Kandle Park in Tacoma, WA
Kandle Park in Tacoma, WA, is a beautiful and unique landmark that the community has enjoyed for over 100 years. The park was initially created as a place to celebrate those who fought in WWI. It has become more than just a historical site; it is also a popular social gathering spot and one of the few remaining urban parks on the West Coast.
The Washington State Society of Architects has recognized Candler Park’s unique architecture as one of ten buildings that prove Tacoma’s enduring heritage. When you visit, be sure to check out this historic landmark which has become a popular social gathering spot and one of the few remaining urban parks in all Western Washington!
History of Kandle Park
In the late 1800s, Tacoma was experiencing a population boom partly due to being a major port city for incoming ships coming off of the Pacific Ocean. The original site or “home” for this park dates back to 1873 when it held an amusement area complete with picnic grounds and boat docks. In 1897 more land was acquired from Thomas Worthen, who had been farming/raising livestock in South Tacoma since about 1870 on what is now known as Old Town Meadowland (near Kennedy Elementary School).
That same year local citizens raised funds by selling lots around Kandle Park through newspaper ads and even raffles! This additional land allowed for further expansion of recreational activities at Kandle Park, including horse racing tracks, bicycle paths, and water features. The “lake” was created using the natural spring that already existed on-site to feed into a creek that ran south through what is now known as Meadowland Park before flowing out into Commencement Bay near where Rudyard Kipling once lived (when he taught English at Tacoma High School).
These days, Kandle Park holds many functions for residents, both young and old alike, including hosting community events like the annual Easter Egg hunt every March! This park has always served its community well, providing recreation opportunities throughout time while showcasing some of Tacoma’s most unique historic architectural landmarks along with other notable site amenities such as play equipment, picnic areas & shelters, restrooms, paved pathways/trails (for biking, walking, etc.) and much more!
About the Kandle Park
Kandle Park is a unique part of Tacoma’s history that has survived the test of time. More than 100 years ago, an ambitious man named George Fitch began to develop investors for his idea to create a trolley park on some land he had recently purchased at the base of Brown Mountain in what would become one of Tacoma’s most historic neighborhoods.
A trolley park was an amusement park where people could come and enjoy themselves by riding carnival rides or just spending time with friends while enjoying food from local vendors. Eventually, many different entrepreneurs were given concessions within Kandle Park due to its lasting popularity and its beautiful setting along Commencement Bay which already had multiple resorts operating there, including The Crescent Hotel, which stood until it was razed to build the Tacoma Dome in 1965.
Kandle Park is a historic landmark and public park in Tacoma. This 10-acre property has been an essential part of the community for over 100 years, dating back to 1883 when it was first opened as a military training camp by the Northern Pacific Railroad Company.
Today, Kandle Park features art installations from local artists, concerts featuring live music on Saturdays throughout August. Several different walking trails connect with other parks around Tacoma, WA, including Rialto Theater, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Ruston Way waterfront area Puyallup Avenue district, etc., various sports facilities such as basketball court, tennis courts, baseball field, soccer field children playgrounds city swimming pool picnic shelters barbecue grills rest rooms locker room restrooms indoor lounge area, and a small theater. The park also features an interactive fountain for kids to play in during the summer months while their parents enjoy outdoor concerts.
Facts about the Kandle Park
Harold Sitts and Harold Bilicki designed the Kandle Park in Tacoma, WA, and they were both architects who showed a great deal of attention to detail. The “Kandle” is also known as an oil lamp because it resembles one.
For starters, when Sitts initially created his plan for such an ample regional green space early on (1926), he wasn’t sure if anyone would care enough about what he had drawn up map-wise, but eventually, people got wind; of what he proposed!
Then there was another reason why this project took off despite opposition from other public officials at City Hall during that time, primarily because Interlaken Park was already in place.
One more reason is that even though the park was created and opened to residents of Tacoma back in 1924, it wasn’t completed until 1936 due to World War II-related delays! This makes Kandle Park one of the last green spaces created just before WWII started dominating most people’s lives during this period.
However, Sitts wanted his new regional park design finished by 1929. Still, there were so many other distractions at play like the Great Depression and such things as war efforts ending soon after WWI ended–but not before claiming an estimated 40 million deaths worldwide between 1914-1918 (the exact number isn’t known).
The comprehensive history involved with the creation of Kandle Park in Tacoma, WA, is unique compared to other green spaces because Sitts was so far ahead of his time during this period a lot of people didn’t see what he saw, nor did they want to invest their money into such a thing.
However, once it opened and residents began using it for whatever purposes (picnics with family members, jogging courses through its trails), many more public officials became fans too! This included Tacoma’s City Hall leaders and Pierce County Councilmen, who wanted everyone else in the county to use Kandle Park as well. Even today, that is still pretty much how things are done at the park, which rests on about 33 acres of total land area.
Activities in Kandle Park
Activities in Kandle Park include walking, running, and cycling trails on a paved multi-use pathway system over four miles long. Picnic sites with grills are also available in the park for visitors to eat their packed lunches. The landscape of Kandle Park features topographical changes and an abundance of trees and shrubs, which offer shade during hot summer days, while at night, many residents enjoy strolling along Tacoma’s iconic waterfront area while taking in views of downtown Seattle across Puget Sound.
Kandle Park has been designed as a regional destination offering more than just passive recreation opportunities such as hiking, biking, or picnicking but enhancing community interaction through its educational programs, including gardening classes by local schools; environmental education seminars; bird watching tours; naturalist walks; and the Green Tacoma Day celebration.
There are many different recreational activities. The park also has several historic structures, such as an old schoolhouse constructed in 1912-1913 made of bricks from mud collected at nearby Commencement Bay. It’s one of two remaining brick schools left in Washington State; other examples include Ballard High School (Seattle) and Kitsap County Courthouse (Poulsbo). Look closely because it features some elegant architectural details around the windowsills and roofline, which you might miss if passing by too quickly!
Another structure on site is a large pavilion and an old church. The church is now used as the Tacoma Police Department’s (TPD) mounted patrol unit on-site and was first built in 1882-1883 by the German community of Laboldshausen, who immigrated to Washington from Germany four years earlier after living briefly in Cincinnati, OH.
This Lutheran Church building once served as both a place for worship services and schooling for children attending nearby public school through grade eight before it later became the pastor’s home which was then moved to Kandle Park around 1953, where it was converted into what we know today as TPD’s mounted barn/storage facility!
What to do in Kandle Park?
Kandle Park in Tacoma, WA, is a public green space that offers something for everyone. Bring your bike or rent one from an area shop, then explore the parks more than two miles of trails overlooking Commencement Bay, including the ADA accessible. Dogs are allowed off-leash on all parts except around playgrounds and picnic areas, so bring along Fido!
More than 50 species of birds have been spotted here throughout the year, making it an excellent place for bird watching. At the same time, there are plenty of opportunities to fish, crab, kayak, and boat across from Ruston Way’s waterfront boardwalk, where you can find shops, restaurants, and more! If you’re into geocaching, then be sure to check out our Kandle Park geocache located at this Tacoma public green space.
Visit the park to see The Wonder of Waterfront Park, a sculptural installation by artist Francois Stahly. Kandle Park has over one mile of trails, including an ADA-accessible loop that is perfect for exploring on foot or bike. Dogs are allowed in all parts except around playgrounds and picnic areas, so feel free to bring your furry friends along. If you’re into geocaching, then be sure to check out our Kandle Park geocache and take a walk through this Tacoma green space to learn more about its rich history.
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