Est. 1893 · National Register of Historic Places · Tacoma Landmark · Italian Renaissance Revival · Washington State History
Tacoma's Old City Hall was completed on April 23, 1893, during an economic depression that made the $257,965 price tag a significant civic commitment. Designed by Edward Hatherton and Colin McIntosh in the Italianate Renaissance Revival style, the building housed Tacoma's municipal government, public library, and city jail at its peak of civic function. The clock tower became one of the most recognizable elements of the Tacoma skyline.
The city government relocated in 1957, and the building entered a period of managed decline. A preservation campaign saved it from demolition — the Delphinium Gardening Club is credited with organizing early preservation efforts — and the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Through the late 1970s and 1990s, modernization efforts brought approximately 40 local businesses into the building, including Mama Limone's restaurant, which became a local institution.
The last tenant departed in 2008 during the financial crisis. The building remained substantially vacant for over a decade. Surge Co. acquired the property and began a revitalization as Surge Tacoma — a coworking and community hub. The Tacoma Historical Society now operates a museum on site, offering tours of the building's history and the clock tower. Phase 1 renovation covers floors 2-4 with office, restaurant, and retail spaces; Phase 2 residential and event spaces (including a rooftop glass room) are planned for late 2026.
Sources
- https://www.oldcityhalltacoma.com/history
- https://seattleterrors.com/old-tacoma-city-hall/
- https://usghostadventures.com/haunted-places/the-most-haunted-places-in-tacoma/
- https://ghostlyactivities.com/the-legends-of-old-tacoma-city-hall/
- https://www.drugstoredivas.net/haunted-tacoma-washington/
- https://www.wahauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/old-tacoma-hall.html
- https://gritcitymag.com/2018/05/tower-bells-to-jail-cells-a-rare-look-inside-tacomas-old-city-hall/
Shadow figuresLights flickeringObject movementDoors opening/closingPhantom soundsPoltergeist activity
The paranormal reputation of Old City Hall Tacoma reflects the building's layered civic history. The presence nicknamed 'Gus' is the most active by account — a disruptive entity that operates in the category of minor poltergeist activity rather than dramatic apparition. Lights turn on and off without manual contact. Employees have been locked out of offices that were unlocked moments before. Objects are found in locations where they were not placed. Gus is described in local paranormal accounts as possibly associated with the building's former city jail, which held criminal defendants in its early years of operation.
The Chamber of Commerce wing has generated accounts of shadowy forms moving in ways consistent with the deliberate movement of individuals who knew the building — not random shapes, but purposeful figures who appear to be navigating corridors with intent. These are typically attributed in local folklore to former city officials whose work occupied the building for six decades.
The clock tower accounts are the most atmospheric: the bell ringing at night, when no mechanism or person could trigger it, produces a sound that carries through the empty downtown block. Whether this is mechanical failure of the aging clock works or something else is not documented in any investigation report found through research.
The Shadowlands database noted that 'only one of the officers believed something supernatural was happening regarding an elevator incident' at the building — suggesting the paranormal attribution is not universal even among those who experienced the events.
Notable Entities
Gus (prankster spirit)Clock tower spirit
