Union Station
Station Art Features:
Station artwork reflects the manufacturing and boatbuilding work performed in the area, as well as Indian influences. The station's roof is meant to evoke the lines of a ship's hull. Items in the median reflect fishing and boatbuilding. Panels inside the station show images of manufacturing and foundries that were in the area.
This theme is continued by the University of Washington, who have taken up residence in many old buildings and foundries just across the street. More artwork can be seen over the Bridge of Glass and along the Foss Waterway Esplanade.
Station Design:
Double tracked. Platform in median with crosswalks across Pacific..
Links:
Sound Transit Union Station Page
Images
Platform, Union Station
Area Links:
- 1. University of Washington - Tacoma
- 2. Washington State History Museum
- 3. Union Station
- 4. Tacoma Art Museum
- 5. Bridge of Glass
- 6. Museum of Glass
- 7. Thea's Landing
- 8. Albers Mill
- 9. Thea Foss Waterway
- 10. Old Spaghetti Factory
- 11. The Rock / The Swiss
- 12. The Harmon Brewery
- 13. SR-509 Bridge
- 14. Murray Morgan Bridge (Historylink)
Map of Union Station Area
Ben's Thoughts
This is the coolest and most useful of the stations in my option. The way this area has been set up reminds me of the Seattle Center, in the sense that the Center brought together most of Seattle's main art and theatre companies. Within a couple block's walk of this station are a major university, three museums, trendy housing, shopping, pubs and restaurants and a revitalized waterway. The resources and activities around this station prove the usefulness of this line. There is not a lot of parking in this area, and very little of what is available is free. However, you can park for free at the Tacoma Dome Station and ride Link to here. Or, if you lived in one of the condos or apartments along the Foss Waterway, you could take Link to a job downtown or to the Sounder to head up to Seattle. Or, as a student you can go have lunch at Freighthouse Square.
This is definitely the place to visit in Tacoma, and it is rapidly becoming the place to live.
History
This to a large extent was the core of Tacoma. Union Station was the main train station for Tacoma for many years. The buildings that now house the University of Washington and the shops and restaurants were originally foundries and warehouses. Along the Foss, you had many warehouses and mills that served Tacoma for many years. Among the many things I remember in this area are:
- A swing bridge that crossed the Foss about where 15th street is today.
- A sawmill sat next to the Albers Mill building. It burned down in 1993 during a large arson spree in the area
- Railroad yards and platforms behind Union Station where I-705 is now
- The Washington State History Museum when it used to be next to Stadium High
S. 25th <-------Union Station-------> Convention Center