The Tacoma Tourist Hotel was going to be one of Tacoma's most beautiful, and luxurious hotel of the city.The hotel was built on four large building lots that Mr. William Blackwell, one of Tacoma's earliest hotel operators sold to the railroad for the construction of the hotel.Mr. Blackwell and his wife were just putting the "finishing touches" on their new home when they agreed to sell the property for the hotel.The house was torn down, and never occupied.The Blackwell's later built another new home on the corner of 4th and "C" Street (later Broadway). At the time of the completion of the home, it was one of Tacoma's most expensive homes built within the city.Mrs. Blackwell, being an advid gardener, agreed to sell the four lots that Stadium High School now sits, because of what she believed, "Poor garden soil". This image is that of the ruins of the structure after a "mysterious arson fire" that struct the building on October 11TH, at 7:15 PM in 1898.The fire took nine hours to fight and the flames could be seen clear north to the city of Seattle.The fire spread quickly.Fire stations were located more towards the center of town.Water to fight this fire was not easy to obtain due to a poor water system at the time in this more isolated, residential section of Tacoma.For more information, please see "Tacoma High School & Stadium Bowl" on this page.
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