historic preservation

Historic Districts

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Tacoma's Historic Districts

Tacoma has five historic districts, including three that are listed on the local Tacoma Register (TR), four that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NR), and four that are listed on the Washington Heritage Register (WR).

Click below for a summary document of Tacoma's historic districts.
Historic Districts Overview (PDF)

Please click below for the individual web pages for each of Tacoma's Historic Districts:

Wedge Neighborhood Historic District (TR)
North Slope Historic District (TR, WR, NR)
Old City Hall Historic District (TR, WR, NR)
Union Depot/Warehouse Historic District (TR, WR, NR)
Stadium/Seminary Historic District (NR)
Salmon Beach Historic District (WR)

About Historic Districts

Historic districts are areas of the City that have been determined to possess special character, related development patterns, and that convey the environment of certain areas during specific periods of time.

Tacoma Register Historic Districts

Locally, historic districts are listed on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places through a nomination process.  If the Landmarks Preservation Commission approves the nomination, the recommendation for district establishment if referred to the Planning Commission, which may recommend to City Council creation of a new overlay historic zoning district.  This overlay introduces certain protections for historic districts by implementing a design review process (see Chapter 13.07 of the municipal code).

Washington State Heritage and National Register Historic Districts

Areas that are listed on the Washington State Heritage Register must be nominated and approved by the Governor's Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.  

For districts to be nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, the nomination is reviewed both by the State Historic Preservation Officer, Governor's Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.  If the nomination is successful at the state level, a recommendation is forwarded to the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation for review.

Generally, neither state or federal listing carries restrictions on private property owners.  Exceptions to this include projects subject to environmental review, shorelines permits, or other state or federal permits, as well as projects owned or funded by the State of Washington or federal government.

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