South Tacoma Motor Company, view of showroom. Customers admire 1968 Chevrolets: Chevelle 4-door in foreground, Nova SS at left center, two Impalas at right. Vintage Chevrolet roadster, believed to be a 1914 Royal Mail, in left background. Bob's Burger Barn can be spotted through the dealership's large windows across the street in the Food King Supermarket parking lot. Photograph ordered by John Handy Organization, Detroit. TPL-6546

South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Chevrolet automobile; Showrooms--Tacoma--1960-1970;

On January 4, 1968, prospective car buyers milled around the showroom of South Tacoma Motor Company, at 5602-08 South Tacoma Way, admiring the new 1968 Chevrolets. An employee pointed out the fine workmanship of the Camaro SS-350 to a prospective buyer, a military man in dress uniform. Another salesman chatted with a young woman who was testing the passenger seat of a Camaro RS-327 convertible. Also pictured was the new Impala 4-door sedan with 327 V-8 engine. Photograph ordered by John Handy Organization, Detroit. TPL-10261

South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Chevrolet automobile; Showrooms--Tacoma--1960-1970; Military personnel--Tacoma--1960-1970; Sales personnel--Tacoma--1960-1970;

South Tacoma Motor Company, view of showroom from glassed-in office area. 1968 Chevrolets on display: Chevelle 4-door in foreground, Nova SS at left center, two Impalas at right. Vintage Chevrolet roadster in left background. Photograph ordered by John Handy Organization, Detroit.

South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Chevrolet automobile; Showrooms--Tacoma--1960-1970;

South Tacoma Motor Company, outdoor view. Mount Tahoma principal George Fallis and salesman Earl Christianson (at right) talk next to 1968 Chevrolet Impala 2-door hardtop with 327 V8 before leaving for a test drive in January, 1968. Photograph ordered by John Handy Organization, Detroit.

South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Chevrolet automobile; Christianson, Earl;

South Tacoma Motor Company view in showroom of new cars. A salesman is on the telephone in front of a 1968 Chevrolet Nova SS. A 4-door Chevelle is in the background. Photograph ordered by John Handy Organization, Detroit.

South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Chevrolet automobile; Showrooms--Tacoma--1960-1970; Telephones; Sales personnel--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Evening view in May of 1968 of Steven Motor Company, Chrysler and Plymouth dealers. Neon and backlit plastic signs on building and posts, new Plymouths in showroom window and on outdoor lot, used car department beyond. Steven Motor Co. had been at 2705 South Tacoma Way since late 1959. They had previously been in the downtown Broadway area for decades. Color photo ordered by Action Color Advertising, Portland, Oregon.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Plymouth automobile; Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1960-1970; Signs (Notices);

ca. 1969. South Tacoma Motor Company, exterior view into Service Entrance, during the summer of 1969. A Chevrolet Suburban is parked in front of Credit Manager Lloyde Holstrom's office door. Master Charge sign at top right, Coca-Cola machine with service awards hanging above inside building. South Tacoma Motor Co. was an authorized Chevrolet dealer and was proud to offer qualified technicians. Fast, expert and low-cost, the South Tacoma Motor Co. guaranteed its work. "It's the 'Know-How' that Counts" was used as their motto in the 1969 City Directory. Photograph ordered by Harry S. Pearson, Seattle.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma); Signs (Notices);

ca. 1969. South Tacoma Motor Company, Used Car Division. Small ultra-modern sales office with covered driveway, several Chevrolet Impalas, a Chevelle SS, a Buick, a Volkswagen Squareback wagon, parked on lot. Although the building is named "South Tacoma Chevrolet," this was actually the used car division of South Tacoma Motor Co. The structure had been designed by architect William Hocking and had several plants of Asian variety. The 1969 City Director indicates that Beryl K. Price was manager of the lot. Photograph ordered by Harry S. Pearson, Seattle.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Automobiles--Tacoma--1960-1970; South Tacoma Chevrolet (Tacoma); South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1969. General daytime view of South Tacoma Motor Co. dealership. Located at So. 56th and South Tacoma Way, the South Tacoma Motor Co.'s brick and concrete facility occupied a full block. It was one of the oldest businesses in Tacoma as it started out as a livery service in the late 1800s. The Wallerich family acquired the then combined livery and automobile firm in 1919. This view, believed to be taken in the summer of 1969, focuses on the dealership's multi-glass showroom filled with new Chevrolet automobiles. Photograph ordered by Harry S. Pearson, Seattle.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1960-1970; Chevrolet automobile;

Russ Dunmire Oldsmobile, general view of agency building from across rain soaked South Tacoma Way. Two men are picketing the dealership at left center in July of 1969. Several 1950s and 60s automobiles, trucks and vans parked at curb. Although this photograph was taken in July, a large sign remained in the dealership's window advertising "Olds Spring Fashion Show." Photograph ordered by General Motors, Portland.

Russ Dunmire Oldsmobile, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Signs (Notices); Pickets--Tacoma--1960-1970;

ca. 1969. Exterior view of South Tacoma Motor Co.'s new and used trucks, believed to be located at So. 54th and Washington, during the summer of 1969. Customers looking for specialists in Chevrolet service could venture out to three South Tacoma Motor Co. locations. New and used trucks could be purchased at the company's So. 54th and Washington location where all trucks sold had undergone Chevrolet's "OK" program, ensuring that they had been thoroughly inspected, reconditioned and serviced. The South Tacoma Motor Co. was a well-established Tacoma firm owned and operated by the Wallerich family. Photograph ordered by Harry S. Pearson, Seattle.

South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Trucks--Tacoma--1960-1970;

James Will at the Titus-Will Ford dealership. Jim Will and Leon Titus were co-founders of the dealership in 1938. Awards and plaques on wall behind him. Photograph ordered by Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Michigan.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Awards; Titus-Will Ford (Tacoma); Will, James W.;

Seeking to make the car-buying experience as pleasant as possible, Titus-Will Ford built its salesman closing office with ceiling-to-floor windows to bring in natural light and provide unobstructed views of the outdoor landscaping. The customer was positioned so that he could rest his eyes on the trees and shrubbery beyond the salesman; lower windows could also be opened to let in fresh air. A salesman is shown on September 16, 1969, pointing out the details of a new Ford in a glossy magazine to a prospective client. Photograph ordered by the Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Michigan, for a "dealers publication."

Titus-Will Ford (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Sales personnel--Tacoma--1960-1970;

James Will, of Titus-Will Ford, stands next to the large engraving commemorating one of the co-founders of the firm, Leon E.Titus. Mr. Titus, who passed away in 1966, was one of Tacoma's best known automobile dealers. The pair opened a downtown Ford dealership in 1938. Titus Motor Co. offered Ford trucks and cars at its downtown Tacoma location for decades. The dealership moved to its Tacoma Mall-area location next to I-5 in 1967. Photograph ordered by Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Michigan.

Titus-Will Ford (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Engravings; Titus, Leon E.--Associated objects; Will, James W.;

South Tacoma Chevrolet opened a used car division at 6001 South Tacoma Way in 1964. View of inventory, small office building, tidy landscaping. Their new Motor Mall was located on paved lots totaling nearly 40,000 square feet. Sam Price was the manager of the used car lot. The contemporary styled building was designed by architect William Hocking and was decorated with bamboo trees and other Asian plantings. A large ad placed in the News Tribune on January 30, 1964, indicated that South Tacoma Chevrolet's fine used cars carried the famous Chevrolet "OK" used car warranty ensuring complete inspection, reconditioning, and thorough servicing. (TNT 1-30-64, C-3, Ad D-7)

South Tacoma Chevrolet (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Automobiles--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac, Olympia, detailed view of A-framed showroom taken on May 21, 1964. Naturalistic landscaping, gluelam beams anchored in water feature, Cadillac in window, abstract mural and service wing in background. Photograph ordered by the Weyerhaeuser Co.

Automobile dealerships--Olympia--1960-1970; Automobiles--Olympia--1960-1970; Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac (Olympia);

Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac agency, Olympia, Washington. 1964 Pontiac Catalina parked under wooden carport type roof, A-frame structure in background is believed to be agency's showroom. Photograph ordered by the Weyerhaueser Co.

Automobile dealerships--Olympia--1960-1970; Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac (Olympia); Pontiac automobile;

Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac agency, Olympia, general view of dealership. Shed-roofed service wing with Pontiac and Cadillac in the bays and abstract mural on exterior wall to left in photo, A-frame showroom with two 1964 Pontiacs in windows at right. Photograph ordered by the Weyerhaeuser Co.

Automobile dealerships--Olympia--1960-1970; Automobiles--Olympia--1960-1970; Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac (Olympia)

Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac agency, Olympia, general view of A-frame showroom with two 1964 Pontiacs in windows, naturalistic landscaping with water feature in foreground. This May, 1964, photograph of an automobile dealership was a far cry from the stark car lots normally seen in larger cities. The A-frame wooden structure with multiple glass windows and the freshly landscaped surroundings would present a more soothing atmosphere in which to view cars. Photograph ordered by the Weyerhaeuser Co.

Automobile dealerships--Olympia--1960-1970; Automobiles--Olympia--1960-1970; Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac (Olympia);

Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac, Olympia. May 21, 1964, night view of A-frame showroom. Water feature in foreground, Cadillac and Pontiac Bonneville convertible, second level balcony, artwork and electric candelabra visible through glass gable end. Photograph ordered by the Weyerhaeuser Co.

Automobile dealerships--Olympia--1960-1970; Automobiles--Olympia--1960-1970; Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac (Olympia);

Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac agency, Olympia, interior view of service area. Mechanic works on a Cadillac Sedan de Ville on May 21, 1964. Pontiac T-34 and Tempest convertible are on lift racks in background. Photograph ordered by the Weyerhaeuser Co.

Automobile dealerships--Olympia--1960-1970; Automobiles--Olympia--1960-1970; Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac (Olympia); Mechanics (Persons)--Olympia;

Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac, Olympia. Man in bow tie, glasses and Cadillac blazer, possibly owner Dick Lewis, leans on fender of a Cadillac on May 21, 1964. A-frame showroom in background. He is also pictured with a small child near a pond on dealership property in D141760-54. Photograph ordered by the Weyerhaeuser Co.

Automobile dealerships--Olympia--1960-1970; Cadillac automobile; Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac (Olympia);

Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac, Olympia, May, 1964, interior view of second floor waiting room under steep pitched ceiling of natural wood. Modernistic furniture clashes with colonial smoking stands and wall lights. Room overlooks showroom and glass gable end. The car showroom was built in an A-frame style, befitting the exterior's extensive natural landscaping. Photograph ordered by Weyerhaeuser Co.

Automobile dealerships--Olympia--1960-1970; Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac (Olympia);

Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac, Olympia, dealership. Naturalistic landscaping, water features, A-frame showroom. Two Pontiac Catalinas, a Grand Prix and a Bonneville convertible in foreground, other automobiles on lot include a Studebaker Hawk. Photograph was taken on May 21, 1964. Photograph ordered by the Weyerhaeuser Co.

Automobile dealerships--Olympia--1960-1970; Automobiles--Olympia--1960-1970; Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac (Olympia);

Elevated view of Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac dealership in Olympia in May, 1964. Atypical of most car lots, this dealership had a very expansive, nature-oriented atmosphere. The large A-frame showroom blends with the precise landscaping including a large pond and trees scattered around the premises. Potential customers could stroll about the dealership on well-manicured grass and paved driveways. Photograph ordered by the Weyerhaeuser Co. TPL-8156

Automobile dealerships--Olympia--1960-1970; Automobiles--Olympia--1960-1970; Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac (Olympia);

Osborne-McCann Pontiac-Cadillac, general view of dealership. This September, 1962, photograph shows new Pontiacs in showroom, Cadillacs and other automobiles in carport area. Chair-link fencing set up in front of showroom windows. The 1625 South Tacoma Way address had previously been the location of the Irwin-Jones Motor Co. Truck Department until 1954 and the Rowland Pontiac Cadillac Center until 1957. Osborn-McCann moved to Fife in 2004 after 46 years in Tacoma. TPL-9230

Osborn-McCann Pontiac-Cadillac, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Pontiac automobile; Electric signs--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Osborne-McCann Pontiac-Cadillac, view of service lot from the northwest. Many 1950s to early 1960s automobiles are parked in back of the dealership. Cars were still quite large and roomy at that time. There is a motorcycle trike with company name on it in the rear and a Cadillac Coupe de Ville with front body damage at right center. TPL-9231

Osborn-McCann Pontiac-Cadillac, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Automobiles--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Steven Motor Company, Chrysler and Plymouth dealers, general view of agency. Neon signs on building and posts, new Plymouths in showroom window and on outdoor lot, used car department beyond. Steven Motor Co. was located at 2705 South Tacoma Way. It would once again add Chrysler to the company's Plymouth-Valiant sales and service facilities in 1962. Armand Moceri was the manager and Everett Steven, president. (TNT ad 1-1-62, B-12,13)

Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Steven Motor Company, Plymouth and Valiant dealers, general view of their new location. New Plymouths can be seen in the showroom window and on the lot. Owner Everett Steven had over 50 years in the automotive business, beginning in 1916 as a partner to Harold Gilliam of Gilliam & Steven.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1950-1960; Plymouth automobile; Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Steven Motor Co. in their new location at 2705 South Tacoma Way. Steven Motors was the Plymouth and Valiant dealer and had formerly been located in downtown Tacoma on Broadway. Everett T. Steven was the president of the sales and service company. Steven had 50 years experience in the automotive business. He started out with Harold Gilliam as Gilliam & Steven at 733 St. Helens in 1916. Prior to that partnership, Steven had worked at Pacific Car Company as a youngster, polishing the brass on new cars. New Plymouth automobiles can be seen in the showroom window and on the lot. The dealership was 2 1/2 acres with a 350 foot frontage on South Tacoma Way and 600 feet deep. The showroom had 3,000 square feet of floor space with 16 foot high glass windows on 2 1/3 sides. Above the showroom was a conference room and coffee bar, behind the showroom sales offices were the parts department and shop area. (TNT 11/4/1959, section A)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1950-1960; Plymouth automobile; Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma);