Circa 1910.

• Originally known as the Provident Building, it became the Security Building in 1952. After renovation and remodeling in 2006, the original name was restored.
• Printed on front: Provident Building Tacoma, Wash.

Concerned citizens sponsored a "Help Stop Littering" campaign in the fall of 1970. Chester A. (Chic) Hogan,(r), poses with an unidentified man in the Security Building on September 1, 1970; both are holding a petition proposing an anti-litter law. The Washington Committee to Stop Litter opened a statewide drive that month to obtain 200,000 signatures in support of an initiative against litter. Should the anti-litter law be enacted, litter enforcement would be placed under the State Department of Ecology. Photograph ordered by Washington Committee to Stop Litter. (TNT 9-4-70, p. 8 - article)

Refuse--Washington; Petitions--Washington; Hogan, Chester A.;

ca. 1958. Photograph taken in 1958 at the corner of Pacific Ave. and 10th, looking north on Pacific. The six story Security Building, 917 Pacific Ave., is clearly marked on the side of the building. It was built in 1903 from a design by George Bullard, architect, and named the "Provident Building." It was renamed in 1952. To the right is a smaller building, originally built in 1885 for the Tacoma National Bank and added on to in 1888 (921-23 Pacific Ave.) It has since been demolished. The tenants in 1958 were the Smoke Shop Tavern at 921, the Travel Center of Tacoma at 923 and Archie's Coffee Cup at 925 Pacific Ave. Around the corner was the Lutheran Service Center for service men and Ward-Smith, Inc. The Montgomery Ward catalog center is located at 919 Pacific Ave.

Security Building (Tacoma); Provident Building (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960; Archie's Coffee Cup (Tacoma); Smoke Shop Tavern (Tacoma); Travel Center of Tacoma (Tacoma);

ca. 1906. Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. Exterior of Provident Building, circa 1906. The Provident Building was designed by George Bullard and was finished by summer, 1903. The solid Romanesque-style building was constructed of brick and used the semi-circular Roman arch. Many businesses occupied the six-story structure over the years. At the time of the above photograph, Menzies & Stevens who were clothiers, hatters and furnishers, C.J. Johnson & Co., real state & timber lands, and the Canadian Pacific Railway were listed as doing business there in the 1906 City Directory. The building was renamed the Security Building in 1952. Copy of glass plate made on October 3, 1958.

Provident Building (Tacoma); Security Building (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1900-1910;

Exterior Security Building. A "no parking loading zone" sign sternly advises against the possibility of blocking these loading doors during business hours in 1955. This was probably the rear of the Security Building which was located at 9th & Pacific. The beautiful brickwork has been defaced by scratches and possibly paint. Designed by noted architect George W. Bullard and built in 1903, the building had previously been known as the Provident Building. Photograph ordered by Comfort, Davis & Blangy.

Security Building (Tacoma); Provident Building (Tacoma); Signs (Notices); Comfort, Davis & Blangy (Tacoma);

Exterior Security Building. The venerable Provident Building at 9th & Pacific was renamed the Security Building in 1952. It was designed by architect George W. Bullard and originally built in 1903 by Henry Longstreth. The multi-floored Security Building in 1955 had a variety of occupants, including tailors, realtors, service organizations, physicians, insurance companies and even a detective agency run by former police chief Jack Elich. Businesses nearby included Archie's Coffee Cup, Smoke Shop tavern, and Lavik Travel Bureau. Photograph ordered by Comfort, Davis & Blangy.

Security Building (Tacoma); Provident Building (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960; Comfort, Davis & Blangy (Tacoma);

Two exterior views of Provident Building, W.H. Opie & Company. The six-story brick building was built in 1903. Other tenants in the building were Ghilarducci's California Florists, the U.S. Veterans Rehabilitation Council, the Boy Scouts, Federal Finance, Fox Studio Photographers as well as tailors, reweavers, dentists, lawyers, a music teacher, a health clinic, insurance agents, real estate agents and an employment service. Automobiles are parked in front along Pacific Avenue.

Provident Building (Tacoma); Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business districts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Two exterior views of Provident Building, W.H. Opie & Company, taken on October 8, 1948. The six-story brick building was built in 1903. George W. Bullard was the architect. Looking south along Pacific Avenue brings the Washington Building into view. City Cigar's neon sign is seen in the bottom right. The building was renamed the Securitiy Building ca. 1952. In addition to the Provident Mutual Life Insurance Company the building served as store fronts for Savon Drugs and the Federal Finance Company. A sign for the Republican Party stretched across Pacific Avenue and admonished voters to vote for Dewey and Langlie. TPL-8637

Provident Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business districts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In December of 1942 Mrs. Carl W. Bobb went with her family to the Homes Registration Bureau in the Provident Building at 917 Pacific Avenue for help in finding Living quarters for herself and her son. Her husband, Sgt. Bobb, had just been stationed at Fort Lewis and they were hoping to find housing near him. The influx of defense industry workers and military families during the war was creating a growing problem for the Tacoma Housing Authority. New construction, such as Lincoln Heights and Salishan, took time and capital. Until new housing could be built, Tacomans were asked to list any rooms, apartments or houses that they had available for rent with the Homes Registration Bureau. (TNT 12/17/1942, pg. 8)

Bobb, Carl W.--Family; Homes Registration Bureau (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma;

Publicity for Community Chest, photograph taken at the Tacoma Community Chest office, Room 409, Provident Building. A new committee of educators had recently been formed to introduce Tacoma public school students to the War Chest and its aims. Frank Gorow, director of the Department of Visual Education in Tacoma Public Schools, displays one of the War Chest posters at a committee meeting on August 12, 1942. Pictured, left to right, are Gorow, Miss Mary T. Pakenham, Mrs. Myrtle MacLennan, Miss Lola E. Friars and Mrs. M.D. (Blanche) Wilkinson. (T.Times 8/13/1942 p.4)

Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Teachers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gorow, Frank; Pakenham, Mary; MacLennan, Myrtle; Friars, Lola; Wilkinson, Blanche;

Publicity for Community Chest. A group of teachers gathers at a table in the Tacoma Community Chest office, Room 409, Provident Building. This group of educators had recently been appointed to a committee formed to educate Tacoma students about the War Chest and its goals. Pictured, left to right, are Frank Gorow, Miss Lola E. Friars, Miss Mary T. Pakenham, Mrs. Myrtle MacLennan and Mrs. M.D. (Blanche) Wilkinson. (TNT 8/13/1942 p.9)

Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Teachers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gorow, Frank; Pakenham, Mary; MacLennan, Myrtle; Friars, Lola; Wilkinson, Blanche;

Lt. and Mrs. B.L. Hutchinson sign up for a place to stay with Mrs. Robert Lea at the Homes Registration Bureau in the Provident Building in December of 1942. The war had caused a housing shortage in Tacoma, which was flooded with defense workers, families of military men and people visiting for the holidays. The city had stepped up construction on defense workers' housing in Lincoln Heights and Salishan, but in the meantime Tacomans were asked to list any available rooms or houses for rent. (TNT 3/10/1943)

Homes Registration Bureau (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma;

Tacoma in December of 1942 was flooded with newcomers. Some were defense workers, others families of servicemen and some just visitors for the holidays, but all of them needed a place to stay. The USO Travelers Aid Service headquarters was established at the Provident Building to help locate housing. A Travelers Aid volunteer, believed to be Edith Clement, helps Pvt. Walter Kunkle and his wife Jerry, left, and Margelyn Masrud, right, locate overnight accommodations. (T.Times 12/17/1942, pg. 1)

Kunkle, Walter; Kunkle, Jerry; Masrud, Margelyn; Travelers' Aid (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma;

In August of 1944, Camp Fire Girls Donna Lee Schaller, Nancy Lee Coons, and Florence Neu helped prepare campaign supplies for the upcoming Community War Chest drive. These girls decided to volunteer for the campaign and spend their last few days of summer vacation helping the Tacoma Community Chest and Council office. Camp Fire Girls giving ten hours of community service were eligible for the National Service emblem, with a Red Star added for each additional twenty five hours. (T. Times, 8/25/44, p. 5; TNT 8-26-44, p. 14-alt. photograph).

Camp Fire Girls (Tacoma); Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Schaller, Donna Lee; Coons, Nancy Lee; Neu, Florence;

Camp Fire Girls at Community Chest office. Camp Fire Girls have volunteered for the Community War Chest drive. Left ot right view of Joy High, Betty Prescott and Sally Lou Lundquist as they prepare campaign material for the Tacoma Community Chest and Council office War Chest drive (T. Times, 8/25/44, p. 5).

Children--Organizations--Tacoma; Camp Fire Girls (Tacoma); Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma);

The Provident Building was built in 1903, and has housed many Tacoma businesses. Photo ordered by Mr. George D. Grant, Real Estate agent specializing in business properties and industrial sites. Exterior view of Ghilarducci's California Florists, Brown's Beauty Shop, Laughlen's Cafe,Tacoma Office Supply Co., businesses located within the Provident Building. Billboards promoting war bond sales can be seen on left side of photo.

Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Storefronts--Tacoma; Billboards--Tacoma; Provident Building (Tacoma);

Community Chest campaign. The Community War Chest Drive set a goal of $530,000 in 1944. This money would be used throughout the community, as it was needed. Left to right view of Beverly Albert and Maxine Mandles, standing behind desk soliciting war chest donations from two unidentified people (T. Times, 10/18/44, p. 6).

Community service--Tacoma--1940-1950; Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Mandles, Maxine; Albert, Beverly;

Community Chest campaign. The War Chest Drive "kicked-off" their campaign in October, they set a goal of $530,000. View of two unidentified War Chest volunteers soliciting funds from an unidentified typesetter. Background view of linotype machine.

Community service--Tacoma--1940-1950; Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Typesetting machines;

An unidentified produce clerk at a local market helped Mrs. F.J. McLaughlin of St. Patrick's church (left) and Mrs. G.W. Cookson of St. Leo's fill their baskets with fresh vegetables in October of 1944. A group of Tacoma churches had joined together to prepare the food for the War Chest Campaign worker's luncheon meetings. Every other day a local church group took over preparing and serving the lunches until the campaign closed on October 23rd. (T. Times, 10/10/44, p. 3). TPL-9187

Community service--Tacoma--1940-1950; Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Vegetables--Tacoma;

Community Chest officials were holding a special meeting for community members, business leaders and any interested parties in support of the Tacoma Chest Drive. The speaker is reminding everyone, if the Tacoma Community Chest cannot continue their work, it will force many organizations to separately attempt to raise their funds, forty drives instead of one. The Chest is hoping to reach their goal of $340,000 before Thanksgiving Day (T.N.T., 11/26/47, p. 1).

Public speaking--Tacoma; Meetings--Tacoma; Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950; Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Charity--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma);

Photograph ordered by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. Hal D. Murtland, the man on left, carries a bank bag labelled Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. It contains the money collected from March of Dimes wishing wells. Pete Rettura, the postman on right, carries a mailbag, as well as bundled mail. His load is much heavier this week as the March of Dimes coin cards are being returned in the mail. The first three days of the campaign, which opened January 4th, brought over $2,000 in Pierce County contributions. The pair stand in front of the office door for the Pierce County Chapter of the Foundation, 427-28 in the Security Building. (TNT 1/7/1954, pg. A-7)

National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (Tacoma); Postal service employees--Tacoma; Letter carriers--Tacoma; Murtland, Hal; Rettura, Pete;

ca. 1954. The Board of Directors for State Savings and Loan Association. The Association, now in its 43rd year of service, had made a full circle; returning to newly remodeled offices in the same building where it originally opened in 1912. State Savings opened in third floor offices in what was then called the Provident Building in 1912. In 1954, it returned to ground floor offices in the same, but newly remodeled building, now called the Security Building. The directors, left to right, are Sam E. Allen, J. Charles Dennis, Robert K. Danhauser, Harry O. Matthews, Paul W. Harvey, Thomas G. Morris, and Calvin W. Stewart. (TNT 3/1/1954, pg. 7)

State Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Allen, Sam; Dennis, J. Charles; Danhauser, Robert; Matthews, Harry; Harvey, Paul; Morris, Thomas; Stewart, Calvin;

In June of 1953, the general insurance and real estate firm of Comfort, Davis & Blangy, Inc., had their offices in the newly renamed Security Building (formerly Provident Building) at 917 Pacific Ave. They were located on the ground floor of the six-story building; nearby businesses included Forrester, Inc. Real Estate, Geo. D. Barclay Co. Realtors and Ghilorducci Florists. According to the 1953 City Directory, Arthur B. Comfort was listed as president with Dean L. MacDonald and Arthur B. Comfort, Jr., as vice-presidents and Harry L. Blangy, Secretary. Photograph ordered by Harry Blangy.

Comfort, Davis & Blangy (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960; Security Building (Tacoma); Provident Building (Tacoma);

In June of 1953, the recently renamed "Security Building," 917 Pacific Ave., was photographed showing ground-floor tenants Comfort, Davis, & Blangy, Inc. and Forrester, Inc., both real estate and insurance firms. The Geo. D. Barclay Co. was in the smaller brick building to the immediate left of Comfort, Davis & Blangy. The six-story building, previously known as the Provident Building, was built in 1903 by Henry Longstreth, designed by architect George W. Bullard and was home to many downtown businesses. In 2006, it was once again renamed the Provident Building. Photograph ordered by Harry Blangy.

Security Building (Tacoma); Provident Building (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960; Comfort, Davis & Blangy (Tacoma); Forrester, Inc. (Tacoma); George D. Barclay Co. (Tacoma);

The corner of Pacific Ave. and 9th St., downtown Tacoma, featuring the Provident Building, 917 Pacific Ave. Storefronts indicate the presence of, left to right, the Northwest Airlines ticket office, the Lincolnshire Hotel, and Ted Palmer Real Estate. The six story Romanesque Provident building had many tenants including the Federal Finance Co. Streetlights and automobiles line Pacific Ave. Prominent billboards on the top of the buildings advertise Seagram's and Union Oil's minute man service.

Office buildings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Provident Building (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1950-1960; Billboards--Tacoma; Street lights--Tacoma; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Business districts--Tacoma;