About
Located at the foot of Mount Rainier and along the shores of Commencement Bay in the heart of Puget Sound of Washington state, Tacoma is recognized as a livable and progressive international city . With a population of more than 202,700 residents, the city that incorporated in 1884 has grown from its historical roots as a home of sawmills and a bustling port that exported goods around the world to a center for international exports, the arts and healthy, affordable living.
Tacoma's history and its neighborhoods go back to its earliest settlements. From the time Old Town and New Tacoma united to form the City of Tacoma in 1884, neighborhoods have served as the foundation upon which Tacoma has been built.
There are plenty of opportunities for recreation and entertainment in the Tacoma area. Whether you want to spend a peaceful afternoon in a museum, have lunch at a sidewalk cafe, watch an exciting game of baseball, or take in a concert or exhibition at the Tacoma Dome -- if you're in Tacoma, you've got choices.
Old Tacoma and New Tacoma merged in 1884 and incorporated as Tacoma. By 1890, the population reached 36,000 people. Sawmills, coal mines, flour mills and a smelter turned raw materials into exportable goods. Tacoma continues to make use of both its land and sea resources. It is home to the Port of Tacoma, the seventh-largest container port in the United States, and it is within 20 miles of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and 36 miles of the city of Seattle.
Today Tacoma is a thriving city with a revitalized downtown that caters to residents and visitors alike with its shopping, dining, theaters and award-winning arts and architecture.