The first streetcar stop in Point Defiance Park was built in the 1890's as a rustic shelter with benches. In those days most visitors to the park arrived by streetcar and the shelter stood in this approximate location near the Lodge and gardens, only a short walk to the beach. The many attractions of the park, including the octagonal pavilion on the waterfront,drew massive crowds that neccessitated adding a second track to the Point Defiance Line in 1903.
The Pagoda replaced the rustic shelter as the streetcar station in 1914. It was a spacious facility that met a variety of needs. Designed in an eclectic Japanese Temple or lodge style by the local architect Luther Twichell, this structure housed the waiting room for the streetcar riders as well as a modern first aid station and luxurious restrooms finished in marble. During the summer season restroom attendents handed out towels and kept everything spotless. After buses replaced streetcars in 1938, the Pagoda continued as the terminus for the routes that served Point Defiance Park.
The Capital District of Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs remodeled the building in 1963 for use by affiliate clubs for garden shows, demonstrations and meeting space. The Pagoda underwent a major restoration in 1988.
The station is located adjacent to the park's Japanese Garden overlooking the Puget Sound. It is now a rental facility for weddings and other events.