Stadium Bowl: Tacoma, Wash.
Photo courtesy of Localism.com
Originally known as Tacoma Stadium, this unique field at
Stadium (Tacoma, Wash.) was considered an "eighth wonder of the world" when it was completed in 1910. It was built on the site of a luxury hotel that burned down in a mysterious fire before its completion.
It has a breathtaking view of the Puget Sound and was spotlighted in the movie "Ten Things I Hate About You."
Over the years, Stadium Bowl has been the gathering place for celebrities from all walks of life. In 1911, future President Theodore Roosevelt spoke there to a crowd of 40,000 and stated he had seen nothing like it anywhere else in the world. Musician John Phillip Sousa performed there in 1915 before a crowd of 25,000 and praised the superb acoustics. In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson spoke there before 40,000 on a whistle-stop tour.
Other big names to appear there include the likes of Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Louie Armstrong, Bob Hope, Billy Sunday and William Jennings Bryan.
It originally seated 32,000, but erosion caused enough damage to reduce today's capacity to just 15,000.
In the video below, scenes depicting the Stadium Bowl are from about 3:30 to 4:50.
