If you’ve driven around the St. Patrick Catholic Church in the North End of Tacoma, you’ve probably seen the patches of cobblestone street or heard them thudding under your tires.
Why are there cobblestones here? Do they add to Tacoma’s charm, or are they a nuisance the city should repair?
This reporter went out in her car to test some of the roads near North 11th Street on Friday. The buckling stones forced a slow drive up a steep incline. Most of the 5.5 lane miles of brick and cobblestone streets in Tacoma were installed in the early 1900s, generally prior to 1910 and in an era before cars, city spokesperson Maria Lee told The News Tribune…