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{{Infobox webcomic| <!-- Part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject_Webcomics]] -->
{{redirect|Tacoma}}
| title = Chugworth Academy
{{Infobox Settlement
| image = [[Image:Chugworth Academy -1.jpg|250px]]
|official_name = City of Tacoma
| caption = Cover to ''Chugworth Academy Volume 1''
|image_skyline = Tacdtaug05 1.jpg
| author = Dave Cheung<br />Jamal Joseph Jr.
|settlement_type = [[City]]
| url = http://chugworth.com/
|nickname = The City of Destiny
| rss = http://www.chugworth.com/rss/rssfeed.xml
|imagesize =
| atom =
|image_caption =
| status = Updates Monday & Friday
|image_flag = Tacoma Flag.jpg
| began = [[June 19]], [[2000]] [http://chugworth.com/comic.php?id=1]
|image_seal = Tacoma Seal.png
| ended =
|image_map = Pierce_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Tacoma_Highlighted.svg
| genre = Comedy
|mapsize = 250px
| ratings =
|map_caption = Location of Tacoma in <br>Pierce County and Washington State
| preceded by =
|image_map1 =
| followed by =
|mapsize1 =
|map_caption1 =
|subdivision_type = [[List of countries|Country]]
|subdivision_name = [[United States]]
|subdivision_type1 = [[Political divisions of the United States|State]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Washington]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Washington|County]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Pierce County, Washington|Pierce]]
|government_type =
|leader_title = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name = [[Bill Baarsma]] [[Democratic Party (United States)|(D)]]
|established_date =
|area_magnitude = 1 E9
|area_total_km2 = 162.2
|area_land_km2 = 129.7
|area_water_km2 = 32.5
|population_as_of = 2008
|population_total = 202700 (city proper)
|population_density_km2 = 1538.3
|timezone = [[Pacific Standard Time Zone|PST]]
|utc_offset = -8
|timezone_DST = [[Pacific Daylight Time|PDT]]
|utc_offset_DST = -7
|postal_code_type =
|postal_code =
|area_code = [[Area code 253|253]]
|area_total_sq_mi = 62.6
|area_land_sq_mi = 50.1
|area_water_sq_mi = 12.5
|elevation_m = 74
|elevation_ft = 243
|latd = 47 |latm = 14 |lats = 29 |latNS = N
|longd = 122 |longm = 27 |longs = 34 |longEW = W
|website = http://www.cityoftacoma.org/
|blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info = 53-70000{{GR|2}}
|blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info = 1512713{{GR|3}}
|footnotes = |
}}
}}
'''''Chugworth Academy''''' is a [[webcomic]] that was started by Dave Cheung on [[June 19]], [[2000]]. It is also sometimes called ''Chugworth Academy 2'', as the strip underwent a full relaunch on [[May 21]], [[2003]], following a complete loss of the archives of the original comic. From April 2007 until August 27, 2007, the site was down. On August 28, 2007, the site went back online. It is now hosted by [[Snafu Comics]].
'''Tacoma''' ({{pronEng|təˈkoʊmə}}) is a mid-sized urban port city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Pierce County, Washington|Pierce County]], [[Washington]], [[United States]].{{GR|6}} The city is on Washington's [[Puget Sound]], {{convert|32|mi|km|lk=on}} southwest of [[Seattle]], {{convert|31|mi|km}} northeast of the state capital, [[Olympia, Washington|Olympia]], and {{convert|58|mi|km}} northwest of [[Mount Rainier National Park]]. The population was 193,556 at the [[United States Census, 2000|2000 census]] and had a 2008 Washington State Office of Financial Management estimate of 202,700. Tacoma is the second-largest city in the Puget Sound area and the third largest in the state.


Currently the rest of the site is being rebuilt. The comic has resumed as of September 17, 2007. The site hasn't been updated since Friday April 4th 2008, until late July 30th 2008, followed by another update on Monday August 18th. Long unannounced breaks in posting are not uncommon.
Tacoma adopted its name after the nearby [[Mount Rainier]], originally called Mount Tacoma or Mount Tahoma. It is known as the "City of Destiny" because the area was chosen to be the western terminus of the [[Northern Pacific Railroad]] in the late 1800s. The decision of the [[railroad]] was influenced by Tacoma's neighboring [[Commencement Bay]]. By connecting the bay with the railroad Tacoma’s motto became “When rails meet sails.” Today Commencement Bay serves the [[Port of Tacoma]], a center of [[international trade]] on the [[Pacific Coast]].


==Creators==
Like most central cities, Tacoma suffered a prolonged decline in the mid-20th century as a result of [[suburbanization]], divestment, and federal [[urban renewal]] programs. Recently the city has been undergoing a renaissance, investing in the downtown core to establish the [[University of Washington, Tacoma]]; [[Sound Transit Tacoma Link|Tacoma Link]], the first modern electric [[light rail]] service in the state; various art and history museums; and a restored inlet, the [[Thea Foss Waterway]].
Dave Cheung is the original creator of ''Chugworth Academy''. He works with Jamal Joseph Jr. on the scripts. Cheung handles the concepts and artwork himself.


==Plot==
With a long history of blue-collar [[Labour (economics)|labor]] politics — from the railroad workers of the 1800s, to the [[longshoremen]] of the 20th century, to the [[Labor Ready]] workers of today — Tacoma has long been known for its rough, gritty image.<ref>See, generally, {{cite web |url=http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/gritcity/ |accessdate=2008-04-22 |title=Grit City}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dwb.thenewstribune.com/business/columnists/voelpel/story/6149745p-5382412c.html |quote=That sounds slightly absurd for a city with an aromatic past, multiple entries still on the federal government’s list of the most polluted locations and the embraceable nickname Grit City. |last=Voelpel |first=Dan |title=We can leave gritty behind and go green|accessdate=2008-04-22 |date=2006-10-08}}</ref>
The strip revolves around the lives of four teenagers, two of whom attend Chugworth Academy, an elite [[University-preparatory school|prep school]]. The tone of the strip runs heavily towards sexual situations and [[fanservice]]. There are also several spinoff strips, like ''Pancake Motherfuckers'' and ''Classic Comedy Moments''.
Tacoma-Pierce County has been named one of the most livable areas in the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mostlivable.org/cities/tacoma/home.html |title=Mostlivable.org}}{{Dead link|url=http://www.mostlivable.org/cities/tacoma/home.html|date=March 2008}}</ref> Tacoma was also recently listed as the 19th most walkable city in the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/100-best-walking-cities/1ba0d08f88803110VgnVCM20000012281eac____/fitness/walking/getting.started?print=true |title=100 Best Walking Cities |work=Prevention.com |accessdate=2008-03-27 |date=2006-03-09}}</ref> In contrast, the city is also ranked as the most stressed-out city in the country in a 2004 survey.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/01/10/life.stress.reut |title=Tacoma ranks as most stressful U.S. city |date=2004-01-10 |accessdate=2008-03-27 |work=CNN.com |author=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> However, in 2006, women's magazine Self named Tacoma the "Most Sexually Healthy City" in the United States.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}<ref>[http://www.soundpolitics.com/archives/007548.html Sound Politics: Garbage In, Garbage Out<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>


The comic is intended to be read by older audiences. The text presented upon viewing the site reads:
==History==
Tacoma was inhabited for thousands of years by [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indians]], predominantly the [[Puyallup (tribe)|Puyallup]] people, who lived in settlements on the delta of the [[Puyallup River]] and called the area Squa-szucks. It was visited by European and American explorers, including [[George Vancouver]] and [[Charles Wilkes]], who named many of the coastal landmarks.


<blockquote>''"This website and comic is unsuitable for young children or those who straddle a particularly high moral horse. It sometimes contains themes such as comedy violence and mild sexual references as well as the liberal use of curse words. As such, if you are offended by such things, do me a favour and don't enter this website so you can just bitch about it to me afterwards. If, however, you are a liberally minded person who enjoys inane humour, cartoon teenagers doing stupid things and cheese, then click on enter and enjoy the comic."''</blockquote>
===19th century===
In 1852 a Swede named Nicolas Delin constructed a sawmill powered by water on a creek near the head of Commencement Bay, but the small settlement that grew up around it was abandoned during the Indian War of 1855-1856. In 1864, pioneer and postmaster [[Job Carr]], a Civil War veteran and land speculator who hoped to profit from the selection of Commencement Bay as the terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad, built a cabin (a replica of Job Carr's cabin, which also served as Tacoma's first post office, was erected in "Old Town" in 2000 near the original site), and later sold most of his claim to developer [[Morton McCarver]] (1807-1875), who named his project Tacoma City. The name derived from the indigenous name for [[Mount Rainier]], deriving from the Puyallup ''tacobet'', "mother of waters".


==Cast==
Tacoma was incorporated on [[November 12]], [[1875]]. Its hopes to be the "City of Destiny" were stimulated by selection in 1873 as the western terminus of the [[Northern Pacific Railroad]], thanks to lobbying by McCarver and others. The transcontinental link was effected in 1887, but the railroad built its depot on "New Tacoma", two miles (3km) south of the Carr-McCarver development. The two communities grew together and joined. The population grew from 1,098 in 1880 to 36,006 in 1890. [[Rudyard Kipling]] visited Tacoma in 1889 and said it was "literally staggering under a boom of the boomiest".<ref>{{cite book |first=Caroline Denyer |last=Gallacci |title=The City of Destiny and the South Sound: An Illustrated History of Tacoma and Pierce County |location=Carlsbad, CA |publisher=Heritage Media Corp |year=2001 |pages=49}}</ref>
===Major characters===
*'''Sally Richards''' - Cynical, sarcastic and has more intellectual clout than everyone she socializes with. She also has a geeky side to her nature that she tries very hard to conceal - mostly revolving around an unhealthy obsession with computer games and pencil and paper role-playing games. She also likes Kiyoshi very much and has sex with him often, albeit always "off-screen," as it were. Currently, the relationship has hit a rough spot when Kiyoshi accidentally broke both of Sally's legs by knocking her down a flight of stairs, ruining her chance at competing in the [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Open]]. Sally has therefore dumped Kiyoshi, although whether this is permanent or not remains to be seen. Her legs have healed since then, but she is still unable to walk and has to use a wheelchair, or has to be carried by Chloe. She has also cut her previously long hair to chin length.
*'''Chloe Winsdale''' - Sally's cousin and best friend, although they are often mistaken for sisters. Chloe hates anything mainstream and listens to the most obscure Punk and Metal bands on the planet. She also likes to think she's rebellious, even though she's a well-mannered, straight-A student. Her prized possession is her talking electronic keychain of Witchy Cranky Poo, from unreleased comic "The God Machine" by Chandra Free. Her other closest companion is a teddy bear with a pierced ear. It also seems she might be the only virgin among the main cast members.
*'''Kiyoshi Masamune''' - A well-endowed half Japanese- half American. Sally and Kiyoshi have been dating for what seems like forever, giving substance to the claim that "opposites attract." Dim-witted but good-natured and totally in love with Sally, Kiyoshi is a modestly successful underwear model and the public face of Splammo Drinks company - not bad for someone with the intellect of a mollusk. He's obsessed with sandwiches. Kiyoshi is now going through an [[emo]] phase as a result of being dumped by Sally, and is so depressing that even the other emos have told him to cheer up. His continuous consumption of Splammo has also had an ill effect on his mind, which causes him to see a foul-mouthed [[Mickey Mouse]] at odd times, and is also a likely contributor to his diminished intelligence quotient.
*'''Ellice Matthews''' - Unstable, moody, as dim-witted as Kiyoshi, and perhaps bisexual, Ellice longs for a career as a top film actress but generally comes up short in the jobs she finally lands. She is Kiyoshi's best friend as well as a long-time friend of Sally and Chloe. Unfortunately, she is often the butt of their jokes. She is also Kiyoshi's father's lover, which has recently been a subject of some contention between them.


===Supporting Characters===
[[George Francis Train]] was a resident for a few years in the late 1800s. In 1880, he staged a global circumnavigation starting and ending in Tacoma to promote the city. A plaque in downtown Tacoma marks the start/finish line.
*'''Dar''' - A character from Jamal Joseph's ''Goth and Jock'' strip who made an appearance early in Chugworth's continuity, Dar is the [[Goth subculture|goth]] of the pair. He has longish black hair and always wears a cross around his neck, and is obsessed with [[death]] and [[morbid]] subjects.
*'''Jam''' - The other half of Jamal's ''Goth and Jock'' duo, who appeared in the early storyline featuring the pair. Jam is the [[sportsperson|jock]] of the two, and is often more boastful than he can realistically back up.
*'''Mr. Tummy Giggles''' - Tummy Giggles is a children's television show host who also seems to be somewhat of a [[sex offender]], groping Ellice when she served as the assistant on his show, and displaying somewhat [[pedophile|pedophiliac]] tendencies. He was last seen co-[[news anchor|anchoring]] the New Bumpshire Action News with Laura Crabbs.
*'''Laura Crabbs''' - Laura is the co-anchor of the New Bumpshire Action News, and is highly composed and professional, providing a comedic [[foil (literature)|foil]] to her rather less professional co-workers.
*'''P-Quay McNasty''' - P-Quay is a "former [[hip hop music|hip hop]] sensation" who now provides sports coverage for New Bumpshire Action News. He's [[Caucasian race|Caucasian]], but wears a large jeweled dollar sign on a necklace and speaks [[African-American Vernacular English]].
*'''Mister Sundance''' - Chugworth Academy's [[fundamentalist Christian]] [[religion|Religious Studies]] teacher who insists Sally is a [[slut]] for being the only one in her class to admit she's not a [[virgin]]. He seems to have a personal vendetta against her because of that, despite her perfect grades. He's also quite possibly [[homosexuality|gay]], ironically.
*'''Manuel [[Bistro]], Red Commando''' - Manuel is a [[Communist]] [[revolutionary]] who led a team of other revolutionaries and took over Sally's classroom briefly in an attempt to overthrow...well, something.
*'''Slappy Shortbobski''' - A member of Manuel Bistro's team who is a "master of the deadly art of [[Spoon]] Combat". The exact nature of Spoon Combat has yet to be revealed.
*'''Fernando [[Casanova|Cassanova]]''' - Fernando is another member of Bistro's team. He is reputedly irresistible to women and wears a coat made from the "[[pubic hair]] of his conquests." He also appears to be irresistible to Mr. Sundance, who "offered himself up" to Cassanova in order to "save" Sally and Chloe from the Red Commandos.
*'''The Director''' - Director of the Blockbuster [[movie]] "The Slow and the Moderately Angry" as well as countless other Box Office hits. Does not tolerate failure.
*'''Kiyoshi's Dad''' - He is the father of Kiyoshi, but he is also a [[ninja]] and insists Kiyoshi uphold that honor. He has a heavy accent, but is a ladies man like his son (sleeping with Ellice on more than one occasion). He tends to get his [[Engrish|'L's and his 'R's mixed up.]] He also believes that [[Naruto Uzumaki]] is the greatest ninja ever thus making some fans believe that he watches ninja based anime.
*'''Mr. Splammodopolis''' - Head of the Splammo Drinks Empire and the world's wealthiest man. He neglects his son Demitri, instead concentrating on his protege Kiyoshi. Splammodopolis is possibly even less intelligent than Kiyoshi, insisting on ham flavored sodas and actually burning his employees alive when firing them.
*'''Mr Splammodopolis' Assistant''' - Mr Splammodopolis' personal assistant who is several times more intelligent than her employer. She is very good at what she does and even better at angering Ellice Matthews when they first meet.
*'''Demitri Splammodopolis''' - Heir to the Splammo-Inc fortune, he is often ignored by his father, who has taken a greater liking towards Kiyoshi. This induces a deep rooted hatred in Demitri towards Kiyoshi whom he finally decided to kill after finding out he was dating Sally Richards, who he had become infatuated with. He is currently in jail for the murder of Vance Petrol.
*'''Rabbit Girl (Real name: Bunnie Mittens)''' - Demitri's unofficial girlfriend whom he solely uses for sex. She is rather naive and talkative, much to Demitri's pleasure and dismay respectively. She insists the two are in love. Her younger brother Bobby is also one of Sally's role-playing friends, who constantly speaks street slang.
*'''Rabbit Girl's Friend (Real name: Aimee Downings)''' - Rabbit Girl's best friend who is sadly as naive as she is.
*'''Vance Petrol''' - An A-list Hollywood action star, he is Kiyoshi's costar in his latest film, "The Slow and Moderately Angry", and is a [[parody]] of [[Vin Diesel]]. He stayed at Sally's house during the initial filming of the movie before meeting an untimely end. Seemingly invincible, it took several attempts on his life and a heart attack to kill him.
*'''Pringles the Almadirro/[[Armadillo]]''' - Sally's pet Armadillo, given to her by Kiyoshi. Referred to as an 'Almadirro' by Kiyoshi and his father, Pringles carelessly flirts through life, doing such things as peeing on Sally and having sex with cats. He inadvertently caused Sally to break her legs when he was thrown at her by Kiyoshi, effectively ending Kiyoshi and Sally's relationship.
*'''Tyrone''' - An African-American boy that plays [[Dungeons and Dragons]] with Sally after school. He appears to be a parody of [[Will Smith]]'s character on [[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]], with a rich Uncle Bill, an English butler named Gregory, and a short cousin named Charleston.
*'''The Intern''' (correction might be needed) recurring character that never had her name stated. First possible appearance is on #208 where she is an intern on Kiyoshi's movie set where she got shot by Demitri, who was trying to kill Kiyoshi. From then on her left arm was always shown in a sling. She later worked in Taco Bell while still healing. On #354 she got hit by a kunai in her right arm, during a ninja fight at the Taco Bell, possibly by Kiyoshi's dad to stop her complaining.


==Published works==
What came to be known as "Tacoma method" was used in November 1885 to expel several thousand [[China|Chinese]] peaceably living in the city. As described by the account prepared by the Chinese Reconciliation Project, on the morning of [[November 3]], [[1885]], "several hundred men, led by the mayor and other city officials, evicted the Chinese from their homes, corralled them at 7th Street and Pacific Avenue, marched them to the railway station at Lakeview and forced them aboard the morning train to [[Portland, Oregon]]. The next day two Chinese settlements were burned to the ground."
A book was released in 2004, ''"Chugworth Academy: All Aboard the Mentalist Train"'' (ISBN 1-4116-2011-9), which is no longer available at the ''Chugworth Academy'' store or direct from the self-publisher, [[lulu.com|Lulu]]. [[Seven Seas Entertainment]] released a second bound collection, ''"Chugworth Academy Volume 1"'' (ISBN 1-933164-17-4) on July 3, 2006; this version differing from the first in print size, number of comics, and the addition of exclusive material.


The discovery of gold in the [[Klondike]] in 1898 led Tacoma's prominence in the region to be eclipsed by the booming development of Seattle.


[[Image:tacomatwilight.jpg|thumb|Downtown looking North from the Tacoma Sheraton]]

===20th century===
During a 30-day power shortage in the winter of 1929/1930, Tacoma was provided with electricity from the engines of the aircraft carrier [[USS Lexington (CV-2)|USS ''Lexington'']].

In 1935 Tacoma received national attention when [[George Weyerhaeuser]], nine-year-old son of prominent lumber industry executive J.P. Weyerhaeuser, was kidnapped<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fbi.gov/libref/historic/famcases/weyer/weyer.htm |title=Famous Cases: The Weyerhaeuser Kidnapping |work=Federal Bureau of Investigation |accessdate=2008-03-27}}</ref> while walking home from school. [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] agents from Portland handled the case, in which payment of a ransom of $200,000 secured release of the victim. Four persons were apprehended and convicted. The last to be released was paroled from [[McNeil Island]] in 1963; George Weyerhaeuser went on to become chairman of the Board of the [[Weyerhaeuser Company]].

In 1951, an investigation by a state legislative committee revealed widespread corruption in Tacoma's government, which had been organized commission-style since 1910. Voters approved a mayor/city-manager system in 1952.

Tacoma featured prominently in the [[garage rock]] sound of the mid-1960s with bands including [[The Wailers (rock band)|The Wailers]] and [[The Sonics]]; the [[surf rock]] band [[The Ventures]] were also from Tacoma.

The first local referendums in the U.S. on computerized voting occurred in Tacoma in 1982 and 1987. On both occasions, voters rejected 3-1 the computer voting systems that local officials sought to purchase. The campaigns, organized by [[Eleanora Ballasiotes]], a conservative Republican, focused on the vulnerabilities of computers to fraud.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ronnie |last=Dugger |title=Counting Votes |work=New Yorker |date=1988-11-07}}</ref>

In 1998, Tacoma installed a high-speed fiber optic network throughout the community. The municipally owned power company wired the city of 187,000 people, making Tacoma America's #1 wired city.

Tacoma struggled with crime in its Hilltop neighborhood in the 1980s and early 1990s.<ref>{{cite news |title=Off-Duty Soldiers Trade Gunfire At a House Linked to Drug Sales |work=The New York Times |date=1989-09-27 |pages=A23}}</ref> The problems have declined in recent years as neighborhoods have enacted community policing and other policies. Mayor [[Bill Baarsma]] is a member of the [[Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition]],<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/about/members.shtml| title=Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Coalition Members |accessdate=2008-03-27}}</ref> a [[bi-partisan]] group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The coalition is co-chaired by [[Boston]] Mayor [[Thomas Menino]] and [[New York City]] Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]].

===21st century===
On [[April 26]], [[2003]], Tacoma's chief of police [[David Brame]] shot his wife and then killed himself in [[Gig Harbor, Washington]]. His wife died from injuries a few days later.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/projects/david_brame |title=Coverage of the [Brame tragedy], including audio of 911 calls and dozens of news articles |work=The News Tribune |accessdate=2008-03-27}}</ref>

In 2004, Tacoma was ranked among the top 30 Most Livable Communities in 2004, in an annual survey conducted by the Partners for Livable Communities.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}

=== Downtown Revival ===
{{Unreferencedsection|date=March 2008}}
[[Image:Hotel-Bostwick-Tacoma.jpg|thumb|Hotel Bostwick, located in Tacoma]]
Beginning in the early 1990s, Tacoma has taken steps to revitalize itself and its image, especially downtown.

The [[University of Washington]] established a branch campus in Tacoma in 1990. The same year, [[Union Station (Tacoma)]] was restored.
The [[Museum of Glass]] opened in downtown Tacoma in 2002, showing [[glass]] art from the region and around the world. It includes a glassblowing studio.

Tacoma's downtown Cultural District is the site of the [[Washington State History Museum]] (1996) and the [[Tacoma Art Museum]] (2003). [[America's Car Museum]] is currently breaking ground in Tacoma.
The glass and steel [[Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center]] opened in November 2004.<ref>[http://www.gtctc.org Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center]</ref>{{Failed verification|date=March 2008}}

Downtown Tacoma has a thriving Theatre District, anchored by the 89-year-old Pantages Theater. The [[Broadway Center for the Performing Arts]]<ref>[http://www.broadwaycenter.org Broadway Center For the Performing Arts<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> manages the Pantages, the Rialto Theater, and the Theatre on the Square. Other attractions include the Grand Cinema and the Temple Theatre.

The area around the Theatre District is the center of Tacoma's [[LGBT|lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender]] culture. Three of the city's gay bars are here as well as the [[Rainbow Center]].<ref>http://www.rainbowcntr.org</ref>

== Geography ==
Tacoma is at {{coor dms|47|14|29|N|122|27|34|W|city}} (47.241371, -122.459389).{{GR|1}} Its elevation is {{convert|116|m|ft|lk=on}}.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has {{convert|62.6|sqmi|km2|1|lk=on}}. {{convert|50.1|sqmi|km2|1}} is land and {{convert|12.5|sqmi|km2|1}} water. The total area is 20.01% water.

Tacoma has its feet in Commencement Bay, with several cities surrounding it. Large portions of Tacoma have excellent views of Mt. Rainier.

The city is near several military installations, including [[Fort Lewis]] and [[McChord Air Force Base]].
==Climate==
Tacomas climate is very mild through out the year.The area has a reputation of being rainy but really it rains less in Tacoma then in New York City. It rains mainly in the winter. Snow also blankets Tacoma grounds in the winter.
Area:50 square miles (2000)
Elevation: 380 feet above sea level
== Demographics ==
{{USCensusPop
|1890= 36006
|1900= 37714
|1910= 83743
|1920= 96965
|1930= 106817
|1940= 109408
|1950= 143673
|1960= 147979
|1970= 154581
|1980= 158501
|1990= 176664
|2000= 193556
|estyear=2007
|estimate=201700
}}
As of the census of 2000,{{GR|2}} there were 193,556 people, 76,152 households, and 45,919 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 3,864.9 people per square mile (1,492.3/km²). There were 81,102 housing units at an average density of 1,619.4/sq&nbsp;mi (625.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 60.25% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 12.17% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 2.01% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 8.23% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.93% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 3.02% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 6.28% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 7.11% of the population. 13.2% were of [[Germans|German]], 7.7% [[Irish people|Irish]], 6.8% [[English people|English]], 5.5% [[Norwegians|Norwegian]] and 5.4% [[united states|American]] ancestry according to [[Census 2000]]. 83.9% spoke [[English language|English]], 4.9% [[Spanish language|Spanish]], 1.8% [[Korean language|Korean]], 1.7% [[Mon-Khmer]] or [[Cambodian language|Cambodian]], 1.7% [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] and 1.2% [[German language|German]] as their first language.

There were 76,152 households in Tacoma in 2000; 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. Almost one third of households (31.7%) were made up of individuals living alone; 10.4% of these were 65 years of age or older. The average household size in 2000 was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,879, and the median income for a family was $45,567. Males had a median income of $35,820, versus $27,697 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $19,130. About 11.4% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 20.6% of those under the age of 18 and 10.9% of those 65 and older.

Four years later, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Tacoma's population had increased by 1.7%, to 196,800 (''Trends'', No. D3 [September 2004])

== Government ==
The government of the City of Tacoma operates under a council-manager system. The [[Tacoma City Council|city council]] consists of an elected Mayor ([[Bill Baarsma]]) and eight elected council members, five from individual city council districts and three others from the city at-large. All serve four-year terms and are elected in odd-numbered years. The council adopts and amends city laws, approves a two-year budget, establishes city policy, appoints citizens to boards and commissions, and performs other actions. The council also meets in "standing committees", which break down the council's work into more defined areas, such as "Environment & Public Works", "Neighborhoods & Housing", and "Public Safety & Human Services". The council meets as a whole most Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 747 Market St. Most meetings are open to the public and provide for public input.

Normal day-to-day operations of the city government are administered by the [[Tacoma City Manager|city manager]], Eric Anderson, who is appointed by the city council.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?nid=54 |title=City of Tacoma - City Council |accessdate=2008-03-27 |work=CityOfTacoma.org}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=March 2008}}

== Commerce and industry ==
[[Image:Commencementbay.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Port of Tacoma]],
on [[Commencement Bay]], is one of the largest seaports in the [[Pacific Northwest]]]]

Tacoma is the home of several international companies, such as [[Russell Investments]] and [[Labor Ready, Inc.]](now named True Blue Inc.)

Beginning in the 1930s, Tacoma became known for the "Tacoma Aroma", a distinctive, acrid odor produced by [[paper]] manufacturing on the industrial tide flats. In the late 1990s, Simpson Tacoma Kraft reduced total sulfur emissions by 90%. This largely eliminated the problem; where once the [[aroma]] was ever-present, it is now only noticeable occasionally, primarily when the wind is coming from the east.

[[U.S. Oil and Refining]] operates an [[oil refinery]] on the tide flats in the [[Port of Tacoma]]. Built in Tacoma in 1952, it currently refines 39,000 [[barrels]] of petroleum per day.

The [[Tacoma Mall]] is the largest shopping center in Tacoma. It is owned by [[Simon Property Group]]. Anchor tenants include [[JC Penney]], [[Sears, Roebuck and Company|Sears]], [[Macy's]], and [[Nordstrom]].

== Urban form and transport ==
[[Image:TacomaStreets.gif|thumb|right|City of Tacoma, from the 2001 Comprehensive Plan]]
Tacoma's system of transportation is based primarily on the [[automobile]]. The majority of the city has a system of [[street grid|gridded streets]] oriented in relation to A Street (one block east of Pacific Avenue) and Sixth Avenue, both beginning in [[Downtown, Tacoma, Washington|downtown Tacoma]]. Within the city, numbered streets run east to west and are labeled "North" or "South" according to their relationship with Sixth Avenue or Division Street. (West of Division, Sixth Avenue is the lowest-numbered street.) North- and south-running streets are given a name or a letter, and are also labeled "North" or "South" in relation to Sixth Avenue. This can lead to confusion, as many named streets intersect streets of the same number in both North and South Tacoma. For example, the intersection of South 11th Street and Union Avenue is just ten blocks south of North 11th Street and Union Avenue. To the east of the Thea Foss waterway and A Street, streets are similarly divided into "East" and "Northeast", with 0 Street East being equivalent to the Pierce-King line. "Northeast" covers a small wedge of Tacoma and unincorporated Pierce County lying on the hill across the tideflats from downtown. This numeric system extends to the furthest reaches of Pierce County, except for the [[Key Peninsula]], which retains the north-south streets but chooses the Pierce-Kitsap line as the zero point for east-west streets.
In portions of the city dating back to the Tacoma Streetcar Period (1888-1938), denser mixed use business districts exist alongside [[single family homes]]. Twelve such districts have active, city-recognized business associations and hold "small town"-style parades and other festivals. The Proctor, Old Town, Dome, [[Sixth Avenue (Tacoma)|Sixth Avenue]], Stadium and Lincoln Business Districts are some of the more prominent and popular of these and coordinate their efforts to redevelop urban villages through the [http://www.tacomabusinessdistricts.com Cross District Association of Tacoma]. In newer portions of the city to the west and south, residential [[cul-de-sac]]s, four-lane collector roads and indoor shopping centers are more commonplace.
The dominant intercity transportation link between Tacoma and other parts of the Puget Sound is [[Interstate 5 (Washington)|Interstate 5]], which links Tacoma with [[Seattle]] to the north and [[Portland, Oregon]], to the south. [[Washington State Route 16|State Route 16]] runs along a concrete viaduct through Tacoma's Nalley Valley, connecting Interstate 5 with Central and West Tacoma, the [[Tacoma Narrows Bridge]], and the [[Kitsap Peninsula]]. [[Seattle-Tacoma International Airport]] lies {{convert|22|mi|km}} north, in the city of [[SeaTac, Washington|SeaTac]].

== Public transport ==
[[Image:TacomaLink.jpg|thumb|right|Light rail in Tacoma]]
Tacoma's alternative transportation services include buses, commuter rail, [[light rail]], and [[ferries]]. Public bus service is provided by [[Pierce Transit]], which serves Tacoma and [[Pierce County, Washington|Pierce County]]. Pierce Transit operates a total of 55 bus routes on buses powered by [[natural gas]]. Most bus service operates at 30 minute frequencies on weekdays, some routes once an hour, while three heavily-ridden "trunk" routes are served every 15 minutes on weekdays and every half hour on weekends.
[[Sound Transit]], the regional transit authority, provides weekday peak-direction [[Sounder Commuter Rail]] service and express bus service to and from Seattle seven days a week. (Service to and from [[Olympia, Washington|Olympia]] is serviced by Pierce and [[Intercity Transit]].) Sound Transit has also established [[Sound Transit Tacoma Link|Tacoma Link]] [[light rail]], a 2.5 km (1.6-mile) free electric streetcar line linking [[Tacoma Dome]] Station with the [[University of Washington, Tacoma]], Tacoma's Museum District, and the Theater District. Expansion of the city's rail transit system (either in the form of electric streetcars or light rail) is under consideration by the city of Tacoma and Pierce Transit, and is supported by a local grassroots organization, [[Tacoma Streetcar]].

The [[Washington State Ferries]] system, which has a dock at [[Point Defiance Park|Point Defiance]], provides ferry access to [[Tahlequah, Washington|Tahlequah]] at the southern tip of [[Vashon Island]], typically on the ferry [[MV Rhododendron|MV ''Rhododendron'']].

[[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]] service is also accessible via Tacoma Dome Station. An [[Amtrak]] station one block east on Puyallup Avenue serves the [[Amtrak Cascades|Cascades]] and [[Coast Starlight]] routes.

===Tacoma highways===
Seven highways end in or pass through Tacoma: [[I-5 (WA)|I-5]], [[I-705]], [[Washington State Route 7|SR 7]], [[Washington State Route 16|SR 16]], [[Washington State Route 163|SR 163]], [[Washington State Route 167|SR 167]], and [[Washington State Route 509|SR 509]].

===Intercity rail transportation===
[[Amtrak]], the national passenger rail system, provides service to Tacoma. Amtrak train 11, the southbound [[Coast Starlight]], is scheduled to depart Tacoma at 10:31am with service to [[Olympia, Washington|Olympia-Lacey]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]], [[Emeryville, California]] (with bus connection to [[San Francisco]]), and [[Los Angeles Union Station|Los Angeles]]. Amtrak train 14, the northbound Coast Starlight, is scheduled to depart Tacoma at 7:11pm daily with service to [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]]. Amtrak [[Amtrak Cascades|Cascades]] trains, operating as far north as [[Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver]] and as far south as [[Eugene, Oregon]], serve Tacoma several times daily in both directions.

== Public utilities ==
Tacoma’s relationship with [[public utilities]] extends back to 1893. At that time the city was undergoing a boom in population, causing it to exceed the available amount of fresh water supplied by [[Charles Wright]]’s Tacoma Light & Water Company. In response to both this demand and a growing desire to have local public control over the utility system, the city council put up a public vote to acquire and expand the private utility. The measure passed on [[July 1]], [[1893]], with 3,195 in favor of acquiring the utility system and 1,956 voting against. Since then, [[Tacoma Public Utilities]] (TPU) has grown from a small water and light utility to be the largest department in the city’s government, employing about 1,200 people.

[[Tacoma Power]], a division of TPU, provides residents of Tacoma and several bordering municipalities with electrical power generated by eight hydroelectric dams located on the [[Skokomish River]] and elsewhere. Environmentalists, fishermen, and the Skokomish Indian Tribe have criticized TPU's operation of Cushman Dam on the North Fork of the Skokomish River; the tribe's $6 billion claim<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fwee.org/news/getStory?story=1453 |title=Court Ends Fight Over Dams |work=Foundation for Water and Energy Education, quoting The News Tribune |accessdate=2008-03-27 |date=2006-01-12 |first=Chris |last=Sherman}}</ref> was denied by the U.S. Supreme court<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.supremecourtus.gov/docket/05-434.htm |title=Docket for 05-434}}{{Dead link|url=http://www.supremecourtus.gov/docket/05-434.htm |date=March 2008}}</ref> in January 2006. The capacity of Tacoma’s [[hydroelectric]] system as of 2004 was 713,000 [[kilowatt]]s, or about 50% of the demand made up by TPU’s customers (the rest is purchased from other utilities). According to TPU, hydroelectricity provides about 87% of Tacoma’s power; coal 3%; natural gas 1%; nuclear 9%; and biomass and wind at less than 1%. Tacoma Power also operates the [[Click! Network]], a municipally-owned cable television and internet service. The residential cost per kilowatt hour of electricity is just over 6 cents.

Tacoma Water provides customers in its service area with water from the [[Green River (Washington)|Green River]] Watershed. As of 2004, Tacoma Water provided water services to 93,903 customers. The average annual cost for residential supply was $257.84.

[[Tacoma Rail]], initially a municipally owned street railway line running to the tideflats, was converted to a common-carrier rail switching utility. Tacoma Rail is self-supporting and employs over 90 people.

In addition to municipal garbage collection, Tacoma offers commingled [[recycling]] services for paper, cardboard, plastics, and metals.

== Parks ==
[[Point Defiance Park]], one of the largest urban parks in the country, is located in Tacoma. Scenic Five Mile Drive allows access to many of the park's attractions, such as Owen Beach, Camp Six, [[Fort Nisqually]], and the [[Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium]]. There are many historic structures within the park, such as the pagoda near the park's entrance.

Another large park in Tacoma is Wapato Park, which has a lake and walking trails that circle the lake. Wapato is located in the south end of Tacoma, at Sheridan and 72nd St.

[[Titlow Beach]], located at the end of 6th Avenue, is a popular [[scuba diving]] area.

Wright Park, located near downtown, is a large, English-style park designed in the late 1800s by [[E.O. Schwagerl]] and Ebenezer Rhys Roberts. It contains [[Wright Park Arboretum]] and the [[W. W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory]].

Frost Park in downtown Tacoma is often utilized for sidewalk chalk contests.

== Historic landmarks ==
[[Image:Fireboat1-ruston-way-tacoma.jpg|thumb|Fireboat No. 1]]
'''Engine House No. 9''' is a [[fire station]] built in 1907. The building was placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1975. Currently, the building houses a [[pub]] which [[microbrewery|brews]] its own beer.

[[Stadium High School]], part of the Tacoma School District and setting for the movie ''[[10 Things I Hate About You]]'' starring [[Heath Ledger]].

[[Fireboat No. 1 (Tacoma, Wash.)|Fireboat No. 1]] was built in 1929 for the Port of Tacoma by the Coastline Shipbuilding Company. After 54 years of service in [[waterfront]] fire protection, [[harbor]] security patrols, [[search and rescue]] missions, and [[water pollution]] control, ''Fireboat No. 1'' was put up on a permanent dry berth at a public beach near Tacoma’s Old Town neighborhood. She is one of only five fireboats designated as a [[National Historic Landmark]]. Visitors are able to walk around her exterior, but her interior is closed to the public.

[[William Ross Rust House]] - Colonial / Classic Revival (1905) - Ambrose J. Russell (Architect), Charles Miller (Contractor)

[[Murray Morgan Bridge]] - 1911 steel lift bridge across the [[Thea Foss Waterway]]

== Education ==
Tacoma's main public school district is [[Tacoma Public Schools]]. The district contains 36 elementary schools, eleven middle schools, five high schools, one alternative high school, and one school of the arts ([[Tacoma School of the Arts|SOTA]]).

[[Henry Foss High School]] operates an International Baccalaureate program. Sheridan Elementary School operates three foreign language immersion programs (Spanish, French, and Japanese). [[Mount Tahoma High School]] opened a brand new building in South Tacoma in the fall of 2004. [[Stadium High School]] and [[Woodrow Wilson High School (Washington)|Wilson High School]] were remodeled/refurbished and reopened in September 2006. [[Lincoln High School (Tacoma)|Lincoln High School]] reopened in the fall of 2007 after a $75 million renovation and expansion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/columnists/callaghan/story/27561.html |title=History intact at renovated Lincoln High |work=The News Tribune |date=2007-03-22 |accessdate=2008-03-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/157162.html |title=It's awesome, say Abes |work=The News Tribune |date=2007-09-16}}{{Dead link|url=http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/157162.html|date=March 2008}}</ref>

Private schools in the area include the [[Annie Wright School]] and [[Bellarmine Preparatory School (Tacoma)|Bellarmine Preparatory School]].

Tacoma's institutions of higher learning include the [[University of Puget Sound]], [[Tacoma Community College]], [[Bates Technical College]], [[The Evergreen State College]] Tacoma Campus, Northwest Baptist Seminary, and [[University of Washington Tacoma]]. [[Pacific Lutheran University]] is located in [[Parkland, Washington|Parkland]], just south of the city; nearby [[Lakewood, Washington|Lakewood]] is the home of [[Clover Park Technical College]] and [[Pierce College]].

==Cultural attractions==

The [[Museum of Glass]] boasts an iconic structure standing near the Thea Foss Waterway; the steel cone of the hot shop is arguably the most recognizable structure in the city.

The [[Tacoma Opera]] stages several productions a year at the Pantages Theatre and other locations around the city.

Tacoma hosts part of the annual four-part [[The Daffodil Festival|Daffodil Parade]], which takes place every April in Tacoma, Puyallup, [[Sumner, Washington|Sumner]], and [[Orting, Washington|Orting]].

The Tacoma [[farmers' market]] runs every May through September, every Thursday, in the Theatre District.

== Mass media ==
The city's major daily [[newspaper]] is ''[[The News Tribune]]'', a subsidiary of [[McClatchy Newspapers]] since 1986. Its circulation is about 128,000 (144,000 on Sundays), making it the third-largest newspaper in the state of Washington. A daily newspaper has been in circulation in Tacoma since 1883. Between 1907 and 1918, three dailies were published: ''The Tacoma Ledger'', ''The News'', and ''The Tacoma Tribune''.

Local papers include the ''[[Tacoma Weekly]]'', the ''[[Tacoma Daily Index]]'' and the South Sound alternative newsweekly ''[[Weekly Volcano]]''.

==Professional sports teams==
<!-- Table Header -->
<tr bgcolor="#ADADAD">
<td width="300px">'''''Club'''''</td>
<td width="120px" align="left">'''''Sport'''''</td>
<td width="75px" align="left">'''''Founded'''''</td>
<td width="270px" align="left">'''''League'''''</td>
<td width="180px" align="left">'''''Venue'''''</td>
</tr>

<!-- Rows -->

<tr bgcolor="#ffffff'>
<td width="250px">[[Tacoma Rainiers]]</td>
<td width="120px" align="left">[[Baseball]]</td>
<td width="75px" align="left">1960</td>
<td width="270px" align="left">[[Pacific Coast League]]</td>
<td width="180px" align="left">[[Cheney Stadium]]</td>

<tr bgcolor="#ffffff'>
<td width="250px">[[Tacoma Jazz]]</td>
<td width="120px" align="left">[[Basketball]]</td>
<td width="75px" align="left">2005</td>
<td width="270px" align="left">[[International Basketball League (2005-)|International Basketball League]]</td>
<td width="180px" align="left">[[Tacoma Dome]]</td>

<tr bgcolor="#ffffff'>
<td width="250px">[[Tacoma Tide]]</td>
<td width="120px" align="left">[[Soccer]]</td>
<td width="75px" align="left">2006</td>
<td width="270px" align="left">[[USL Premier Development League]]</td>
<td width="180px" align="left">[[Curtis Senior High School]]</td>

</table>

The city has struggled to keep a minor league [[ice hockey|hockey]] franchise. The [[Tacoma Rockets]] of the [[Western Hockey League|WHL]] were lost to relocation and moved to Kelowna, British Columbia. The Tacoma Sabercats of the former [[West Coast Hockey League]] closed due to financial woes. The [[Tacoma Dome]] still hosts traveling sports and other events, such as pro wrestling, figure skating tours, and the [[Harlem Globetrotters]]. At one point, the Tacoma Dome was home to a professional [[indoor soccer]] team, the [[Tacoma Stars]]. For the 1994-1995 season, the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] played in the Tacoma Dome while the [[Seattle Center Coliseum]] was renovated (and renamed [[Key Arena]]). The Tacoma Dome also hosted the 1988 and 1989 Women's NCAA Final Four. In 2007, the Tacoma Dome will host four home games of the [[Tacoma Jazz]], who recently replaced the [[Tacoma Jets]] on the IBL schedule.

== Noteworthy Tacomans ==
Tacoma has been the home to many athletes, artists, and performers. See [[:Category:People from Tacoma, Washington|People from Tacoma]] and [[:Category:Tacoma musical groups|Tacoma musical groups]].

== Influence ==
[[Image:Museum of Glass, Tacoma.jpg|thumb|right|[[Museum of Glass]]]]

Tacoma was 36th in “50 Smart Places to Live,” a ranking by ''[[Kiplinger's Personal Finance]]'' (2006)

[[Toyota]] named a popular line of [[pickup truck]]s the [[Toyota Tacoma]] after the city.

[[Richard Brautigan]] wrote of his Tacoma childhood in his autobiographical short stories "Corporal," "The Armoured Car," "The Auction," and "The Ghost Children of Tacoma," as well as his last finished novel ''[[So The Wind Won't Blow It All Away]]''.

[[Neko Case]]'s '"Thrice All American" (on the album ''[[Furnace Room Lullaby]]'') is an ode to Tacoma, which she considers her hometown. Tacoma is also the subject of the [[Jason Webley]] song "How Big Is Tacoma?" and [[Girl Trouble]]'s "My Hometown".

== Neighborhoods ==
[[Image:TacomaSkyline.jpg|thumb|right|Tacoma with a view of [[Mount Rainier]].]]

*[[Central Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington|Central Tacoma]]
**[[Hilltop Neighborhood, Tacoma, Washington|Hilltop]] (shared with Downtown)
**[[Delong Park, Tacoma, Washington|Delong Park]]
**[[The Wedge, Tacoma, Washington|The Wedge]]
**[[The McCarver Neighborhood, Tacoma, Washington|The McCarver Neighborhood]] (shared with New Tacoma/Downtown)
**[[Bryant, Tacoma, Washington|Bryant]]
**[[College Heights, Tacoma, Washington|College Heights]]
*[[New Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington|New Tacoma]]
**[[Downtown, Tacoma, Washington|Downtown Tacoma]]
***[[St. Helens Neighborhood, Tacoma, Washington|St. Helens Neighborhood]]
***[[Theater District, Tacoma, Washington|Theater District]]
***[[Central Business District, Tacoma, Washington|Central Business District]]
***[[Warehouse/Brewery District, Tacoma, Washington|Warehouse/Brewery District]]
***[[Foss Waterway, Tacoma, Washington|Foss Waterway]]
***[[The McCarver Neighborhood, Tacoma, Washington|The McCarver Neighborhood]] (shared with Central Tacoma/Hilltop)
***[[Stadium District, Tacoma, Washington|Stadium District]] (shared with North Tacoma)
***[[Dome District, Tacoma, Washington|Dome District]]
**[[Port of Tacoma]]
*[[East Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington|East Tacoma]]
**[[McKinley Hill, Tacoma, Washington|McKinley Hill]]
**[[Salishan, Tacoma, Washington|Salishan]]
**[[Hillsdale, Tacoma, Washington|Hillsdale]]
**[[Swan Creek, Tacoma, Washington|Swan Creek]]
**[[Strawberry Hill, Tacoma, Washington|Strawberry Hill]]
*[[North Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington|North Tacoma]]
**[[North Slope, Tacoma, Washington|North Slope]]
**[[Old Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington|Old Tacoma]]
**[[Proctor District, Tacoma, Washington|Proctor District]]
**[[Prospect Hill, Tacoma, Washington|Prospect Hill]]
**[[Ruston, Washington|Ruston]] (separately incorporated)
**[[Ruston Way, Tacoma, Washington|Ruston Way]]
**[[Skyline, Tacoma, Washington|Skyline]]
**[[Stadium District, Tacoma, Washington|Stadium District]] (shared with Downtown)
**[[Westgate, Tacoma, Washington|Westgate]] (shared with West Tacoma)
**[[Yakima Hill, Tacoma, Washington|Yakima Hill]]
*[[Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington|Northeast Tacoma]]
**[[Browns Point, Washington|Browns Point]] (unincorporated)
**[[Crescent Heights, Tacoma, Washington|Crescent Heights]]
*[[South End, Tacoma, Washington|South End]]
**[[Fern Hill, Tacoma, Washington|Fern Hill]]
**[[Lincoln International District, Tacoma, Washington|Lincoln International District]]
**[[Wapato, Tacoma, Washington|Wapato]]
**[[Stewart Heights, Tacoma, Washington|Stewart Heights]]
**[[Larchmont, Tacoma, Washington|Larchmont]]
*[[South Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington|South Tacoma]]
**[[Edison, Tacoma, Washington|Edison]]
**[[South Park, Tacoma, Washington|South Park]]
**[[Manitou, Tacoma, Washington|Manitou]]
**[[Oakland/Madrona, Tacoma, Washington|Oakland/Madrona]]
**[[Tacoma Mall, Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma Mall]]
*[[West Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington|West Tacoma]]
**[[Highlands, Tacoma, Washington|Highlands]]
**[[Narrows, Tacoma, Washington|Narrows]]
**[[Titlow, Tacoma, Washington|Titlow]]
**[[Salmon Beach, Tacoma, Washington|Salmon Beach]]
**[[Westgate, Tacoma, Washington|Westgate]] (shared with North Tacoma)

==Sister cities==
Tacoma has ten [[town twinning|sister cities]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tacomaculture.org/international/sistercities.asp |title=International programs - Sister Cities |work=TacomaCulture.com |publisher=City of Tacoma |accessdate=2008-07-23}}</ref>

*{{flagicon|NOR}} [[Ålesund]] ([[Norway]])
*{{flagicon|CUB}} [[Cienfuegos]] ([[Cuba]])
*{{flagicon|PHL}} [[Davao]] ([[Philippines]])
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Fuzhou]] ([[People's Republic of China|China]])
*{{flagicon|South Africa}} [[George, South Africa|George]] ([[South Africa]])
*{{flagicon|South Korea}} [[Gunsan]] ([[South Korea]])
*{{flagicon|ISR}} [[Kiryat Motzkin]] ([[Israel]])
*{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kitakyushu]] ([[Japan]])
*{{flagicon|TWN}} [[Taichung City]] ([[Republic of China|Taiwan]])
*{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Vladivostok]] ([[Russia]])

==See also==
*[[Tacoma Public Library]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.chugworth.com/ ''Chugworth Academy'']
{{commonscat|Tacoma, Washington}}
*{{RSS|http://www.chugworth.com/rss/rssfeed.xml ''Chugworth'' RSS}} (Dead now)
{{Mapit-US-cityscale|47.241371|-122.459389}}
*[http://www.cityoftacoma.org/ Official site of City of Tacoma]
*[http://www.gomanga.com/manga/chugworth.php Seven Seas Entertainment's ''Chugworth Academy'' Page]
*[http://www.portoftacoma.com/ Port of Tacoma]
*[http://www.networkjay.com/ ''NetworkJay''] (Personal site of Jamal)
*[http://www.tacomachamber.org/ Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce]
*[http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=5055 "Tacoma -- Thumbnail History," Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History]
*[http://www.traveltacoma.com/ Tacoma Regional Convention and Visitor Bureau]
*{{dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Washington/Localities/T/Tacoma/}}

{{Pierce County, Washington}}
{{Washington}}
{{Seattle Metro}}
{{AllAmericanCity}}


[[Category:Cities in the Seattle metropolitan area]]
[[Category:2000s webcomics]]
[[Category:Cities in Washington]]
[[Category:Comedy webcomics]]
[[Category:Pierce County, Washington]]
[[Category:webcomics in print]]
[[Category:Tacoma, Washington| Tacoma]]
[[Category:Seven Seas Entertainment titles]]
[[Category:County seats in Washington]]
[[Category:Port settlements in Washington]]
[[Category:Settlements established in 1864]]


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Revision as of 21:53, 12 October 2008

Chugworth Academy
File:Chugworth Academy -1.jpg
Cover to Chugworth Academy Volume 1
Author(s)Dave Cheung
Jamal Joseph Jr.
Websitehttp://chugworth.com/
Current status/scheduleUpdates Monday & Friday
Launch dateJune 19, 2000 [1]
Genre(s)Comedy

Chugworth Academy is a webcomic that was started by Dave Cheung on June 19, 2000. It is also sometimes called Chugworth Academy 2, as the strip underwent a full relaunch on May 21, 2003, following a complete loss of the archives of the original comic. From April 2007 until August 27, 2007, the site was down. On August 28, 2007, the site went back online. It is now hosted by Snafu Comics.

Currently the rest of the site is being rebuilt. The comic has resumed as of September 17, 2007. The site hasn't been updated since Friday April 4th 2008, until late July 30th 2008, followed by another update on Monday August 18th. Long unannounced breaks in posting are not uncommon.

Creators

Dave Cheung is the original creator of Chugworth Academy. He works with Jamal Joseph Jr. on the scripts. Cheung handles the concepts and artwork himself.

Plot

The strip revolves around the lives of four teenagers, two of whom attend Chugworth Academy, an elite prep school. The tone of the strip runs heavily towards sexual situations and fanservice. There are also several spinoff strips, like Pancake Motherfuckers and Classic Comedy Moments.

The comic is intended to be read by older audiences. The text presented upon viewing the site reads:

"This website and comic is unsuitable for young children or those who straddle a particularly high moral horse. It sometimes contains themes such as comedy violence and mild sexual references as well as the liberal use of curse words. As such, if you are offended by such things, do me a favour and don't enter this website so you can just bitch about it to me afterwards. If, however, you are a liberally minded person who enjoys inane humour, cartoon teenagers doing stupid things and cheese, then click on enter and enjoy the comic."

Cast

Major characters

  • Sally Richards - Cynical, sarcastic and has more intellectual clout than everyone she socializes with. She also has a geeky side to her nature that she tries very hard to conceal - mostly revolving around an unhealthy obsession with computer games and pencil and paper role-playing games. She also likes Kiyoshi very much and has sex with him often, albeit always "off-screen," as it were. Currently, the relationship has hit a rough spot when Kiyoshi accidentally broke both of Sally's legs by knocking her down a flight of stairs, ruining her chance at competing in the U.S. Open. Sally has therefore dumped Kiyoshi, although whether this is permanent or not remains to be seen. Her legs have healed since then, but she is still unable to walk and has to use a wheelchair, or has to be carried by Chloe. She has also cut her previously long hair to chin length.
  • Chloe Winsdale - Sally's cousin and best friend, although they are often mistaken for sisters. Chloe hates anything mainstream and listens to the most obscure Punk and Metal bands on the planet. She also likes to think she's rebellious, even though she's a well-mannered, straight-A student. Her prized possession is her talking electronic keychain of Witchy Cranky Poo, from unreleased comic "The God Machine" by Chandra Free. Her other closest companion is a teddy bear with a pierced ear. It also seems she might be the only virgin among the main cast members.
  • Kiyoshi Masamune - A well-endowed half Japanese- half American. Sally and Kiyoshi have been dating for what seems like forever, giving substance to the claim that "opposites attract." Dim-witted but good-natured and totally in love with Sally, Kiyoshi is a modestly successful underwear model and the public face of Splammo Drinks company - not bad for someone with the intellect of a mollusk. He's obsessed with sandwiches. Kiyoshi is now going through an emo phase as a result of being dumped by Sally, and is so depressing that even the other emos have told him to cheer up. His continuous consumption of Splammo has also had an ill effect on his mind, which causes him to see a foul-mouthed Mickey Mouse at odd times, and is also a likely contributor to his diminished intelligence quotient.
  • Ellice Matthews - Unstable, moody, as dim-witted as Kiyoshi, and perhaps bisexual, Ellice longs for a career as a top film actress but generally comes up short in the jobs she finally lands. She is Kiyoshi's best friend as well as a long-time friend of Sally and Chloe. Unfortunately, she is often the butt of their jokes. She is also Kiyoshi's father's lover, which has recently been a subject of some contention between them.

Supporting Characters

  • Dar - A character from Jamal Joseph's Goth and Jock strip who made an appearance early in Chugworth's continuity, Dar is the goth of the pair. He has longish black hair and always wears a cross around his neck, and is obsessed with death and morbid subjects.
  • Jam - The other half of Jamal's Goth and Jock duo, who appeared in the early storyline featuring the pair. Jam is the jock of the two, and is often more boastful than he can realistically back up.
  • Mr. Tummy Giggles - Tummy Giggles is a children's television show host who also seems to be somewhat of a sex offender, groping Ellice when she served as the assistant on his show, and displaying somewhat pedophiliac tendencies. He was last seen co-anchoring the New Bumpshire Action News with Laura Crabbs.
  • Laura Crabbs - Laura is the co-anchor of the New Bumpshire Action News, and is highly composed and professional, providing a comedic foil to her rather less professional co-workers.
  • P-Quay McNasty - P-Quay is a "former hip hop sensation" who now provides sports coverage for New Bumpshire Action News. He's Caucasian, but wears a large jeweled dollar sign on a necklace and speaks African-American Vernacular English.
  • Mister Sundance - Chugworth Academy's fundamentalist Christian Religious Studies teacher who insists Sally is a slut for being the only one in her class to admit she's not a virgin. He seems to have a personal vendetta against her because of that, despite her perfect grades. He's also quite possibly gay, ironically.
  • Manuel Bistro, Red Commando - Manuel is a Communist revolutionary who led a team of other revolutionaries and took over Sally's classroom briefly in an attempt to overthrow...well, something.
  • Slappy Shortbobski - A member of Manuel Bistro's team who is a "master of the deadly art of Spoon Combat". The exact nature of Spoon Combat has yet to be revealed.
  • Fernando Cassanova - Fernando is another member of Bistro's team. He is reputedly irresistible to women and wears a coat made from the "pubic hair of his conquests." He also appears to be irresistible to Mr. Sundance, who "offered himself up" to Cassanova in order to "save" Sally and Chloe from the Red Commandos.
  • The Director - Director of the Blockbuster movie "The Slow and the Moderately Angry" as well as countless other Box Office hits. Does not tolerate failure.
  • Kiyoshi's Dad - He is the father of Kiyoshi, but he is also a ninja and insists Kiyoshi uphold that honor. He has a heavy accent, but is a ladies man like his son (sleeping with Ellice on more than one occasion). He tends to get his 'L's and his 'R's mixed up. He also believes that Naruto Uzumaki is the greatest ninja ever thus making some fans believe that he watches ninja based anime.
  • Mr. Splammodopolis - Head of the Splammo Drinks Empire and the world's wealthiest man. He neglects his son Demitri, instead concentrating on his protege Kiyoshi. Splammodopolis is possibly even less intelligent than Kiyoshi, insisting on ham flavored sodas and actually burning his employees alive when firing them.
  • Mr Splammodopolis' Assistant - Mr Splammodopolis' personal assistant who is several times more intelligent than her employer. She is very good at what she does and even better at angering Ellice Matthews when they first meet.
  • Demitri Splammodopolis - Heir to the Splammo-Inc fortune, he is often ignored by his father, who has taken a greater liking towards Kiyoshi. This induces a deep rooted hatred in Demitri towards Kiyoshi whom he finally decided to kill after finding out he was dating Sally Richards, who he had become infatuated with. He is currently in jail for the murder of Vance Petrol.
  • Rabbit Girl (Real name: Bunnie Mittens) - Demitri's unofficial girlfriend whom he solely uses for sex. She is rather naive and talkative, much to Demitri's pleasure and dismay respectively. She insists the two are in love. Her younger brother Bobby is also one of Sally's role-playing friends, who constantly speaks street slang.
  • Rabbit Girl's Friend (Real name: Aimee Downings) - Rabbit Girl's best friend who is sadly as naive as she is.
  • Vance Petrol - An A-list Hollywood action star, he is Kiyoshi's costar in his latest film, "The Slow and Moderately Angry", and is a parody of Vin Diesel. He stayed at Sally's house during the initial filming of the movie before meeting an untimely end. Seemingly invincible, it took several attempts on his life and a heart attack to kill him.
  • Pringles the Almadirro/Armadillo - Sally's pet Armadillo, given to her by Kiyoshi. Referred to as an 'Almadirro' by Kiyoshi and his father, Pringles carelessly flirts through life, doing such things as peeing on Sally and having sex with cats. He inadvertently caused Sally to break her legs when he was thrown at her by Kiyoshi, effectively ending Kiyoshi and Sally's relationship.
  • Tyrone - An African-American boy that plays Dungeons and Dragons with Sally after school. He appears to be a parody of Will Smith's character on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, with a rich Uncle Bill, an English butler named Gregory, and a short cousin named Charleston.
  • The Intern (correction might be needed) recurring character that never had her name stated. First possible appearance is on #208 where she is an intern on Kiyoshi's movie set where she got shot by Demitri, who was trying to kill Kiyoshi. From then on her left arm was always shown in a sling. She later worked in Taco Bell while still healing. On #354 she got hit by a kunai in her right arm, during a ninja fight at the Taco Bell, possibly by Kiyoshi's dad to stop her complaining.

Published works

A book was released in 2004, "Chugworth Academy: All Aboard the Mentalist Train" (ISBN 1-4116-2011-9), which is no longer available at the Chugworth Academy store or direct from the self-publisher, Lulu. Seven Seas Entertainment released a second bound collection, "Chugworth Academy Volume 1" (ISBN 1-933164-17-4) on July 3, 2006; this version differing from the first in print size, number of comics, and the addition of exclusive material.


External links

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