County Past
Home › Washington › Pierce County

Pierce County, Washington

Historic newspapers, landmarks, and county history layers for genealogists and local historians.

—newspaper titles
—digitized titles
198historic places
—earliest paper
1852formed
921,130pop. 2020
20cemeteries
—CW battlefields

At a glance

Summary

The National Register of Historic Places includes 198 listed properties in the county, first listed in 1970; 6 are also National Historic Landmarks. Most listings are in or near Tacoma, Paradise, Wilkeson.

Summary generated automatically from the source data on this page.

Newspapers

Library of Congress

Newspaper directory data for Washington is not yet loaded on this site. Browse Pierce titles at the Library of Congress.

National Register of Historic Places

NPS NRHP

140 of 198 listings mapped; some locations are restricted by NPS to protect sensitive sites.

198 listed properties
PropertyCityTypeListed
Adjutant General's ResidenceTacomaBuilding1991
Albers Brothers MillTacomaBuilding2002
Alderton SchoolAldertonBuilding1987
American Lake Veterans HospitalTacomaDistrict2009
Anderson Island SchoolAnderson IslandBuilding1987
Annobee ApartmentsTacomaBuilding1999
Arletta SchoolGig HarborBuilding1987
Asberry, Nettie J. and Henry J., HouseTacomaBuilding2024
Ashford HouseAshfordBuilding1984
Auditorium Dance Hall, TheTacomaBuilding2008
Balfour Dock BuildingTacomaBuilding2006
Beutel, Conrad F. & Annie K., HouseTacomaBuilding2008
Bisson, William, HouseSouth PrairieBuilding1982
Blue Mouse TheatreTacomaBuilding2010
Boatman-Ainsworth HoseTacomaBuilding1982
Bowes BuildingTacomaBuilding1979
Browns Point Lighthouse and Keeper's CottageTacomaDistrict1989
Buckley's Addition Historic DistrictTacomaDistrict2016
Building at 1602 South G StreetTacomaBuilding1995
Building at 712-716 Sixth AvenueTacomaBuilding1995
Cabin No. 97TacomaBuilding1977
Camp MuirParadiseDistrict1991
Camp SixTacomaDistrict1973
Central Elementary SchoolTacomaBuilding2013
Chinook Pass Entrance ArchChinook Pass EntranceStructure1991
Christ Episcopal ChurchPuyallupBuilding1994
Christine Falls BridgeParadiseStructure1991
City Waterway BridgeTacomaStructure1982
Coffee Pot Restaurant, TheTacomaBuilding2014
Coke OvensWilkesonStructure1974
College Park Historic DistrictTacomaDistrict2017
Curran, Charles and Mary Louise, HouseUniversity PlaceBuilding2012
Cushman SubstationTacomaBuilding2014
Cushman Substation (Boundary Increase and Decrease)TacomaBuilding2019
Custer SchoolTacomaBuilding1987
Dadisman, David, HouseHomeBuilding1995
Davidson HouseSteilacoomBuilding1973
DeVoe, Emma Smith, HouseTacomaBuilding1993
Dieringer SchoolSumnerBuilding1997
Drum, Henry, HouseTacomaBuilding1977
DuPont Village Historic DistrictDuPontDistrict1987
East 34th Street BridgeTacomaStructure1982
Edith Creek Chlorination HouseParadiseStructure1991
Elbe Evangelical Lutheran ChurchElbeBuilding1976
Engine House No. 11TacomaBuilding1986
Engine House No. 13TacomaBuilding1986
Engine House No. 4TacomaBuilding1984
Engine House No. 8TacomaBuilding1986
Engine House No. 9TacomaBuilding1975
FIREBOAT NO.1 NHLTacomaStructure1983
Fairfax BridgeMelmontStructure1982
Fire Alarm StationTacomaBuilding1986
Fire Station No. 1TacomaBuilding1986
Fire Station No. 10TacomaBuilding1986
Fire Station No. 14TacomaBuilding1986
Fire Station No. 15TacomaBuilding1986
Fire Station No. 2TacomaBuilding1986
Fire Station No. 5TacomaBuilding1986
Fireboat StationTacomaBuilding1986
Fort Nisqually Granary and Factor's House NHLTacomaBuilding1970
Fort Nisqually SiteDupontSite1974
Fort SteilacoomSteilacoomDistrict1977
Fox Island SchoolFox IslandBuilding1987
Galbraith, John, HouseEatonvilleBuilding1982
Glencove HotelGig HarborBuilding1978
Gobbler's Knob Fire LookoutNisqually EntranceBuilding1991
Haddaway HallTacomaBuilding1983
Hershey, Peter L. and Emma, HomesteadAshfordBuilding2007
Holy Trinity Orthodox ChurchWilkesonBuilding1989
Home SchoolHomeBuilding1982
House at 1510 Tacoma Avenue SouthTacomaBuilding1995
House at 1610 South G StreetTacomaBuilding1995
House at 2314 South Ainsworth AvenueTacomaBuilding1995
House at 2326 South L StreetTacomaBuilding1995
House at 605 South G StreetTacomaBuilding1995
House at 708-710 South 8th StreetTacomaBuilding1995
House at 802-804 South G StreetTacomaBuilding1995
Huckleberry Creek Patrol CabinSunriseBuilding1991
Indian Bar Trail ShelterParadiseBuilding1991
Indian Henry's Patrol CabinLongmireBuilding1991
Ipsut Creek Patrol CabinCarbon River EntranceBuilding1991
Lake George Patrol CabinLongmireBuilding1991
LakewoldLakewoodSite2014
Longbranch School GymnasiumLakebayBuilding1987
Longmire Buildings NHLMount Rainier National ParkBuilding1987
Longmire Campground Comfort Station No. L-302LongmireBuilding1991
Longmire Campground Comfort Station No. L-303LongmireBuilding1991
Longmire Campground Comfort Station No. L-304LongmireBuilding1991
Longmire Historic DistrictLongmireDistrict1991
Lord-Heuston HouseTacomaBuilding2008
Lotz, J. H., HousePuyallupBuilding1980
Lynn, C.O., Co. Funeral HomeTacomaBuilding2005
MV KALAKALA (ferry)TacomaStructure2006
Manley-Thompson Ford AgencyTacomaBuilding2008
Masonic Temple Building-Temple TheaterTacomaBuilding1993
McChord Field Historic DistrictTacomaDistrict2008
McIlvaine ApartmentsTacomaBuilding1995
McMillin BridgePuyallupStructure1982
McMillin SchoolMcMillinBuilding1987
Meeker, Ezra, MansionPuyallupBuilding1971
Midway SchoolGig HarborBuilding1987
Mount Rainier National Park NHLAshfordDistrict1997
Mowich Lake Patrol CabinCarbon River EntranceBuilding1991
Mt. Fremont Fire LookoutSunriseBuilding1991
Munson, Herbert and Barbara HouseLakewoodBuilding2019
Murray, Frederick H., HouseTacomaBuilding1985
Narada Falls BridgeParadiseStructure1991
Narada Falls Comfort StationParadiseBuilding1991
National Bank of TacomaTacomaBuilding2006
Nihon Go GakkoTacomaBuilding1984
Nisqually Entrance Historic DistrictNisqually EntranceDistrict1991
Nisqually Power SubstationTacomaBuilding2001
North 21st Street BridgeTacomaStructure1982
North 23rd Street BridgeTacomaStructure1982
North Mowich Trail ShelterMowich Lake EntranceBuilding1991
North Slope Historic DistrictTacomaDistrict2003
Northern Pacific Office BuildingTacomaBuilding1976
Old City HallTacomaBuilding1974
Old City Hall Historic DistrictTacomaDistrict1977
Old MainTacomaBuilding1984
Orr, Nathaniel, House and OrchardSteilacoomBuilding1972
Orton, Charles W., HouseSumnerBuilding1983
Pacific Brewing and Malting CompanyTacomaBuilding1978
Pacific National Bank BuildingTacomaBuilding1980
Pantages TheatreTacomaBuilding1976
Paradise Historic DistrictParadiseDistrict1991
Paradise Inn NHLMount Rainier National ParkBuilding1987
Parkland Lutheran Children's HomeTacomaBuilding1996
Perkins BuildingTacomaBuilding2000
Point Defiance LodgeTacomaBuilding2017
Point Defiance Streetcar StationTacomaBuilding2014
Purdy BridgePurdyStructure1982
Puyallup Fish HatcheryPuyallupBuilding2013
Pythian TempleTacomaBuilding1985
Red Shield InnFort LewisBuilding1979
Rhodes Medical Arts BuildingTacomaBuilding1978
Rhodes, Henry A. and Birdella, HouseTacomaBuilding2006
RhodesleighTacomaBuilding1983
Rialto TheaterTacomaBuilding1992
Rust, William Ross, HouseTacomaBuilding1985
Ryan HouseSumnerBuilding1976
Sandberg-Schoenfeld BuildingsTacomaBuilding1999
Schultz ApartmentsTacomaBuilding1995
Sequalitchew Archeological SiteDupontSite1979
Shriner Peak Fire LookoutOhanapecoshBuilding1991
Silver Creek Ranger StationCrystal MountainBuilding1991
Skansie, Andrew & Bertha, Net Shed and HouseGig HarborBuilding2011
Slavonian HallTacomaBuilding1976
Smith, Peter, Farm-Donation Land ClaimParklandBuilding1995
South J Street Historic DistrictTacomaDistrict1986
South Puyallup River BridgeNisqually EntranceStructure1991
Sprague BuildingTacomaBuilding1985
St. Andrews Creek BridgeNisqually EntranceStructure1991
St. Andrews Patrol CabinNisqually EntranceBuilding1991
St. Peter's Episcopal ChurchTacomaBuilding1974
Stadium-Seminary Historic DistrictTacomaDistrict1977
Steilacoom Catholic ChurchSteilacoomBuilding1974
Steilacoom Historic DistrictSteilacoomDistrict1975
Summerland Trail ShelterSunriseBuilding1991
Sunrise Comfort StationSunriseBuilding1991
Sunrise Historic DistrictSunriseDistrict1991
Sunset Park Patrol CabinMowich Lake EntranceBuilding1991
Sunset Park Trail ShelterMowich Lake EntranceBuilding1991
Sunset Telephone & Telegraph BuildingTacomaBuilding1985
Suntop LookoutEnumclawStructure1987
Tacoma Ice Company's Cold Storage PlantTacomaBuilding2010
Tacoma MausoleumTacomaBuilding2000
Tacoma Narrows Bridge RuinsTacomaSite1992
Tahoma Vista Comfort StationNisqually EntranceBuilding1991
ThornewoodTacomaBuilding1982
Tipsoo Lake Comfort StationChinook PassBuilding1991
Tolmie Peak Fire LookoutMowich Lake EntranceBuilding1991
US Post Office-Tacoma Downtown Station-Federal BuildingTacomaBuilding1991
Union Depot-Warehouse Historic DistrictTacomaDistrict1980
Union Passenger StationTacomaBuilding1974
Walker Apartment HotelTacomaBuilding1994
Walker Cut Stone CompanyWilkesonDistrict1978
Washington BuildingTacomaBuilding2009
Washington SchoolTacomaBuilding2006
Wedge Historic DistrictTacomaDistrict2016
White River BridgeWhite River EntranceStructure1991
White River EntranceWhite River EntranceDistrict1991
White River Mess Hall and DormitoryWhite River EntranceBuilding1991
White River Patrol CabinWhite River EntranceBuilding1991
Whitman Elementary SchoolTacomaBuilding2012
Wilkeson ArchWilkesonStructure2000
Wilkeson Community HouseWilkesonBuilding2013
Wilkeson SchoolWilkesonBuilding1976
Williams, Herbert, HouseSumnerBuilding1984
Williams, Sidney, HouseSumnerBuilding1984
Winnifred Street BridgeRustonStructure1995
Wollochet-Point Fosdick SchoolGig HarborBuilding1987
Woodbrook Hunt ClubLakewoodBuilding1997
Woolrey-Koehler Hop KilnOrtingBuilding1983
Wright Park and Seymour ConservatoryTacomaDistrict1976
Y.M.C.A. BuildingTacomaBuilding1983
Yakima Park Stockade Group NHLMount Rainier National ParkDistrict1987
Yuncker, John F., HouseTacomaBuilding1985

Source: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Property links open NRHP nomination files at the National Archives.

County formation

Newberry AHCB

Pierce was formed in 1852 (1852-12-22) from Thurston.

PIERCE created by Oregon Territory from THURSTON.

Source: Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

Population by decade

Census

Pierce County population from 1860 to 2020 (Census historical series).

921k461k1,1151860188019201940196020002020
1860188019001920194019501960198020002020
1,1153,31955,515144,127182,081275,876321,590485,643700,820921,130

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau historical county population (Forstall 1790–1990) and public-domain / CC0 county population series through 2020.

National Park Service sites nearby

NPS

Park units within about 40 km of the county centroid (from NPS Public POIs; no API key).

SiteTypeDist.
Mount Rainier National ParkPark unit40.8 km

Source: NPS National Datasets / Public POIs. The NPS Developer API requires a free key and was not used.

Cemeteries & historical places

USGS GNIS

20 cemeteries and 2 historical populated places (ghost towns / former settlements) recorded in USGS GNIS for this county.

Cemeteries — 20 of 20 listed
NameLatLon
Anderson Island Cemetery47.15884-122.70158
Buckley Cemetery47.1705-122.02356
Calvary Cemetery47.1925-122.50506
Fort Lewis Cemetery47.06182-122.5832
Fox Island Cemetery47.25021-122.63615
Gig Harbor Cemetery47.35229-122.57198
Hillcrest Cemetery47.21367-122.69462
Home of Peace Cemetery47.17733-122.50877
Longbranch Cemetery47.21559-122.75836
Mount View Memorial Park47.17845-122.49412
New Tacoma Cemetery47.19974-122.55979
Oakwood Hill Cemetery47.20957-122.47745
Old Tacoma City Cemetery47.21176-122.47789
Orting Cemetery47.07899-122.23177
Rainier Cemetery46.88641-122.32877
Sumner Cemetery47.20313-122.26463
Trinity Lutherian Cemetery47.13297-122.4222
Vaughn Bay Cemetery47.34754-122.78578
Woodbine Cemetery47.17069-122.30043
Woodlawn Abbey Mausoleum and Columbarium47.20503-122.2634
Historical populated places — 2 of 2
NameLatLon
Castlenook47.26565-122.63568
Cebalop47.27538-122.47485

Source: USGS Geographic Names Information System (public domain). Cemeteries from the 2021 NationalFile archive; historical places from GNIS HistoricalFeatures topical extract.

Historical markers

HMdb link

Marker text and photos from the Historical Marker Database (HMdb) are not embedded here. HMdb allows non-commercial reuse with attribution, but commercial/compensated use needs written permission; this is a commercial site, so we only link out.

Search HMdb for Pierce County, Washington

Terms: hmdb.org/copyright.asp. Linking is encouraged by HMdb.