Sylvia Sass of Tacoma's Sister City Committee, and Mayor A.L. Rasmussen listen as a Japanese visitor speaks on September 9, 1969. The man was believed to be from Tacoma's sister city, Kitakyushu. Mrs. Sass and husband Lloyd had visited Japan in 1968, where she was invited to speak to English classes at Kitakyushu University.

Sass, Sylvia; Rasmussen, Albert Lawrence; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Foreign visitors--Japan;

Sixth Avenue near Mildred, looking west. Trueblood #1822

Streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Business districts--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Sixth Avenue near Mildred, looking east. Trueblood #1822

Streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Business districts--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Ruston Way waterfront. Railroad crossing at left. Photograph taken on March 3, 1965.

Streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Railroad crossings--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Ruston Way. Trueblood #1194

Streets--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Mayor Harold Tollefson posed with about 50 beauty queens and various police units on May 15, 1962, in front of what is believed the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Avenue South. Although this particular photograph apparently did not appear in the local newspaper, it may have been taken in conjunction with the Century 21 Exposition, better known as the Seattle World's Fair, which was already in progress. TRUEBLOOD 682

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Bill Miller, Republican candidate for Vice-President on the Goldwater-Miller ticket, arrived at the Narrows Airport (Tacoma Industrial Airport) on October 29, 1964 as part of a campaign blitz of the west coast. He is pictured in light raincoat descending his chartered Eastern Airlines' plane stairs. He would speak briefly at the University of Puget Sound and at a $25-a-plate luncheon at the Towers Restaurant before departing later in the day. Mr. Miller was an alumnus of the University of Notre Dame and Albany Law School and had been a multi-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was the chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1961-1964. The Republican party would suffer a crushing defeat in the 1964 presidential elections and Mr. Miller would return to his hometown of Lockport, New York, and resume his law practice. He would pass away in June of 1983 at the age of 69. TRUEBLOOD 1136 (TNT 10-29-64, A-1-article; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_E._Miller)

Miller, William E.; Political campaigns; Tacoma Industrial Airport (Wash.); Narrows Airport (Wash.); Airplanes;

A loud, enthusiastic crowd of approximately 200, waving political signs galore, wait to welcome Bill Miller, Republican vice-presidential nominee on the Goldwater-Miller ticket. Mr. Miller arrived at the Narrows Airport (Tacoma Industrial Airport) shortly before noon on October 29, 1964 aboard a special four-engine prop-jet Eastern Airlines Electra. An Elks chartered vehicle was ready to whisk the candidate away to the University of Puget Sound and the Towers Restaurant for brief talks by the candidate. TRUEBLOOD 1136 (TNT 10-29-64, A-1-article)

Crowds; Signs (Notices); Political campaigns; Tacoma Industrial Airport (Wash.); Narrows Airport (Wash.); Automobiles;

Tacoma Mayor Gordon Johnston and Canadian visitors. The mayor is assisting with a garter with attached tiny holster and pistol. It is possible that the visitors were in town to participate in the annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival parade which was held on Saturday, April 11th. TRUEBLOOD 1935

Mayors--Tacoma--1970-1980; Johnston, Gordon N.; Foreign visitors--Canada;

Balanced on a scaffold before a giant Foster & Kleiser billboard is Miss Alaska, Nina Whaley (far left), who is pointing to the "Tour Alaska" advertisement. She and her companions, Mr. and Mrs. Chester Seveck, were in Tacoma May 19-21, 1964, for a whirlwind visit promoting Alaska's summer tourist season. The three men in suits in the photograph are not identified but are believed to be members of Tacoma's Chamber of Commerce. TRUEBLOOD 1064 (TNT 5-19-64, p. 1-article)

Whaley, Nina; Beauty contestants; Seveck, Chester; Seveck, Chester--Family; Guests--Tacoma--1960-1970; Billboards--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Albert Lawrence Rasmussen was elected mayor of Tacoma in 1967. This photograph was taken in the Mayor's office on Naturalization Day, September 9, 1969. Trueblood #1870 ALBUM 16.

Rasmussen, Albert Lawrence; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970

An unidentified family exits Never Never Land at Point Defiance in June 1965. The popular park attraction first opened in 1964. Alfred Pettersen, who also designed "Wooded Wonderland" in Victoria, British Columbia, was the first manager. The two facilities were said to be the only two "enchanted forests" on the continent. Sadly, Tacoma's enchanted forest has been plagued by petty vandalism over the years.

Parks--Tacoma; Point Defiance Park (Tacoma); Never Never Land (Tacoma); Amusement parks--Tacoma;

What better way to introduce visitors to the Northwest's scenic beauty than a relaxing cruise on Commencement Bay? Mayor Ben Hanson (2nd from left) welcomed the delegation from Tacoma's Japanese sister city on July 16, 1959. Kokura (now part of Kitakyushu), Japan became Tacoma's first sister city on July 2, 1959. Tiachung, Taiwan became Tacoma's ninth sister city in May 2000. ALBUM 16. Trueblood #81.

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hanson, Ben; Delegations--Japanese; Foreign visitors--Japan; Boats;

The "Jackie" Kennedy look was in vogue when these Miss Tacoma contestants posed at the County-City Building on April 23, 1963. Gale Yuckert (second from right) went on to become Miss Tacoma of 1963. The contest has been held sporadically since the 1920s. Trueblood #862.

Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1960-1970; Beauty contests--Tacoma--1960-1970; Yuckert, Gale; County-City Building (Tacoma); Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Harold Moss (center) raised his hand as he, along with Gerald Maule and Philip Schroeder, took the oath of office on October 13, 1970. Mr. Moss was appointed to the Tacoma City Council in the wake of political upheaval when five councilmen were ousted by recall. He was the first black to serve on the city council and would run successfully in 1971 to serve until 1973. Mr. Moss would be appointed again to the council in 1987 and was re-elected in 1988 and 1992. He became to city's first black mayor in 1994 after the sudden death of newly-elected mayor Jack Hyde. In 1996 he became the first black to sit on the Pierce County Council. The News Tribune notes that Mr. Moss was "perhaps best known for his even handedness and accessibility" while on the city council. ALBUM 16. (TNT 3-18-96, B-2)

Moss, Harold; City council members--Tacoma--1970-1980; Oaths--Tacoma; Maule, Gerald; Schroeder, Philip;

Mayor Ben Hanson welcomes Brazilian labor leaders to Tacoma on July 31, 1961, with a firm handshake and the key to the city. Ten labor leaders were visiting Tacoma for one week to learn about collective bargaining and union contracts. While in Tacoma, the visitors talked to labor, city and school officials and toured industrial plants and civic installations. Mayor Hanson had been elected mayor by the city council in 1958 and then elected by the people of Tacoma in a charter change. ALBUM 16. (TNT 7-31-61, p. 1-article)

Hanson, Ben; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Shaking hands--Tacoma; Foreign visitors--Brazil;

Visitors from Kokura, Japan, were presented with Douglas fir seedlings from their sister city, Tacoma. They are pictured on November 16, 1961, prior to departure on United Airlines. Man on right is Thomas Takemura of the Sister City Committee; stewardess has been identified as C.M. Herron of Los Angeles. The three young men are Kazama Tsunomachi, Shinichi Tanaka, and Hiromi Yokota; they were all students from Kitakyushu University, the sister university of the University of Puget Sound, who were paying a two-week visit to Tacoma. The Chamber of Commerce and St. Regis Paper Co. sent 500 Douglas fir seedlings to Kokura as a token of friendship and as a "living reminder" of the Pacific Northwest. The wrapped bundle at the feet of the visitors contained the seedlings. (TNT 11-3-61, TNT 11-23-61, Tacoma Progress, 11-24-61)

Takemura, Thomas; Herron, C.M.; Tsunomachi, Kazama; Tanaka, Shinichi; Yokota, Hiromi; Firs; Foreign visitors--Japan;

Sixth Avenue near Mildred, looking east. Towers Restaurant at left. Trueblood #1822

Streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Business districts--Tacoma--1960-1970; Towers Restaurant (Tacoma);

Ruston Way. Trueblood #1194

Streets--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Ruston Way waterfront. Top of the Ocean restaurant on the right. Numerous cars parked on both sides of the road. Photograph taken on March 3, 1965.

Streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1960-1970;

South Tacoma Way. Home to many car lots. Century Motors, 6202 South Tacoma Way, used cars section at right, Peoples Warehouse in background. This photograph was taken on March 3, 1965.

Century Motors, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1960-1970; Streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1960-1970;

ca. 1969. capri theater

Mayor Ben Hanson gestures as his visitor, L. Shukin of Turkey, watches on the grass outside the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Avenue South, on July 10, 1961. The mayor may have been pointing toward the old Central School building further up the street. TRUEBLOOD 524

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Hanson, Ben; Shukin, L.; Foreign visitors--Turkey;

On April 5, 1963, Mayor Harold Tollefson accepted a small ceramic statue from German exchange student Ulrich Bliesener of Dusseldorf. Ulrich was representing Mayor Peter Muller of that city. The statuette is a rendition of Prince Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz who had transformed Dusseldorf from a village to a city hundreds of years ago. Ulrich Bliesener was a student at Stadium High School. (TNT 4-9-63, p. 3- article & alternate photograph) TRUEBLOOD 848

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Bliesener, Ulrich; International students--German; Figurines;

Mayor Ben Hanson met with four representatives of the Trade Fair on May 19, 1961. The women are wearing the costumes of their native lands, including Japan, the Philippines, and Europe. World Trade Week would be celebrated May 21-27th in 1961. TRUEBLOOD 482A

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Hanson, Ben; Guests--Tacoma--1960-1970; Costumes;

ca. 1961. A visiting Miss California places a large sombrero on Mayor Ben Hanson's head in this circa 1961 photograph. The beauty queen is wearing her jeweled tiara, suit and black leather gloves. TRUEBLOOD 595

Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Hanson, Ben; Guests--Tacoma--1960-1970; Beauty contestants--California; Sombreros; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Mayor Gordon Johnston and visiting U.S. Senators were photographed on April 2, 1970. Two men are holding keys to the City of Tacoma. TRUEBLOOD 1932

Mayors--Tacoma--1970-1980; Johnston, Gordon N.; Legislators--United States;

Chester Seveck, 75, of Alaska carefully eyes the waters of Puget Sound as he prepares to launch his harpoon while on his promotional tour. He has killed 22 polars bears and one 60-foot whale in his lifetime of hunting. Mr. Seveck and spouse accompanied Miss Alaska, Nina Whaley, in mid-May of 1964 on a whirlwind three-day visit to Tacoma. Mr. and Mrs. Seveck were professional entertainers as well as guides during the summer at Kotzebue, within the Arctic Circle. TRUEBLOOD 1064 (TNT 5-19-64, p. 1-article; TNT 5-22-64, p. 6-article & alternate picture)

Seveck, Chester; Harpoons--Tacoma; Fishing--Washington; Guests--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Miss Alaska, Nina Whaley, is seated behind the controls of a boat while cruising in Puget Sound waters; this was just one of the many activities she participated in during her whirlwind three-day visit to Tacoma in May of 1964. She is wearing a heavy fur parka which may have felt a bit too warm in the low 60s degree temperatures. Miss Whaley was in town to promote Alaska's summer tourist season. (TNT 5-19-64, p. 1-article) TRUEBLOOD 1064

Whaley, Nina; Beauty contestants; Fur garments; Guests--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Alaskan native Chester Seveck dances before his wife (seated) and local Tacomans during a whirlwind visit to the city in mid-May of 1964. Mr. and Mrs. Seveck had accompanied Miss Alaska, Nina Whaley, to Tacoma on a mission to promote Alaska's tourist industry. The Sevecks were professional entertainers and also worked as guides. They would stay in Tacoma an extra day after Miss Whaley's departure to make several appearances at the Propeller Club, Kiwanis and two conferences. TRUEBLOOD 1064 (TNT 5-19-64, p. 2-article)

Seveck, Chester; Seveck, Chester--Family; Guests--Tacoma--1960-1970;