By Molly Wampler
The city of Tacoma is home to nearly 75 parks and playgrounds, some of which date back to just after the city’s founding in 1875. MetroParks Tacoma, the city’s independent park management body, oversees these parks and has a website featuring a detailed history of nearly every park. This article draws primarily from this website unless otherwise noted.
Wright Park
Located between Division and 6th Avenues just south of Stadium District, Wright Park is one of Tacoma’s oldest parks. 20 of the 27 acres that are now part of Wright Park in Tacoma were donated to the city in 1886 by the Tacoma Land Company to be used as a public park. Edward O. Schwagerl was hired to design the park, and development began in the following few years.
In the early 1980s, more land was acquired by the city, Yakima Avenue was redirected to accommodate the expansion, and Bird Lake and its bridge were created. In the coming years, even more land was acquired, and in 1908 William W. Seymour, future Mayor of Tacoma, donated the funds to build the famous Seymour Conservatory, which is now available to rent for weddings and other celebrations.
Since the 1930s, MetroParks Tacoma staff have made numerous regular additions to the park, including the construction of a regulation size bowling green (1934), Japanese cherry and dogwood trees (1936), a senior center (1953) and basketball courts. In the 1970s, Larry Anderson, a local artist, donated two sculptures for integration into the park. Today, the park hosts events like family yoga classes, food trucks and Shakespeare in the Park events. MetroParks Tacoma has an even more detailed history and listing of upcoming events on their website.
Point Defiance
Point Defiance Park, which is arguably Tacoma’s main claim to fame, welcomes more than 3.1 million visitors yearly, MetroParks Tacoma’s website boasts.
In 1888, President Cleveland signed a bill authorizing the City of Tacoma the use of Point Defiance, 640 acres of undeveloped military reservation, as a city park. Construction of the zoo began in 1899, but most other projects of the following few decades were torn down and do not remain today. “Federal work relief programs during the Great Depression … accomplish major projects in Point Defiance Park,” the MetroParks Tacoma website says, “including the restoration of Fort Nisqually and a new Boathouse to replace the 1903 octagonal Pavilion.” Among these projects were the Funland Amusement Park and the Point Defiance Riding Academy (both 1933), but by the 1960s, both were closed. In 1984, the Boathouse was destroyed in a fire, but was rebuilt in 1984 and is now Anthony’s restaurant on the water.
A new bridge is in the process of construction, which will increase accessibility to the park. “Sometime in the coming months, Wilson Way [Bridge] will connect Point Defiance Park with the Ruston Way waterfront,” a Tacoma News Tribune article explained this week. Today, there are over 10 miles of hiking trails around Point Defiance, as well as numerous gardens, a zoo and aquarium, a dog park and the popular Owen Beach. Point Defiance is an easy bus ride from campus (take the 11) and is open 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
McKinley Park
McKinley Park is located just south of the Tacoma Dome with only I-5 separating the two. In 1901, 22 acres of land were donated to the City of Tacoma for another park. Initially called East Park, it was given its current name after President McKinley had to postpone his planned visit to the park and died before he was able to come. “Boys, from now on, this is McKinley Park,” the foreman of the landscaping crew declared shortly after the news was delivered, according to the MetroParks Tacoma website.
The Tacoma segment of I-5 was constructed in 1962, right next to McKinley Park. “This new interstate highway required the sale of four acres of the park to the State Highway Commission,” the MetroParks Tacoma website says, which “effectively walled off McKinley Park from a large portion of the city.” Although it now shares air with the freeway, the park seems to be an oasis, with four streams and four wetlands in just 26 acres. Friends of McKinley Park works to maintain the park, including removing invasive plants and general beautification. More formal improvements to the park have been made recently, including the addition of a new playground, pathways and a restroom.