2008 Most Endangered Historic Places
The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is hosting a press event on Tuesday, May 27th, at 11:00 a.m. to announce its annual list of the state’s Most Endangered Historic Properties.
The press conference will be held at our very own Murray Morgan Bridge, included on this year’s list.
The Washington Trust has compiled their Most Endangered Historic Properties List since 1992, identifying nearly 100 historically significant resources in peril of being lost forever.
Looks like people care … So, can we save our bridge?
More Information at Wa-Trust.org
Filed under: tacoma-landmarks, History
11 comments
H House of Brat May 22, 2008
Wonder where the money will come from to save MM.
S Sharon May 22, 2008
The state has committed $40M toward the effort to rehab the bridge, with strong support from our legislative delegation & Mayor Baarsma. Both the Mayor and Rep. Flannigan will speak at the Tuesday event and are working with Congressman Dicks to pull together the necessary funding. The Tacoma Historical Society, Historic Tacoma, and the Save Our Bridge group are lending their support.
Historic Tacoma submitted the bridge nomination to the WA Trust to raise awareness of the issue. For more information on the bridge (and to see one of Chip van Gilder’s incredible nighttime shots of the bridge) see Historic Tacoma’s page at http://www.historictacoma.net/ht/watch_list/index.html
J J. Cote May 24, 2008
It’s a shame that the bridge couldn’t have been given this kind of attention before it found itself in disarray and beyond the point of affordable repair.
Now, because the City of Tacoma AND The State of Washington sat on their brains and watched it rust, the Citizens must do what the beurocrats didn’t do.
If it has worth and value as a continued access to those divided by the Foss, then charge on. If not and you wish to save it because it’s ‘beautiful’, unique and one-of-a-kind, then let the sea claim it
S Stuart May 24, 2008
I have to agree w/ J. Cote on this. $40 million could be put a A LOT better use elsewhere. I say let the bridge be a lesson to future governments who decide to ignore basic infrastructure upkeep. It’s hard to deny the historical value of the bridge, but there comes a point when we have to realize that we’re unfortunately beyond a practical solution for restoring it.
H Highwater May 26, 2008
Once again, the city will invest in a symbol rather than something that will actually provide a significant community benefit.
L Lynn May 26, 2008
Are the peregrine falcons still nesting on this bridge?
C Christy May 26, 2008
It would cost a fortune to demo the bride or save it. I vote to save it. You just can’t replace history.
T tom waits May 27, 2008
christy @ 7 is correct.
there are estimates for both replacement of the existing bridge and construction of a new bridge. both will be expensive, but a recent report by david evans and associates contracted by the city suggests that the bridge can be made functional again at a lower cost than demolishing it and building a new structure.
one thing is certain: access to the tideflats along the 11th street crossing is essential and in the city’s best interests.
on the history/aesthetics side, go to a similar era industrial city (they were usually on a lake, sound or river) and see the cool bridges. where are tacoma’s?
people should know also that there were few bridges like the murray morgan built anywhere in the US – other than places like chicago. like the luzon building, the architects selected were something special and so was their design. it is a testament to the promise tacoma once held as an economic powerhouse in the western US (nevermind just the west coast).
people here give up on important stuff so easily.
J J. Cote May 27, 2008
Of course Evans and Associates came up with a cheaper alternative, that’s what they were paid to do. You don’t think for a minute that they would have come up and said “Demolish it and sell the scrap.” do you? The City streets are crumbling from a lack of basic care and maintenance. Will you take the $40M away from the street Maintenance budget?
There are people that are living under bridges and overpasses in this City. People that have no health or Dental insurance that are in desperate need of care and can’t get it. Will you take the $40M out of the Social Services budget? Or from Health Care?
Face it, the City and the State blew it and they continue to get it wrong every day. It is way beyond too late for this bridge.
You are correct, Mr. Waits in that it is a “testament to the promise Tacoma once held…” The promise was false. A lie. An assumption. Promises are not truth, they are usually based on blind faith or, more commonly, on greed and a means to an end. Whose greedy pockets will be filled this time when someone promises to “Save the Bridge”? I’m usually not this cynical, but I’ve seen this scenario too many times in this Town.
T tom waits May 27, 2008
@ #9: “You are correct, Mr. Waits in that it is a “testament to the promise Tacoma once held…” The promise was false. A lie. An assumption.”
ouch! now this thread is going somewhere interesting!
H Highwater May 28, 2008
Regarding @#8 “on the history/aesthetics side, go to a similar era industrial city (they were usually on a lake, sound or river) and see the cool bridges. where are tacoma’s?”
Try Tacoma Avenue over South Tacoma Way, and on E. 34th Street between Pacific and McKinley. All three of those bridges are “unreplaceable history” and all three are aging and need care and maintenance, just like the Murray Morgan once did. The difference between those three and the MM is that they actually serve an important transportation function.