Steve Dunkelberger is back to bring us some more PNW history. As many of you may know, Steve has been a working journalist for more than 20 years at various publications around the Puget Sound. In addition to being a journalist, he is also a judge for the Society of Professional Journalists National Sigma Delta Chi Journalism Awards. He has also has given lectures in the area on issues facing journalists, is a member of the Knights of the Pythias, and offers Drunken History tours of Tacoma. Steve has written two history books on the city of Lakewood and has just published his newest book on McNeil Island. He has also had several of his historical articles published on Historylink.org and in Columbia magazine. His past GCP episodes are Episode 10, a Best Of on Jake Bird, Episode 17 where the guys get to tour The Knights of Pythias’s Commencement Lodge #7, Episode 44 where they discuss The Maury Island Incident, Episode 61 where they talk Drunk History, Episode 73: JBLM, and episode 88: Steve's Drunk History.
03:30 – Steve shares where fans can find him online, Justin gives a shout out to PSP, and talks on the karaoke night the previous night at his house. He gives props to Steve on his karaoke performance, Steve talks about starting the Drunken History tour of Tacoma, and the events he does in the retirement community. He shares the plan for him to expand to doing tours at the Airport Tavern, the drive of his shows, and the plans to make a movie on the story of Jake Bird. Steve mentions how Tacoma was the furniture capital of the world at one point in time and the growth of manufacturing in Tacoma.
18:32 – Steve tells the guys the backstory on the cooling towers towards Aberdeen, he talks on why he chugged a can of clam chowder during his show, and Justin shares the plans for Trapper’s Sushi to return in Tacoma at their previous location. He talks on the plans of new apartments in Old City Hall in Tacoma, Steve shares his wish that the city of Tacoma would allow a return of apartments over Main Street level stores, and Scott and Justin gives props to the Las Tamales Restaurant on 72nd.
37:39 – Justin talks about him and his wife adopting their local roundabout, Steve talks about what his brother did with remaking his local round about, and things Justin is looking into for improving. Scott suggests GCP adopts a roundabout, Steve talks on the Spanish flu of 1918 in light of the Coronavirus, and the amount of people that were killed by the flu during that time. He shares how the working theory of the flu was that it started in America, Justin talks on not wanting to go on a cruise, and Steve talks on the diversity that he likes to put in his stories.
56:32 – Steve drops the haps on the Pythian Temple, his recent DJing at the temple’s Masquerade Party, and other things he has going on in the community. He talks on the history of fraternal lodges, the classes he taught on the making of sock gnomes, and the number of secret societies he’s a part of. Justin turns to coaster questions, Steve shares how he feels the people in Tacoma today would get along well with the people from the early Tacoma days, and they talk on the plan for the Flatstick Pub that will be hitting Tacoma hopefully soon!
Thanks Steve for stopping in and dropping some history on the guys, it’s always a great conversation!!! Special Guest: Steve Dunkelberger.