Published April 2023 | Updated September 2023
IMHO, the most iconic high school rom com of the â90s was 10 Things I Hate About Youânot because of Heath Ledgerâs very public rendition of âI Love You Babyâ or because it was a relatable adaptation of Shakespeareâs Taming of the Shrew. It was its castle-like set: Tacomaâs Stadium High School and its postcard-worthy view of Commencement Bay.
Thanks to the film, Stadium is widely known to be one of Americaâs most beautiful high schools. The French chateau-style building was originally constructed in 1891 to be a luxury hotel for the Northern Pacific Railroad, but the project was abandoned during the financial crisis of 1893. The Tacoma School District purchased the building in 1904.
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Tacomaâs Pretty Gritty Tours puts on a tour of Stadium High, and its co-founder, former travel journalist Chris Staundinger, seems to know his audience: âThe world is divided into two (kinds of) people: people who went to Stadium, and people who wish that they had.â I guess you can put me squarely in the latter camp.
Book a spot on one of Pretty Grittyâs small, after-hours tours of Stadium High. For $35, spend an hour and a half exploring the schoolâs halls and unique spaces: the swimming pool, underground tunnels, and a four-story attic thatâs the site of a really sweet school tradition. Original props from the movie still live in the teacherâs lounge. Pay the extra $6 to live out your Ghost Hunters dreams (or nightmares): rent an EMF detector and explore the haunted boiler room.
For most up-to-date tour information, check their website.