Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Tacoma

TACOMA, a city and county-seat of Pierce co., Wash.; on the Puyallup river and Commencement Bay; at the S. extremity of Puget Sound, and on the Northern Pacific railroad; 25 miles N. E. of Olympia. It is built on rising ground which reaches an altitude of 300 feet above the river. Here are Puget Sound University (M. E.), Pacific University (Luth.), Annie Wright Seminary (P. E.), Tacoma Academy, the Academy of the Visitation (R. C.), Masonic and public libraries, Ferry Museum of Art, city hall, court house, St. Joseph's, Fannie Paddock and County Hospitals, Seaman's Friend Society, Children's Home, etc. Near the city is the State Asylum for the Insane. The city contains waterworks, street railroad and electric light plants, a number of parks, numerous churches, National and State banks, and several daily, weekly, and monthly newspapers. There are many thriving industries. The city has an extensive jobbing and wholesale trade, and large interests in coal, lumber, grain, and flour. Tacoma was settled in 1868, made the terminus of the Northern Pacific railroad in 1873, selected for the county-seat in 1880, and by the union of Old Tacoma and New Tacoma became a city in 1883. Pop. (1910) 83,743; (1920) 96,965.