Aerial photographs. The wing of an airplane is visible as aerial photographs were taken of the South Tacoma and possibly other local areas on June 15, 1953. The photo appears to be looking north toward Vashon Island. There is a gravel pit to the right. There were still large areas of undeveloped and wooded land at this time in Tacoma's history. Photograph ordered by North Pacific Bank.

Aerial photographs; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Aerial view of the Tacoma tideflats and Port of Tacoma. Lincoln Ave. runs up the left hand side of the picture and East 11th Street with its partially completed bridge on the right. The smaller body of water in the foreground is the Port Industrial Waterway, the one in the back is Hylebos Waterway and the large body of water on the right is Commencement Bay. The stored baby flattops and the Port of Tacoma can be seen on the right by the bridge. The vacant area is 1500 acres of vacant industrial land that the city hoped would turn Tacoma into the industrial center of the West.

Aerial views; Port of Tacoma (Tacoma)--1950-1960;

Interiors of A.M.S. #113 (minesweeper) built at Tacoma Boat Building. Crew and Chief Petty Officer lavatory, looking to starboard. The #113 was scheduled to be the first of Tacoma Boat's 144 foot minesweepers to be delivered. The delivery was scheduled for November 6th, after outfitting at the Naval Station. The vessel would be delivered to the French Navy. (TNT 10/25/1953, pg. B-3)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Crew quarters; Warships--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interiors of A.M.S. #113 (minesweeper) built at Tacoma Boat Building. Aft crew quarters. Cots fold up for more space or down for sleeping. Built in foot lockers stand at the rear of the bunks. The delivery of Tacoma Boat's first minesweeper, the 113, was scheduled for November 6th, 1953. The 144 foot minesweeper was outfitted at the Naval Station before its delivery to the French Navy under the mutual aid program. (TNT 10/25/1953, pg. B-3)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Crew quarters; Warships--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Pennsalt; Plant & employees for magazine. This appears, from the large number of adding machines, to be the accounting department. Construction of the Pennsylvania Salt plant began in 1928; production of chemicals began in 1929. The 40 acre Tacoma plant was the western headquarters for the Philadelphia, Pa., parent company. Raw materials were brought to the plant by ship and rail. Pennsalt was the major consumer of city water and power.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma)--Employees;

Pennsalt; Plant & employees for magazine. President and general manager Fred C. Shanaman sits at the desk. Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co., with 40 acres on the Hylebos Waterway, was one of the larger plants in the Tideflats industrial section of Tacoma. It was the Western headquarters for its parent company, the world's largest chemical manufacturing firm. The company had other branches at Portland and Bryan, Texas. Together, the three branches produced an estimated 6 million dollars worth of products annually. The main products were sodium arsenate, hydrogen & sodium hypochlorite, chlorine salt, caustic soda and DDT. These products were used in pulp, paper, plywood and soap manufacturing and in sanitation.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma)--Employees; Shanaman, Frederick Charles, 1901-1982;

Members of the Yacht Club pose with their day's catch for the Tribune's Fall Sportsman layout. Pictured with their prize salmon are, left to right, Herbert Syford, Gershom Rowland, Joseph Henderson, Charlotte Rowland (seated), Edith Henderson (seated), Joyce Syford, Mrs. Roy Dingman and Roy A. Dingman. (TNT 10/18/1953, pg. D-1)

Clubs--Tacoma; Yachts--Tacoma; Tacoma Yacht Club (Tacoma); Fishing--Washington; Salmon--Washington; Syford, Herbert; Rowland, Gershom; Henderson, Joseph; Rowland, Charlotte; Henderson, Edith; Dingman, Roy A.;

Exterior of home- Mountlake Terrace. Many of the new homes in Mountlake Terrace were built in a contemporary ranch style manner during the early 1950's. This particular home, photographed on June 8, 1953, has wood siding along with some brick facing. It has an unusual feature in that there appears to be a separate bonus room or other living quarters separated from the main quarters by a covered carport. The windows on the home also appear to be modern, no lead glass content. Photograph ordered by Phares Advertising, Seattle.

Houses--Mountlake Terrace--1950-1960; Neighborhoods--Mountlake Terrace; Phares Advertising Agency (Seattle);

ca. 1953. Launching of naval ship #445, the U.S.S. Force, with the skyline of downtown Tacoma in the background. The all wood craft was the fourth of nine contracted 171 foot Naval minesweepers to be built by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding. Mrs. Thomas D. Wilson, wife of a Navy Captain, served as sponsor and christened the ship with the ceremonial champagne. The band from the U.S.S. Essex played "Anchors Aweigh" as the ship slid down the ways. (TNT 6/21/1953, pg. B-2 & 6/27/1953, pg. 1)

Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Mrs. C.W. Lindstrom hosts a birthday party for her two year old granddaughter on October 18, 1953. Marie (Mrs. Carl W.) Lindstrom resided at 6602 So. Montgomery. The party guests wear paper hats and the birthday girl is pulling the decorations off the cake. The children are opening party favors and a large hat box decorated like a gift is the centerpiece of the table. One little boy at the right of the picture does not appear happy with the festivities.

Lindstrom, Marie; Lindstrom, Carl W.--Homes & haunts; Grandparents; Birthday parties--Tacoma--1950-1960; Children's parties; Cakes--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A young member of the Murdock McLeod family lounges on a comfortable rug in front of a television console in this June 11, 1953, photograph. Murdock and Dorothy McLeod resided at 917 S. 73rd St. along with their two children. Family pictures rest on top of the television and the radio console nearby. Televisions were becoming more common in Tacoma homes by 1953, and people were starting to develop television watching habits. The McLeod child might have been watching station KTNT which went on the air with regular programming in March, 1953, and increased their power to 125,000 watts in July of that year. Photograph ordered by Tony Ricono, Lincoln Electric.

McLeod, Murray--Homes & haunts; McLeod, Murray--Family; Televisions--1950-1960; Children watching television; Radios;

The beaming children in the Universal Accordion School posed proudly with their instruments on June 12, 1953. Their Spring Concert was held at the Collins Grange Hall at 3404 120th Street East in Parkland under the direction of Mrs. Maxine Frackenpohl. The Universal Accordion School was owned by Wilford Smith; his pupils came from Tacoma and Puyallup. Playing the accordion was a popular pastime in the 1950's with many music schools specializing in its instruction. (TNT 6-21-53, D-10)

Music education--Parkland--1950-1960; Children playing musical instruments--Parkland--1950-1960; Musicians--Parkland--1950-1960; Accordions;

Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel, steel in railroad boxcars being loaded onto Foss tugs for shipment to Alaska. This is the first shipment in a service announced jointly by Alaska Governor B. Frank Heintzleman and Henry Foss, president of Foss tugs. Foss will load railroad cars aboard the Foss 250, a car barge with transportation service to Alaska, at the Milwaukee Railroad's dock on the Milwaukee waterway. This marks the first time that railroad cars will come out of Alaska after discharging their cargo. The car barge will be towed by the tug Justine Foss. In the future, the car barges will leave every 8-10 days. (TNT 7/5/1953, pg. B-3)

Steel industry; Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (Seattle); Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel, steel in railroad boxcars being loaded onto Foss tugs. The current service extends to Ward Cove, 8 miles north of Ketchikan, and site of the $47,000,000 construction project by Ketchikan Pulp & Paper Co. The eight 53 ft. cars, containing steel primarily, will be emptied at Ward Cove and returned to Tacoma. The Foss 250 can carry twenty 40 foot cars on her four sets of tracks and bulk tanks have been built in the barge hull to carry 1,000 tons of caustic soda north for paper plant production. The one way trip to Ward Cove takes 3 1/2 - 4 days. (TNT 7/5/1953, pg. B-3)

Steel industry; Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (Seattle); Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Bulk feed is being poured into plywood storage units at the Ken Bergman Poultry farm on May 13, 1953. The feed is being delivered by the Washington Co-op Farmers Association using their Diamond T double-tank truck. Washington Co-op Farmers was able to provide home delivery of bulk feed to its members, as well as other bulk deliveries such as petroleum and gasoline. Bulk deliveries could then be stored in appropriate facilities until needed by the customer. Photograph ordered by Tom Sias, Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Storage tanks; Plywood; Shipping; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Louis Weir gets pampered like a king on Father's Day by his entire family at their Midland home in this photograph from 1953. The older boys are busy painting the house and mowing the lawn while the younger children give Dad's shoes a sparkling shine and offer a cigar. A nice cup of tea and snack are gracefully offered as well. Mr. Weir had just relocated his appliance and heating store to the 84th and Portland Avenue area the month before. He appears to be enjoying all the extra attention from his four boys and four girls as he relaxes outdoors. Sepia photograph ordered by the News Tribune for a Father's Day layout. (TNT 6-21-53, D-5)

Weir, Louis--Homes & haunts; Weir, Louis--Family; Fathers & children--Midland; Father's Day;

Well-drilling. L.R. Gaudio's well-drilling company is shown in the process of drilling new wells at the Tacoma Utilities building site in June, 1953. Dredging and pumping equipment is already on hand and work apparently commenced. Two wells, 95' and 215', had been dug to supply ground water for heating and cooling the new Tacoma Public Utility Building. The Washington Pump & Drilling company was one of several firms in the area that handled the digging and drilling for new wells. (TNT 6-17-53, A-1)

Wells--Tacoma; Equipment; Machinery; Washington Pump & Drilling Co. (Tacoma);

A long fleet of Ford and Chevrolet trucks stands ready to go outside the Columbia Breweries plant in May, 1953. They would be used to deliver very popular brands Columbia Ale and Heidelberg beer to waiting customers. Columbia Breweries, after much expansion, would be the largest brewery north of San Francisco and west of Milwaukee. In July, 1953, it would change its name to Heidelberg Brewing Co. and be purchased by Carling Brewery in 1959. After being a Tacoma fixture since 1900, it would finally close its doors in 1979. TPL-9289

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Pastor Louis Kephart ministers to his congregation at the new Who So Ever Will Come chapel on Pacific Avenue in June, 1953. The small storefront church appears packed with parishioners during the mid-afternoon service. Entire families, dressed in Sunday best, attentively listen to Rev. Kephart. This was the opening service at the church's new Pacific Avenue location. According to an advertisement in the June 6, 1953, News Tribune, the church believed and preached divine healing. They invited all to attend a Holy Ghost revival featuring evangelist R. James Vaughn on the evening of June 7th. (TNT 6-6-53, p. 7 - Ad)

Churches--Tacoma--1950-1960; Who So Ever Will Come (Tacoma); Kephart, Louis;

Exterior Fred Fines residence. Large picture windows of this Brookdale home took full advantage of the outdoors in May, 1953. Fred Fines' residence was built by Yost Construction Co. The large contemporary rambler appears to have been built basically of brick with a detached two-car garage nearby. It seems to have been situated on a large, grass-filled lot. Photograph ordered by Yost Construction Co.

Fines, Fred--Homes & haunts; Houses--Parkland--1950-1960; Yost Construction Co. (Tacoma);

This contemporary ranch style home blends perfectly with its wooded setting in a photograph taken on May 19, 1953. Tall trees would provide shade during the hot summer months and help to blunt winter's cold winds. The nicely landscaped yard could be easily viewed by the large picture windows. A long, wide curved driveway might indicate additional parking beyond the large garage. The home was apparently built by Wallace H. Potucek Construction Co.

Houses--1950-1960; Wallace H. Potucek Construction Co. (Tacoma);

The A.E. Berger Construction Co. built this lovely brick rambler in Lakewood. There was a long concrete driveway to the one-car attached garage. The home at 8403 Bridgeport Way was situated on a large wooded lot and landscaped nicely with planted shrubs and flowers. Massive trees would have provided much shade during summer months. By 1958, the Tacoma Suburban Directory would show Leonard R. and Myrtle Rigby as owners of this attractive home. Mr. Rigby was listed as a gardener at Western State Hospital. Photograph ordered by A.E. Berger. (TNT 3-19-57, C-6)

Houses--Lakewood--1950-1960; A.E. Berger Construction Co. (Tacoma);

A young couple enjoy the spacious living room of their new Mountlake Terrace home in June, 1953. Mountlake Terrace was close enough to Seattle for an easy commute and far enough away to enjoy large tree-lined lots and suburban amenities. A large rug covers most of the darker linoleum flooring and blends well with the living room's modernistic furniture. A fire is roaring in the brick fireplace; a crouching black ceramic panther and candelabra are positioned on the mantel while books and a radio lie on the attached bookcase. Photograph ordered by Phares Advertising.

Houses--Mountlake Terrace--1950-1960; Living rooms--Mountlake Terrace--1950-1960; Fireplaces--Mountlake Terrace--1950-1960;

Exterior of "Skyliner" new home. The Arizona sandstone and wood two-story home was designed and built by the Miller Construction Co. and opened its doors to the public for viewing on June 6-7, 1953. The residence, located just inside Skyline Terrace, was designed specifically to provide maximum view of the Narrows and the Narrows Bridge from all living areas. Edward Miller, owner of Miller Construction, indicated that he was combining all the best ideas of building construction in this area. Many amenities would be included such as automatic garage door opener, an intercom system, three bathrooms with ventilator fans, cedar-lined wardrobes and a multitude of built-ins--TV's, radios, electric range & grill, and even toothbrush holders. Photograph ordered by Llewellyn Advertising Agency. (TNT 6-5-53, p. 6)

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Miller Construction Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Lyon Van and Storage trucks are shown here on June 10, 1953, unloading furniture cartons at Warehouse #46 on Fort Lewis grounds. There are numerous wooden crates waiting to be deposited at the warehouse. It appears that Lyon's motto was "Let Lyon Guard Your Goods;" it is lettered onto a delivery truck along with a painting of a majestic lion. According to the 1953 City Directory, the company was located at 109 S. 15th and managed by Orville C. Carlson.

Lyon Van & Storage (Tacoma); Crates--Fort Lewis; Shipping--Fort Lewis; Moving & storage trade--Fort Lewis; Trucks--Fort Lewis--1950-1960;

A large gathering of the Pierce County Practical Nurses Association met at the Woman's Club House on May 14, 1953. The Woman's Club House was located at 426 Broadway and was the former residence of Isaac Anderson; it had previously been occupied by the University Club. The practical nurses listened to a speech by Dr. Scott Jones. The superintendents of nurses for several hospitals, including Northern Pacific, Washington Minor, Pierce County, and Mountain View Sanatorium, and the president of the State Association of Practical Nurses were among the dignitaries present. Mrs. Justine Palmer, president of the local association, was the mistress of ceremonies. Photograph ordered by Louise McMillan. (TNT 5-10-53, D-10)

Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Nurses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Woman's Club House (Tacoma);

The Pierce County Practical Nurses Association met at the Woman's Club House on May 14, 1953, and enjoyed a delicious banquet. Spring flowers and lighted blue tapers decorated the tables. Dr. Scott Jones was the principal speaker that evening. Honored guests included the superintendents of nurses for several local hospitals and the president of the State Association of Practical Nurses. The gathering occurred in the historic former residence of Isaac Anderson, built in 1890, and formerly occupied by the University Club. Photograph ordered by Louise McMillan. (TNT 5-10-53, D-10)

Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Nurses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Woman's Club House (Tacoma); Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Ostruske-Murphy, Inc. were the contractors for the Trade Secrets home being built for the 1953 Tacoma Home Show. The home was located at 1312 (North) Skyline Drive, overlooking the Narrows Bridge. Construction appears to be nearly completed on the model home with only a portion of the covered patio yet to be done. Large windows would permit viewing patio activities from within the home. The patio would be fenced for privacy from neighbors and the street, using a California style design. A contemporary styled rambler with vertical redwood siding, the home had a carport, open on both ends, with a long cement driveway. It was planned to be a practical easy-to-build house. Photograph ordered by Don Murphy. (TNT 5-19-53, B-4)

Ostruske-Murphy, Inc. (Tacoma); Model houses--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960;

This was how Marymount Military Academy appeared from the air on July 28, 1953. The Academy was the only military school in Washington State. Located in what would now be Spanaway, the school was run by the Dominican Sisters, a Catholic teaching order. Young boys aged 6-16 were accepted for enrollment at this boarding school. Ground was broken at the site in July of 1922 and the school was dedicated in May of 1923. Built at a cost of $200,000 on the former "Shangarry" estate of J. Shields, Marymount originally was built in the Lombardine Mission style with modern gym, pool and infirmary. Enrollment was capped at 150 students; however, lessening enrollment and higher operating costs forced closure of the school in 1976. The property was purchased in the 1980's by Harold LeMay, who used much of it to house his antique car collection. TPL-9701

Aerial photographs; Marymount Military Academy (Spanaway); Private schools--Spanaway; Military education--Spanaway;

This aerial view of the Tacoma tideflats and Port of Tacoma was taken in July of 1953. At the upper right of center a small fleet of baby flat tops built in Tacoma during World War II are "mothballed" in the Wapato (now Blair) Waterway next to the Tacoma naval station. The Port of Tacoma is to the left of the mothballed ships. Browns Point can be seen in the upper right corner. Commencement Bay can be seen lying beyond the Port. The two streets crossing the tideftats are East Eleventh Street and Lincoln Avenue (in the bottom half of the image). TPL-2259.

Aerial views; Port of Tacoma (Tacoma)--1950-1960;