Tacoma's Point Defiance Park

by Mcginnis, Melissa; Beard-Simpkins, Doreen; Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma

• ISBN13: 9780738595917
• ISBN10: 0738595918
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-11-12
• Publisher: Arcadia Pub

Summary

For more than a century, the citizens of Tacoma have valued Point Defiance Park as a forested refuge and an urban oasis. The community treasures its history and ecology as the crown jewel of the city's public spaces. Ancient forest continues to cover the majority of the park's 700-plus acres. Attractions of the past--a saltwater swimming pool, riding stables, and an amusement park--delighted earlier generations, though they are now long gone. The first boathouses, early zoological collections, and gardens near the park's entrance date back to the 1890s and now greet visitors in modern form. Today's park amenities are designed to foster appreciation for the rich historic and environmental heritage of "Tacoma's Great Pride" and serve an estimated two million visitors annually. Historic images from both private and public collections highlight this memorable "walk in the park" through a beloved civic preserve.

Author Biography

Melissa McGinnis and Doreen Beard-Simpkins have researched the history of Tacoma's parks for more than 20 years as employees of Metro Parks Tacoma. Previous collaborations in Arcadia's Images of America series include Tacoma's Parks (2007), celebrating the independent park agency's centennial, and Tacoma's Wright Park (2008), a retrospective of a grand dame's restoration.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. 6
Introduction	p. 7
"Tacoma's Sound Shore Retreat"	p. 9
"Handsome Ferneries, Golden Glories, and a Velvet Sward"	p. 39
"The Park's Greatest Treasure"-The Waterfront	p. 55
A Splendid Collection of Birds and Animals	p. 77
The Forest, Hard Times, and a Fort	p. 93
Something for Everyone	p. 113
Image Credits	p. 127
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