Driving On WA SR-07 North In 1982 (Spanaway, Tacoma)

Back in 1982, The Washington State Department of Transportation drove North on WA SR-7 and recorded video to document the highway. This was part of a project that photographed/videotaped the states highways every couple of years. This video now resides at The Washington State Archives who were kind enough to share it.

[@obryan240]

That skippers sign was still there last time I was on this road a couple years ago. That 711 is still open. Miss that Shakeys 😪

[@landmarkcreations1183]

God bless the person who had the foresight to record this. What a great way to start my morning

[@dwalker1612]

Wow, this was probably the best 38 minutes i have spent on YT. Loved seeing all the changes, and what still look identical from 40 yrs ago. Thank you for posting.

[@MichaelDHoskins]

You wouldn’t happen to be Daryl Walker from Puyallup would you?

[@angelic_pig]

We moved to Spanaway in 1978. I grew up there it's amazing how much you forgot. How much it changed. This was really cool 😎. Like going down memory lane. Thanks for putting up the video. I look forward to more.

[@kevinfan726]

wow, a lot of memories here. Parkland Theater, Rax, Taco Time, etc.

[@brianmassey5897]

WOW, that brought back a lot of memories!!! I driven that road so may time back then and remember it well.

[@pauledmundson8132]

40 years ago. Some businesses still exist under the same name, but many others are gone. There were a lot of family restaurants, small service stations everywhere. Small motels. Lots of big American cars and trucks, not as many imports. I remember every bit of this, the video brought it all back. Very cool.

[@hawkfan1212]

The Baskin-Robbins by the old Parkland Theater. My dad took us there in the late 60's(?) and early 70's. Decades and several counties over, I took my boys there. Just before my dad passed away, I smuggled some ice cream to his room. Three generations.... I'm hoping to take my granddaughter there soon...

[@realemiele.franco736]

Wow.. what a piece of time captured here. I was stationed to then Fort Lewis Mar 1992. Definitely a surprise to see this. I now retired from the military and now a resident here in Tacoma/Spanaway. It's a treat to see this.

[@dennisgormley6123]

I drove that stretch from 77 to 88, every day! WOW

[@AKATEATime]

This is excellent! I grew up in Spanaway starting in '73. For anyone wondering, I figured out that the mile post counter is ticking off the hundredths of miles. There should be a decimal in the middle.

[@heidichristensen7919]

This is a cool video. I started visiting the Spanaway/Roy area in 1988 and moved here in 1997. You forget how much it’s grown until you see a video like this.

[@hunterking87]

Used to live in the outskirts of Roy (1998 to 2006). This is basicly the route we took going to and from our house when we hit mt highway. So much had changed from this vid to when i moved out there and so much changed before we moved out. Recently went down Mt Highway on with a coworker stoned out of our mind thinking we could get to MT Rainier before sunset after getting off work at 5 in Seattle. But that trip brought back all the memories i had growing up in the area. Been planning to buy a Electric bicycle and have decided when i get one to ride out there and rekindle my old memories of the area. Saw the road that turns to Bethel High, the same corner that would become a Fred Myers and had a Blockbuster that closed down a few years after i left the area, no Wal-Mart before you hit the Roy Y. So much changed yet there are still a lot of things that are still around.

[@smileytow1925]

Good memories ❤️ our first house was just down the street from Gibsons, bought it in 1978 when we got married, sold it in 1985. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[@MatokAKAM]

This drive has changed so much. Looking at this video and how it is now shows me just how much this area has grown.

[@spenceisthebest1]

Yes more Pierce county ones if you have them these videos are awesome!

[@shawnkiesel5349]

Agreed

[@mikaeljordan1983]

This was almost like time traveling back to 82 , Thanks for posting this video

[@Jess-li3wg]

Pretty cool to see from that Time. I Actually live few Minutes from where the video was taken. That area is considered Eatonville till you hit 304th Johnson’s corner/king feed.

[@gertrudelanny9241]

Amazing. That wagon wheel restaurant was an amazing place! I miss this old Pierce county before all the people started to move in

[@Mumblix]

The Royal Fork Buffet and the Wigwam across the street.

[@tumblecat]

Amazing. Moved here when I was 5 Air Force brat. I am now 64 and still in Parkland almost cried when I saw the old Parkland theater and the Handout

[@swordoflaban6594]

I drive it every day. Some parts haven't changed much. Right at the "Roy Y", the auto wrecking yard just was taken out. The South end Ace Hardware building is exactly the same. Looks like it used to be something else. Same 7-11 on 138th st, and the skippers building is still there. They're proposing an international Airport larger than SeaTac international Airport as we speak. It would totally change this place forever. I hope it doesn't happen.

[@dw3403]

That wrecking yard is gone now? Another covid victim I wonder? No we do not need an airport i pierce co where traffic is bad enough already.

[@YouTubeJunkie]

It was South end Hardware in the video still. I shop there frequently. In the last handful of years the roof collapsed on the building and had to be rebuilt. I was born in 85 in Tacoma and haven't seen it from this perspective. Very cool to see. As far as the airport do you have any more links to this proposal, not a fan of the idea either.

[@benruether8294]

​@@dw3403 Roy Y auto wrecking had a huge fire several years back that took it out

[@rscamarolover]

Cool video, it's amazing someone videotaped their drive that long ago. I loved seeing the old cars all over many new at the time. I was 10 back then a d we lived in Tacoma at that time. I wish I was there now

[@chrismckinney788]

This drive is so different today. Thanks for the memories 😎

[@hotforteacher7540]

Man!!! I love these posts. Thank you!! Brought back a lot of memories.

[@denniss618]

Wow, this brings back memories. I used to make that drive 5 days a week.

[@Arca84]

I wish someone had video of the 4th of July in 1982 freedom fair that was one heck of a crazy night.

[@susanseaman2932]

I wish I could come home. This makes me homesick. I grew up in this area.

[@MichaelDHoskins]

Me too

[@michaelcaldwell4890]

WOW! We moved there in 1986. Looks like Big O's wasn't even there yet. Never really liked that place, but we made that turn on 224th to go to our house for half of my childhood. Lot of good memories, but a lot of bad ones as well. Bethel Braves class of 1993!

[@Latino93Heat]

Whoa! So cool😎 thanks for uploading, loved seeing how my neighborhood used to be.

[@daveb2280]

Wow! Tiny's Tire Center at 100th existed back then? I don't even recognize most of the streets back then. Incredible to see how this area has changed. Awesome post! Thank you for posting these videos!

[@debbycostanich1696]

Thank you for sharing this video. I saw my fiance driving. He was murdered 3 years later. We lived on 22nd.

[@lorihaun9956]

It would be great if someone could record what it looks like now and compare side by side.

[@94afish]

Surprising extremely similar. Especially when it goes thru parkland and south end Tacoma. Freakishly similar.

[@BFaluup]

I drive this way often and honestly I can’t believe how much is the same…the businesses are different but the buildings are still here..biggest thing I noticed in Spanaway is that they added sidewalks and bus stop cut outs along the road and pretty much all the big box stores are recent ..traffic is way worse now but I couldn’t get over how much is the same.

[@dw3403]

might get shot lately.

[@rickyjiii9855]

I'm up for that challenge I live a mile down from where the video starts. Crazy to watch this

[@Bj-en1qx]

Thats crazy, the year i was born. I went to my godmothers 100th bday celebration. There were pics of when she was young, her first car a Bonneville that probably resides in the lemay museum. Her first home, pics of when shr first moved to tacoma, brfore i5 was built. Its crazy to see how much the area has been developed over the years.

[@mark8sc]

At 21:30, the Parkland Theater marquee says they’re showing The Road Warrior and Blade Runner. Thanks to my brother for sharing this cool video with me!

[@MichaelDHoskins]

@26:13 mark- That wrecking yard on 208th and mountain highway on the right was my grandfathers for many years it was sams auto wrecking then. He built it then sold out to old man Rollins who turned it into all auto parts which you can see in the 1998 video of this same route. that place has changed over the years. It was so much nicer back then.

[@aynosencioay]

Thank you for your video, we move here 1985 I was a kid like 5 I remember down 224 st.

[@kylescanlon2235]

Moved to tacoma in 2017, holy crap so much has chaged!!!

[@jimmyl3456]

Great video!

[@BryanInModezOnPawz]

20:36 MY GREAT GRANDMA OWNED THAT WHOLE AREA BACK THEN WITH THE MOTEL AND THE 76 GAS STATION!!!! thanks for uploading this

[@CalebnCapri]

Crazy how little its changed... so many houses and businesses are the exact same

[@FrostyBob99]

Awesome footage. I wish you could find more Pierce County or Thurston County videos but I'll take what I can get. Thanks.

[@autiebell1357]

Gee, I don't know how many Keg parties we found just from hanging out at Paradise Bowling Alley on Saturday Night in the 1980's.😊

[@Rick11231948]

Lot of memories..I have traveled that road almost every day sense 1978

[@junedominguez2549]

Hi, I have lived here most of my life and shocked from year to year mass changes I do now live back here in Spanaway and will be here for a long time to come!

[@cfhcowboy9292]

I was born on the 30th that year lol.and I live in Washington

[@cousinivoryciv1309]

wow, my workplace in on pacific ave and its just crazy to see it back then with a gas station next to it

[@TeslaRoadtrips]

Wow amazing

[@seansims8805]

I recently started passing thru this area and appreciate the glance back . I. 53 and from Seattle so not familiar with the old roads much

[@studmfn63]

Moved to our house off 173rd & "B" in 1971. This sure brings back some memories.

[@biggdaddy2001]

Man has it changed from no stop light at 260th and mtn hwy no Fred Meyer on 224th O'Neill's still the main grocery store and a feild and trees where Walmart sits and coys furniture now a liquidation store

[@johndutton5881]

I lived in the red house across from O'Neils.

[@jasonrabe1664]

I lived here from 2004 to 2016. Lived in Graham and puyallup. Drove up and down this road more times than I can count. I still have my dryer in the garage here in Florida that I bought there at poochels appliance 18:53.

[@AtTheCrossingProductions]

Any more footage from the Tacoma area? Or Puyallup?

[@highwayvideos3434]

Not at the moment. The archives did post a small 2 minute clip or so from Tacoma on their official Facebook page awhile back.

[@taraday7565]

And Lincoln Tree Farm!? Wow!

[@FrostyBob99]

I know, right? I went to school there in 86. I love that place.

[@rogerbratsch4260]

So cool.. my stomping grounds.. I was surprised I didn't see me! Lol.. great video 📹

[@MichaelDHoskins]

I told my wife the same thing 😂

[@bradborgelt60]

I love how everything south of 304 th has not changed at all!!! Lol!

[@eraeusboorwel]

my hometown 40 years ago next month. i was 1 year old when this was recorded and next month i'll be 41.

[@shawnkiesel5349]

I wish I could go back to the 80s in Tacoma and see everything then.. so much has changed in spanaway and Tacoma since 82'... I think it would have been better to just leave stuff as it was and not build ugly buildings..

[@wayneneeley2404]

Wow. I live off 84th & pac. There's a Walgreens there now, instead of a bar. So much growth in 40 yrs. U guys see the gas prices. Under a buck in some places.

[@chrisstach1531]

I may not have been born yet, but come 2022 and I drive hwy 7, it sure does have some beautiful areas. Especially once you get out by the lake, Rife lake is amazing

[@JuliusJohn]

They had Wendy's in Spanaway Opens in 1980s and in 2017 it's returns

[@ArthurAllen2]

21:27 I finally have the name and location of what is the Parkland movie theater. I've always wondered where that is.

[@steveretiredandcranky]

Wow!! There is a good chance my ex was slaving away at the Jack in the Box at S. 56th St when this video was shot so long ago. It's just bizarre.

[@MichaelDHoskins]

Mine too 😅

[@dgendvil]

Back when roads were uncrowded...

[@shawnkiesel5349]

Right

[@stephenfisher9505]

The SpanaPark hood. I used to deliver groceries to to SpanaPark . noticed the Wagon Wheel is gone now. that was my lunch stop if I had money on me.

[@toddburgess6792]

So many landmarks are gone. It has changed considerably in 41 years, but haven't we all?

[@rainerpierre]

It was thirteen days after I turned two-years-old.

[@barbarak4720]

I actually live off 246th...and moved out here in 1991. Alot has changed since then.

[@sneakerheadswerv7239]

Do have any videos from the early 2000s and mid 2000s?

[@highwayvideos3434]

No, however the WSDOT has still images from those years that can be requested directly from them.

[@keithwilson8434]

Grew up in parkland and lived a mile east of the Shakeys pizza

[@taraday7565]

Did they just pass Johnson's Corner?

[@randalmartin438]

Yeah it was posted 3 months ago but the video tape is from 82 but yeah it's a junk down memory lane there's a lot of things that disappeared that's in the video and a lot of things that grew up

[@unenslaver1333]

Would be cool to do a split screen from today in sync.

[@nelsonquinney2316]

Any Video In The 1970s And 1960s

[@highwayvideos3434]

Unfortunately 1982 was the earliest year that the WSDOT began using video.

[@Aaron71304]

Seems like yesterday!

[@michaelmarciniak7959]

Now look at it how it's grown.

[@jonb2706]

Such a cool video. So much has changed

[@GenX_US_Marine]

I was 3 years old during this time

[@teresajohnson472]

I was five. Did you grow up there? I went to bethel c/o 96

[@spagsketti]

You mean Spunaway?? Funny a lot of the buildings are still there. They just filled in the gaps. $1.03 a gallon for gas, Paradise lanes is still there. Heck I just drove a lot of this two days ago. From Roy to I5 to Kent.

[@jasonrabe1664]

Slumaway

[@dalerestau4986]

Spuds Pizza and the Wigwam

[@HikikomoriDev]

Almost 4 decades ago.

[@meechlee1377]

32:01 I lived in those janky apartments tucked in the back 😂

[@BuddhaJunkee]

The Hong Kong restaurant is still there

[@vesuvandoppelganger]

No Dream Girls at Fox's.

[@parklandelectroseattlewa6330]

I don't see any homeless people like today in Spanaway...

[@MrBilly235]

Spuds Pizza!🙂

[@davidboyce8683]

Ah, the calico cat .

[@MichaelDHoskins]

😂

[@WhistlerBlackcomb-tu9to]

I saw a Gremlin at 19:18

[@Paul_in_Spanaway_2023]

International airport planned here.

[@nathanduckeorth806]

$1.11 a gallon at the Texaco!!! Lol

[@dimthecat9418]

This was exactly 19 years after JFK was assassinated

[@bigjerthebear]

Grew up in Midland in the 60s close to here moved to Yelm in 74, 4923 minutes you can see Shoeland on the right where my mom bought all of our shoes thanks for the video really fun watching it

[@Martin-iv6lq]

good job!!