History of Tacoma
Located 32 miles southwest of Seattle and 31 miles northeast of the state capital, Olympia, the city of Tacoma boasts a geographical location with a short distance from a couple of major cities in the great state of Washington. Yet, Tacoma has its own character that is very fitting for any player looking to CONTINUE
his or her hockey career by making the move to junior hockey. As the third largest city in the state, Tacoma has plenty to offer for young adolescents living on their own for possibly the first time. It is an ideal and scenic Pacific Northwestern port town that includes a first-rate view of Mount Rainer from most sites. Tacoma also serves as the center of business activity for the South Sound region, which has a population of around 1 million people.
Tacoma adopted its name after the nearby Mount Rauner, originally called Mount Tacoma. It is known as the "City of Destiny" because the area was chosen to be the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad in the late 19th century. The decision of the railroad was influenced by Tacoma's neighboring deep-water harbor,Commencement Bay. By connecting the bay with the railroad Tacoma's motto became "When rails meet sails." Today, Commencement Bay serves the Port of Tacoma, a center of Interantional Trade on the Pacific Coast and Washington state's largest port.
Like most central cities, Tacoma suffered a prolonged decline in the mid-20th century as a result of suburbanization and divestment. Since the 1990s, developments in the downtown core include the UNIVERSITY OF Washington Tacoma; the first modern electric light rail service in the state; the state's highest density of art and history museums; and a restored urban waterfront, the Thea Foss Waterway. Tacoma-Pierce County has been named one of the most livable areas in the country. Tacoma was also recently listed as the 19th most walkable city in the country
