by Donald R. Tjossem (Author)
Preceding the state of Washington's admittance to the United States in 1889, Tacoma, located south on Puget Sound, was officially incorporated on November 12, 1875, after the Northern Pacific Railway determined that Tacoma should be the western terminus of its transcontinental line. With this decision, the city began its transformation into the "City of Destiny" and allowed farm products and manufactured items to be brought across the country and shipped to Asia and anywhere on the Pacific Rim. Known for its fishing and logging industries, Tacoma prides itself on being the original world headquarters for the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company and the birthplace of Bing Crosby. Today, Tacoma has a population that exceeds 200,000 and is the third-largest city in Washington, preceded by Seattle and Spokane.