Did you know that many of Tacoma’s downtown buildings previously were much taller, and have had several upper floors removed? Can you spot them?

Join Downtown On the Go and Tacoma Historical Society’s Deb Freedman in a guided walk on Wednesday, June 7 from 12 – 1 p.m. remembering the historic hotels and mercantile of Tacoma in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The one-mile walk, sponsored by Commencement Bank, will begin at Frost Park on the corner of S. 9th St. and Commerce, and will stop at several key intersections in downtown Tacoma. Participants will meander through parks and pathways slightly off the beaten track, and perhaps gain some little-known insights about what they see – and don’t see. Following the walk, participants are invited to take a sneak-peak at Tacoma Historical Society’s summer exhibit, “Showtime in Tacoma: Theaters and Performers,” which opens at 919 Pacific Ave. on June 8, 2017.

Register for the Walk Tacoma Historic Hotels & Mercantile Walk online at www.downtownonthego.org/go/walking or sign-in at the event. The event is free, and all ages are welcome.

This year, the Children’s Museum of Tacoma will be partnering with Downtown On the Go to provide an activity for children at all of the Walk Tacoma events to encourage families to participate. Along the route, children will have the opportunity to hunt for “Tacoma Rocks” and complete a Historic Hotels & Mercantile Walk photo Bingo card.

The Walk Tacoma Series, sponsored by MultiCare and the Puyallup Watershed Initiative Active Transportation COI, is a seven event walking series held on the first Wednesday of the month, from April through September. The fun, themed walks, now in their eighth year, encourage people to enjoy downtown on foot by introducing new walking routes and sharing information about the community and its history through the guided tours.  The walks are scheduled at the lunch hour or just after work to encourage downtown employees, students, and residents to walk during the day, whether it is to and from work or school, at a lunch break, or to run an errand.

For more information on the full Walk Tacoma Series visit www.downtownonthego.org

– Downtown On the Go