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Home > Relocation Resources > Tacoma
Tacoma
The United States of America is a country in North America that extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and shares land borders with Canada and Mexico. Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city in Washington, USA. The city is situated on a peninsula on the southern end of Washington's Puget Sound, in an area 51 kilometers southwest of Seattle, 50 kilometers northeast of the State capitol, Olympia, and 93 kilometers northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. According to 2006 Washington State OFM, the Office of Foreign Missions estimates, Tacoma has an estimated population of 199,600. Tacoma stands as the second-largest city in the Puget Sound area, the third-largest in the state, and the seat of government of Pierce County.
Tacoma adopted its name after the nearby Mount Rainier, which was originally called Mount Tacoma or Mount Tahoma. It is known as the City of Destiny because the area was chosen to be the site of the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad in the late 1800s. Like most central cities, Tacoma suffered a prolonged decline in the mid-20th century as a result of suburbanization, divestment and federal urban renewal programs.
The city has a long history of blue-collar labor politics owing to the relationship between the people and the railroad. Residents of Tacoma consider themselves Tacomans. Tacoma was inhabited for thousands of years by Native American people, predominantly the Puyallup people, who lived in several settlements on the delta of the Puyallup River and called the area where Tacoma would be built Squa-szucks.
Tacoma was officially incorporated on November 12, 1875. Its early hopes to be the City of Destiny were stimulated by its selection in 1873 as the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Tacoma was ranked among the top 30 in America's Most Livable Communities in 2004. Tacoma is also notable for having an extensive network of tunnels underneath its streets.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 162.2 square kilometers. 129.7 square kilometers of it is land and 32.5 square kilometers of it is water. The total area is 20.01 percent water. Tacoma has its feet in Commencement Bay, with several cities surrounding it. The city is situated in close proximity to several military installations namely Fort Lewis, Madigan Army Medical Center, Fox Island naval center and McChord Air Force base. It is a city with endless recreational opportunities, rich history, and modern day luxuries.
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