The Public Safety Building on Pacific Avenue was also known as the City Hall Annex. Originally built for Northern Pacific Railroad for use as its headquarters in 1887, the City of Tacoma purchased the building in 1922 . The south wing of the Italianate, stucco-covered stone structure was later rebuilt to house the jail. The Old City Hall was directly across the street on Pacific. View of the Public Safety Building taken on May 9, 1958, indicates that this was Police Headquarters, with separate entrances for the detective division and for traffic violators. With the completion of the County-City Building in 1959, the Public Safety Building was vacated. An art center was proposed to occupy the empty space and in 1962, the Allied Arts Center began a remodeling project. A few years later, the Public Safety Building escaped total demolition, although the jail wing was destroyed, and was placed on historic registries. Photograph ordered by Alan Liddle, architect. TPL-6491. (Tacoma Rediviva, p. 27)

Public Safety Building (Tacoma); City Hall Annex (Tacoma); Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma);

On Saturday, February 2, 1924, an unidentified boy smiled his way through a "Schick test" at the Health Department's clinic, located in the City Hall Annex at 621 Pacific Avenue. The "Schick test" was a diagnostic test developed by Bela Schick in 1913 to determine susceptibility to the dreaded disease diphtheria. Children testing positive to the injected toxin in the skin test would then be immunized with inactive toxin. Fifty one children reported to the clinic to be tested on February 2nd. Tests were administered by Dr. C.F. Engles, City Health Officer, assisted by Dr. W.B. Penny and Nurse Elizabeth Ericksen. TPL-1634 (TDL 2/3/1924, pg. 4-A) G27.1-128; TPL-1634

Vaccinations; Health care facilities--Tacoma--1920-1930; Clinics--Tacoma--1920-1930;

People are lined up in early February of 1924 to register to vote. State law required that all voters in incorporated cities and towns had to register to vote every two years. February 5th was the last day to register to vote in the city primary to be held on February 26th. The registration office at the City Hall Annex was open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily but Genevieve Martin, city clerk, stated that registration would be extended to midnight on the last day if necessary. 2,460 people lined up to register on February 5th, making it the busiest day for registration that year. The final total of registered voters was 31,686 out of the 40,000 eligible. G42.1-073 (TNT 10-30-23, p. 1-article; TDL 1-7-24, p. 3-article; TDL 2-5-24, p. 1-article; TNT 2-5-24, p. 4; TDL 2-6-24, p. 12)

Voter registration--Tacoma--1920-1930; Queues--Tacoma;

Glory Ragland (second from left), a public health service nurse, and Percy Brush, look on as a dentist who preferred to remain anonymous provided free dental work to a young patient at the new free dental clinic in the City Hall Annex, 621 Pacific Ave. Opened January 21, 1924 and organized by the Kiwanis Club with the cooperation of county, professional and fraternal organizations, the clinic provided free dental services Monday and Tuesday from 9 am to 12 noon, with a local dentist on duty to volunteer his services. A room in the annex had been completely furnished and painted white. The Kiwanis and Elks provided the equipment. Percy Brush was president of the Kiwanis and chairman of the committee responsible for the clinic when it was founded. (TDL 3/26/1924, pg. 3) TPL-659; G27.1-118

Ragland, Glory; Brush, Percy; Dentistry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Dental equipment & supplies--1920-1930; Dental hygiene--Tacoma; Health care facilities--Tacoma;

ca. 1979. The cupola of the Northern Pacific Headquarters Building, 621 Pacific Ave.

Public Safety Building (Tacoma); Northern Pacific Headquarters Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1979. Roof line of the Northern Pacific Headquarters Building, 621 Pacific Ave.

Public Safety Building (Tacoma);

Dwight Howell, behind the wheel of a new Ford convertible from Titus Motor Company, is not receiving a ticket. He has just been honored for being a top student driver. In March of 1941, Ford Motor Co. started the Ford Good Driver League. They worked with police and public safety organizations to encourage traffic safety and good driving habits. This photograph was taken in front of the Public Safety Building at 621 Pacific Avenue. The man at the far left is probably Tacoma Chief of Police Einer Langseth. Howell went on to win the Washington State Finals and represent Washington at the Nationals in August, 1941. The 17 year old Howell graduated from Stadium High School in the Spring of 1941.

Howell, Dwight; Ford automobile; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Law enforcement--Tacoma; Law enforcement officers--Tacoma;

Modelling the latest in "tin hats" and armbands are Civilian Defense officers, left to right, Joseph Lanser, Frank Evans and George Russell. On Friday, April 17, 1942, Tacoma received its first shipment of steel helmets and armbands for their Air Raid Wardens. The shipment included 250 of each. The "tin hats" were made of steel thick enough to protect the wearer from shrapnel splinters. The trio is posing at the Civilian Defense Volunteer office at the City Hall Annex. (T. Times 4/18/1942, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Lanser, Joseph; Evans, Frank; Russell, George; Helmets; Flags--United States;