One of Tacoma's busier intersections in 1931 was North 1st St. and Tacoma Avenue North. The San Clare Cafe (at left) featured everything from cigars to candy and Medosweet ice cream. Further down Tacoma Avenue North was the Supreme Cleaners & Dyers. Across the street was the Davis & Hollingsworth retail furniture concern at 20 Tacoma Avenue North. The First Presbyterian Church, a beautiful example of Romanesque architecture, rises high above the street at 20 Tacoma Avenue South. TPL-1605; G62.1-064
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; San Clare Cafe (Tacoma); Supreme Cleaners & Dyers (Tacoma); Davis & Hollingsworth (Tacoma); First Presbyterian Church (Tacoma);
This is how Market St. near So. 9th looking south appeared in November of 1929. Goodwin's Garage, an unidentified building undergoing work, a smaller two-story unit and the Singer Sewing Co. warehouse are on the left; the Azure Pool at 748 Market St. is on the right. G60.1-140
This is a slice of Pacific Avenue south from 7th St. as it appeared on March 11, 1929. Among the many businesses on the near right are the Ajax Electric Co., the Keystone Hotel and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Across the streetcar tracks on the left are the Olympus Hotel, Provident Building, and Brotherhood Bank in the Washington Building. Photograph ordered by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. TPL-2745; G61.1-026;
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (Tacoma); Olympus Hotel (Tacoma); Keystone Hotel (Tacoma); Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;
Broadway in downtown Tacoma is festive with decorations as Christmas, 1928, draws near. This is a view of the street looking north from about 12th Street. Fisher's, "Tacoma's Own Store," and the Rhodes Brothers Department Store are on the left; the 12-story Fidelity Building towers over the other buildings on the right. Signs for the Hotels Warburton and Ritz and the McMillan Bros. drugstore can be seen on the right. TPL-1581; G59.1-022
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Hotel Warburton (Tacoma); Hotel Ritz (Tacoma); McMillan Brothers (Tacoma); Christmas decorations;
This is the east side of Pacific Avenue between S. 10th & 11th St. as viewed on October 2, 1928. The Bank of California (center, at 1011-13 Pacific) would be opening for business in six days. Designed by John Graham and built by the J.E. Bonnell & Son construction firm using Wilkeson sandstone and granite, the Italian Renaissance-styled building had stately Ionic columns. Tacoma's newest bank was flanked by the venerable Dougan Building (1007 Pacific) containing the Hotel Bennett and Western Union and the somewhat newer Dickson Building, home of the Shaw Supply Co. (1015 Pacific). G61.1-018
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Dougan Building (Tacoma); Dickson Building (Tacoma); Shaw Supply Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Hotel Bennett (Tacoma); Western Union Telegraph Co. (Tacoma);
This was 13th & Broadway in downtown Tacoma in 1928. The Merchants Hotel occupied the Durgin Block with Bagley Drugs on the ground floor. The building had been constructed in 1890 and had already undergone alterations. The Mayflower Cafe and Palmer Hotel were close by. Visible in the background is the Luzon Building at 1302-04 Pacific Ave., then occupied by the Wm L. Davis & Sons furniture store. TPL-9721; G59.1-024
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Merchants Hotel (Tacoma); Luzon Building (Tacoma); Bagley Drug Co. (Tacoma); Mayflower Cafe (Tacoma); Palmer Hotel (Tacoma); William L. Davis & Sons (Tacoma);
Bustling Broadway looking south from 9th St. This was a segment of vibrant downtown Tacoma during the summer of 1927. Cars and pedestrians throng Broadway. The area around 9th & Broadway was a mixture of motion picture theaters (Colonial in center, Broadway, Pantages and Rialto not pictured), large department stores (McCormack Brothers, Rhodes Bros.), fraternal organizations (Pythian Temple), variety stores (Kress) and assorted shops. Drivers were still getting used to automatic traffic lights, recently installed in late March, in the downtown area. This may have been "movie season" as banners and flags advertised such luminaries as "Gish," "Chaney," and movies like "Barbed Wire," "Ben Hur," "Annie Laurie," and "Beau Geste." TPL-1880; G59.1-028
This is another view of Broadway looking south from 9th St. in late summer of 1927. The photo studio has added lines crossing the streetcar tracks to mark where cars were warned to stop to allow pedestrians to cross the street in safety. One of the city's first automated traffic signals is just beyond view in the foreground. The Pantages theater is on the left along with Lou Johnson's ladies clothing store and the Lewis Bros. men's clothing store. On the right are the Colonial theater, Pythian Temple, Kress store and the Rhodes Bros. department store. Broadway, like Pacific Avenue, had many stores and shops nesting cozily side-by-side. Shoppers could catch a convenient streetcar or just walk to the numerous establishments downtown. More and more people, however, were starting to own automobiles and as the above photograph shows, street parking was at a premium. TPL-10041; G59.1-029
This section of East 25th St. in 1927 contained several businesses located side-by-side. From L-R: Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. (601-605 E. 25th); Olympic Ice Cream Co. (615-617 E. 25th); Olympic Ice Co. (619-623 E. 25th) and the Carman Mfg. Co., a furniture and mattress factory, at 701-723 E. 25th. Several cars, including at least one delivery truck, are parked outside the buildings. G57.2-040; TPL-2405
This is how the corner of South 9th & Broadway appeared in February of 1927. The Broadway Theater, 902-14 Broadway, was preparing for its grand opening on February 4th. It had previously been well known as the Tacoma Theater before being purchased for $450,000 in December of 1925, at that time the largest single realty transaction in the city's history. Extensive remodeling, including the loss of the familiar red exterior, cost the new owners another $150,000. There was a huge new sign, 40 feet high, with 3,000 bulbs that was visible for three miles. The theater would retain the "Broadway" name until 1933 when it became the Music Box Theater. Another of Tacoma's landmarks is clearly visible at right rear, the unusually shaped Bostwick Building with the Smith Flower Shop on the lower level. TPL-1602; G59.1-002 (TDL 12-19-25, p. 1-article on sale of theater; TDL 12-1-26, p. 1-article on remodeling; TNT 2-2-27, p. 9-article on signage)
Exterior view of Puget Sound National Bank Building in July of 1926. This block of Pacific Avenue was home to many prominent businesses including (L-R) the Washington Building, Peoples department store, the Bankers Trust Building, building at 1115 Pacific Ave. built as annex/addition to the National Realty Bldg., Puget Sound National Bank Building and the National Bank of Tacoma. When completed in 1910, the 16-story Puget Sound National Bank Building (then called the National Realty Building) was the tallest on the West Coast and the first built on the West Coast to withstand earthquakes. It was also the first in Tacoma to use cantilevered beam construction. Puget Sound Bank purchased the building in 1920. Some 80+ years later, Heritage Bank now occupies the structure. G61.1-041
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); National Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Peoples (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;
This damaged print is of the Puget Sound National Bank Building (1117-19 Pacific Avenue-formerly the National Realty Bldg.) taken from the 12th St. viewpoint on June 25, 1926. On its right at the corner is the National Bank of Tacoma. Looking northbound, buildings right to left are: the barely visible one-story structure at 1115 Pacific Avenue which had been built as an annex/addition to the National Realty Bldg., then the Bankers Trust building at 1109-13 Pacific, Peoples department store (1101-07 Pacific) with the 17-story Washington Building skyscraper at the far left (1019 Pacific). Flags and bunting decorate both Peoples and the Puget Sound National Bank Bldg. G61.1-043
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); National Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Peoples (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;
This is Pacific Avenue at South 12th St. looking north as pictured in June of 1926. Prominent downtown buildings right to left are: the National Bank of Tacoma, built in the Italian Renaissance style, at 1123 Pacific Avenue (later site of the Tacoma Art Museum), Puget Sound National Bank Building (1117-19 Pacific), building at 1115 Pacific built as annex to the Puget Sound National bank Bldg. (then called National Realty Bldg.), Bankers Trust Building, Peoples department store and at the far left, the 17-story Washington Building with Brotherhood Bank sign on rooftop. BU-12645
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; National Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Peoples (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;
Bustling 11th Street street scene. This is a view from the Perkins Building (1101 A Street) on May 29, 1926. Buildings on the left (front to rear) are: the Federal Building (1102 A Street) and the Peoples department store (1101-07 Pacific Ave.) The 17-story, two-winged skyscraper on the right is the Washington Building (1019 Pacific). Looking uphill from the Washington Building are the Rust Building (950 Pacific) and the Fidelity Building (949-55 Broadway). In the distance can be seen the Romanesque Pierce County Courthouse (1012 So. "G"). G57.1-124
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Federal Building (Tacoma); Peoples (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma);
One of downtown Tacoma's prime commercial streets was Broadway. This is Broadway looking north from 11th St. in March of 1926. On the right is the 12-story brick Fidelity Building (949-55 Broadway) with the Bank of California as one of the tenants. The Bank of California would build its own Italian Renaissance building of Wilkeson sandstone and granite at 1011-13 Pacific Avenue in 1928. On the photograph's left is a portion of the Fisher Co. department store (1104 Broadway) and the Rhodes Brothers Department Store at 950 Broadway. G59.1-021
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma);
This is how Broadway looking south from 11th St. appeared in March of 1926. The large building on the right at 1104 Broadway is the Fisher Co. (formerly known as Stone-Fisher until October of 1925), Tacoma's oldest department store. It had been at that location since 1906 although the store had begun operations as Sanford & Stone on Tacoma Avenue in 1889. On the left were the E.R. Parker System (painless dentists) at 1103 1/2 Broadway and the French Drug Co. (1101-03) both in the Warburton Building with the relocated Blue Bird Electrical Shop (1105-07) next door. The main business districts were then still in the downtown Tacoma area where a variety of stores, restaurants and recreation outlets were available to the consumer. City buses had yet to supplant streetcars as a means of mass transit although automobiles were becoming more prevalent. G59.1-032 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 10-11-25, 12-A-article on the Fisher Co.)
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; 0; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); E.R. Parker System (Tacoma); French Drug Co. (Tacoma); Blue Bird Electrical Shop (Tacoma); Warburton Building (Tacoma);
View of Saint Helens Avenue between 7th & 9th Sts. on March 4, 1926. Streetcar tracks are visible down Saint Helens. On the left are the Cleveland automobile dealership, Richardson's (734-36 Broadway), the Gilliam & Steven Motor Co. (at 735 Saint Helens, later street renamed Court C), Lindum Hotel (747-49 Saint Helens). Across the street are the Allyn Hotel (726-28 Saint Helens) and the Reliance Electric Fixture Co. (740 Saint Helens). G61.1-168
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Richardson Motor Co. (Tacoma); Gilliam & Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma); Lindum Hotel (Tacoma); Allyn Hotel (Tacoma); Reliance Electric Fixture Co. (Tacoma);
This view is of part of the growing 6th Avenue business district at the intersection of Oakes looking east in January of 1926. Streetcar tracks run down the middle of 6th and the 6th Avenue car is in sight. Businesses on the left include the 6th Ave. Furniture Co. in the Masonic Lodge (2609) and the Pollyanna Cafe. On the right are the Piggly Wiggly, Foultz Variety Store, Frederick Dean Drug Co., Prospect Market and the new Sixth Avenue Baptist Church. TPL-1798; G57.1-065 (TNT 1-21-26, p. 15)
Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Sixth Avenue Baptist Church (Tacoma); 6th Ave. Furniture Co. (Tacoma); Pollyanna Cafe (Tacoma); Piggly Wiggly (Tacoma);
This is 11th & Broadway looking south in early 1926. Cars are parked on both sides of the street while streetcars and a small 6th Ave. bus share the road. On the left side of the street is one of the McMillan Bros. drugstores. Besides being a pharmacy, the McMillan Bros. also sold Brunswick and Victor phonographs and Wurlitzer pianos. Among the establishments on the right side of the photograph is the Feist & Bachrach department store (1114-20 Broadway); the site would later become the J.C. Penney Co. department store. Photograph ordered by Foster & Kleiser. TPL-1582; G59.1-033
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroads--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; McMillan Brothers (Tacoma); Feist & Bachrach (Tacoma);
This was busy, bustling Pacific Avenue near South 9th St. in January of 1926. Although there were stately office buildings on Pacific such as the 17-story newly completed Washington Building (center at 1019) and Puget Sound National Bank (1117-19), there were also many smaller establishments packed in as well. The Carlyle Cafeteria (ground floor of the Provident Building), the Thomas Billiard Parlor, Tabell's featuring chili and tamales, the Argonaut Hotel and Western Union were on the left side of Pacific with Dundee Woolen Mills Tailors, Bennett Typewriter Co., Samuelson & Berg's and Washington Hardware among others on the right. It was possible then to book a room, play pool, dine at a variety of restaurants, get a suit tailored, complete banking transactions, pickup tools for the home, and buy a pair of shoes all within a block or two. Streetcars were available for easy transport as an alternative to driving. G61.1-040
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washington Building (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Carlyle Cafeteria (Tacoma); Provident Building (Tacoma); Argonaut Hotel (Tacoma);
This section of Broadway near South 7th Street was "Auto Row" in September of 1925 with several automobile dealerships located side-by-side. L-R were: Griffith Motor Company selling Dodge Brothers motor cars; Mueller-Harkins Motor Company, a Buick dealer; Arthur Bryan Motor Company, a Chevrolet dealership and Richardson Motor Company, the Cleveland & Chandler dealership. Most, if not all, also had used car departments. TPL-1731; G59.1-025
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Griffith Motor Co. (Tacoma); Mueller-Harkins Motor Co. (Tacoma); Arthur Bryan Motor Co. (Tacoma); Richardson Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930;
View looking up Saint Helens Ave. This photograph was taken from the top of the Winthrop Hotel, 773 Broadway, on May 15, 1925, the day before its grand opening. The view is of Saint Helens Avenue, just beyond the Bostwick Block (755-71 Saint Helens), the triangular shaped building next to the Winthrop. Visible businesses included the Montelius Music House (736 Saint Helens), the Gilliam & Steven Motor Co. (735 Saint Helens -street renamed Court C), and the Caswell Optical Co.(752-66 Saint Helens), on the far left edge. In the distance at the far left is Central School. G8.1-013
Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Central School (Tacoma); Montelius Music House (Tacoma); Gilliam & Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma); Caswell Optical Co. (Tacoma);
This view of South 9th Street looking west from the corner of Broadway and Saint Helens was taken on May 15, 1925 from the top of the Winthrop Hotel. At the bottom left is a part of the old Tacoma Theater. The ornate white building on the same side of 9th is the Rialto Theater, 310 So. 9th. Up the street is the First Baptist Church at 902 Market Street with its bell tower still under construction. On the north side of 9th is the Caswell Optical building, 752-66 St. Helens, in the foreground, followed by the white Exley Apartments at 309 So. 9th, originally the oldest existing house in Tacoma and later converted into apartments. The taller Rhodes Apartments, 311 So. 9th (now the Rialto Apartments), are next. Rising in the background are the Gothic towers of the Pierce County Courthouse, left, and the Central School building, right. G57.1-101
Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1940; Tacoma Theatre (Tacoma); Rialto Theatre (Tacoma); First Baptist Church (Tacoma); Caswell Optical Co. (Tacoma); Exley Apartments (Tacoma); Rhodes Apartments (Tacoma); Rialto Apartments (Tacoma);
A person standing across the street on April 14, 1925, would be able to see the following establishments on the west side of Pacific Avenue near South 10th St. in downtown Tacoma: (L-R) the Rust Building (950 Pacific), Charles F. Lewis Hatters (948), Scobey's Cigars (946) with Naubert & Manning Billiards upstairs, Davis Men's Shop (944), Peterson & Cooksie Billiards (942-44), Haugen & Loney Tailors (942), and in the San Francisco Block building, the Regal Shoe Co. (938-40) with several businesses upstairs including the Chinese Medicine Co. and attorney G.B. Aldrich. TPL-5475; G61.1-048
Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Rust Building (Tacoma); Regal Shoe Co. (Tacoma);
City Center skyline. This photograph, taken on April 13, 1925 from the Puget Sound National Bank Bldg. at 1117-19 Pacific Avenue, gives the viewer a good look at the massive office buildings located in the downtown commercial district. The building on the right with scaffolding is the Washington Building whose much-delayed construction would finally be completed and the building opened in July of 1925. Next to the Washington Building is the Rust Building (950 Pacific) designed by architects Sutton, Whitney & Dugan. Its neighbor is the Fidelity Building (949-55 Broadway). The last building on the extreme left is the Rhodes Brothers Department Store at 950 Broadway. Directly across the street from the Rust Building is the Equitable Building (1102-04 Pacific) which housed at that time the Pacific Savings & Loan Assoc. with Crown Drug Co. at one corner.
Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washington Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma);
Photographer Marvin Boland peered out of one of the top floors of the Puget Sound Bank Building (1117-19 Pacific Avenue) on April 13, 1925, to capture the view of several massive buildings nearby in the midst of the downtown business district. The Rust Building, 950 Pacific, is the lighter-colored building across from the smaller Equitable Bldg. (1102-04 Pacific). Next to the Rust is the taller Fidelity Building with an actual address of 949-55 Broadway. On the far left in the photograph is the Rhodes Brothers Department Store. TPL-1907; G8.1-010
Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;
This is South 11th St., looking east, from Broadway in April of 1925. The 11th St. Bridge (now called the Murray Morgan Bridge) is visible in the distance. On the left are the Fidelity Building, Rust Building, and nearly completed Washington Building. Across the street from the Washington Building is the Peoples Department Store and closer to the bridge, the Perkins Building at 11th & "A." G57.1-143
Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Peoples (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;
Street scene. This is the east side of Pacific Avenue at 10th St. as seen on April 3, 1925. Businesses visible included the American Savings & Loan Assn. (1001 Pacific Ave.); Martz Clothes Shop; American Mortgage & Safe Deposit Co. /First Mutual Savings Bank of Tacoma and Western Union. G61.1-044
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; American Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); American Mortgage & Safe Deposit Co. (Tacoma); First Mutual Savings Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma);
9th & Broadway business district -downtown Tacoma- as seen in March of 1925. On the left in the center is the Fidelity Building, 949-55 Broadway. Built in 1890 as a six-story structure, an additional six stories were added in 1909. On its left is a portion of the Rhodes Brothers Department Store; on its right is the smaller Rust Building and the Washington Building, still under construction. G57.1-135
Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;
This is how the east side of Pacific Avenue, near South 10th & 11th Sts., appeared in September of 1924. Buildings were tightly built side-by-side with no space in between for parking lots. From L-R were: First Mutual Savings Bank's Deposit Vaults (1005 Pacific); Western Union Telegraph Co. (1007 Pacific); Keystone Printing Co., Peerless Grill and the Tourist Hotel Annex (1009 Pacific); and Shaw Supply Co.'s three-story brick building (1015 Pacific). The Tourist Hotel Annex would be demolished later to make way for the Bank of California. G61.1-019 TPL-10075
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Tourist Hotel Annex (Tacoma); Western Union Telegraph Co. (Tacoma); Keystone Printing Co. (Tacoma); Peerless Grill (Tacoma); Shaw Supply Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
