Construction of the first Narrows Bridge, in glorious color, January of 1940. The towers were set up and the cable spinning process had started. The water and sky appear very blue in this early color photograph.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Tacoma); Bridge construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound (Wash.); Suspension bridges--Tacoma;

A birds eye view of the catwalk used during the construction of the second Narrows Bridge, the "Galloping Gertie." The 6.4 million dollar bridge was the third longest suspension bridge in the world. It was is use for just four months before it plunged to the bottom of the Sound in a wind storm. Lee Merrill photographed the bridge using the color film that was becoming readily available for commercial photographers in the early 1940s.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Tacoma); Bridge construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound (Wash.); Suspension bridges--Tacoma;

1964 Daffodil Festival Queen. Standing in fields of golden daffodils is the 1964 Daffodil Festival Queen, 18-year-old Karen Jane Goettling. The successor to retiring queen Gail Belknap, Miss Goettling was chosen to reign over the annual festival on April 6, 1964, at Sumner's Spartan Hall. She was crowned by Governor Albert D. Rosellini. Miss Goettling is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Goettling and a senior honor student at Puyallup High School. Among her many activities are Girls Club president, Science fair chairman, Honor Society, Viking Ladies secretary, and orchestra and band member. (TNT 4-7-64, p. 1)

Goettling, Karen Jane; Beauty contestants--Puyallup; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1964 : Puyallup); Daffodils; Crowns; Scepters;

Opening of visitor's center on Mt. Rainier. Senator Henry Jackson, a principal speaker at the September 3, 1966, event, is being interviewed while seated on a rock buttress. The dedication drew a large crowd of visitors and dignitaries, including the senator, Congressman Floyd Hicks, Director of the National Park Service George B. Hartzog, Jr., and Tacoma city manager, David Rowlands. The visitors center would later be renamed in honor of Senator Jackson. (TNT 9-4-66, p. 1-article; TNT 9-4-66 magazine p. 8, p. 17-articles)

Rainier, Mount (Wash.); Visitors' centers; Jackson, Henry M., 1912-1983; Legislators--Washington--1960-1970; Interviews;

Cable spinning equipment in use in the construction of the first Narrows Bridge, the "Galloping Gertie." The towers of the bridge can be seen in the background. Taken from the Tacoma end of the bridge, the photograph is of the reels which feed the steel wires across the towers to be woven into strands, which form the cables that support the bridge. Each strand contains 332 wires. Each completed cable contains 6308 wires.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Tacoma); Bridge construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound (Wash.); Suspension bridges--Tacoma;

Opening of visitor's center on Mt. Rainier in 1966. Crowd of people at reception. The official opening took place on September 3, 1966, and drew many visitors and a host of dignitaries including Congressman Floyd Hicks, Director of the National Park Service George B. Hartzog, Jr., Tacoma City Manager David Rowlands, Pierce County Commissioner Harry Sprinker and Senator Henry M. Jackson. Senator Jackson, a principal speaker at the dedication, indicated that the facility was the largest of its kind in the federal parks system. The building at Paradise was circular and built of reinforced concrete with a pre-cast frame. 65-foot roof beams rested on Y-columns. It had a glassed-in third story observation deck. It was designed by George Wimberly of Honolulu who worked along with associate Gerald Allison of the Tacoma firm of McGuire & Muri. (TNT 9-4-66, p. 1-article; TNT 9-4-66 magazine, p. 8, p. 17-articles)

Rainier, Mount (Wash.); Receptions; Visitors' centers;

Opening of visitor's center on Mt. Rainier. Senator Henry M. Jackson and his sister, Carol and Lester Nulby (sic) are photographed along with an unidentified woman at the official September 3, 1966, opening of the new Paradise Day Lodge. Senator Jackson is second to the left in the group of four. He was the main speaker that day. The building would later be renamed for Senator Jackson. (TNT 9-4-66, p. 1-article; TNT 9-4-66 magazine, p. 8, p. 17-articles)

Rainier, Mount (Wash.); Visitors' centers; Jackson, Henry M., 1912-1983; Legislators--Washington--1960-1970;

Construction of the first Narrows Bridge, later known as the "Galloping Gertie," captured in color in January of 1940. The contractors had the towers in place and were busily spinning the cables that held the bridge together. Each cable was made of over 6,000 wires. In the early 1940's, photographer Lee Merrill was using some of the commercially viable color films that were available on the market. Kodachrome, in 1936, was the first color multi-layered film. The succeeding types and brands also used dye coupled colors where a chemical process connected the three dye layers together for an apparent color image.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Tacoma); Bridge construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound (Wash.); Suspension bridges--Tacoma;

Fern Hill site, 84th & Yakima Avenue

John Rutter, Supt. of Mt. Rainier National Park (left) and George B. Hartzog, Jr., head of the National Park Service posed together on September 3, 1966, at the official opening of the new visitor's center on Mt. Rainier. Hartzog, in suit, has his hand on Rutter's shoulder. At that time the building was called the Paradise Day Lodge. Senator Henry M. Jackson was the main speaker at the opening and in 1987 the building was renamed in his honor. (TNT 9-4-66, p. 1-article; TNT magazine 9-4-66, p. 8, 17-articles)

Rainier, Mount (Wash.); Visitors' centers; Rutter, John; Hartzog, George B.;

ca. 1940. Early 1940 era photographs of the construction of the first Narrows Bridge, the "Galloping Gertie." When completed, the Narrows Bridge would be the third longest suspension bridge in the world. It was admired for its slim, graceful design; a design that ultimately brought its downfall. Four months after its grand opening, portions of the flexing bridge plunged into the Sound during a windstorm.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Tacoma); Bridge construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound (Wash.); Suspension bridges--Tacoma;