April, 1961, sun-drenched view of the Neo-Classical Washington State Historical Society building overlooking Commencement Bay. The historical society was holding its 70th annual meeting on April 8, 1961. Reno Odlin was re-elected president of the Board of Curators; guest speaker R. Franklin Thompson, president of the University of Puget Sound, reviewed the history of the historical society. 35 years later, the historical society would build a new history museum on Pacific Avenue. TPL-2338 (TNT 4-9-61, A-18)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1960-1970;

A juxtaposition of old and new is the site of the venerable Washington State Historical Society Building and its new wing as pictured on November 9, 1973. After more than two years of planning and construction, the Historical Society opened its doors to the new four-story addition. Although it would not be completed until January of 1974, the majority of the building was finished enough so that visitors could tour the facility in May of 1973. A formal dedication with Dr. Louis L. Tucker as key speaker, was held on Saturday, October 6, 1973. Attendees were welcome to tour the new wing with its collection of murals, glassware, Edward W. Allen historic maps and Arthur Rowan early American quilts. Photograph ordered by the Washington State Historical Society. (TNT 10-4-73, A1, A-4 article; TNT 10-7-73, H-10 article)

Building construction--Tacoma--1970-1980; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);

1971 progress photograph of new construction at the Washington State Historical Building. A new wing had been designed by Tacoma architects Lea, Pearson & Richards that would include a new library, 300-seat auditorium and permanent gallery featuring Western art. The addition was expected to cost over $1,000,000. The addition was scheduled to open on Friday, May 4, 1973 although final work would not be completed until January 1, 1974. The four-story, 30,000 sq. ft. structure about doubled the size of the old facility. Besides a new elevator, restrooms would be placed on every floor and a large rooftop deck for outdoor exhibits was planned. Further improvements planned were a large parking lot and additional landscaping. Color photograph taken on spec but not ordered by the Washington State Historical Society. (TNT 4-29-73, Tahoman insert, p. 2-article)

Progress photographs; Building construction--Tacoma--1970-1980; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);

W.P. Bonney, left, of the Washington State Historical Society, and Harvey Scofield, expert rifleman and small arms authority, examine an old, American-made "Kentucky Rifle" used by Levant Frederick Thompson in the Indian War of 1855. Mr. Thompson was the youngest member of the first territorial legislature and the oldest member of the first state legislature. (T. Times, 5/26/38, p. 2).

Bonney, William P.; Guns; Firearms; Scofield, Harvey;

Alonzo Victor Lewis, noted sculptor, stands in the shadow of a column at the entry to the Ferry Museum where he recently added the art-deco detail above the front doors. Artistic portraiture. (T. Times).

Lewis, Alonzo Victor; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ferry Museum (Tacoma);

Washington State Historical Society secretary William P. Bonney poses next to the "Lister" table in front of the Ferry Museum. The table was donated to the Society on the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the J.H. Lister family in Tacoma. The family emigrated from England and established Standard Iron Works on East 23rd. Second generation Listers included Arthur, Ernest, Alfred, Albert and sister Mrs. D.M. McInnis. Arthur served for 25 years as the superintendent of the pattern department of the Northern Pacific Railroad shops in South Tacoma. Ernest was elected governor in 1912 and reelected in 1916. He died in office three years later. Alfred served as city controller, manager of the Tacoma school board and president of Tacoma Savings and Loan. Albert was a prosperous farmer outside of Olympia and his sister's family had a farm on McNeil Island. (T. Times 10/13/1934, pg. 9 E.T. Short's column "After Many Years")

Bonney, William P.; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ferry Museum (Tacoma); Antiques;

In March of 1937, work began on construction of a $40,000 third story addition to the Washington State Historical Society, 315 No. Stadium Way. A crane on the roof is helping to erect the masonry cornice on the roof level. The additional space was being added to provide a display area for the museums valuable collection of art and historical relics which were crowded into storage areas not open to the public. This building is now the Washington Historical Society Research Center. (T. Times 3/30/1937, pg. 1)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ferry Museum (Tacoma);

Meeting of Fine Arts Studio Club at the Washington State Historical Society Building, TNT, Ernie Knight. Members of the Fine Arts Studio Club of Tacoma met at the Washington State Historical Society Building. They heard songs accompanied by one of the members playing on an old, square piano and were taken on a tour of the current exhibits including one of old musical instruments. (TNT, 2/22/1948, p.B-4)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Fine Arts Studio Club (Tacoma); Group portraits; Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Meeting of Fine Arts Studio Club at the Washington State Historical Society Building, TNT, Ernie Knight. Members of the Fine Arts Studio Club were taken on a tour of the Washington State Historical Society's collections with special attention given to the rare, old musical instruments that were housed there. Members were allowed to play the instruments. Fritz Berntsen played an old guitar, Adeline F. (Mrs. Byron) Foreman an autoharp, C.N. Arendt a flageolet, Eliz (Mrs. Fritz) Berntsen a concertina and Paul Prentice a Chinese stringed instrument. (TNT, 2/22/1948, p. B-4; 3/7/1948, p. B-4))

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Fine Arts Studio Club (Tacoma); Musical instruments--Tacoma--1940-1950; Wind instruments; Autoharps--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stringed instruments; Lutes; Musicians--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A group from Highline School is visiting the Ferry Museum. Hundreds of students visited the museum on school field trips each year to learn about the history of Washington Territory and State. Ordered by the Washington State Historical Society, Mr. Foster.

Students--Tacoma; School field trips--Tacoma; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);

Chapin D. Foster, secretary/director of the Washington State Historical Society, describes the use of Native American artifacts to a class of school children visiting the museum. The extensive collection includes: ceremonial boards, baskets, canoes, trade beads, tools, weapons, fishing equipment, clothing, masks, carved images, and exhibits showing everyday life among the Northwest and Alaska tribes.

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Children; Indians of North America; Foster, Chapin D.;

Catherine G. (Mrs. Harry) Compton was in charge of the doll show which was one of the most important special events of the year at the Washington State Historical Society. Mrs. Compton is shown with a group of dolls that were to be on display. All doll collectors in the Tacoma area were urged to participate. Dolls with costumes and from all over the world were shown. (TNT, 2/24/1952, p.A-7)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Dolls; Compton, Catherine G.;

J.H. Gipple, taxidermist, at work on the background scenery for the cougar diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. A diorama is an exhibit recreating the preserved wildlife in its natural habitat including rocks, plants and other natural scenery. The museum goer can then see how the wild animals lived in nature. The museum artist is recreating boulders with a wood frame covered by papier-mache and then painted to appear real. Smaller boulders may be carved from foam.

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.;

J.H. Gipple, taxidermist, creates the artificial bodies of a cougar attacking a deer for the Washington State Historical Society's diorama. Taxidermy is the art of putting a real animal skin on an artificial body. First, every part of the animal is measured so that the artificial body will fit inside the skin. The skin is removed from the body and tanned and the skeleton is saved. A body frame is created, either from wood or actual bones, and then covered with wire mesh and straw. In this picture, the frame is coated with a material in preparation for the addition of the skin. The cougar is suspended from wires in the ceiling to approximate an pouncing position. The cougar was killed near Eatonville by Robert E. Albaugh of Tacoma. The animal measured almost eight feet in length. (TNT 4/8/1951, pg. A-4)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.; Pumas--Tacoma--1950-1960;

View of Mrs. Clarence Utterback (left) standing by her beautiful carved hope chests and Thelma T. Hill, holding a permastone low relief portrait of her daughter, Nancy in May of 1949. Thelma Hill also carved the chairside table and the etching (T.N.T., 5/1/49, p. D-5 & 5/8/49, p. A-13).

Wood carvings; Art; Art exhibitions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Utterback, Clarence--Family; Hill, Thelma T.;

The Washington State Historical Society Building welcomed a new Indian department on March 1, 1953; it would eventually include the entire fourth floor excluding the library. There were apparently Indian artifacts from various tribes across the state, including the Columbia, Flathead, Chewelah and Kutenai. View of Indian department; displays include baskets, masks, blankets, clothing and a framed painting from the Edward S. Curtis collection. The tepee shown was made by the Yakama tribe; it was placed in front of a scene donated by Yakima pioneers including Walter Purdin. Photograph ordered by Chapin Foster. (TNT 3-1-53, A-4)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Tipis--Tacoma; Baskets; Masks--Tacoma;

Washington State Historical Society, ladies dressed in costume for the Centennial pose with Territorial artifacts. Ordered by the TNT. One of the highlights of the week long city wide celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the Northwest Territory was the Pioneer Tea. It was hosted by members of the local chapters of the Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington and the Daughters of the American Revolution attired in pioneer outfits. Pictured, left to right, are Mrs. Clyde Davidson, Della Gould Emmons, Miss Ruby Blackwell, Florence Hoegh and Clara E. Goering, general chairman for the week long city celebration. (TNT 8/20/1953, pg. D-7)

Celebrations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Centennial celebrations--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Goering, Clara; Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington (Tacoma); Daughters of the American Revolution (Tacoma);