On August 13, 1954, Tacoma Mayor Harold Tollefson (second from left) presented Air Force General T. Alan Bennett and his wife with a special proclamation declaring them "Tacoma Citizens in Absentia." The Bennett family was being transferred to Fairbanks and Tacoma would sorely miss them. Because the Bennetts were the sort of "neighborly, friendly type of people" Tacoma wanted as residents, the proclamation urged their speedy return. This photograph was taken at the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce offices in the Winthrop Hotel.

Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Mayors--Tacoma--1950-1960; Bennett, T. Alan; Bennett, T. Alan--Family; Generals--United States; Proclamations;

Mayor Harold Tollefson examines gifts from Tacoma's sister city, Kitakyushu (formerly Kokura) on January 11, 1964. He is holding a letter from the Japanese city. The young man on the picture's right is believed to be John Delp, University of Puget Sound student, who had studied in Japan at Kitakyushu University from April-August, 1963. The other young man is possibly Leslie Hagmann, former UPS student of mathematics. Hagmann was the first representative of UPS to visit the Kitakyushu campus since a sister university relationship was established early in 1961.

Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Gifts;

Mayor Harold Tollefson points out an interesting picture in his photo album to a Japanese visitor from Tacoma's sister city, Kitakyushu, on February 5, 1965. The young man is believed to be a student. Linn Johnson, a University of Puget Sound letterman, shares a smile with the mayor and his visitor. Johnson had spent a month in Japan in the spring of 1964 as a student at Kitakyushu University. He and returning college student Nobuyuki Fujimoto boarded the vessel Sanyo Maru in Bellingham for the trip to Japan. Fujimoto, possibly the young man above, had spent eight months at the University of Puget Sound. (TNT 3-19-64, A-6)

Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Johnson, Linn; Photograph albums;

Mayor Ben Hanson presented Dr. Saburo Tomita, director of the Kokura, Japan, Hospital, with a key to the city on September 28, 1961, in front of Tacoma General Hospital. Kokura is Tacoma's sister city. Dr. Tomita delivered a letter of greeting and gift from Kokura Mayor Nobuo Hayashi and in return, received a key to the city from Mayor Hanson. From L-R are Sylvia Sass and Dr. David H. Johnson of the Sister City Committee, Dr. Tomita, Dr. Sumiho Wada, Mayor Hanson and Thomas Takemura. Dr. Tomita had toured Tacoma General the previous day and had visited Mountain View General Hospital on the 28th. (TNT 9-28-61)

Hanson, Ben; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tomita, Saburo; Foreign visitors--Japan; Keys (Hardware); Sass, Sylvia; Johnson, David H.; Wada, Sumiho; Takemura, Thomas;

Mayor Harold Tollefson, photo album resting on one knee, admires a beautifully attired Japanese doll on November 19, 1965. This may have been the doll presented to the mayor on July 22, 1965, by seven Kitakyushu students visiting Tacoma. The two women in the picture have not been identified. Mayor Tollefson had visited Kobe, Japan, in November, 1963, as part of the Japanese-American Conference of Mayors & Chamber of Commerce Officials and had sent progress reports to the News Tribune. Harold Tollefson would serve three terms as Tacoma's mayor.

Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Dolls; Photograph albums;

In September of 1962 Mayor Harold Tollefson (far right) was photographed with three members of Tacoma's Sister City committee. He was showing them the People to People Citation that Tacoma received at the 1962 American Municipal Association congress that was held that year in Philadelphia. The citation was awarded to Tacoma for its Sister City program and its "excellent manner in promoting goodwill." From left to right are Sister City committee members Thomas Takemura, Sylvia Sass and Dr. John Moore. (TNT 8-22-62)

Awards; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Takemura, Thomas; Sass, Sylvia; Moore, John;

On April 12, 1961, former mayor "Big John" Anderson, Mayor Ben Hanson, and Chamber of Commerce president Herbert F. Syford examined the 36' totem pole which had been carved and painted as a gift to the City of Kokura, Japan, from its sister city, Tacoma. The totem pole was on display at the Narrows fire station on Sixth Avenue. The cedar log was donated by Cascade Pole Co. and hauled to the 9th & A fire station headquarters where it was carved and painted by Stadium High School English teacher, Bud Cairns. Only the lower part of the totem pole is seen in the above photograph; characters representing Tacoma's seaport and lumber industries, forest products, commercial fishing, boating, water sports, and rich agriculture in addition to a sketch of the Narrows Bridge, were all found on the totem. "Big John" Anderson led a tour group to Japan in June, 1961, where he expected to present the totem pole, however, due to shipping difficulties, the totem did not actually arrive in Kokura until August. The U.S. Marines came to the rescue by delivering the approximately 2,500 pound totem in a R4Q "Flying Box Car" to Kokura. (TNT 9-24-61, TNT 4-16-61, TNT 3-5-61)

Totem poles--Tacoma; Anderson, John H.; Hanson, Ben; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Syford, Herbert;

Mayor Harold Tollefson bows his head while shaking the hand of Mrs. Motohiko Kanai on April 22, 1964, outside the County-City Building. Her husband, the Japanese governor of Washington's sister prefecture, Hyogo, and Washington governor Albert Rosellini both smile. She is wearing an exquisite silk kimono while also carrying a modern handbag. Governor Kanai was presented with a key to the city by Mayor Tollefson. (TNT 4-22-64, C-16)

Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Rosellini, Albert D.; Governors; Kanai, Motohiko; Kanai, Motohiko--Family;

Mayor Harold Tollefson poses with visiting gardeners from Victoria, British Columbia, on March 16, 1965. The mayor and "Joe" next to him are holding miniature street lamps with tiny blossoms entwined around the columns. TRUEBLOOD 1200

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Foreign visitors--Canada;

Three young men from Kitakyushu University, the sister university of the University of Puget Sound, receive keys to the City of Tacoma from Mayor Ben Hanson on November 8, 1961. Hiromi Yokota, Shinichi Tanaka and Kazama Tsunomachi were paying a two-week visit to Tacoma. When they departed on November 16, the visitors were presented with Douglas Fir seedlings as a "living reminder" of the Pacific Northwest. TRUEBLOOD 593 (see G51.1-025 for additional photograph of visitors)

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Hanson, Ben; Foreign visitors--Japan; Yokota, Hiromi; Tanaka, Shinichi; Tsunomachi, Kazama;

Mayor Gordon Johnston is pictured on September 18, 1970, kneeling before an Alaska Airlines stewardess. She has one hand on his shoulder and is reading from a framed plaque. TRUEBLOOD 1984

Mayors--Tacoma--1970-1980; Johnston, Gordon N.; Flight attendants;

Mayor Harold Tollefson posed with about 50 beauty queens and various police units on May 15, 1962, in front of what is believed the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Avenue South. Although this particular photograph apparently did not appear in the local newspaper, it may have been taken in conjunction with the Century 21 Exposition, better known as the Seattle World's Fair, which was already in progress. TRUEBLOOD 682

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Tacoma Mayor Gordon Johnston and Canadian visitors. The mayor is assisting with a garter with attached tiny holster and pistol. It is possible that the visitors were in town to participate in the annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival parade which was held on Saturday, April 11th. TRUEBLOOD 1935

Mayors--Tacoma--1970-1980; Johnston, Gordon N.; Foreign visitors--Canada;

Albert Lawrence Rasmussen was elected mayor of Tacoma in 1967. This photograph was taken in the Mayor's office on Naturalization Day, September 9, 1969. Trueblood #1870 ALBUM 16.

Rasmussen, Albert Lawrence; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970

What better way to introduce visitors to the Northwest's scenic beauty than a relaxing cruise on Commencement Bay? Mayor Ben Hanson (2nd from left) welcomed the delegation from Tacoma's Japanese sister city on July 16, 1959. Kokura (now part of Kitakyushu), Japan became Tacoma's first sister city on July 2, 1959. Tiachung, Taiwan became Tacoma's ninth sister city in May 2000. ALBUM 16. Trueblood #81.

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hanson, Ben; Delegations--Japanese; Foreign visitors--Japan; Boats;

Mayor Ben Hanson gestures as his visitor, L. Shukin of Turkey, watches on the grass outside the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Avenue South, on July 10, 1961. The mayor may have been pointing toward the old Central School building further up the street. TRUEBLOOD 524

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Hanson, Ben; Shukin, L.; Foreign visitors--Turkey;

On April 5, 1963, Mayor Harold Tollefson accepted a small ceramic statue from German exchange student Ulrich Bliesener of Dusseldorf. Ulrich was representing Mayor Peter Muller of that city. The statuette is a rendition of Prince Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz who had transformed Dusseldorf from a village to a city hundreds of years ago. Ulrich Bliesener was a student at Stadium High School. (TNT 4-9-63, p. 3- article & alternate photograph) TRUEBLOOD 848

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Bliesener, Ulrich; International students--German; Figurines;

Mayor Ben Hanson met with four representatives of the Trade Fair on May 19, 1961. The women are wearing the costumes of their native lands, including Japan, the Philippines, and Europe. World Trade Week would be celebrated May 21-27th in 1961. TRUEBLOOD 482A

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Hanson, Ben; Guests--Tacoma--1960-1970; Costumes;

ca. 1961. A visiting Miss California places a large sombrero on Mayor Ben Hanson's head in this circa 1961 photograph. The beauty queen is wearing her jeweled tiara, suit and black leather gloves. TRUEBLOOD 595

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Hanson, Ben; Guests--Tacoma--1960-1970; Beauty contestants--California; Sombreros; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Mayor Gordon Johnston and visiting U.S. Senators were photographed on April 2, 1970. Two men are holding keys to the City of Tacoma. TRUEBLOOD 1932

Mayors--Tacoma--1970-1980; Johnston, Gordon N.; Legislators--United States;

Senator Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson (at center) traveled to Tacoma in February of 1964 to help launch the start of Tacoma's Center Street urban renewal project. Governor Albert D. Rosellini stands immediately to his right. Tacoma Mayor Harold M. Tollefson is seen at far left. "Scoop" Jackson played a major role in national politics from his election to Congress in 1940 until his death in 1983. ALBUM 16. (Also G67.1-152)

Jackson, Henry M., 1912-1983; Legislators--Washington--1960-1970; Rosellini, Albert D.; Governors; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Urban renewal;

Harold Moss (center) raised his hand as he, along with Gerald Maule and Philip Schroeder, took the oath of office on October 13, 1970. Mr. Moss was appointed to the Tacoma City Council in the wake of political upheaval when five councilmen were ousted by recall. He was the first black to serve on the city council and would run successfully in 1971 to serve until 1973. Mr. Moss would be appointed again to the council in 1987 and was re-elected in 1988 and 1992. He became to city's first black mayor in 1994 after the sudden death of newly-elected mayor Jack Hyde. In 1996 he became the first black to sit on the Pierce County Council. The News Tribune notes that Mr. Moss was "perhaps best known for his even handedness and accessibility" while on the city council. ALBUM 16. (TNT 3-18-96, B-2)

Moss, Harold; City council members--Tacoma--1970-1980; Oaths--Tacoma; Maule, Gerald; Schroeder, Philip;

Mayor Ben Hanson welcomes Brazilian labor leaders to Tacoma on July 31, 1961, with a firm handshake and the key to the city. Ten labor leaders were visiting Tacoma for one week to learn about collective bargaining and union contracts. While in Tacoma, the visitors talked to labor, city and school officials and toured industrial plants and civic installations. Mayor Hanson had been elected mayor by the city council in 1958 and then elected by the people of Tacoma in a charter change. ALBUM 16. (TNT 7-31-61, p. 1-article)

Hanson, Ben; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Shaking hands--Tacoma; Foreign visitors--Brazil;

President Warren G. Harding, clutching his cane, was photographed in Tacoma on July 5, 1923, while on an hours-long visit to the city. The President was on his way to Alaska via the USS Henderson when he stopped in Tacoma. He was feted at a reception held at the elegant Tacoma Hotel and paid a visit to the US Veterans Hospital (Cushman) before being honored at the packed Stadium Bowl. President Harding never made another trip to Tacoma as he died 28 days later at the age of 57. TPL-5453

Harding, Warren G.; Presidents--United States; Visits of state--Tacoma--1920-1930; Guests--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On August 13, 1924, Mayor A.V. Fawcett was pictured shaking hands with the driver of a Ford touring car who was promoting traveling on the Lincoln Highway from New York to San Francisco. The Lincoln Highway was America's first transcontinental highway created with the car in mind. The era of dirt roads was to end, superceded by concrete roads that made traveling easier and encouraged purchase of automobiles. This car, piloted by race driver Frank Kulich, was the 10,000,000th Ford car to roll off the assembly line. The number 10,000,000 is stamped on its engine. It arrived in Tacoma at 2:30 pm and headed a procession of some 100 Fords to end at City Hall. After an overnight stopover, the 10,000,000th Ford left en route to Seattle. TPL-157; G11.1-053 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 8-10-24, 10-G-article; TDL 8-14-24, p. 3-article)

Fawcett, Angelo Vance; Mayors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Ford automobile; Shaking hands--Tacoma;

On October 29, 1924, a group of city and railroad officials met in Mayor A.V. Fawcett's office in (Old) City Hall, 625 Commerce St., to sign Belt Line contracts. The municipal carline was now the industrial belt line, effective November 1st. Mayor Fawcett is seated at far left; also seated are City Attorney E.K. Murray and chairman Ernest Dolge of the traffic bureau. Among others present was the mayor's son, and future mayor, Val Fawcett, second man standing in rear at left. The sole woman in the group is city clerk, Genevieve Martin. (other officials are listed in the Tacoma Daily Ledger article, 10-30-24, p. 4) TPL-10461

Mayors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fawcett, Angelo Vance; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Municipal officials--Tacoma--1920-1930; Contracts; Martin, Genevieve; Dolge, Ernest; Murray, E.K.;

President Warren G. Harding and his wife visited Tacoma on July 5, 1923. A crowd estimated at 25,000 in the Stadium Bowl braved drizzling rain to give President Warren G. Harding and his wife a very warm welcome. Those in attendance had been asked to bring small American flags to wave upon the President's arrival in the Stadium. Thousands more had stood for hours on Pacific Avenue awaiting the Presidential special at Union Station. The Presidential party, including Cabinet Secretaries Herbert Hoover and Henry C. Wallace, motored to the Tacoma Hotel for a public reception after which President and Mrs. Harding visited the disabled veterans at Cushman Hospital prior to the Stadium appearance. The Hardings left Tacoma via the transport USS Henderson, which circled the bay close to Stadium, so that the crowds could give one last cheer. (TDL 7-5-23, p. 1) B8286; G68.1-074; TPL-901

Harding, Warren G.; Presidents--United States; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Guests--Tacoma--1920-1930; Crowds--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Washington Governor Roland H. Hartley stands at the entrance to Olympia's Insurance Building watching as uniformed Afifi Shriners offer a salute on January 24, 1925. Governor Hartley is the shorter man on the right. The blurred figure next to him is Afifi Temple Potentate Scott Z. Henderson. The Shriners were in town to pick up Governor Hartley and his staff and accompany them to Vancouver, Washington, for Shriner initiation ceremonies and then travel onward to Portland to view the Crippled Children's Hospital. Although a Saturday, the governor was hard at work in his executive office when the Afifi Temple Shriners arrived. G23.1-075B (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 1-25-25, p. 1, 4A-article)

Hartley, Roland H.; Governors; Henderson, Scott Z.; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Saluting--Olympia; Insurance Building (Olympia);

Governor Roland H. Hartley and Scott Z. Henderson, Afifi Potentate, are flanked by two rows of saluting Afifi Shriners under the command of Capt. J. Middlesworth on January 24, 1925. Governor Hartley, also wearing a fez, is on the right. The Afifi Shriners joined a 32-car caravan from their temple to Vancouver, Washington. They swung by the Insurance Building in Olympia to pick up Governor Hartley, also a Shriner. After initiation of 17 new members, the caravan continued on to Portland to inspect the Shriners Crippled Children's Hospital. TPL-8746; G23.1-075A (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 1-25-25, p. 1, 4A-article; TDL 1-26-25, p. 3)

Hartley, Roland H.; Governors; Henderson, Scott Z.; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Saluting--Olympia; Insurance Building (Olympia);

On January 24, 1925, Governor Roland H. Hartley was photographed overseeing two rows of uniformed Afifi Shriners. He is pictured on a first floor balcony of the Insurance Building along with two Potentates. Governor Hartley is on the right and Afifi Temple Potentate Scott Z. Henderson is at the extreme left. The other man was not identified. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 1-25-25, p. 1, 4A-article)

Hartley, Roland H.; Governors; Henderson, Scott Z.; Fraternal organizations; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Insurance Building (Olympia);