Historic landmarks aren’t always buildings—sometimes they’re the historic landscapes and streets we walk every day.
At its August 18th meeting, the Tacoma City Council voted unanimously to designate the North Union Avenue Greenway as a historic landmark. The designation protects the 18- medians in North Union Avenue from North 9th to North 30th Streets, securing its park-like character for future generations.
The Greenway as it exists today emerged from a series of contingent decisions beginning in 1886 by developers, the state, the city, the park board and the neighborhood. Initially it was the right-of-way for the Tacoma & Lake City Railroad but later it would become an example of the tree-lined, park-like boulevards of the City Beautiful movement that many advocated for all Tacoma.
With its listing on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places, future layout alterations will undergo thoughtful review by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, helping protect the greenway’s spatial footprint and historic design integrity.
The vote marks a true triumph for neighborhood advocacy and community-driven preservation. Historic Tacoma initiated the landmark nomination work 17 months ago, and community support carried it across the finish line. The widespread neighborhood care did not go unnoticed at City Hall. Both Mayor Anders Ibsen and Council Member John Hines commended the exceptional community engagement during the Council vote. Council Member Hines published a formal statement celebrating the unanimous decision and praising the collaborative neighborhood effort behind it.
Read Council Member Hines' full statement here
The North Union Avenue Greenway now joins Tacoma's growing list of protected historic places—a testament to what is possible when neighbors organize, advocate, and show up for the places they love.