By Spencer Bowman, Northwest Room Librarian
The Tacoma Public Library’s Northwest Room had a wonderful time meeting and sharing our resources at this year’s Historic Cushman Street Fair!
This fair marks the second event in the public process to help the City decide the future of the Cushman and Adams substation properties. Otak, the consultant hired by the City of Tacoma, will kick off their community engagement process on June 22, 2024, with visioning workshops. They will also be present at the Historic Cushman Street Fair. For more information about the Cushman process and to sign up for updates, click here.
The Northwest Room’s new manager, Gena Peone, and Librarian Spencer Bowman answered questions about the history of the substation, distributed materials on how to research using Northwest Room resources, gave out free Covid-19 test kits, and shared fun TPL swag! Our exhibit on the Cushman Substation featured a bitesize biography, along with historic photographs, maps, and news articles chronicling its legacy in the Proctor neighborhood.
In the early 1920s, Tacoma faced a power shortage as the La Grande power plant reached its generating capacity limit. In 1920, the city began buying power from the Tacoma Railway & Power Company during peak hours. To address this urgent need, the construction of Cushman Dam No. 1 began. The Cushman substation began operating in 1926 to provide electricity to Tacoma. The powerhouse at the dam started generating power on February 12, 1926. In a symbolic gesture, President Calvin Coolidge activated the transmission of electricity to Tacoma by pressing a button at the White House during a ceremony on March 23, 1926. Cushman provided portion of the power to Tacoma for over 50 years. After serving its lifespan as a power substation, the Cushman substation is now on track to be repurposed as a community hub. This transformation aims to preserve the historical significance of the site while providing a new space for community activities and events.
For more information on the history of the substation, electric power in Tacoma, or any other local history questions we encourage you to reach out to us! (253) 280-2814 or NWR@tacomalibrary.org
