I worked for a financial company on the 3rd floor. The also had a Limo Co. This was in the late 80's. In 74-75 or maybe 76 an entertainment venue in the jail. Our group always sat in a jail cell to watch the singers. I remember them made into booths.
Oh have you seen the Nick Nolte film Three Fugitives? OCH plays a MAJOR role in the beginning of that film! One of my favorite Tacoma movies because there's SO MUCH Tacoma in it.
The office at the base of the tower with the wet bar was my grandpas office. Mayor Big John Anderson. 50-54, 56-60. I'm Parker John Anderson. Operated until 1959, my grandfather would have been the last mayor to have an his office there. He commissioned the new city hall.
Awesome tour! I'm a life long resident of Tacoma and I have yet to see the inside of a building that has been a part of my entire life. Thanks so much for showing the place on here!
Hi Chris, sorry I missed this on it’s original viewing. I moved here in 1979, I met Bill Evans ( owner of the PNW shop) when he had Incaland. It was such a beautiful building walking up the grand staircase. I had forgotten about the jail cells! Thank you for this tour. I must say it still looks pretty good since it has been empty for businesses. Back in Vermont where I grew up the basement would have been called a cellar, I could smell the dampness and dirt as you walked through it. The bells are beautiful! Thanks again for a job well done!
you did not show any of the jail cells in the basement? If you did I missed it. I had been down there way back in the early 90's. and it was pretty awesome then. It seems I remember seeing 3 of them? all to the right when you come in from outside
Jail cells start at about the 17:00 mark. There are 16 of them and they are still super cool. I hope they keep them as a feature so people can continue to visit when it reopens.
What must the passersby down below thought when you rang those bells? "Those bells haven't rung in years! What does it mean? They're going to hang somebody!"
Did anyone here coughing in the video? I googled haunted Old City Hall Tacoma and found an article by Seattle Terrors that says "One ghost in particular has been heard coughing, which has startled many security guards who believed they were alone in the building."
Thanks for the tour! That was amazing! Never had the chance to step inside there, even when I lived just a couple blocks up the hill. So sad to see it left abandoned. 😢 I always thought the bell tower was a part of the whole structure. The oldest images I have seen of OCH simply had the tower included but without the clock face.
9:51 I'm sorry are you telling me there was an ACTUAL Sanford and son
I am happy to be the guy you let you know the good news
I worked for a financial company on the 3rd floor. The also had a Limo Co. This was in the late 80's. In 74-75 or maybe 76 an entertainment venue in the jail. Our group always sat in a jail cell to watch the singers. I remember them made into booths.
Awesome.. thank you! I did go to a business there it was a psychologist. But that is another story. That was probably in the late 90s. Thanks again
Glad you got to visit again, albeit virtually.
I remember going there quite alot on the way home from elementary school. My folks always were going to one shop or another that was there.
Oh have you seen the Nick Nolte film Three Fugitives? OCH plays a MAJOR role in the beginning of that film! One of my favorite Tacoma movies because there's SO MUCH Tacoma in it.
I remember that film. Freaking hilarious. I remember watching that film and going, "Yep, I know where that is" and "Yep, I know where this is..."
The office at the base of the tower with the wet bar was my grandpas office. Mayor Big John Anderson. 50-54, 56-60. I'm Parker John Anderson.
Operated until 1959, my grandfather would have been the last mayor to have an his office there. He commissioned the new city hall.
Awesome tour! I'm a life long resident of Tacoma and I have yet to see the inside of a building that has been a part of my entire life. Thanks so much for showing the place on here!
There was a decent bakery by that spiral staircase on that library level!
I hadn't heard that. What a sweet spot for a bakery tough.
Hi Chris, sorry I missed this on it’s original viewing. I moved here in 1979, I met Bill Evans ( owner of the PNW shop) when he had Incaland. It was such a beautiful building walking up the grand staircase. I had forgotten about the jail cells! Thank you for this tour. I must say it still looks pretty good since it has been empty for businesses. Back in Vermont where I grew up the basement would have been called a cellar, I could smell the dampness and dirt as you walked through it. The bells are beautiful! Thanks again for a job well done!
This was great! One of the many places I have always wanted to go see inside in person!
you did not show any of the jail cells in the basement? If you did I missed it. I had been down there way back in the early 90's. and it was pretty awesome then. It seems I remember seeing 3 of them? all to the right when you come in from outside
Jail cells start at about the 17:00 mark. There are 16 of them and they are still super cool. I hope they keep them as a feature so people can continue to visit when it reopens.
I recognize that staircase! There used to be a small Vietnamese food stall there by the door. They offered some great Vietnamese street food!
What must the passersby down below thought when you rang those bells? "Those bells haven't rung in years! What does it mean? They're going to hang somebody!"
Did anyone here coughing in the video? I googled haunted Old City Hall Tacoma and found an article by Seattle Terrors that says "One ghost in particular has been heard coughing, which has startled many security guards who believed they were alone in the building."
So my question what is the future plans? I loved it when it was lots of venders in the building!
Thanks for the tour! That was amazing! Never had the chance to step inside there, even when I lived just a couple blocks up the hill. So sad to see it left abandoned. 😢 I always thought the bell tower was a part of the whole structure. The oldest images I have seen of OCH simply had the tower included but without the clock face.
How did you get access to this building?
Back in 2018 we were working with the City’s Historic Preservation Office and they had access to the building.
The ghost that rings the bell was probably following you and I think that's who made the door squeak and the window rattle
How creepy was the basement? Wasn't a murderer stowed there while awaiting execution?
It was pretty tense. Several murderers were in there over the years but Jake Bird was perhaps the most famous.
wasn’t there an Italian restaurant in that solarium?
The year in the description is wrong . Should be 1893 not 1983 😝
Yikes! We are all just trying to be younger.
@@PrettyGrittyTours rage, rage against the dying past .
I thought they renovated it?
They currently are, the process has been delayed a bit due to COVID. This was filmed in 2018 though.
How the hell would someone sneak in there and live inside?
Never underestimate the abilities of people seeking shelter. Where there's a will, there's always a way!