Steilacoom
Steilacoom is a small town of 6,400 people (2018) in Puget Sound region of Washington state. It is the oldest incorporated town in Washington. It has 4 individual buildings and sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the oldest Catholic Church in the state and the first Protestant Church north of the Columbia River. The Steilacoom Historic District has 68 contributing properties.
Understand
Steilacoom was founded by Lafayette Balch, a sea captain from Maine, and incorporated as a town in 1854.
Steilacoom's main source of early prosperity was the manufacture and export of lumber to San Francisco. When the United States Congress established the Washington Territory on March 2, 1853, Governor Isaac Stevens chose Steilacoom to be the seat of Pierce County.
Get in
By car
The following are the main roads that go into Steilacoom from Lakewood, Dupont, Univeristy Place and Tacoma:
Steilacoom-Dupont Rd SW connects I-5 from Exit 119 in Dupont directly into the Steilacoom-Anderson Island Ferry terminal as Union Ave. If coming from Tacoma or anywhere further north on I-5 one can also exit at S 72nd/74th St (Exit #128) and go west on S 74th towards Lakewood Dr W where S 74th becomes Custer Blvd. Continue on Custer Blvd to W 88th. Take a right (west) on W 88th and merge onto Steilacoom Blvd and follow Steilacoom Blvd into Steilacoom.
- Steilacoom Blvd serves as the main connection between Lakewood and Steilacoom. From Steilacoom Blvd one can turn right (south) on bridgeport Dr, Lakewood DRIVE, Lakewood AVENUE, or South Tacoma Way to get into Lakewood. Coming into Steilacoom, Steilacoom Blvd becomes Starling St.
- Chambers Creek Rd W goes along the shoreline, north of town and winds up to 64th St W at New Tacoma Cemetery in University Place. Take a left (west) on 64th St to continue along the shoreline or right 64th which becomes Chambers Lane Dr to its terminus at Bridgeport Way (north-south throughfare between Lakewood and University Place). Coming into Steilacoom Chambers Creek Rd connects into Lafayette St.
The main roads going into Steilacoom are not designated as a state or US Highway.
By ferry
- 🌍 Steilacoom, Ketron, and Anderson Island Ferry (Pierce County Ferry), 56 Union Ave (Very end of Union Ave), ☏ +1 (253) 588-1950. A county-operated ferry system serving Steilacoom, Anderson Island, and Ketron Island.
By bus
- Connections with Amtrak, Greyhound and Flixbus are at the Tacoma Dome station
- Connections with Sound Transit bus route 594 bus to downtown Seattle and Intercity Transit #620 bus to Olympia (via Lacey) are at the SR 512 Park and Ride (different location from Lakewood Towne Center). Passengers transfer to the #3, 4 or 574 to get to the SR-512 Park and Ride from Lakewood Town Center.
Get around
- Pierce Transit, first/last stop at Commercial St & Union Ave, ☏ +1 253-581-8000. Operates local and regional public transit bus routes in Pierce County. Communities within the county served by this operator's routes include Fife, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Puyallup, Steilacoom, Tacoma.
- Bus route 212 operates between the Steilacoom-Anderson Island Ferry Terminal (at the intersection of Commercial St and Union Ave) and Lakewood Towne Center for transfer to other Pierce Transit and Sound Transit buses.
See
🌍 Steilacoom Tribal Cultural Center, 1515 Lafayette St, ☏ +1 253 584-6308. Sa 10AM-4PM. Museum and gift shop of the Steilacoom Tribe.
Do
🌍 Sunnyside Beach, 2509 Chambers Creek Rd. ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset. $5 parking fee for non-residents.
Buy
Eat and Drink
🌍 Topside Bar & Grill, 215 Wilkes St, ☏ +1 (253) 212-3690, topsidebarandgrill@gmail.com. Su 9AM-9PM, M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM.
🌍 Steilacoom Pub & Grill, 1202 Rainier St, ☏ +1 (253) 584-7693. Su-Th 8AM-midnight, F Sa 8AM-2AM.
Sleep
Connect
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