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
By ferry
- Steilacoom, Ketron, and Anderson Island Ferry, 56 Union Ave (Very end of Union Ave), 47.171750°, -122.602960°, +1 (253) 588-1950. A county-operated ferry system serving Steilacoom, Anderson Island, and Ketron Island. 2019-10-26
By bus
- Pierce Transit #212, (first/last bus stop) Steilacoom-Anderson Island Ferry Terminal @ Commercial st & Union Ave, 47.1719°, -122.6025°. bus route connects Steilacoom to Lakewood Towncenter Center with connections to other Pierce Transit and Sound Transit (ST) buses (to/from Puyallup, University Place, Tacoma, SeaTac, Federal Way). Connections with Amtrak, Greyhound and Flixbus are at the Tacoma Dome station; and to the ST 594 bus to downtown Seattle and Intercity Transit #620 bus to Olympia (via Lacey) are at the SR 512 P&R (different location from Lakewood Towncenter). Passengers transfer to the #3, 4 or 574 to get to the SR-512 P&R from Lakewood Town Center.
Get around
See
Steilacoom Tribal Cultural Center, 1515 Lafayette St, 47.172320°, -122.599920°, +1 253 584-6308. Sa 10AM-4PM. Museum and gift shop of the Steilacoom Tribe. 2019-10-26
Do
Sunnyside Beach, 2509 Chambers Creek Rd, 47.178850°, -122.589450°. ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset. $5 parking fee for non-residents 2019-10-26
Buy
Eat and Drink
Topside Bar & Grill, 215 Wilkes St, 47.172460°, -122.597890°, +1 (253) 212-3690, topsidebarandgrill@gmail.com. Su 9AM-9PM, M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM. 2019-10-26
Steilacoom Pub & Grill, 1202 Rainier St, 47.169440°, -122.602450°, +1 (253) 584-7693. Su-Th 8AM-midnight, F Sa 8AM-2AM. 2019-10-26