View up Saint Helens Avenue from about Market Street. Tacoma News Tribune building in right foreground, Webster Apartments beyond. Allen Motor Company, Studebaker garage a block up on left, Walker Apartments beyond that. (filed with Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1930-1940; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Walker Apartments (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1935. General view of the Rust Building at 11th and Pacific Avenue. Sandstone clad steel framed 12 story business block for William R. Rust by Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, Architects, 1920. (Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma);

View of Saint Helens Ave. sometime in the 1930s. The Allyn Hotel (726-28) is on the right, next to the Medical Arts Building (747 Market St.). Many cars parked outside both buildings and across the street.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Allyn Hotel (Tacoma); Medical Arts Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1926. In 1926, this photograph was taken of South 11th Street between Tacoma Ave So. and So. Fawcett. The businesses are, left to right, the Pleasant Corner Candy Store, an upholstery shop, Clinton's Pianos at 506 So. 11th, the Pok-A-Dot-Pup Sandwich Shop and an unidentified storefront. The tall building in the back is 1111 Tacoma Ave. So., at this time occupied by A. Gehri & Co. and Erickson Bro. This building is still across the street from the Tacoma Public Library. However, the top floors have now been removed. (WSHS)

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Clinton's Music House (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. Looking east on South 11th Street in Downtown Tacoma. Fisher's Department Store on right. Buildings on left, left to right: Rhodes Department Store, Fidelity Building, Washington Building and Tacoma Building. 11th Street Bridge (identified on photo as Lincoln Bridge) in distance. When the bridge was built in 1913, it was christened the Lincoln Bridge in a "name the bridge" contest but the name never stuck. Tacomans just preferred to call it the Eleventh Street Bridge. (filed with Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. Looking east on South 11th Street in Downtown Tacoma. Fisher's Department Store on right. Buildings on left, left to right: Rhodes Department Store, Fidelity Building, Washington Building and Tacoma Building. 11th Street Bridge in distance. (filed under Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Building (Tacoma);

This is Main Street in Sumner as it appeared in January, 1940. Buildings on either side of the street include the Three Little Pigs Tavern, the Riviera Theater, Putman's Hardware, and the Sumner Safeway among others. Sumner, which can trace its history to the 1870s, was named after Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts. (T. Times, Special Edition)

Business districts--Sumner; Three Little Pigs Tavern (Sumner); Putman's Hardware (Sumner); Riviera Theater (Sumner)

Pacific Avenue showing improvements. Barricaded section south of South 15th Street. Automobiles and buses on newly paved street looking north to Northern Pacific Headquarters Building. Schoenfeld's and Sprague Buildings prominent.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940;

125 feet of property around Sixth Avenue and Proctor, ordered by Arthur Locke. This is approximately the 3800 block of Sixth Avenue and features several businesses: Johnson's Bakery with its brick facade and awnings spanning the length of the building, Petite Beauty Salon, Pearl's Nook restaurant, Stop-Lite Tavern, and Value Stores. This block was built ca. 1926, apparently by Arthur Locke.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Facades--Tacoma--1960-1970; Johnson's Bakery (Tacoma); Petite Beauty Salon (Tacoma); Pearl's Nook (Tacoma); Stop-Lite Tavern (Tacoma); Value Stores (Tacoma); Awnings--Tacoma;

In July of 1964, awnings extended from the buildings on the 3800 block of Sixth Avenue near Proctor; providing shade and protection from the elements for customers frequenting the variety of businesses along the 125 foot stretch of property. Built in 1926 by Arthur Locke, the brick businesses consisted of Johnson Bakery, Petite Beauty Salon, Pearl's Nook restaurant, Stop-Lite Tavern and the 5 & 10 cent Value Stores. A modern street lamp towers over the one-story businesses. Photograph ordered by Arthur Locke.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Facades--Tacoma--1960-1970; Johnson's Bakery (Tacoma); Petite Beauty Salon (Tacoma); Pearl's Nook (Tacoma); Stop-Lite Tavern (Tacoma); Value Stores (Tacoma); Awnings--Tacoma; Street lights--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Washington Building. Situated at the corner of 11th & Pacific, the imposing Washington Building, built in the style of the Chicago School, stands 17 stories high. A large red neon sign installed on the top of the building advertised its neighbor, the Bank of California. As their signs advertised, United Mutual Savings Bank and Household Finance had offices in the Washington Building. The left side of the photograph shows the Rust Building, 950 Pacific Ave., also built in the 1920's. Beyond the Rust Building, on Tacoma Ave. So., is the County-City Building. The Medical Arts Building, on Market St., is the large Art-Deco structure on the right side of photograph. Photograph ordered by Washington Building Co.

Washington Building (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1960-1970; Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Medical Arts Building (Tacoma); Signs (Notices);

Undated customer postcard of Lake Street in Sand Lake, Michigan. This undated photograph shows the north side of Lake Street in the very small town of Sand Lake, Michigan. This is probably prior to the common automobile age as the road is unpaved and transportation is primarily horse-and-wagon. Power or telephone poles are present on the north side of the street. Photograph ordered by Pierce Powers, Puyallup.

Commercial streets--Michigan--Sand Lake; Horses--Michigan--Sand Lake; Carts & wagons--Michigan--Sand Lake;

Undated customer postcard of street scenes in Sand Lake, Michigan. This appears to be one of Sand Lake's commercial streets with establishments close together. Photograph may have been taken about 1900 or before. Sand Lake in 2004 only had a population of barely 500; 100 years ago it may have been about the same or even smaller. The Sand Lake House is the large building closest to the camera. This may have been the town's hotel or even a boarding house. What appears to be a windmill is behind the business. A boots-and-shoe store is one of the businesses close to the Sand Lake House. Photograph ordered by Pierce Powers, Puyallup.

Commercial streets--Michigan--Sand Lake; Sand Lake House (Sand Lake, MI);

The rear and north side of the Jones Building which was built in 1917 as one of the Pantages Theaters featuring vaudeville. The back of the building shows beautiful detail in the brickwork creating lines and arches reminiscent of the architecture found on the north and west sides of the building as well as the interior. The north side has architectural details with arches and balconies built into the stone facade. Terra cotta details are seen as ornaments against the stone. Lanes Grill is seen at 904 Commerce Street and Tryfon Hatters is at 908 Commerce Street. TPL-9064

Jones Building (Tacoma); Historic buildings--Tacoma; Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Lanes Grill (Tacoma); Tryfon Hatters (Tacoma);

Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan building at intersection of S. 11th & Commerce Sts. Pedestrians wait to cross busy Commerce St. on February 1, 1961. The savings & loan association had announced two weeks before that they would be constructing a new building on the original site and including the Bernice Building location next door. Both buildings had been built in the late 1800's and heavily utilized the semi-circular Roman arch feature. Photograph ordered by Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Assn.

Pacific First Federal Building (Tacoma); Bernice Building (Tacoma);

Originally built in 1891 as the Merchants National Bank, the building on the corner of 11th and Pacific Avenue became home to Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan in 1939. When the building was remodeled in 1949 many innovations were added to the venerable structure including Tacoma's first escalator. Both the Pacific First Federal building at 1102-04 Pacific and the Bernice Building next to it were torn down shortly after this photograph was taken in 1961; a new, larger Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association building was built on the site. The new savings and loan had its grand opening in September 1964. Today it is home to Washington Mutual Bank. (Photograph ordered by Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Assn.)

Pacific First Federal Building (Tacoma); Bernice Building (Tacoma); Bender's (Tacoma);

Streets of downtown Tacoma appear quiet on a Sunday in April, 1961. A few people stand near Bender's Ready to Wear clothing store for women and men located in the Bernice Building in the 1100 block of Pacific Avenue. Both the Bernice and the adjoining Pacific First Federal Building would be but a memory shortly as they would be torn down to make way for a modern Pacific First Federal Savings location. Photograph taken from the third floor of the Washington Building on behalf of Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan.

Bernice Building (Tacoma); Pacific First Federal Building (Tacoma); Bender's (Tacoma);

View of downtown Tacoma's business district on Pacific Ave. In 1972, businesses on one side of Pacific Ave. included Dammeier Printing (Print NW), the Olympus Hotel, the Security (Provident) Building, the Washington Building with the giant neon Bank of California sign on its roof, and Puget Sound National Bank. In the foreground of this November 22, 1972, picture is the Olympus Hotel: it offered free television in every room and entertainment in the Frontier and Mirror Rooms. Built in 1909, the Olympus would close its doors as a hotel in November of 1974, later undergoing several changes in use of the property. Photograph ordered by Western Union, Seattle.

Business districts--Tacoma--1970-1980; Olympus Hotel (Tacoma); Security Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1970-1980; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma);

ca. 1972. Downtown Tacoma wished its residents "Seasons Greetings" during the 1972 Christmas holidays with a lighted banner spanning Pacific Ave. Schoenfeld's, Puget Sound National Bank, and the Washington Building with the red neon Bank of California rooftop sign are some of the major businesses on the right side of Pacific, looking north. Bimbo's Italian Restaurant, Tacoma Rescue Mission and American Federal Savings are on the left.

Business districts--Tacoma--1970-1980; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1970-1980; Christmas decorations; Electric signs--Tacoma--1970-1980; Washington Building (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. Pacific Avenue at night during the 1972 Christmas holiday season or shortly thereafter. This view looks south; the Security (Provident) Building, Washington Building and Puget Sound National Bank are on the left with the Park Plaza North parking garage and the Rust Building, purchased in October of 1972 by American Federal Savings & Loan, on the right.

Business districts--Tacoma--1970-1980; Parking garages--Tacoma--1970-1980; Rust Building (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Security Building (Tacoma); Christmas decorations;

Washington Building. View of the Washington Building, 1019 Pacific Ave., believed to have been photographed from the top of the Perkins Building in August of 1970. From this angle, the distant Art-Deco styled Medical Arts Building (now Municipal Building) can be seen along the right-center edge. The Rust Building, another well known Tacoma landmark, is slightly up the hill at 950 Pacific. Seldens furniture store is in the right lower corner. A small section of the Bank of California, whose large red neon sign rested on top of the Washington Building, can be spotted at the lower right edge. Photograph ordered by the Washington Building.

Washington Building (Tacoma); Medical Arts Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Seldens, Inc. (Tacoma); Business districts--Tacoma--1970-1980; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1970-1980; Electric signs--Tacoma--1970-1980;

View of downtown Tacoma taken from rooftop of building. Businesses along Saint Helens Avenue showing the Medical Arts Building (left at 747 Market), Allen Motor Company Studebaker, and the Walker Apartments. (filed with Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1930-1940; Medical Arts Building (Tacoma); Walker Apartments (Tacoma); Allen Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Puyallup Avenue at Bay Street. Puyallup River Bridge with traffic. Contractor Ray A. Moisio completed Puyallup Avenue resurfacing in 60 days. The 2,601-feet-long street was 100 feet wide and up to 20 inches thick. (T. Times, p. 4, 10/21 p. 20).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bridges--Tacoma; Puyallup Avenue Bridge (Tacoma); Depressions--1929; Public Works Administration (Tacoma);

Puyallup and Pacific Avenues intersection. Repaving Puyallup Avenue in asphalt concrete, a Public Works Administration project, brought traffic from the Seattle Highway to Pacific Ave. and into the downtown Tacoma business core.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bridges--Tacoma; Puyallup Avenue Bridge (Tacoma); Depressions--1929; Public Works Administration (Tacoma);

Pacific Avenue at 11th Street. Bank of California and adjacent structures. In Tacoma's busy commercial center, shoppers stand-in-line to board one of the city's 95 buses operated by Tacoma Railway & Power (T.R.& P.) system.(T.Times 2/8/39, p. 21)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Business districts--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bus stops--Tacoma; Tacoma Railway & Power Co. (Tacoma); Buses--Tacoma--1930-1940;

This view of Tacoma from Court C looking down 11th Street toward the Murray Morgan Bridge (11th St. Bridge) dates from February 1939. A corner-mounted sign for Fisher's Department Store hangs over the sidewalk at the right. On the left, descending the hill, are the Rhodes Department Store, the Fidelity Building, the Rust Building, the Washington Building, Kegel's Inc. and the Tacoma Building. The Fidelity Building was torn down in 1949 to make way for the F.W. Woolworth Co. Building. The bus coming up the hill is one of the new busses that replaced the 11th Street cable car after it went out of service in 1938. For Corky Mabin. (T. Times, 2/8/1939, p. 29).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Department stores--Tacoma--1930-1940;

View of intersection at Puyallup Avenue and Bay Street. Puyallup River bridge and traffic, Model Lumber Company on right. Resurfacing of Puyallup Ave., from E. "G" St. to Pacific Ave., extended the Seattle Highway into the downtown Tacoma business district. (T.Times, 10/20, p 4, 10/21, p.20).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Model Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Formal opening of resurfaced Puyallup Avenue from East G Street to Pacific Avenue slated for October 21, 1938. Standard Service Station and Firestone Store on left, OK Bakery on right. (T.Times, 10/20/1938, p. 4 and 10/21/1938, p. 20).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Telephone lines--Tacoma; Utility poles--Tacoma--1930-1940; OK Bakery (Tacoma); Standard Service Station (Tacoma); Firestone Store (Tacoma);

ca. 1939. View on Market Street in San Francisco, circa 1939. Curved faced building, column with sculpture, Hotel Howard at left. On right, building with Radio Tower on roof, Call Building in background. Studio stock negative.

Commercial streets--California--San Francisco; Hotel Howard (San Francisco, CA)

ca. 1925. The Lorenz Building, 1552-56 Market St. The Lorenz Building was constructed in 1889 and was designed by architect R. L. Robertson. From 1899- 1914, it was home to the Astor House, also known as the Hiroshimaya Hotel, the first major Japanese Hotel in Tacoma. In the mid 1920's, the building housed the Columbus Hotel and the Tacoma Ju Jitsu School.

Lorenz Building (Tacoma); Columbus Hotel (Tacoma); Tacoma Ju Jitsu School (Tacoma);