Lowell T. Murray. A side view of a very elegant four-door, hard-top automobile. The wide-wall tires and spare tire tucked in against the driver's side fender add to the handsome exterior of this fine automobile. Lowell T. Murray, Sr., a prominent Tacoma industrialist and civic leader, came to Tacoma as a young man from Ohio in 1908 and established the West Fork Timber Company. The Murray's residence on Gravelly Lake was called "Madera". It was the scene of a summer ball honoring house guests Elaine Schultz and Peter Strong August 17, 1946. (T.Times, 8/24/1946, p.7; TNT, 4/30/1958) TPL-8480

Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gardens--Tacoma;

ca. 1943. Teamsters Union. A sleek four-door sedan with white wall tires parked by a two-story wooden building, perhaps at the shipyards. Photograph was taken circa 1943. Ordered by (Harry) Satterlee, secretary of the Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen & Helpers Union No. 313.

Automobiles--1940-1950;

Satterly - Teamsters Union. A four-door Dodge sedan with a dark finish sits in the parking lot of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Both doors on each side open from the middle post and the tires are wide white-walls. Photograph was taken in July of 1943.

Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Dodge automobile;

ca. 1943. Blue Gray bus accident. Bus, part of the valley system, in ditch on left. Automobiles and motorcyles parked on right. A double-decker bus moves around accident as it travels down the highway in this circa 1943 photograph.

Traffic accidents; Buses;

ca. 1943. Blue Gray Lines bus accident circa 1943. Full view of bus which has run off the highway into a barbed wire fence. The Special bus was part of the valley system servicing Puyallup. The driver's side and radiator are damaged.

Traffic accidents; Buses;

Satterly - Teamsters Union. A Ford pick-up truck with three workmen in the front seat. The windshield opens from the bottom and the spare tire rests in front of the rear fender. It has a wide running-board between the front and back fenders. The truck is parked outside building 23 at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation and has the number 30 painted on the side of the door.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Overturned truck and car accident. A Pacific Coast Motor Freight Co. semi-trailer truck, driven by Earl W. Brook of Portland, Oregon, and loaded with 500 barrels of cherries and berries was overturned, causing damage to two cars in October of 1944. The accident was caused by a combination of the motor stalling, the malfunction of the airbrakes and another vehicle which blocked its safe passage. View of overturned truck and cars on the corner of So. 25th and Pacific Ave. (T. Times, 10/3/44, p. 3).

Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; City & town life--Tacoma;

Ray Langdell accident picture of skid marks. View of skid marks left on South 13th Street and South Tacoma Way intersection, after an automobile accident. Photograph ordered by Ray Langdell.

Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1940-1950; Streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crosswalks--Tacoma;

Pontiac Motor Division. The Pontiac dealership offered new and used automobiles, excellent service, body rebuilding and accessories for Pontiacs and Cadillacs. View of seven unidentified men using "Sun Motor Tester" equipment on pontiac car.

Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobile inspections--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies; Pontiac automobile; Cadillac automobile;

Bread delivery truck outside of Jordan's Bakery, the state's largest independent bakery, serving Tacoma and surrounding areas. Arthur K. Jordan began his company in 1937 when he purchased the Bert Nichols plant in Old Tacoma and opened it under the Jordan name on May 16 with six employees and one delivery truck. The bakery quickly outgrew this location and opened at 54th and Washington in 1939. The company expanded in 1941 when it purchased Apex Bakery in Bremerton. In 1950, the company won the "First Prize for Quality" in the Better Bread contest staged by the Quality Bakers of America. The competition featured bread baked by over 100 bakeries nationwide. By 1950, the company employed 131 people in Tacoma with a payroll of a half million a year. The bakery bought and used a million dollars worth of ingredients a year. Art Jordan maintained ownership and control of the company.

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Damage to a Tacoma Transit Co. bus after a night time car-bus accident. Firemen and workers took almost an hour to cut the driver of the car, identified as Alfred H. Bonwell - a 30 year old soldier attached to the 325th Headquarters squadron, McChord Air Force Base, out of the wreckage of his late model station wagon. Three other persons were injured. A traffic jam followed as vehicles were diverted for two hours. To the left of the photo is Lemon & Son Mobil Service Station at 6447 South Tacoma Way, and to the right is Conley's Grocery at 6601 South Tacoma Way. The bus has struck the utility pole in front of Conley's. A group of men stand and stare at the accident from in front of the service station. (TNT 3/21/1951, pg. 1)

Buses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Transit Co. (Tacoma); Mass transit--Tacoma--1950-1960; Wrecks; Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lemon & Son Mobil Service Station (Tacoma); Conley's Grocery (Tacoma); Utility poles--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Specially designed and equipped truck for street work. Highway "Super" manufactured by General Traffic Controls, Inc. This truck was invented by Tacoma police officer Carl Sohmer to paint lines on city streets. More than one color combination of striping could be applied. Photograph taken as part of a series in September of 1951.

Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Street maintenance & repair--Tacoma;

Specially designed and equipped truck for street work. Highway "Super" manufactured by General Traffic Controls, Inc. and invented by Carl Sohmer, Tacoma police officer to paint stripes on city streets. Parked in center of street near Chevron service station in September of 1951. Note: Marks on image are caused by deteriorating diacetate negative.

Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Street maintenance & repair--Tacoma;

Exposure of an accident scene where a Greyhound bus has been involved in an accident on the Tacoma-Olympia Highway near Fort Lewis. A fireman is washing away any residual gasoline or oil with a fire hose. The bus can no longer be seen, but a car is being hooked up to a tow at the right background. What appears to be Ft. Lewis can be seen on the left hand side of the picture. The Richards panel wagon is on the left hand side.

Traffic accidents-Washington--1950-1960; Automobiles--Washington--1950-1960; Fire engines & equipment--Washington--1950-1960;

General Beer Distributors truck advertising Heidelberg beer in front of the Poodle Dog restaurant in Fife. The driver is unloading cases of beer from the back of the company's new Diamond T truck.

Trucks--Fife--1950-1960; Electric signs--Fife--1950-1960; Restaurants--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Diamond T trucks;

General Beer Distributors truck advertising Heidelberg beer is parked in front of the Poodle Dog restaurant in Fife. The company chose a Diamond T truck for the newest addition to their fleet. TPL-8193

Trucks--Fife--1950-1960; Electric signs--Fife--1950-1960; Restaurants--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife); Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Diamond T trucks;

A driver is backing Tacoma-Fort Lewis Auto Freight Company's new Diamond T truck to a loading dock. A long trailer makes the job of backing more difficult. A man can be seen on the loading dock providing hand signals. TPL-8361

Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma-Fort Lewis Auto Freight Co. (Tacoma); Diamond T trucks;

Nine cab over engine trucks angle-parked on October 29, 1951. They appear to be delivering Heidelberg beer.

Trucks--1950-1960;

Company truck and trailer, Titus Manufacturing, Jim Cutler. Titus Motor Company had begun rebuilding Ford engines during World War II and when the engine rebuilding department became independent of the Ford dealership it became known as the Titus Manufacturing Company. The truck would have been used to haul parts to the engine rebuilding facility and move the rebuilt engines to automobile repair shops.

Ford trucks; Titus Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma);

Compton's Distributing Company was owned and operated by Roy J. Compton; the company distributed groceries throughout Tacoma markets and businesses. The company was located at 4513 South M Street. Roy was married to Ethel Compton, they lived at 1527 South 41st Street. View of new Durkee product's refrigerated truck featuring "Durkee's mayonnaise, margarine and salad dressing"; photo ordered by Compton's Distributing Company.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Dodge trucks; Margarine; Food--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Food industry--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma; Compton's Distributing Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Durkee's Products (Tacoma);

The City of Tacoma invested money on warning signs to help ensure the safety of pedestrians. The Tacoma Times photographer strolled through busy intersections and found many signs that were not placed where they should be, and many were severely damaged by automobiles. Police officers are instructed to remove signs from the busy intersections during rain, fog and in the evenings, to avoid the signs being hit by cars; these same signs tend to not be placed back in their appropriate area once the weather has cleared up. View of pedestrian crossing sign behind a lamppost and a parked car, this traffic warning sign should have been placed on busy Pacific Avenue by a police officer (T. Times, 12/27/48, p. 1).

Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Municipal services--Tacoma; City & town life--Tacoma; Traffic regulations--Tacoma; Traffic signs & signals--Tacoma; Crosswalks--Tacoma; Pedestrians--Tacoma;

In January of 1949, almost a year before Volkswagen introduced its Transporter (VW bus) to the world's press, people in Tacoma were viewing a strikingly similar vehicle, the Mustang "Teardrop," at Fisher's department store. Made by Mustang Engineering Corporation in Renton, the streamlined, aerodynamic vehicle featured a 4-cylinder Hercules rear engine, hydraulic 4-wheel brakes, swivel seats, split front window with dual windshield wipers, round Mustang logo, protective front bumper grill, and projecting driver's side mirror. Young Ronnie Warter, at the wheel, and passenger Elizabeth Fynboe envision what it would be like to take the Teardrop on the road with its cruising speed of 65 m.p.h. TPL-6191 (T. Times, 1/2/49, p. 6).

Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Prototypes; Mustang; Mustang Engineering Corp. (Renton); Department stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Walter, Ronnie; Fynboe, Elizabeth;

View of large "Oshkosh" truck getting ready to transport newly fabricated steel logging equipment from Washington Steel and Welding Company, two unidentified men seem to be checking the machinery and the making sure it is securely loaded on truck.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Oskosh trucks; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Machinery; Steel industry--Tacoma; Welding--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma; Metalworking--Tacoma; Washington Steel & Welding Co. (Tacoma);

Truck at plant, Standard Oil, Mr. Wiegle. A side view of the Studebaker delivery truck for Chevron Gasoline. The hood is long and the windshield has a split-glass. Rear-view mirrors are added on both sides of the cab. She has her spare tire hung from the back portion of the side panels. Painted in two tones and she is parked outside a garage for delivery trucks.

Studebaker trucks; Petroleum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gasoline--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Columbia Sausage Company trucks for Irwin-Jones. The company's fleet of Dodge trucks is parked outside the company's facilities.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Dodge trucks; Columbia Sausage Co. (Tacoma); Sausages--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meat; Meat industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The new Chevy Coca-Cola truck had a stronger, sturdier, all-steel constructed cab. The truck had an amazing flexi-mounted system that absorbed most road shocks, providing a smooth ride. The large load space was ideal for Coca-Cola vending machines. View of model Saree Scott holding a bottle of Coca-Cola, while resting on top of the new Chevy truck, photo ordered by South Tacoma Motor Co.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bottles; Coca Cola Bottling Co. (Tacoma); South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma); Posing; Scott, Saree; Chevrolet trucks;

Antonsen Painting Company had remodeled their workshop in 1946 and had added an automobile sand blasting department. Antonsen was one of the few painting companies that had sand blasting available on site. They had contracts with many of the automobile painting companies to do the sand blasting for them prior to the painting. Exterior view of Antonsen taken on November 8, 1947 with trucks parked along the front of the building.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Paint industry--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Painting--Tacoma; Antonsen Painting Co. (Tacoma);

Construction photo of Irwin-Jones Motor Company Dodge Truck dealership. A bulldozer is clearing the site of the future Irwin-Jones truck division. A sign announcing the construction, the rail rail line, Globe Ticket Company and other industrial buildings are shown with the north slope of Nalley Valley in background. TPL-9225

Dodge trucks; Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Irwin-Jones Motor Co. (Tacoma); Excavation--Tacoma--1940-1950; Construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Nalley Valley (Tacoma);

West Coast Grocery was a wholesale grocery company with their large new offices and headquarters on East D Street. Charles H. Hyde was president of West Coast Grocery. Exterior view of West Coast Grocery Company's AMOCAT and Olympia Beer trucks, photo ordered by Condon Company, an advertising company (T. Times, 2/26/47, p. 12-B).

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Food industry--Tacoma; West Coast Grocery Co. (Tacoma); Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950; Storehouses--Tacoma;

Camp Fire Girls would learn about government offices, education and get a tour of the Capitol buildings on March 8, 1947. Camp Fire Girls was founded in 1910 and their slogan was "Be Friendly--Make Friends--Join Camp Fire Girls." View of 200 Camp Fire Girls and their chapter leaders prior to boarding North Coast buses for their "Going Places" trip to Olympia (T. Times, 3/5/47, p. 16).

Buses--Tacoma; Children--Clubs--Tacoma; Uniforms; Girls--Tacoma; Camp Fire Girls (Tacoma); North Coast Transportation Co. (Tacoma);