Place & People

The site of the University of Washington’s Tacoma campus has a rich and varied history. The campus is situated on the traditional lands of the Puyallup Tribe. The Puyallup people and other Coast Salish people tended to these lands long before Tacoma was even an idea. Later, Europeans settled this unceded land and set up a timber industry that was aided by the advent of the railroad. In time, people from around the world arrived via ship and train to work in the timber and other industries. 

Downtown Tacoma in particular was once home to a thriving Japanese community. The culture and customs of those who lived and live in downtown Tacoma can be seen and felt in some of the buildings and spaces in and around campus. Through planting and design, this microforest will reference and center these histories.