In November of 1919, Marvin Boland photographed this elevated view of the triangular shaped block on the west side of Pacific Avenue bordered by Jefferson and South 17th. In the center of the photograph was the recently constructed Depot Service Station. A small wedge of a brick building was apparently still under construction to the right of the service station. Tires were on sale and Union gasoline could be purchased there. In the right background was the Carlton Hotel, 1552 Jefferson Ave., which was built in 1909. In the upper left corner was the Pacific Storage & Transfer Co., located in the Dougan Block at 1721-25 Jefferson Ave., whose ad in the 1920 City Directory stated that they were distributors of pool cars. Depot Service Station remained at this location, with various changes of ownership and remodeling, until it was demolished around 2002. TPL-244; G8.1-017

Depot Service Station (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1910-1920; Carlton Hotel (Tacoma); Pacific Storage & Transfer Co. (Tacoma);

S-T-U-D-E-B-A-K-E-R! Salesmen Tommy Burns, Tom Lea and Ben Johnson (l-r) are in fighting mode as they prepare to set Studebaker sales records for the month of March, 1923. The men were employed by the pioneer automobile dealership, B.H. Kennedy Company, located at 753 Broadway. Owned and operated by Burton "Bert" Kennedy, the firm had an up-to-date service department and competent Studebaker mechanics. The B.H. Kennedy Co. had sold $27,000 of Studebakers in February of 1923 and were confident of repeating their successful month. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 3-11-23, C-1)

B.H. Kennedy Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Burns, Tommy; Lea, Tom; Johnson, Ben;

Construction is well under way in June of 1923 at the Wilkeson Garage in downtown Tacoma's auto row. Built of concrete and measuring 120 feet by 131 feet, it was declared the "largest of its kind on the Pacific Coast." All units of the big service station were completed by November of 1923. Built by L.E.Wilkeson, the new structure was to reflect the "department store idea for the motor car." A parking lot on top with room for 100 cars was finished in April of 1924. G18.1-089; BU14,356 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 4-29-23, C-1-article)

Wilkeson Garage & Service Station (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Located at 7th & Broadway was the big Wilkeson Garage. The 120-feet by 131-feet concrete building was the largest of its kind on the Pacific Coast. The service station added a top level for parking in April of 1924, a few months after work was completed on the rest of the structure. Wilkeson Garage carried Goodyear Tires, General Gasoline, Watson Stabilators, Wold-Wilkeson Motor Oil. G59.1-026

Wilkeson Garage & Service Station (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Donoghue Chevrolet was located at 824 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (then known as South "K" St.), the former home of Mutual Motors, in 1931. This interior view of Donoghue's focuses on the repairs section of the facility with its display of tools and machinery. Fred W. Donoghue was the president of the company. G36.1-189

Donoghue Chevrolet (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hand tools; Machinery; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Automobile supplies were on display at the Donoghue Chevrolet facility located at 824 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (then called South "K" St.) in April of 1931. Genuine Chevrolet parts and other quality equipment were for sale at the former home of Mutual Motors. G32.1-134

Donoghue Chevrolet (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1930-1940; Automobile equipment & supplies; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Scotch Bloom Service Station & General Store. An unidentified couple stand with four children under the overhanging roof of the Scotch Bloom service station and general store in late May of 1927. The location of the facility was not given. A white picket fence adjoins the service station with openings so that customers could drive in and park or have their crankcase serviced. G48.1-120

Scotch Bloom; Automobile service stations; General stores; Fences; Signs (Notices);

The Richfield Beacon Service Station opened at 8415 South Tacoma Way in July of 1930. The J.W. Feak Co. constructed the Normandy style building. Edward L. Roth managed the landmark $35,000 service station, which included a 125 ft. tower topped with two 8,000,000 candle power beacons. This Beacon service station was one of 24 operating between Tacoma and Mexico. Each was located on main highways and operated 24 hours a day. Mayor Melvin G. Tennent, pictured above, was the first to buy gas on opening day. TPL-3548; G48.1-019 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 7-13-30, E-3 -article & alternate photograph)

Richfield Beacon Service Station (Lakewood); Automobile service stations--Lakewood--1930-1940; Tennent, Melvin Green; Mayors--Tacoma--1930-1940;

May Day celebrations at the College of Puget Sound. Jones Hall was the site of the annual May Festival, 1931 honoring the mothers of College of Puget Sound students. May Day Queen Lillian Boyd is pictured at center accompanied by Fred LePenske. Harry Brown and Julius Coplan were heralds announcing the arrival of the queen. Carrying bouquets of flowers were the queen's attendants Alice Berry and Bonita Reeder. Three small children, (L-R) Ralph Lemon, Yvonne Battin and Jimmy Davis, were added to delight the crowd. From L-R were students: Harry Brown, Alice Berry, Lillian Boyd, Fred LePenske, Bonita Reeder, Julius Coplan. (1931 Tamanawas yearbook, p. 53)

May Day--Tacoma; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940; Boyd, Lillian; LePenske, Fred; Brown, Harry; Berry, Alice; Reeder, Bonita; Coplan, Julius; Lemon, Ralph; Battin, Yvonne; Davis, James;

Exterior view of Pinky Young's gas station in August of 1926. According to photographer Marvin Boland's notes, the business was located at South 72nd and Park Avenue. They guaranteed their repair work, sold tires and tubes, provided air and water and even had a supplemental business in soft drinks, groceries, cigars and school supplies. Jersey Milk products were also available.

Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Pinky Young's Station (Tacoma);

On September 11, 1926, Allen Motor Co. salesmen paid special attention to a new Hudson coach parked outside their new quarters built on the site of the old Annie Wright Seminary. Allen Motors were Hudson-Essex distributors. From L-R: Blaine Ramey, Andy Mulligan, Carl Jensen, George Ford and seated behind the wheel, Allen Motor Co.'s cashier/bookkeeper, Agnes Schober. The men were inspecting the new and improved intake manifold and carburetor, some of the features of the new Hudson four-door. G32.1-075 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 9-19-26, 6G)

Allen Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hudson automobile; Ramey, Blaine; Mulligan, Andrew E.; Jensen, Carl; Ford, George; Schober, Agnes;

This view is that of the intersection of Meridian and Valley Road near Puyallup as it appeared on February 25, 1929. The Charles Service Station, dealer in Texaco products, is on the right. Photograph taken for court evidence. G73.1-044

Streets--Puyallup; Charles Service Station (Puyallup);

In the summer of 1919 the building at 218-220 St. Helens Avenue was the home of Sam J. Kenyon's Marmon Service Station and Bartons Auto Laundry. Mr. Kenyon specialized in servicing and repairing luxury automobiles known for their speed and power. The Marmon was manufactured from 1903 - 1933. Signage on the glass window indicates that the Kenyon shop also serviced "Locomobiles." The Locomobile was also manufactured in the US, from 1899 (steam version) and 1902 for the gas engine version, until 1928. Both car companies also produced race cars. To provide maximum service to its customers, Barton's, in the same building, was open "day and night" according to their sign. BU-13095

Marmon Service Station (Tacoma); Barton's Auto Laundry (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1910-1920;

This is the Colonial Garage as pictured on December 20, 1927. It was operated by Frank J. Brennan and offered storage, repairs, simonizing and washing with day and night service. The garage was located in downtown Tacoma at 924 Court C. Part of the Rhodes Bros. Department Store is visible in the background.

Colonial Garage (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Automobile dealers of the 1920s built palaces of prestige to showcase their latest models. Architect C.F. W. Lundberg designed the Mutual Motors Building for pioneer Tacoma automobile dealer Edward P. Leonard. The Lincoln dealership opened in June 1925. Later, a giant milk bottle was installed on the building's roof to identify it as the Olympic Dairy Products plant. As of 2000, Washington Tent & Awning, Inc. occupies this building on Martin Luther King Way. B12455, BU-10023, TPL-5683

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Mutual Motors (Tacoma); Building construction;

Sumner E. Orr and E.J. Gauthier, proprietors of Tacoma's all-night garage Gauthier & Orr, were photographed receiving leases for six Union Oil stations from company officials E.C. Wilson, Tacoma agent, and N.W. Watson, special agent, on July 17, 1928 (order of men in photo unknown). They exchanged the documents at Station #119 located at 601 No. 1st St. The new owners planned for Tacoma motorists to receive the best service possible. They intended to install lifts for grease work and to modernize the equipment at each station. The six stations leased by the pair were located at 58th & S. Union, 25th & Jefferson Ave., N. 1st & Tacoma Ave. (pictured), 21st & Pacific Ave., East 11th & St. Paul Ave. and 302 Puyallup. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 7-22-28, p. G-5) BU-13106, TPL-9637

Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Union Oil Co. of California (Tacoma); Orr, Sumner E.; Gauthier, E.J.; Wilson, E.C.; Watson, N.W.;

Inexperienced safecrackers failed to blow open the massive safe at Bye Thompson Motor Sales, 3320 South G Street, on early Friday morning, December 5, 1924. The thieves abandoned their efforts when the explosives they used broke the windows in front of the safe and threw the office into disarray, but only succeeded in blowing off the combination dial on the safe's door, not in releasing the bars holding the door in place. This was the second time in less than a year that Bye Thompson Motors had been robbed; on December 18, 1923, thieves somehow carried away the company's 1000 pound safe and blew it open several blocks away. That robbery netted the thieves $362. This photograph was taken at the scene of the crime on December 5, 1924. G24.1-056 (TNT 12-5-24, p. 1)

Safes; Robberies--Tacoma; Bye Thompson Motor Sales Co. (Tacoma);

Centralia Motors celebrated its opening in mid-October of 1926. This interior view of the business is of the office staff at work. The office was situated so that workers were in clear view of any potential customer who could then be helped immediately. G75.1-015

Centralia Motors (Centralia); Office workers--Centralia; Automobile dealerships--Centralia;

The Otsuka Family opened the Panama Garage at 1320 Market Street in 1923. Roy, Eddie and Hidegoro Otsuka operated the repair shop, car wash and service station. The family posed for this photograph in front of their business in November of 1927. The business was later managed by Ted Semba and Ken Hayashi. It closed during World War II. TPL-6371; G48.1-042

Panama Garage (Tacoma); Japanese American families--Tacoma; Japanese Americans--Tacoma;