Category: Community

Exploring Tacoma’s Prairie Line Trail

August 28, 2026
Eve Hart
by Eve Hart

Tacoma’s Prairie Line Trail is finally complete after more than a decade of planning and construction. The mile-long trail brings together Tacoma’s past and present through established landmarks and art installations. It’s a short and easy walk that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy.

Read on to learn what the Prairie Line Trail has to offer and how it came to be.

Scenes along the Prairie Line Trail

The Prairie Line Trail starts out at the intersection of Hood Street and South 25th Street in Tacoma, then ends at the 15th Street ramp near the Thea Foss Waterway Public Esplanade. The walking path varies from pavement to brick and crosses under skybridges, past historical brick buildings, and through the middle of the University of Washington-Tacoma (UW-Tacoma) campus. Art installations recognize many moments in Tacoma’s history, from the persecution of Chinese and Japanese immigrants to the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad.

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“A World United through Soccer and Sand”: An Interview with Sand Sculptor Jamie Louks

July 6, 2026
Eve Hart
by Eve Hart

For 20 years, Jamie Louks has been sculpting everything from cake to chocolate. Owner of Sugarnova, she’s known for combining realism and fantasy in her sculptures.

But Jamie’s prowess extends beyond edible creations: she has been sculpting sand since 2023. From a scaled Mt. Rushmore to a towering pirate ship, her jaw-dropping works of sand have been showcased across the globe. Now, for the world soccer competition, Jamie has been commissioned to create a custom sculpture in Seattle.

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The Quest for World Soccer-Worthy Sand

June 23, 2026
Eve Hart
by Eve Hart

Seattle Stadium, a.k.a. Lumen Field, has taken on a wholly different look for the world soccer games. The Stadium is hosting six matches before the final world soccer matchup in New Jersey on July 19th. Two games have already been played with four left to go.

The Seahawks’ home turf is currently buried beneath a sandwich of geogrid, sand, and natural grass. The conversion from synthetic turf to natural grass field was a must to bring the stadium up to the world soccer organization’s strict standards.

The process was rigorous but worth the effort. The Athletic, a sports platform owned by The New York Times, recently ranked Seattle Stadium the #1 venue for the world soccer games based on “atmosphere, location, and suitability for soccer.” It even gave the field a 10/10 in the “suitability for soccer” category.

Read on to learn about how the natural grass system was installed and how Washington Rock’s sand played a role.

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Bringing Back Benston Hall

March 30, 2026
Eve Hart
by Eve Hart

Visit Benston Hall on a Wednesday, and you’ll find a senior group meeting for lunch in the kitchen.

On a Saturday, you might walk into an outdoor farmer’s market.

On other days of the week, step aerobics, tai chi, line dancing, or swing dancing might be in full swing in the main hall.

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Washington Rock Assists in Flood Relief

December 30, 2025
Washington Rock
by Washington Rock

Orting, WA—After record floods in December, Washington Rock Quarries answered the call to make and ship material to critical areas in the Puget Sound region.

Washington Rock’s team members worked long hours and even volunteered to come in on their holiday weekends to supply materials. Read on to learn about the flood relief and repairs our materials were sent to.

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Join Our Christmas Food Drive Competition

December 6, 2025
Washington Rock
by Washington Rock

Washington Rock invites you to join us in supporting the community by donating non-perishable food to our First Annual Christmas Food Donation Competition.

Founded and hosted by our King Creek Pit scale house operator, Dustie Northey, the friendly competition between haulers is a fun and easy way to make a real difference for families and rescues in need. The company who contributes the largest volume of food/donations by weight will receive bragging rights and a spotlight on our website and social media.

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A Living Classroom: The Gig Harbor Demonstration Garden

October 6, 2025
Eve Hart
by Eve Hart

It’s a humid Wednesday with clouds looming overhead, and the Gig Harbor Demonstration Garden at Sehmel Homestead Park is busy with volunteers tidying, picking produce, and answering questions.

At a picnic bench in front of the central shed, a volunteer thumbs through a reference book, looking for insights about a visitor’s gardening concerns. Another volunteer helps young visitors fill produce bags with freshly picked carrots. Some of these scenes are pictured in the photos below.

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Connecting the Old and the New: Lakewold Gardens

July 21, 2025
Eve Hart
by Eve Hart

Nestled along the shoreline of Gravelly Lake, Lakewold Gardens has been enchanting visitors for almost 40 years. Washington Rock Quarries recently contributed 115 tons of gravel to the restoration of the walking paths, just one of many planned improvements.

Step back in time with us to learn more about the history of this storied estate garden and learn about how staff are making the old new again.

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