Bike ride, walking tours, postcard project will mark historic preservation month in Tacoma

Locals interested in celebrating historic preservation in Tacoma are encouraged to participate in a number of activities in May in honor of national historic preservation month. According to the City of Tacoma’s Web site, this year’s line-up of events includes:

Historic Homes of Tacoma “North Tacoma Highlights”

Sat., May 3 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) & Sun., May 4 (1 p.m. to 5 p.m.)
Tickets are $20, available at the Pacific Northwest Shop, Stadium Thriftway, and at select Columbia Bank branches. Tickets are also available for purchase on May 3 and May 4 at the Central Lutheran Church Reception Center, located at 409 Tacoma Ave. N.
Presented by the Tacoma Historical Society

The Tacoma Historical Society invites you to the Historic Homes of Tacoma Tour, held annually on the first weekend in May. More information is available online at tacomahistory.org.

2014 Walk Tacoma Series — Architecture Tour

Weds. May 7, Noon to 1 p.m.
FREE
Presented by Downtown On the Go

Join Tacoma City Councilmember David Boe at Wells Fargo Plaza, located at South 12th Street and Pacific Avenue, for a discussion of Tacoma’s urban architecture. This walk is part of Downtown On the Go’s 2014 Walk Tacoma Series. More information is available online at downtownonthego.com.

Landmarks Preservation Commission Preservation Month Reception and Awards Ceremony

Thurs., May 8, 6 p.m.
FREE
Presented by Tacoma’s Landmarks Preservation Commission and Historic Tacoma

Join the Landmarks Preservation Commission and Historic Tacoma at the B Sharp Coffee House, located at 706 Opera Alley, for a reception and awards ceremony, which will celebrate this year’s award winners.

To read the Tacoma Daily Index‘s complete and comprehensive coverage of the annual Tacoma Landmarks Preservation Commission Historic Preservation Awards, click on the following links:

Landmarks Preservation Commission announces historic preservation awards (Tacoma Daily Index, May 21, 2010)
Tacoma City Council will honor historic preservation award winners (Tacoma Daily Index, May 19, 2009)
City’s Landmarks Commission announces preservation award winners (Tacoma Daily Index, May 13, 2009)
Landmarks Preservation Commission announces 2008 Preservation Award winners (Tacoma Daily Index, October 22, 2008)
City’s Landmarks Commission honors historic preservation leaders (Tacoma Daily Index, June 8, 2006)
Landmarks Preservation Commission announces 2005 Preservation Award winners (Tacoma Daily Index, May 24, 2005)

Tacoma Tweed Ride

Sat., May 10, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
FREE
Presented by Feather + Oar and Tacoma Wheelmen’s Bicycle Club

Meet at the Point Defiance Park Pagoda to ride in style along ~~Tacoma’s first trolley car route~~ one of Tacoma’s most important trolley car routes, stopping along the way to enjoy historic pieces of Tacoma’s transportation history. End at the pop-up shop at UW Tacoma. Don’t forget the Tweed! More information is available online at cityoftacoma.org/historicpreservation or bike253.com.

Historic Postcard Project

Thurs., May 15, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
FREE
Presented by Historic Tacoma

Historic Tacoma is merging the arts with preservation through an interactive postcard project at the former Reliance Lumber Company Building / former Durobilt Building, located at 323 Puyallup Ave E., in the Dome District. More information is available online at historictacoma.org.

2014 Walk Tacoma Series — UWT/Brewery District Tour

Weds., May 21, 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
FREE
Presented by Downtown On the Go

Meet University of Washington Tacoma Professor of Architectural History Julie Nicoletta at the bottom of the UW Tacoma stairs at South 19th Street and Pacific Avenue for a discussion of the buildings and history of Tacoma’s Brewery District and the award-winning UW Tacoma campus. This walk is part of Downtown On the Go 2014 Walk Tacoma Series. More information is available online at downtownonthego.com.

History of Whiskey Row

Sat., May 31, 5 p.m.
FREE
Presented by the City of Tacoma

Grab a single malt or a pint at the Forum inside the historic Olympus Hotel, located at 815 Pacific Ave., and sit back to hear Artifacts Consulting Principal Michael Sullivan tell tales of the brothels, saloons, and shanghaied sailors of Whiskey Row. More information is available online at cityoftacoma.org/historicpreservation.