 Tacoma was incorporated on November 12, 1875, following its selection in 1873 as the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad due to lobbying by McCarver, future mayor John Wilson Sprague, and others.However, the railroad built its depot in New Tacoma, two miles (3 km) south of the Carr–McCarver development.The two communities grew together and joined, merging on January 7, 1884.