people of color and was never afraid to speak her mind. Her social activism permeated all facets of her life, including her music. This article addresses her life, her affects on her community and her connection to her art and her purpose. Nettie was … Continue reading Nettie Asberry: Keeping Harmony in Tacoma
— by Kim Davenport In February of 1967, an article appeared in the Tacoma News Tribune and Sunday Ledger under the headline: Temple of Music, Center of Yesteryear, Intact on BroadwayFeatures Included Stained Glass, Wine-Colored Carpets Before I delve into more of the history of the grandly-named Temple of Music, a few paragraphs from that article will set the stage for today’s Tacoma music mystery: … Continue reading Temple of Music, Center of Yesteryear
–by Kim Davenport Silas Seth Weeks was born in Vermont, Illinois in 1868. His father Thomas, a barber, recognised his musical talent early and encouraged him to pursue a musical education. Seth began with the violin, but soon gravitated towards the guitar, and would eventually focus his attentions on his favorite instrument, the mandolin. After fifteen years of devoted study, he would go on to a … Continue reading Silas and his Mandolin
— by Melissa Garcia Tacoma is home to legendary rocker, Jerry Miller. Born in 1943, Miller has spent his life dedicated to music. Playing guitar primarily, he is prized for his solo work, as well as work with famous bands. Miller’s career is admirable, to say the least, but what is even more astonishing is his ever-present musical connection to the Pacific Northwest. To start off, … Continue reading The Legendary Jerry Miller
— by Abbi Kanouse-Schaefer The Fabulous Wailers were a garage band formed in Tacoma, Washington in 1958 and are an integral part of the area’s musical history. Often considered one of the first garage bands, The Wailers and other local groups of the time laid the foundation for the grunge scene in the Pacific Northwest. In Tacoma and beyond, The Wailers were an inspiration for … Continue reading The Boys from Tacoma: The Fabulous Wailers
— by Reyna LaMere A man by the name of E. Taylor Gardner was ahead of his time in 1925. Gardner was a Tacoma engineer and architect. His vision of a great Tacoma stadium made the newspaper on December 17, 1925. He proposed “a great indoor auditorium under the world’s largest pillarless roof, capable of accommodating gatherings of thousands…” Gardner was a dreamer and a … Continue reading A Dome of our Own
