Exterior- savings & loan. A close-up view of the Tacoma Savings & Loan Association front entrance was taken on June 27, 1957. Insulated glass panels surround the new building, including the front entrance. The main entrance doors were electronically operated. New trees have been planted, spaced carefully apart, to provide a touch of softness when contrasted with the modern sleek appearance of the financial institution. The Tacoma Savings & Loan was established in 1899. They urged customers to save, in order to "write your own future". Home loans were tailored to fit customers' individual needs. The new location of the downtown Tacoma Savings & Loan was directly across the street from its former headquarters in the Bowes Building. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Savings & Loan Association. (TNT 6-27-57, A-6-9)

Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Signs (Notices);

An alluring hula girl mannequin beckons Bank of California customers to protect their vacation funds by purchasing American Express travelers cheques. The June, 1957, display suggests that, whether visiting Hawaii or South Dakota, a cautious vacationer should play it safe by using travelers cheques instead of carrying large amounts of cash. A giant sea shell, a towel, a model Northwest Airlines plane, two palm trees and copious amounts of "sand" in the midst of a bank lobby would certainly draw the attention of the bank's vacation-minded customers. American Express launched its travelers cheque business in 1891; they introduced their travel charge card in 1958. (Photograph ordered by Bank of California.)

Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Mannequins;

ca. 1957. Exterior of the National Bank of Washington located in the Villa Plaza Shopping Center. The bank sponsored an open house on July 13, 1957, at its new banking office located in the north wing of the Lakewood shopping center. It was one of eight Tacoma area offices. The one-story building was 50-feet wide, 104-feet deep and totaled 5,200 square feet. The exterior was constructed of mottled blue ceramic tile with large areas of plate glass. The facility was designed by Lea, Pearson & Richards and built by general contractor Merritt Construction. Six teller units, a conference room and officers quarters were located on the east side lobby. There was a modern vault in the rear. The Villa Plaza-Lakewood branch of the National Bank of Washington had as its first manager Marc H. Miller. (TNT 7-11-57, A-6-article & alt. photograph; A-7 full page ad)

National Bank of Washington (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Electric signs--Lakewood; Villa Plaza Shopping Center (Lakewood); Shopping centers--Lakewood--1950-1960; Facades--Lakewood--1950-1960;

Exterior of Pacific First Federal Savings Building. The large revolving corner clock indicates that it is 11:50 a.m. and the Pacific First Federal Savings Building is open for business. Plaques on the marbled foundation indicate that the bank offered a safe deposit vault for protection of valuables as well as insuring customers' savings and issuing home loans. Situated in the downtown business district of 11th & Pacific, the venerable building had been a local presence since 1891. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound Office Equipment.

Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Pacific First Federal Building (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Savings & Loan Association invited local residents to attend an "Open House" on June 28, 1957, celebrating the completion of its new headquarters at 101 So. 9th St., across the street from its former location in the Bowes Building. The new building was a marvel of wall-to-wall insulating plate glass and featured a semi-circular open staircase that reached from the basement to the mezzanine level. The savings & loan also incorporated the "old" into their new headquarters; scenes of Tacoma's past were captured in enlarged photographs and mounted for display. View of visitors admiring a photograph of the horse and trolley days on 11th & Pacific. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Savings & Loan Association.

Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Celebrations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Art exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior- savings & loan building. The sleek new Tacoma Savings & Loan Association building on South 9th and A Street is ready to be opened in late June, 1957. It is directly across the street from its former headquarters in the Bowes Building. The ulta-modern glass-encased building was designed by architects Lea, Pearson & Richards, who were responsible for many notable buildings in Tacoma. The steel framed construction would total 95 feet by 75 feet. View of contrasting "old" and "new" Tacoma Savings & Loan Association bank buildings. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Savings & Loan Association. (TNT 6-27-57, A-6-9)

Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

A teller smilingly tabulates deposits at the drive-up window of Lakewood's Puget Sound National Bank. Drive-up service was becoming very popular in the 1950's as a convenience for busy customers who could not spare the time to enter the bank. Thick glass would protect the teller from robbers; customers would simply place their transactions in bins which would be accessible by the teller. Payments for loans, checking and savings deposits and withdrawls would all be accomplished without the customer ever leaving his car. Photograph ordered by Condon Co. (TNT ad 4-3-58, B-7) 10-JUN-2014

Banking--Lakewood; Banks--Lakewood; Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood);

American flags flank the marbled entrance to Pacific First Federal Savings on Flag Day, 1957. Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association was a mutual savings institution with branches in Bellingham, Seattle, Tacoma, Longview, Portland and Eugene. It served over 57, 000 families with $170 million in resources. Tacoma was its home office, established in 1907. Gerrit VanderEnde was the longtime president of the savings & loan.

Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Flags; Doors & doorways--Tacoma--1950-1960; Pacific First Federal Building (Tacoma);

Rows and towers of safe-deposit units greet customers of Pacific First Federal Savings in June, 1957. Each box is numbered and two keys would be necessary to open each individual box, much as is done in 2002. Carpeted floors would muffle the tread of many footsteps. Pacific First Federal Savings was located at the corner of 11th and Pacific in downtown Tacoma. The Romanesque-style building was constructed in 1891 as the home of Merchants National Bank. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound Office Equipment.

Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Safe-deposit boxes--Tacoma;

Interior- savings & loan. The expansive, brightly-lit lobby of the new Tacoma Savings & Loan was photographed on June 28, 1957, prior to its grand opening. After many years in the Bowes Building directly across the street, the savings & loan built an ultra-modern glass paneled new establishment. The spacious first floor included the customer service area, insurance department, department heads' offices, safe-deposit vault, and a separate lobby for safe-deposit customers. The building featured a free-standing reinforced concrete circular staircase which led from the basement to the mezzanine level. An elevator was also provided. Supporting columns were covered with Italian Cremo marble. Walls adjacent to the elevator shaft were covered with Breche Fantasia marble. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Savings & Loan Association. (TNT 6-27-57, A-6-9)

Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

Exterior-savings & loan building. Looking directly across 9th St., possibly from the former headquarters of the Tacoma Savings & Loan Association, the new location for the savings & loan comes into view. The rectangular building is primarily glass encased, glass on three sides which cantilever out from the inside columns and are suspended from the roof. Designed by architects Lea, Pearson & Richards, and built by Ketner Brothers, contractors, it has extruded aluminum and insulating glass with black granite trim and blue Spandrelite glass panels. The glass panels are 6 feet by 10 feet. Fiberglass draperies measuring 22 feet are designed to cover the glass areas. The Tacoma Savings & Loan was established in 1899, making it one of the city's oldest financial institutions. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Savings & Loan Association. (TNT 6-27-57, A-6-9)

Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960;