New Goddess of Commerce ceremony unveiling

Ceremony unveiling of the New Goddess of Commerce statue
August 31st at 4pm
616 Saint Helens Avenue, Tacoma, WA

Sculpture by Marilyn Mahoney

Project Funded and Endorsed by:
The Theater District Association, the Tacoma Historical Society, the Port of Tacoma , and other generous donors.

Project Organizer & Chairperson:
Griselda “Babe” Lehrer and the Theater District Association

Several years ago Seong Shin, interior architect at McGranahan Architects, thought it would be a good idea if the various HOAs formed a group to promote our neighborhood, the Theater District of Tacoma. It grew to become more than the original vision under Blaine Johnson’s leadership. Seong envisioned an Urban Garage Sale which the organization had in the summer of 2009 at the Roberson. The money for that function, in addition to what Blaine gathered from many other sources, paid for the tile mural at Ben Gilbert Park just north of the municipal buildings.

The Theater District Association then turned its attention toward the intersection at St Helens , 6^th and Baker. In a continuing effort to remove the blight from this intersection the association, joined through Fred King and Blaine Johnson, with Babe Lehrer and Marilyn Mahoney who needed a place to install the new Goddess of Commerce, who’s inception is described below. The ownership of the property where the Mandarin Antiques store is graciously agreed to provide a space for the statue.

The Goddess of Commerce Story

In 1885, the original Goddess of Commerce statue was placed on top of the new 3 story Chamber of Commerce building at 12^th and Pacific in downtown Tacoma . The 7-foot copper statue, designed by C. Augustus Darmer exhibited symbols of commerce for that time in 1950 when the building came down, so did the statue. History tells us that it was melted down.

Today's Goddess of Commerce statue, has symbols depicting Tacoma's current industries. Today's port and shipping are represented by the crane earrings she wears as well as the container ship that she holds in her left hand. The fishing industry is represented on her back. Art, architecture, and the construction of spaces for modern commerce are represented by the familiar facades of buildings such as the Tacoma Glass Museum, Tacoma Dome & Old City Hall, resting in her right hand.