Tacoma, WA · Old Town
Old Town is where this city began — platted in the 1860s, right at the edge of Commencement Bay. The streets are narrow, the lots are small, and the character is genuinely unlike anywhere else in Tacoma. I've always loved it here. There's a realness to it that newer neighborhoods spend a lot of money trying to manufacture.
You'll find early cottages that have been added onto over a hundred years, Victorian-era homes on tight lots, the occasional bungalow tucked into a hillside. These are homes with stories baked into them — and the waterfront is right there, not a drive away. Just there.
Old Town doesn't try to be charming — it just is. Fishing boats on the water, a neighborhood tavern that's been there forever, walkable blocks with actual history behind them. The people who live here chose it specifically because it's not polished. That's the whole point.
The housing here is small, old, and often full of surprises. Cottages that have evolved over a century of owners, Victorian homes on lots barely wide enough for them, the occasional find that makes no architectural sense and is completely wonderful. Buying in Old Town takes a buyer who knows what they want.
Old Town sits directly on Commencement Bay with easy access to the Ruston Way waterfront trail, restaurants on the water, and the kind of daily life that reminds you why you chose Tacoma in the first place. It's a genuinely special place to wake up.
Work With Mellie
Old Town is one of the most underrated neighborhoods in this city, and the buyers who find it tend to fall hard and fast. I'd love to walk you through what's available and help you understand what to look for in homes this old.