Best Web Design in Tacoma, WA (2026)

Web Design for Tacoma, Washington

Tacoma is a gritty, glass-art-rich port city on Puget Sound's Commencement Bay, crowned by views of Mount Rainier and known historically for the pulp-mill funk locals call the 'Aroma of Tacoma.' Picked in 1873 as the railroad's western terminus, it dubbed itself the 'City of Destiny' and grew on lumber, shipping, and rail where 'rails meet sails.' A 1990s reinvention around the Museum of Glass and hometown artist Dale Chihuly turned it into the Northwest's glass-art capital.

AppWT works with Tacoma, WA businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Tacoma

Also known as. City of Destiny (chosen as the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad). Grit City (for its blue-collar, industrial toughness). T-Town. The Aroma of Tacoma / Tacoma Aroma (the notorious paper-mill smell).

History. Sits on the ancestral land of the Puyallup people; the name derives from an Indigenous name for Mount Rainier (Tahoma/Tacobet). In July 1873 the Northern Pacific Railroad chose Tacoma as its western terminus, earning the 'City of Destiny' nickname and the motto 'When rails meet sails.' Grew rapidly on lumber mills, shipping, and rail commerce around Commencement Bay in the late 19th century. In 1885 a mob expelled the city's Chinese residents and burned their homes in an act of anti-Chinese violence now known as the 'Tacoma Method,' a dark chapter the city has since formally acknowledged. Reinvented itself in the 1990s around arts and tourism with the Museum of Glass, the revived Thea Foss Waterway, and downtown revitalization.

Local economy. Port of Tacoma, Washington's largest port and a major Pacific container gateway, now operating with Seattle under the Northwest Seaport Alliance. Healthcare (MultiCare and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health are major employers) and education, including the University of Washington Tacoma and University of Puget Sound. Manufacturing and maritime industry, historically anchored by lumber and pulp/paper. Proximity to Joint Base Lewis-McChord to the south drives military-related spending and employment across Pierce County.

Culture and community. World-renowned as a glass-art center, home to the Museum of Glass, its hot shop, and the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, honoring Tacoma-born artist Dale Chihuly. Birthplace of 'Dune' author Frank Herbert, whose environmental themes were shaped by the pollution he saw growing up in Tacoma. Almond Roca buttercrunch toffee has been made in Tacoma by Brown & Haley since the early 20th century and shipped worldwide. Sports include the Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners Triple-A affiliate) at Cheney Stadium and pro soccer at Cheney Stadium's Tacoma Defiance. Singer Bing Crosby grew up in Tacoma, adding to the city's roster of notable natives.

What makes Tacoma distinct. The 'Aroma of Tacoma' was a real, notorious rotten-egg stench from the kraft pulp mill; the century-old paper mill largely responsible finally closed in 2023. The original 1940 Tacoma Narrows Bridge, nicknamed 'Galloping Gertie,' twisted apart in the wind just months after opening; the only casualty was a cocker spaniel named Tubby left in a car. Tacoma produced an unusual concentration of creative giants: Frank Herbert, Dale Chihuly, and Bing Crosby all hail from the city. Point Defiance's Dune Peninsula is literally named for a science-fiction novel because its author was a local. Almond Roca got its Spanish name ('roca' means rock) from a Tacoma librarian who sampled the candy in 1923.

Tacoma Landmarks and Local Life

• Museum of Glass and the adjoining Chihuly Bridge of Glass over Interstate 705.
• Point Defiance Park - a 760-acre peninsula of old-growth forest, gardens, waterfront, and the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
• Stadium High School - a chateau-style former hotel building featured in the film '10 Things I Hate About You.'
• The Tacoma Dome - one of the largest wood-domed arenas in the world
• Union Station - a 1911 Beaux-Arts former rail depot now filled with Chihuly glass installations
• Dune Peninsula at Point Defiance - a former smelter site turned park named in honor of Frank Herbert