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;

The splendid chandeliers and sconces of the Winthrop Hotel provided an elegant setting for the Capital District, Washington Federation of Garden Clubs' show on December 6, 1954. A Christmas motif was evident; the majority of arrangements on display were small tabletop decorations. A few tall firs were added to complete the tableau. This may have been an annual event sponsored by the federation.

Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs (Tacoma); Flower shows--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Ben Perham smilingly shows off the watch he was given at the annual banquet of the Pacific Northwest Conference of Savings & Loans Associations held on May 24, 1954. Mr. Perham was the former chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco; the watch was presented to him by Gerrit VanderEnde for his sixteen years of service to the federal institution. Mr. Perham now is the president of a food distributing company in Yakima. View of Ben Perham on left and Gerrit VanderEnde on right, Mr. VanderEnde is the president of Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan in Tacoma. (TNT 5-23-54, C-16, TNT 5-25-54, p. 11)

Awards; Clocks & watches; Perham, Ben; VanderEnde, Gerrit;

Elevated view of Tacoma's downtown and industrial area. Photographs taken on September 2, 1954, from Room 716 of the Winthrop Hotel show a cluster of downtown Tacoma businesses, the 11th Street Bridge, and a portion of the industrial area in the distance. Tacoma Savings & Loan, the Tacoma Hotel, Lincolnshire Hotel and Security Building (formerly Provident Building) can be clearly seen. Smokestacks billow as Tacoma's lumber and chemical mills operate with full staff. Large billboards, placed on the rooftop of the Lincolnshire Hotel, provide advertising information for consumers interested in liquor, fruit and electrical equipment.

Billboards--Tacoma--1950-1960; Security Building (Tacoma); Lincolnshire Hotel (Tacoma); Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Bridges--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Dr. R. Franklin Thompson, president of the College of Puget Sound, was the featured speaker at the annual banquet of the Pacific Northwest Conference Savings & Loan Associations on May 24, 1954. His speech was entitled "Prelude to a New Age." At the head table in the Winthrop Hotel's Crystal Ballroom with Dr. Thompson were Mr. and Mrs. Ben Perham, Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit VanderEnde, and Mr. and Mrs. J. Alston Adams. More than 150 delegates and wives attended the two day savings & loan conference. (TNT 5-23-54, C-16, TNT 5-25-54, p. 11)

Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Public speaking--Tacoma--1950-1960; Thompson, R. Franklin, 1908-1999; Perham, Ben; VanderEnde, Gerrit; Adams, J. Alston;

Elevated view of Tacoma's downtown and industrial area. Smoke from various lumber and chemical companies in Tacoma's industrial area blends into the sky. Busy plants meant employment for thousands of local residents. The Tacoma Hotel and Tacoma Savings & Loan can also be spotted on the left of this September 2, 1954, photograph, taken from the seventh floor of the Winthrop Hotel.

Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

Tuxedoed men and ladies dressed in evening gowns posed for this October, 1954, group portrait. The group, including Mr. and Mrs. T.G. Calbreath, Mr. and Mrs. L. Evert Landon and Judge and Mrs. Bertil E. Johnson who were surrounding the wicker table, were members of the Comus Club attending the "Moonlight Magic" dance on October 16, 1954. The glittering crescent moon on the backdrop is framed by several potted trees. The dance was held in the Wedgwood Room of the Winthrop Hotel.

Group portraits; Comus Club (Tacoma); Calbreath, T.G.; Landon, L. Evert; Johnson, Bertil E.; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Employees of the Washington Hospital Service enjoyed a tasty luncheon at the Winthrop Hotel on September 23, 1954. The business apparently handled Blue Cross plans and was located in Seattle at 2121 Third Avenue. View of luncheon tables with employees; some have on name tags.

Washington Hospital Service (Seattle)--Employees; Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);