Historic Tacoma

 Welcome to the Historic Tacoma blog . I search for homes, fire stations, churches, movie houses, and businesses of Tacoma in the late 1890s and early 1900s. If you're interested in history and Tacoma you'll enjoy the tour.  Let's start with some of the fire houses of the horse-drawn engine era at the turn of the 19th century and early 20th century.  This is Fire House No. 8 on South L and 43rd Street. It was constructed in  1909 when the engines were horse drawn. There are five of these fire houses constructed in the first decade and all similar in design.  The houses were built to fit into their neighborhoods. And they did. The neighborhood firehouses were similar to the construction of the fine old homes of the early 20th century, replete  with all the decorative touches in the interior. Fire House No. 9 is a wonderful example and well preserved.  The ground level was where the engines were stored and the horses were stabled. The second floor was l...