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The Old Town Historical Business District is located on a bluff overlooking the east end of what is now known as Ruston Way. This site is where the cities first mayor, Job Carr, filed a land claim in 1864 on 168 acres of land along the north shore of the land bordering Commencement Bay. He then proceeded to clear land for a small log cabin and in 1869 his cabin became the new town's first post office with |
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Job serving as postmaster, and soon after, upon official incorporation as Tacoma City, and election of five councilmen to run the day to day operations of the new town, he was appointed the first Mayor of Tacoma City with his cabin also serving as the official election polling place. |
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He also was appointed as the first Justice of the Peace in the City of New Tacoma. As time passed from the late 1800's into the early 1900's, the land was developed further to the south by the Tacoma Land Company and Northern Pacific Railroad, and the core of Tacoma moved south, closer to the head of the bay, along with the new development to it's present location. Old Town as the area is now known has a small but unique business district encompassing a 10 block area with additional businesses and parks along a 2 mile stretch of Ruston Way. |
