Historic South Tacoma Way Walking Tour - Clio

This tour was curated by: Historic Tacoma

Historic Tacoma’s mission is to promote, conserve and enhance Tacoma’s architectural character. We advocate for the recognition and reuse of our historic places and connect people with preservation resources. Historic Tacoma empowers supporters and community members to become active partners in saving Tacoma’s heritage.

Entries on This Tour

1. Historic South Tacoma Way

In the mid-1800s the area that would become South Tacoma was prairie land. In fact, Hunt’s Prairie was the first name given to this area by pioneer settlers. Back then it was home to a few pioneering farm families. That all changed beginning in 1890 when the Northern Pacific Railway ushered in the birth of what would become South Tacoma Business District.

2. 5210-14 South Tacoma Way (1924)

This building was constructed in the year 1924 specifically to house a Dodge automotive dealership. In the year 1928 the dealership was taken over by "Tommy" E. Burns and Walter M. Campbell. The business partnership only lasted a few years and by 1930 the company was known as Burns Autos.

3. 5222 South Tacoma Way (1900)

Constructed in around the turn of the century, this building originally housed the popular Edison Soft Drink Parlor. Tacoma had several soft drink manufacturing companies located in the Warehouse/Brewery district, near the waterfront. Although advertising soft drinks, the shop also served as a speakeasy for part of the prohibition years.

4. 5238-40 South Tacoma Way (1907)

This building, constructed in 1907, is part of the Peter Leonard Block, named for Peter Leonard, a prominent South Tacoma businessman. A Wisconsin native, Peter moved to Tacoma in 1891 and operated a number of different businesses, including one of the first auto dealerships in the area, which opened in 1905. Peter sold his shares in the business to his son, Edward P., in 1915. The Ford franchise was the largest in the state at the time of Edward’s death in 1931.

5. 5244 South Tacoma Way

The parking lot that now occupies 5244 South Tacoma Way reveals no trace of its history. From about 1880 until 1907 the Red Front Saloon operated on the main floor and provided furnished rooms and lodgings upstairs. The business was owned by Peter Leonard (who also owned the block at 5238/40 South Tacoma Way).

6. 5402-5406 South Tacoma Way (1927)

At the corner of S 54th & South Tacoma Way next to the Airport Tavern in the South Tacoma Historic District stands the Hallock Building. Built in 1927 as an auto showroom for McKee Motor Co., it was named for owner and developer, Dr. Paul Hallock. Dentist Paul Hallock built the aptly named Hallock Building as a business venture in 1927. Hallock’s own office was located across the street at 5401½ South Union Avenue (now South Tacoma Way). The first tenant was Luther McKee of McKee Motors, a Hudson-Essex car dealership in operation until McKee’s death in 1929. In 1931, a hardware store opened at this site. The store, in operation from 1931 until 1938, was owned by Frederick Lang. Like many of Tacoma’s early residents, Lang was an immigrant.

7. 5420 South Tacoma Way (1928)

Contractor T. K. J. Williamson built this structure in 1928 for realtor Zachary A. Vane. The building had a cast stone front designed by Carl Biber. Vane & Company used the main floor until 1947. Several other businesses occupied the main floor as well, including Pacific Savings & Loan Association, Standard Finance Company, and jeweler B. W. Andrews. The upper floor was an apartment until after World War II when it became additional office space.

8. 5432-34 South Tacoma Way (1901)

The building at 5432-34 South Tacoma Way has a diverse occupant history, and often times several businesses occupied the structure concurrently. The Fabian Sauriol Hay and Feed store occupied this address from 1901 until 1905. The Sauriol family lived at this location as well and continued to live here after the hay and feed store was closed. By 1910 the Sauriol family operated a furniture business out of this location and no longer lived in the building.

9. 5442 South Tacoma Way (1919)

In 1919, Ralph and Anna Martin built their candy shop building at 5442 South Tacoma Way (known then as Union Avenue). The Martins and their children lived upstairs. Located strategically next to the Orpheum Theater, the Martin Confectionery was one of several such businesses in Tacoma over the past century; it finally closed in 1964.

10. 5446-48 South Tacoma Way (1919)

The building you see here today is a modified version of the original building, designed by the architectural firm of Lundberg & Mahon in 1914. The building housed the South Tacoma Post Office and the North Pacific Bank. With the relocation of the post office to South 56th and Puget Sound Street in the late 1920s, the thriving North Pacific Bank absorbed the vacant property, remodeling it into their business. The bank, managed and eventually owned by businessman Peter Wallerich, was named in honor of the Northern Pacific Railroad and its affiliated shops that were located in South Tacoma.

11. 5435-37 South Tacoma Way (1919)

Designed by the architectural firm of Lundberg and Mahon (architects for 5415 South Tacoma Way), this structure was built in 1919 by the construction firm of Hillyard & Jensen for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) and Rebekahs. The Odd Fellows was a fraternal organization that served both social networking and charitable purposes. Tacoma had numerous fraternal organizations; the Elks, Knights of Pythias, the Eagles, and the Odd Fellows all helped to provide a social “safety net” at a time when the federal government did not offer welfare assistance. The Odd Fellows was the first national fraternity to accept male and female memberships and the first to establish homes for senior citizens and orphaned children.

12. 5431 South Tacoma Way (1917)

Constructed in 1917, 5431 South Tacoma Way was occupied by a number of recreational establishments through the years. The Pennant offered pool, soft drinks, and tobacco products. In 1940 a new tavern opened, the Corral Cabaret, managed by George Coson and Roger McDonell. The interior was painted with murals of ranches and horse tack by Tacoma artist Ward Padelford. Items from Coson and McDonell’s personal collections added additional decorative touches.

13. 5423 South Tacoma Way (1924)

Built by contractor Thomas Holmberg (see below) in 1924, 5423 South Tacoma Way originally served as a dry goods store for Edward A. Garceau. Garceau was a pioneer dry goods merchant in Tacoma and opened his business, Ed Garceau & Son in 1903, at 5235 South Tacoma Way. The establishment was the first dry goods store in South Tacoma.

14. 5415 South Tacoma Way (1919)

Built in 1919, the Realart Theatre was one of three theatres built and owned by Radnor Pratsch (see below) on South Tacoma Way. When the Realart opened, the newspaper claimed it was Tacoma’s largest theatre, with a large pipe organ and seating for 500 patrons.

15. 5227 South Tacoma Way (1905)

Like many neighborhoods, South Tacoma had a locally owned hardware store. This building was home to Samuel F. Kennedy’s hardware store from 1904 until 1908. A hardware business remained at this location, but under the ownership of Andrew Nelson. Nelson operated his business at this location from 1913 through 1919, then relocated the business several blocks away to 1327 South Tacoma Way. For an unknown reason, he moved right back to this location in 1920.

16. 5221 South Tacoma Way (1906)

This building was constructed by the North Pacific Bank in 1906. The bank specialized in serving businesses and patrons that worked with Northern Pacific Railroad. In 1912, German immigrant Peter Wallerich purchased the business. His success eventually led to the construction of a new building for the bank in 1914, at 5446-48 South Tacoma Way. This building first remained vacant after the bank departed, and new tenants were not secured until 1926.

17. 5213 South Tacoma Way (1927)

Built around the year of 1927, this petite brick structure home had originally housed the Independent Grocery Company's third store in Tacoma. A number of other businesses have also called this location home. During the Great Depression era the South Tacoma Cycle and Radio Company replaced the Independent Grocery Company.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Historic South Tacoma Way Walking Tour

Created by Historic Tacoma on June 23rd 2022, 8:55:49 pm.

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Description

This walking tour was informed by a booklet produced and published by Historic Tacoma in 2011. It examines a number of historic structures in the South Tacoma Business District and the history of its development as a key commercial area of Tacoma. Project funding was provided by Historic Tacoma, the South Tacoma Business District Association, the South Tacoma Neighborhood Council, the University of Washington-Tacoma, and Jim and Karen Rich. The project was managed by Historic Tacoma board president, Caroline Swope, with research conducted by Caroline Swope of Kingstree Studios and project interns Tamara LaFountain and Lauren Perez. The printed publication was developed from a research project compiled by Shurvon Haynes, Scott Neff, Sean Panzer, Kirk Redal, Brian Rybolt, Darren Takagi, and Brittney Thomas for the fall 2009 Introduction to Public History class at the University of Washington-Tacoma. Special thanks to Brian Kamens at the Tacoma Public Library Northwest Room and Darlyne Reiter for research support. This online adaptation of the published booklet was aided by intern Alyssa Beiermann from the University of Puget Sound.

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