Life in the 'O.P.'

While re-browsing through the Tacoma Library's local photo archive I pulled up an entry for a house nearby ours. The date of construction matches our house but the interesting tidbit in the description says our neighborhood is known as Orchard Park. Really? How cool! There are large neighborhood areas in town but calling everything in a 10 block radius a neighborhood is a little general. I don't have any details (yet) about our street's humble beginnings but I'm pretty sure I know where the name came from.

A while ago I found a great resource of historic local maps on the Library of Congress' website. There are a few of humble Tacoma in the late 1800s that are of striking detail and impressive accuracy. I even matched up one oblique city illustration from 1893 with a modern day view from Google Earth. See for yourself:

mouse over above image to compare 1893 to 2006

You can easily see the Puget Creek ravine (center) leading up and ending at Proctor Street. Continuing on four blocks later is Stevens where you can see it intersect (upper right) with the next ravine from where we've watched Tacoma's 4th of July fireworks. So, two blocks further in would be our street, Cheyenne. Our neighborhood was pretty much born in that orchard of evergreen trees there (top center), a couple of which stand still today just across the alley from us.

I'll try to learn a bit more but aren't sure just how much info is out there on our lovely little Orchard Park. Ain't history great?!

P.S. - And what the heck is that track just south (left) in that old map? I've seen it numerous times. I suppose it's time for me to hit the library to read up!

Comments (7) | To Top

8/29/2006 @ 9:14am

I believe the track was called the "Tacoma Speeding Park", but we've never been able to find any other mention of it. The house at 2502 North Washington Street (demolished) was supposedly built from the judges stand after the track was demolished. I can't find any mention of the track after the early 1890s.

You can also see it on 1887 map I have here: http://www.exit133.com/253/

by Derek

8/29/2006 @ 10:00am

Derek: Thanks for the info. How interesting since I did notice on that map on your site as well as others. I wonder if any photos of the track exist? Boy do I need to get over to the library!

by KevinFreitas

8/29/2006 @ 10:17am

Derek: I see where you got the "Tacoma Speeding Park" reference. I wonder who ran the facility?

8/29/2006 @ 12:13pm

Great post Kevin. I was just thinking about looking up historic maps while on my way to working this morning. Well, the thinking part, not the looking up maps bit... that'd be a sure fire way to have an accident. A search of theTacoma/Pierce County Buildings Index turned up a building that was once on my property was destroyed in order to make room for our house built c1947. Who knew? Thanks for the tips.

by sparkrobot

8/29/2006 @ 2:01pm

spark: Funny how thinking of something makes it so. Enjoy those links to the Library of Congress. There's so much fascinating physical history under our feet and around us that it's hard to ignore around here.

We may not live in a European city with layer upon layer of hundreds of years of city but imagining Tacoma as it was 100 years ago is pretty incredible.

8/29/2006 @ 4:53pm

I'll ask my grandmother if she knows what the track was named and if she has any info about it. She is 94 and has given me a lot of info about the South end near 38th and Yakima. Her family came through Ellis Island and settled in Tacoma right before she was born in 1911.

My house was built in 1942 on the site of an earlier home that was built in 1913 (and demolished). Two men built my house and sold it to my family in 1945. This area all the way to A Street was mostly an Italian sector at the time

My understanding is that the area around 40th and Yakima/Thompson used to be pear orchards in the late 1880 to early 1900.

I've have lots of info for anyone interested in the history of the South end from an Italian view.

by Dave

8/30/2006 @ 6:27am

Dave: That would be awesome if she knew something about the track. Even if she doesn't know much, anything to use for further research would be welcome. Thanks!

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