On May 23, 1942, eighteen boys from Pierce and Kitsap Counties, members of the Future Farmers of America, were presented by Sears, Roebuck and Co. with young wiggling, squealing pure bred female pigs. The pigs came from the Carstens Packing Co. and the boys are photographed in front of the Carsten's general office. Three male pigs were also donated to the F.F.A. to be used in a "chain-litter" program. The pigs were to be bred and from each new litter, the boys were to donate 1 or 2 of the female piglets to fellow F.F.A. members. (T.Times 5/25/1942 p.12)

Future Farmers of America (Pierce County); Youth organizations--Pierce County; Swine; Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Young boys pose in front of Carstens Meat Packing Co. with a banner, "Future Farmers of American Pure Bred Livestock Project" and several young pigs. The pigs are shown in wooden crates and burlap bags. On May 23, 1942, the boys, members of the Future Farmers of America from Pierce and Kitsap counties, were presented with the young pure-bred female pigs. The pigs were donated by Sears, Roebuck and Co. in a national pig breeding project. Three male pigs were also donated in a "chain-litter" proposition. The females would be bred, and from each litter the boys would give 1-2 females to fellow FFA members. (T. Times 5/25/1942, pg. 12)

Future Farmers of America (Pierce County); Youth organizations--Pierce County; Swine; Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Man standing with palomino horse at Carsten's Packing Co.

Palomino horse; Horses--Tacoma; Carsten's Packing Co. (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Post-war Jubilee Celebration had many parades, gatherings, contests and many other festivities during the ten day period. View of Carstens Packing Co. parade wagon, horses, and staff returning after the parade was wrapped up.

Carriages & coaches--Tacoma; Carts & wagons--Tacoma; Horses--Tacoma; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1946. Employees at Carstens Packing company are finishing hundreds of sausages and are preparing them for curing. The woman on the farthest right is Emma Pease. The man wearing a white hat, seated third from right, is possibly Albert Knelleken. TPL-6601

Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sausages--Tacoma; Pease, Emma; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma)--People;

Carstens Packing Company. Cliff Purnell (left), assistant beef man, and Morris Elyn, assistant sales manager hold up weiners. Mr. Purnell's are end-to-end while Mr. Elny's batch is wrapped with a label and side-by-side. This came about when Carstens Packing Company put a new Kartridg-Pack machine into use in mid-May 1947. (T.Times, 5/21/1947, p.7)

Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Purnell, Cliff; Elyn, Morris; Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Frankfurters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Publicity;

On May 15, 1947, employees of the Carstens Packing Company gathered around their new Kartridg-Pack machine. Some of the women were working on the sausage packing line, while other employees were admiring the end product. The new machinery packed the wieners side-by-side, bound together by paper loops instead of the usual method of stringing them tail-to-tail. The Kartridge-Pack had the ability to pack 3,200 pounds of wieners per 8 hour shift. (T.Times, 5/21/1947, p.7)

Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Frankfurters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Publicity; Bundling (Packing)--Tacoma--1940-1950;

O'Connell-Ragan, Carstens fleet of trucks at plant, Corey Wilbur. Carstens added refrigerated trucks to their fleet. Glenn Gray, supervisor of Carstens sausage sales, packs a delivery basket with sausages, ham, and other wrapped items from the air conditioned compartments to fill an order. The entire truck interior was lined with separate compartments. The temperature was maintained at 34 - 38 degrees. (T.Times, 6/18/1947, p.7)

Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meat; Sausages--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gray, Glenn;

O'Connell-Ragan, Carstens fleet of trucks at plant, Corey Wilbur. Carstens has added several refrigerated trucks to their fleet. They are shown lined up at the company loading platform waiting for a supply of sausage and smoked meat products. The new trucks are the first of their kind in Tacoma. They were built on Chevrolet chasis and designed by Right of Way Auto Works of Tacoma. The refrigerated units were designed by Otto Stolz and Clarence Mase at Carstens. The trucks are called "mobile sales units". ( T.Times,6/18/1947, p.7)

Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meat; Sausages--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Right of Way Auto Works (Tacoma); Stolz, Otto; Mase, Clarence;

The oldest employees at Carstens, on spec. This group of employees pose in front of one of Carstens delivery trucks.

Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Employees--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A group of Hawaiians visiting Carstens' plant, O'Connell Ragan Company, Chuck Denton. This display shows the whole animals hung and in various popular cuts of meat. Ribbons connect a specific cut of meat with the part of the animal it comes from. (T.Times, 8/9/1947, p.1)

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commerce;

A group of Hawaiians visiting Carstens' plant, O'Connell Ragan Company, Chuck Denton. A close-up view of the lamb display Carstens presented to business people from Hawaii visiting Tacoma and other Northwest location on a good will tour to learn about trade opportunities with local companies. (T.Times, 8/9/1947, p.1)

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commerce; Meat cutting--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A group of Hawaiians visiting Carstens' plant on August 8, 1947, for O'Connell Ragan Company, Chuck Denton. A luxurious display of beef was presented by Carstens for the visiting business people from Hawaii. Four beef animals are hung and large cuts of meat are included in the display. One carcass has been sectioned and ribbons connect the cut of meat with the section of the animal it comes from. (T.Times, 8/9/1947, p1)

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commerce; Meat cutting--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meat;

A group of Hawaiians visiting Carstens' plant, O'Connell Ragan Company, Chuck Denton. Three pigs are included in the display of meat at Carstens for the visitors from Hawaii. Pork cuts from the animal are clearly connected by ribbons with the carcass. (T.Times, 8/9/1947, p.1)

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commerce; Meat cutting--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A group of Hawaiians visiting Carstens' plant, O'Connell Ragan Company, Chuck Denton. Twenty-two Hawaiian business people were on a good will tour of the Northwest. They were hosted by representatives of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. While visiting in Tacoma they discussed sound business policies such as the necessity for direct air service between the Northwest and Hawaii, statehood for Hawaii and a desire to know trade possibilities with the Northwest. (T.Times, 8/9/1947, p.1)

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Sausages--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commerce;

A delegation of 22 business leaders from Honolulu visited the Pacific Northwest in August of 1947 to help foster trade - and support for statehood for their territory. The Tacoma Chamber of Commerce arranged a full schedule of activities for the visiting business men including a trip to the Carstens Packing Company on the tideflats where they were given a ride in Carstens' horse-drawn meat wagon. Some of the staff stood on the roof of the loading dock to get a look at the festivities. The delegation went on from Tacoma to visit Mount Rainier and Olympia. (T.Times, 8/9/1947, p.1) TPL-9602

Horse teams--Tacoma--1940-1950; Carts & wagons--Tacoma--1940-1950; Loading docks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commerce; Guests--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A group of Hawaiians visiting Carstens' plant, O'Connell Ragan Company, Chuck Denton. Carstens Packing Company put on an informational display and discussion of many cuts of meat. Their display included pork, beef and lamb. Carstens was one of four firms visited during the Hawaiian business people's visit to Tacoma. They also visited Pacific Match, Western Boat Company and The Puyallup plant of Washington Packers. (T.Times, 8/9/1947, p.1)

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commerce; Guests;

Banquet at Carstens for retiring employee, O'Connell-Fagan, Denton. Emil T. Mortensen was retiring from Carstens Packing Company after 39 years. He started with Carstens in 1908 and served as floorman in the killing floor department. The entire department attended a steak dinner at the plant restaurant where Mr. Mortensen was presented a gold watch. Emil Mortensen is wearing the three-piece suit in the front row. His wife, Anna W., is next to him. Karl J. Maxwell, general manager of Carstens, is also in the front row with suit and bow tie. (T.Times, 8/25/1947, p.2)

Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Retirements--Tacoma--1940-1950; Employees--Tacoma--1940-1950; Mortensen, Emil T.; Mortensen, Anna W.; Maxwell, Karl J.;

Carstens slogan said "Only the Best in the West is Labeled --- Carstens". Carstens Packing Company were the largest independent meat packers on the West Coast. The company had three packing plants located in Tacoma, Seattle and Spokane. View of three Carstens employees enjoying the company Christmas party at the main office in Tacoma, the woman is carrying a little lamb, photo ordered by O'Connell-Ragan advertising agency.

Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Christmas--Tacoma; Office workers--Tacoma; Sheep; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma)--People; O'Connell-Ragan Co. (Tacoma);

Carstens Packing Company offered the highest quality products including: "Kimberly Beef", "T.C. Bacon", pork, lamb, "T.C. Sausage", veal, canned meats and "Sweet-N-Tender Ham". View of Carstens employees enjoying their company's Christmas party, which is being held at the main office in Tacoma, staff members are getting ready to sing Christmas carols, photo ordered by O'Connell-Ragan advertising agency.

Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Office workers--Tacoma; Christmas carols; Christmas--Tacoma; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma)--People; O'Connell-Ragan Co. (Tacoma);

For many years Carstens Packing Company was a leader in the meat packing industry. They had the most modern packaging and shipping equipment located at their Tideflats plant. Carstens always offered their clients the highest quality products. View of Carstens employees enjoying Christmas turkey at the 1947 Carstens Christmas party held at the main office. Third from left is Jim P. Seabeck. Mr. Seabeck, now 96, resides in Spokane. Clay Lawrence has been identified as the man in the white coat seated at extreme left. He was the traffic manager at Carstens and worked there until his death in 1963. Photo ordered by O'Connell-Ragan advertising agency. (Additional identification provided by readers in 2010 and 2012)

Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Office workers--Tacoma; Eating & drinking--Tacoma; Christmas--Tacoma; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Seabeck, Jim P.; Lawrence, Clay; O'Connell-Ragan Co. (Tacoma);