Historic Property Surveys and Inventories

Background

The City of Puyallup undertook a reconnaissance-level survey of its downtown in 2007. That survey resulted in an August 2007 report with a context statement about the development of Puyallup, general observations, two dozen specific recommendations, and Washington State Historic Property Inventory forms for 96 properties dating from 1888 to 1964. 

In 2009, the City of Puyallup worked with Pierce County to enable funding of a further phase of historic preservation activity that built on the earlier historic survey. The second phase survey was completed in April 2010, focusing on the residential neighborhood northwest of downtown and resulting in 33 Historic Property Inventory forms (including 21 newly-documented properties and updates of 12 included in the 2007 phase; please see the 2009 report for more information). 

A third phase of reconnaissance-level survey resulted in the February 2012 report, which was done in connection with an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Cultivating Puyallup Planned Action. This third phase reviewed properties 50 years or older that were within the EIS Study Area but not within the 2007 or 2010 survey areas. Please see the completed surveys section below for the survey reports, maps, and property inventory forms completed with each of the three surveys.

Terms Defined

A survey is the process of identifying and gathering data on a community’s historic resources. It includes a field survey (i.e., recording of physical attributes of a historic property), background research, and development of inventories. 

An inventory is a list of historic properties determined to meet specified criteria of significance. It is one of the basic products of a survey. Typically, the city uses the inventories during design review for historic properties or potential historic register listing, as well as with various historic preservation projects and efforts.

Completed Surveys

As noted above, the City of Puyallup completed three prior surveys in 2007, 2010, and 2012 through grants for specific areas of the city. Here is a map showing the areas covered by all three surveys. Links to final reports, maps and inventories for the three surveys are provided below. 

2007 Survey - Downtown

2010 Survey - Residential neighborhood NW of Downtown

2012 Survey - Downtown EIS Study Area