All Around Stadium

360°

Here are a number of Virtual Reality views of Stadium:



DreamLight360.com

CelebrateStadium.com

Castle on the Hill

TV Tacoma

A 1 hour documentary on the history of Stadium High School
will be shown on TV Tacoma this month.


See

CelebrateStadium.com

for the schedule.

Stadium High School did not open in 1906!

There was no Bowl!

After spending $480,000 in 1891 currency, the building of a new hotel was halted.

The building stood vacant until a fire in 1898 left it a pile of bricks and steel.

After standing as a hulk visited by kids in obvious violation of yet to be passed safety laws, Savage & Scofield was let the contract to rip the building down. The materials were to be used to build railroad stations.

They tried to give the building to the University of Puget Sound, but the gift was refused.

Charles Drury, Conrad Hoska, Alfred Lister, and Alfred Lister suggested that it be made into a new high school.

The land was purchased for $34,000 and reconstruction began.

It cost $300,788.18 to rebuild and equip the building.

First classes were held in 1906.

This was the opening of Tacoma High School.

The architect, Fredrich Heath, was looking at "Old Woman's Gulch" next to the school and thought it would make a great stadium. While climbing through the gulch, Heath discovered a body of a man hanging from a tree. People decided it was time to clear out the area.

There were several small shacks in the gulch. Some of the residents refused to leave until their homes were sliced down the hill or were buried.

In 1910, the Stadium bowl was finished.

(See some photos and postcards here Stadium High School Pictures

The school was not renamed until Lincoln High School was built in 1913.
Tacoma High School then became Stadium High School.

A plaque was installed at the North stairway of the Stadium, commemorating the event.

In 1914 after the school board criticized the antics of the hooligans of the day (they did a snake dance in the bowl!) and stopped inter-city football games, the tablet was stolen.

This information came from Herbert Hunt's History of Tacoma.

Peter Callaghan, of The News Tribune, says the missing tablet may still be around!

Read the story and stand by for the unfolding of the mystery.

It's the ultimate needle in a haystack

The Plaque's back!!!

White CD key to Stadium history mystery

CelebrateStadium.com

Starring in the Ultimate Birthday Celebration

Saturday, September 16th

in the Stadium Bowl will be!!!!!

From the '70's:

Blood, Sweat, & Tears

"Spinning Wheel", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", "Lucretia Mac Evil"
"And When I Die"

From the '50's:

The Four Lads

"Standing On The Corner", "Istanbul", "Down By The Riverside",
"Moments To Remember"

From today:

Vicci Martinez

"Fire In Her Eyes", "Joyride", "Floating",
"Hole In Your Heart"

General Concert admission will be-------- $30.00

VIP reserved seating will be---------------- $125.00

Reserved seating without VIP reception, etc. $50.00

The schedule is at 3-day Extravaganza

Go to Tickets for more information.

CelebrateStadium.com

1898

Landscape marred by Fire

Despite the economic problems of the time, there were some high points.

The graduating class of Tacoma High School had a picnic at Point Defiance.
Tacoma Public Schools Newsroom

After that things started to get hot:

September 18, 1898

Tacoma's Western Washington Industrial Exposition building burns to the ground. The building, built in early 1891, was the largest frame building on the West Coast. The mammoth structure covered two blocks around Tacoma Avenue and N 8th Street.

Loss on building $20,000. Loss on Tacoma Avenue bridge $2,000. No insurance.

October 11th, at 7:15 p.m.

Alarm was sounded from box 39 for a fire in the Tourist Hotel, on E street extending from North First to North Second.

(See Tacoma 1898)

CelebrateStadium.com

Alumni Band

"AND THE BAND PLAYED ON"

Attention all Stadium Band Alumni! What would the Centennial Celebration be without the band?

All band alumni are invited to march in the pre-homecoming game parade on Friday afternoon, and join the current pep band for some mass music making during the game.

Please come and march even if you no longer play your instrument, but if possible bring your instrument so you can play!

We will announce the details, including what music you will be playing and how to get copies, in August.

Meanwhile please make your plans to join us!

If you are interested in participating in the band alumni events, please email Kathie Hummel-Berry (who has volunteered to coordinate band alumni) at band@celebratestadium.com

CelebrateStadium.com

Sponsorship

Stadium's 100 Year Anniversary Reasons to Sponsor

Celebration Facts

• 100th birthday and post-construction re-opening commemoration
  


• 3-day community festival - September 15, 16 and 17, 2006 – located on campus
  


• Friday kick-off parade
  


• LeMay vintage auto display (1-2 cars per decade)
  


• Open house and tours of the refurbished castle for all
  


• Daytime festival in the bowl – food, music and art for all ages
  


• Friday night ‘Homecoming' game (Stadium vs. Wilson)
  


• Pitch for Guinness Book of World Records largest Reunion
  


• Saturday night headliner concert in the bowl and post-concert fireworks
  (Entertainer still to be announced)
  


• Promotions done collaboratively with Maritime Fest occurring same weekend
  


• Local merchants and community expected to be heavily involved
  


• Many thousands of alumni returning
  


• Excellent economic stimulator and tourism boost for the community


• Historic significance will draw community interest, publicity and appeal:
  


• Expect significant media coverage
  


• Website is already up and being promoted (WWW.CelebrateStadium.com)
  


• A series of posters and rack cards will be distributed and displayed by city merchants leading up to the event
  


• Tacoma News Tribune will print a dedicated 24-page tabloid insert prior to the event
  


• Sponsors will be promoted visibly on all event materials and during the event


• Heritage


• The first Tacoma School District alma mater


• Originally built by the railroad to be one of the area’s finest hotels

Here are the links for more information:

Spirit Level ~ $2,500 ~

Letterman’s Level ~ $5,000 ~

Principal Level ~ $7,500 ~

Blue & Gold Level ~ $10,000 ~

Tiger Level ~ $25,000 ~

Here is a printable handout:
Tri-fold brochure

---

If you have any stories and/or pictures, contact Memories@CelebrateStadium.com

You can check on Class Reunions as well. If your class is having a special gathering during the celebration, let us know so we can report it.

The Tiger roars in September
The Ultimate Birthday Party

Information@celebratestadium.com

CelebrateStadium.com

Join The Stadium Tiger Trail

Leave your mark for the decades ahead!

In 2006, a renovated Stadium High School will reopen after a two-year remodel to restore the beauty of the buildings and enhance their practical suitability for the modern curriculum.

The Tiger Trail will pave a walkway in the newly renovated Stadium High School. Each tile can be inscribed with up to three lines of text.

Yes, I want my tile at Stadium High School!

Here is the link to the order form:

Tiger Trail Form

For additional tiles, please photocopy this form, fill one form out completely for each tile, and attach all copies to the original. This will ensure placement of your tiles together.

There is a maximum of 3 lines on each tile.

One Line Tile $60 — 22 characters (including spaces and punctuation.)
Two Lines Tile $70 — 19 characters per line
Three Line Tile $80 — Lines 1 & 3: 17 characters per line; Line 2: 22 characters

Additional contributions are always welcome.

We reserve the right to approve tile engravings.

Mail completed forms to:

Stadium Centennial Foundation/Tiger Trail
P.O. Box 7327
Tacoma, WA 98406

Questions?: Call 253-879-9100
or email CastleBricks@CelebrateStadium.com.
.
Purchase your tile today to:

• Honor a teacher.
  
• Memorialize a loved one.
  
• Commemorate a special occasion.
  
• Or just leave your lasting message to future Tigers.

The Tiger Trail is sponsored by the Stadium Centennial Foundation.

CelebrateStadium.com

The Tiger's Home!!!

Spends a quiet night

June 4, 2006

After six miles of marching, coaxing, and bribery with bottles of water, the tiger is home.

The tiger looks down Stadium way from the performing arts galleria in the new building across from the Castle.

The sculpture was a gift from the classes of 2002 and 2003. It was created by Oliver Strong, formerly from Sequim.

The New Tribune titled the walk:

One Stadium tiger gets home early

Friends of the tiger

The Tiger Walks

CelebrateStadium.com

OK, Let's Walk

Now's the time

The end of our two year mission nears. The much needed renovation of the Brown Castle is almost completed.

The task, now, is to take the Stadium High School Tiger back home.

Stadium Tiger Pride and School Spirit rests in the hands of the student body, teachers, staff, parents, alumni and supporters.

Join us as the bronze Tiger leads the 6 mile walk from our temporary campus at Mt. Tahoma (6229 S Tyler St.) to the Castle at Stadium Bowl.

CHECK-IN AT 1:00pm, WALK DEPARTS AT 2:00pm on Sunday June 4th.

Sign up at the Booster club's Grad Night table in the Mt Tahoma cafeteria on Friday.

Or mail checks made payable to PROJECT GRADUATION to:

Nancy Heritage
56 East Road N
Tacoma, WA 98406

Please put "participant's name & T-shirt size" on the Memo Line of check.

If you want to walk, there is a $15 registration fee prior to event (includes an event T-shirt) or a $20 registration fee at the event.


For more info contact Rhonda Sorensen at 253-383-3711

If you have any stories and/or pictures, contact
Memories@CelebrateStadium.com
.

You can check on Class Reunions as well.
If your class is having a special gathering during the celebration, let us know so we can report it.


The Tiger roars in September
The Ultimate Birthday Party

CelebrateStadium.com

The Tiger Walks

Going Home

The classes of 2002 and 2003 combined to commision a bronze Tiger.

The proud animal is 2 feet wide, 4 feet high, and 8 feet long.

Our friend has been resting at its temporary location at Mt. Tahoma while its rightful home was being refurbished.

On June 4, the Tiger will be walked down Tyler to Stevens and on to 6th Avenue, then over to Division and home in plenty of time for the September Celebration.

CelebrateStadium.com

A Moment of Freedom

Do you remember that instant of freedom and fear when high school graduation was finally accomplished?

For most of us this was that one moment of autonomy. No immediate school or job demands. No great family obligations.

The next grand independence probably doesn't come until retirement.

I bring this up because we have a group of Stadium graduates who are under represented on the distribution list.

The years 2004 and 2005 have, of course, not had a reunion yet. They are probably out savoring their release from oppression by the system.

If you know any of these free spirits, have them contact:

Information@CelebrateStadium.com.

Fill the Bowl

Record setting

There are just about four and a half months until the festivities on September 15, 16 and 17.

We will be attempting to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest number of graduates attending a school reunion. Stadium bowl will hold between 14,000 and 17,000 people. The record will require about 3 to 4,000 tigers.

We are planning to attempt to duplicate this 180 degree photo that was taken by M. D. Boland.

Stadium Day, Annual Outdoor Exhibition, Tacoma, WA, May 29, 1913

Library of Congress:
Panoramic view
(click on the thumbnail shown on the LOC page to see the Panoramic view)

Eyes of the Nation


Rest your mouse pointer over Reunions on the right side of the CelebrateStadium.com Home page to see Memories.

If you have any stories and/or pictures, contact Memories@CelebrateStadium.com.

You can check on Class Reunions as well.. If your class is having a special gathering during the celebration, let us know so we can report it.


The Tiger roars in September
The Ultimate Birthday Party


Information@CelebrateStadium.com

CelebrateStadium.com

New additions

Web site updates

There have been a couple of additions to the CelebrateStadium.com site.
Rest your mouse pointer over Reunions on the right side of the page.

In the last post, Memories was introduced.

There have been some new entries.

Now, there is a Class Reunions feature. If your class is having a special gathering during the celebration, let us know so we can report it.

What are the odds that a member of your class is still alive?
See Living Graduates — an actuarial view on the Class Reunions page.

The Tiger roars in September.
The Ultimate Birthday Party

Mail to:
Information@CelebrateStadium.com

CelebrateStadium.com

Sheiks and Shebas

What is there about 1926?

We now have two graduates from that class who are intending to attend the September Celebration.

We told you about Mary Rothwell.

Now, a fellow classmate, Cliff Bartells will be joining her.

Cliff will be 98 in October. His granddaughter says that he still lives in his own house by himself (in the Seattle area), still drives and goes camping in the summer among other activities.

$100 in 1926 is equivalent to $1,121.47 today.

Average earnings for men = $28.98
Average earnings for woman = $16.95
Average weekly hours = 49.8
Average wage in the US = $0.38/hour

Loaf of bread = $0.09
Gallon of milk = $0.56
Pound of butter = $0.56
Gallon of gas = $0.12
New Ford auto = $495
New home = $7,682

(Henry Ford: Why I Favor Five Days' Work With Six Days' Pay)

Golden@celebratestadium.com

If you have any stories or pictures you would like to share, send them to:

Memories@CelebrateStadium.com

---

Schedule of Events

Friday, Sept. 15:

Welcome Home Football Game in the Bowl
Stadium Tigers vs. Wilson Rams

Saturday, Sept. 16:

9 a.m. - Golden Grad Reception
9 a.m. - Former and Current Staff Reception
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - All-class Reunion
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Arts, Music, and Food Festival in the Bowl

Saturday evening:

7 p.m. - Prime Time Entertainment Event in the Bowl
9:30 p.m. - Fireworks

Sunday, Sept. 17:

10 a.m. - noon - Stadium Booster Club Pancake Breakfast
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Self-guided School Tours
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Arts, Music, and Food Festival in the Bowl

See you in September

CelebrateStadium.com

Golden Grads

Do you know who's the oldest?

Mary Rothwell will be attending our event in September. She will be 98. She was born on June 28, 1908.

Mary also attended Washington and Lowell. Her Dad owned a business college in downtown Tacoma.

Mary attended the University of Hawaii and UW and received a degree in social work. She worked as a social worker in Hawaii and Seattle.

In case you're looking in your yearbook, her former name was Beutel.

Do you know of any older graduates?

There will be a special reception for "Golden Grads" on Saturday, the 16th.
This will be for all graduates from at least 50 years ago.

For information, mail to:

Golden@celebratestadium.com



See you in September

CelebrateStadium.com

Also see "Memories" Herman Brix

Wall of Recognition

Who deserves acknowledgment?

A Wall of Recognition is being put together as part of the reopening of Stadium in September.If you have any suggestions please send them to:

Recognition@CelebrateStadium.com

Candidates will include not only those who have achieved "fame", but those who have received recognition for what they've done with their lives and endeavors.

Please include how they attained acknowledgment plus the year they graduated, if possible.

The purpose is to inspire students that individuals can succeed in many different ways.

By the way, if you would like to volunteer to help with any of the Celebration activities, you can contact the committee at:

Volunteer@CelebrateStadium.com

Include a way to contact you and when you might be available.

P.O. Box 7327
Tacoma, WA 98406


See you in September!

CelebrateStadium.com

Did you get yours?

Did you get your Castle Courier?

The Stadium Booster Club and The Stadium Centennial Foundation publish a newspaper twice a year. The latest issue was mailed February 24th.

This colorful issue of The Castle Courier highlights the upcoming celebration of Stadium's 100 years.

If you want to add your name to the free subscription list, or correct your address, send your information to:

Information@CelebrateStadium.com

If you have any stories or pictures you would like to share, send them to:

Memories@CelebrateStadium.com

The postal address for the Courier is:

Stadium High School Boosters
6229 South Tyler
Tacoma, WA 98409

See you in September!

CelebrateStadium.com

1892 - 1893

Construction stops

Hotel is put on hold

Construction continued, on what was to become Stadium High School, throughout 1892. In 1893 there was a depression and construction was halted.

Other events occurred during these years:

In 1893, Tacoma's Old City Hall is constructed at S 7th Street and Pacific Avenue. The Italian Renaissance style building is designed by E. A. Hatherton of San Francisco and features pressed brickwork, terra cotta ornamentation, and a copper tiled roof. The stately, ornate building with its arched and bracketed clock tower reflects the civic pride and promise of Tacoma immediately before the nationwide economic crash in the spring of 1893.

The brick walls at the base of the structure are eight feet thick and were made with bricks brought as ballast on ships. The clock tower is freestanding and its walls tilt inward as they rise, to increase the sense of height. Hugh C. Wallace, future United States ambassador to France, donated the clock and chimes in 1905 in memory of his daughter.

(See Tacoma 1892-1893 )

CelebrateStadium.com

Construction Site Photos

From 2003 till now

Go to:
Construction Update ⇒ Pictures

CelebrateStadium.com

Memorabilia?

TV Tacoma production

"First of all, on behalf of John Miller and TV Tacoma (TVT), I want to thank you for the opportunity for us to join the construction tours of Stadium High School last Saturday, January 7th. It is a most impressive project, and we very much appreciated the opportunity to see the progress firsthand and for John to be able to get footage of the work underway, for use in the upcoming TV Tacoma production on the SHS centennial. I am working with John to gather and distill those one hundred years of school history into 30 minutes, a daunting but fascinating process!

As I mentioned to you the morning of the tour, we would like to discuss with you the idea of making a broader appeal to the community, by way of the News-Tribune, for the loan of SHS memorabilia and ephemera (photos - particularly of the last 30-50 years - home movies, programs, recordings, etc.) so that they might be copied/scanned and used in the production.

Prior to working at PLU, I was the historian for Metro Parks Tacoma (MPT) and the Point Defiance Park centennial documentary co-produced with TV Tacoma; such a News-Tribune column by Kathleen Merryman resulted in the loan of some wonderful historical material that we would otherwise not have found and that we were able to incorporate into the production."

Doreen Beard Simpkins
Assistant to the Dean
School of Arts and Communication
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA 98447

beardsdm@plu.edu
253-535-7807

CelebrateStadium.com

A look Inside

Behind the barricades

The News Tribune printed a front page article on what is going on with the $105 million "rehab" of the Castle.

The article by C.R. Roberts includes Russ Carmack's pictures of some of the work that has been done.

The building will have 2 elevators to help modern youth navigate the eight floors.

The News Tribune
January 9, 2006

First peek inside the castle

Tacoma Weekly
January 12, 2006

Touring the Castle; Stadium High School Renovation project nearing completion

CelebrateStadium.com

Let the Celebration Begin!

1891

New Hotel Built

The building was originally intended by its financiers, the Northern Pacific Railroad Company and Tacoma Land Company, to be one of the finest luxury hotels on the Pacific Coast.

In 1890 they purchased a nine-acre tract of land on a high bluff overlooking Commencement Bay, and solicited architectural designs and bids for the building.

The winning architects, Hewitt and Hewitt of Philadelphia, submitted with their bid a painting of their planned edifice in French Renaissance architectural style. (That painting hangs today in Stadium's main office.)

Some sources have claimed that the building is modeled after an actual chateau near Tours (southwest of Paris) or Chaumont (southeast of Paris), but neither claim has been verified.

Construction of the hotel--known both as the Olympic and the Tourist--began in 1891, but came to a screeching halt in 1893 in the wake of a nationwide financial panic and depression.

(See Tacoma 1891 )

CelebrateStadium.com

Celebrate Stadium!

The CelebrateStadium.com web site is now up!

You can participate by sending any memories of your years in the Castle to:

Memories@CelebrateStadium.com

Or postal mail to:

2522 North Proctor #205
Tacoma, WA 98406

Pictures are welcome.
If possible, please scan them and submit the digital version.

Let the Celebration begin!

From the News Tribune:

High times for Stadium High