North Waterfront Walk (Self Guided), Tacoma

Stadium High School is a 100-year-old high school and a historic landmark. It is part of Tacoma Public Schools, or Tacoma School District No. 10 and is located in the Stadium District, near downtown Tacoma. The original building burned to a shell while it was still a partially constructed hotel designed by Hewitt & Hewitt that was being used for storage. It was reconstructed for use as a school according to designs by Frederick Heath, and a "bowl" stadium was added.

The main building was constructed by architects Hewitt and Hewitt for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company and the Tacoma Land Company at what was then known as Blackwell Point.

The 100 year celebration of Stadium High School was held in September 2006. At the celebration, a Guinness World Record was set for the largest recorded school reunion. 3299 alumni attended.

Job Carr Cabin Museum is the museum that commemorates the birthplace of Tacoma. You will visit the old cabin from which the city started. The museum tells about the life of Job Carr, Tacoma's first permanent non-Native resident. He built the first house in Tacoma that is considered the city's birthplace. The Job Carr Cabin Museum is a copy of that first house. It is a kind of time capsule as you will feel, inside the cabin, the atmosphere of life in Tacoma in those days.

Old St Peter's Church was constructed in 1873. It is the first church built in this city and is also the oldest construction of Tacoma. This traditional, Vernacular style, Anglican church is a historical building. It features a bell-tower that dates back to 1874 and is made from an old cut-off tree. It is said to be "The Oldest Bell Tower in North America."

The Fuzhou Ting is located in Tacoma’s Chinese Reconciliation Park along the beautiful Ruston Way waterfront. The Fuzhou Ting, a 30-foot x 40-foot ornate pavilion, is a donation including design, materials and construction assistance from Fuzhou, China, one of Tacoma's Sister Cities, in support of Chinese reconciliation efforts.

Jack Hyde Park is a beautiful park with beautiful views; it is located at the waterfront of Tacoma. It now bears the name of former Tacoma mayor and leader who contributed greatly to the development of this part of the city. Its former name was Commencement Park. There is an Old Town dock and a big sundial. It is registered as one of ten best 21st Century American Heritage Parks. The scenic Olympic Mountains can be seen from the park. There is beach access and a picnic area.

Puget Park is a wonderful park located across the road from the waterfront. It was recently renovated. There are different facilities for both adults and kids. You can take the binoculars that are available in the park and watch many beautiful birds. There is a bird garden in the park. You can try those wonderful new whirly-gigs if you have a strong stomach or just take a walk through this beautiful park with many paths and stairs.

Fireboat No. 1 was built in 1929 for the Port of Tacoma by the Coastline Shipbuilding Company of Tacoma, for US$ 148,000. It is 96 feet 6 inches (29.4 m) long with a 21 foot (6.4 m), six-inch (152 mm) beam and a six-foot (1.8 m) draft. Its seven water cannons have a capacity of 10,000 US gallons per minute (630 L/s). The vessel is the only fireboat in U.S. history to protect a major port by itself for more than half a century.

After 54 years of service in waterfront fire protection, harbor security patrols, search and rescue missions, and water pollution control, Fireboat No. 1 was put up on on a permanent dry berth at a public beach near Tacoma’s Old Town neighborhood. It is one of only five fireboats designated as a National Historic Landmark. Visitors are able to walk around the exterior, but the interior is closed to the public.