Frank Alling's Ghost Traditional Cache

One of Tacoma's oldest city parks, Alling Park was donated in 1912 by Frank Alling, an early pioneer who homesteaded the area. Alling came to the Puget Sound in 1872 with his wife Nellie. Prior to that time he had been a miner in Mexico; the first postmaster for the territory that would later become New Mexico and Arizona; and he went to Japan and China to collect items for the Smithsonian Institution.

He called his Tacoma homestead (originally 160 acres) the Alling Fruit Farm. It was noted for the variety of fruit trees and flowers. His will included the request that his body be cremated and the ashes buried at Alling Park. His ashes were buried at the base of a tree in December of 1914.

The 1915 Annual Report of the Park District notes that “All the old buildings were removed and because of the diseased condition of the orchard, most of the trees were destroyed.” 

In 1938 a wading pool and a “community house and kitchen” were built and swings and picnic tables installed. A 1938 Works Progress Administration (WPA) Report notes that the tennis courts were designed so they could be flooded and frozen in the winter for ice skating. 

Recently a new play area has been added on the upper area near the intersection of S. 60th and Sheridan.

A traditional cache, in a traditional hide location. Cache is a camo mighty mega container. Room for small swag. Small pencil, BYOP to be safe.