This is the bridge over the Tacoma Narrows. This bridge replaced "Galloping Gertie", the bridge we all watched in high school in a video where it twisted and twisted and fell. That happened in 1940.
Thanks to my guidebook, I became aware that Tacoma's favorite son these days is Dale Chihuly, the glass guy. I have added 20 pics here which is something I've never done before, but I feel it is necessary to understand how Tacoma's boy gave so much back to the city. By the way, Chihuly will turn 70 this year.
The Tacoma Museum has a large collection of his stuff. This is an outdoor exhibit of his "fish floats", the glass balls that Japanese fishermen use to keep their nets afloat.
This stuff sells for a lot of money. A simple small glass bowl is $5,000. So when you see how much is on display that he has loaned to the city, it is quite mind boggling.
This is the entry to their former railway station which was the terminus for the transcontinental railroad. The same guys designed it who designed Grand Central Station at the other end. Tacoma almost tore it down but they saved it to become the courts building.
Chihuly bought into the project and decorated the main atrium.
This is the central chandelier.
This bridge is a bridge to the Glass School. Tacoma is truly the city of glass.
All Chihuly stuff here.
Later you will see a shot of the glass furnaces.
Each one of these things is worth a lot of money.
These line the bridge.
This is the glass furnace room.
It's a school and every month they choose a child's drawing to reproduce in glass. They make two. One for the child and one for their museum.
This is out in front of the museum on the waterfront.
This is the ceiling of the bridge.
Tacoma is only 30 miles south of Seattle. It makes for a lovely day trip.
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