Interior, machine at plant, Wheeler Osgood, Miss Lindgren. An interior view of the plant that was known as the world's largest manufacturer of wooden doors. Stacks and stacks of finished doors are seen throughout this part of the plant.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Factories--Tacoma--1940-1950; Machinery;

A group of striking workers happily returns to work at Wheeler Osgood on August 5, 1935, after their 13 week strike is settled. Twenty two area mill operators agreed to meet employee demands for a 50 cent minimum wage, a 40 hour week, an 8 hour day, time and one half for overtime, reemployment of striking workers and recognition of the union. (for more information, see image series D599)

Labor unions--Tacoma; Lumber & Sawmill Workers Local 2633 (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Strikes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma);

In October of 1940, Arthur B. Langlie, the mayor of Seattle and Republican candidate for Governor, campaigned for votes at the Wheeler-Osgood Company sash and door mill on the Tacoma tideflats. Langlie was running for the state's highest office against Democrat, and former Senator, Clarence C. Dill. Langlie won by a margin of fewer than 6,000 votes, becoming at 40 the youngest Governor of Washington until then. Governor Langlie was defeated in 1944 by Democrat Mon Wallgren, but he came back strong in 1948 and reclaimed the Governor's office. He served two more terms and become the first Washington Governor to serve a total of three terms.

Langlie, Arthur B., 1900-1966; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Political campaigns;

His vehicle engulfed by employees of the Wheeler-Osgood Company, Republican candidate for President Wendell Willkie addresses the teeming crowd on September 23, 1940. These working men have climbed on car tops, roofs, and stacks of lumber to view Mr. Willkie. He stands beside the open automobile with a microphone; Mrs. Willkie is in the back seat. Because his time was extremely limited in Tacoma, Mr. Willkie's only stop in the industrial area was the Wheeler-Osgood plant where he inspected the plant for ten minutes and spoke to 200 employees. Selected to run against incumbent President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1940, Wendell Willkie was a lawyer and utilities executive as well as a former Democrat. He campaigned against Roosevelt's New Deal and the country's lack of military readiness. Although he was buried by Roosevelt in total electoral votes, he only lost the popular vote by 5 million. He went on to become a close ally of President Roosevelt and was appointed his personal representative in 1941 and 1942 to Britain, the Middle East, USSR and China. ALBUM 2. (T.Times, 9-23-40, p.1, T.Times, 9-24-40, p.1)

Willkie, Wendell, 1892-1944; Political campaigns; Presidential elections--Tacoma--1940-1950; Public speaking--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crowds--Tacoma--1940-1950; Willkie, Edith;

Reliance Painting received a contract to paint the entire exterior of the Wheeler Osgood Company's plywood plant. Reliance assigned seven painters to work on the project five days per week on a full time basis. The job was expected to be completed by November 20th. View of two painters on scaffolding, using paint sprayers attached to hoses (T. Times, 9/24/47, p. 5).

Painting--Tacoma; Paints & varnishes; Equipment; Machinery; Laborers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Scaffolding--Tacoma; Reliance Painting Co. (Tacoma); Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma);

Several models of adding machines and typewriters by Monroe, Remington, Rand and Burroughs lined up for auction at Wheeler-Osgood factory liquidation. Once known as the world's largest manufacturer of doors, Wheeler Osgood opened for business in 1889 and closed in 1952. The factory building itself burned down during demolition in July of 1952.

Calculators--1950-1960; Typewriters--1950-1960; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Factories--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Wheeler, Osgood Company specialized in manufacturing plywood products and doors, the company's facilities were located in Tacoma's tideflats at 1216 Saint Paul Avenue. In 1948, the company officers were: Joseph H. Gonyea, President and General Manager, Paul M. Smith, Secretary, John F. Cushing, Treasurer, and R. D. Burrows, General Plant Superintendent. Exterior view of recently painted Wheeler, Osgood Company; the company sign is above the main entrance; industrial plant in background.

Doors & doorways--Tacoma; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Plywood; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma);

Wheeler Osgood office interiors. Mr. Robert H. O'Neil was the assistant secretary at Wheeler Osgood at this time. The office walls are covered with plywood paneling and a highly-grained wooden door is open to the hallway. A file cabinet sits against the wall.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Wheeler Osgood office interiors. A view of a smaller office at the plant's offices. The walls are covered with highly grained plywood paneling and the door is also. The desk is covered with a bloter and has a phone on the corner. One side chair sits against the wall and the floor is covered with linoleum.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Office furniture; Desks; Chairs;

Wheeler Osgood office interiors. A view of one of the offices at Wheeler Osgood with a large desk, two large windows with draperies and venetian blinds. There are guest chairs around the room and a shadow of a round table shows against the carpeting. The walls are covered in wood paneling. Florescent light fixtures are set at an angle to the corners of the room.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Office furniture; Desks; Chairs; Windows--Tacoma;

Exterior view of Wheeler Osgood plant, on spec.Some of Wheeler Osgood's "multiplicity of smokestacks" are shown here along with their water tower. The company started in Tacoma in 1889 and was a mainstay on the Tacoma tideflats. They became the world's largest producer of wooden doors.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Factories--Tacoma--1940-1950; Smokestacks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Water towers--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Visitors going through plant, Wheeler-Osgood, Miss Lingren. Puran Sawhney and his family, from New Delhi, India, were in Tacoma for two days. They were touring the United States and Mr. Sawhney wanted to learn about American industry. He is standing (second from right) with three men from Wheeler-Osgood by the railroad tracks that serve the door manufacturing facility. Stacks of lumber on wheels are lined up beside them.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Guests--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sawhney, Puran; East Indians; Business people--Tacoma--1940-1950; Railroad tracks--Tacoma;

On Wednesday April 13, 1949 at approximately 11:55 A.M. the Pacific Northwest was shaken by an earthquake. The areas affected by the earthquake included: Seattle, Tacoma, Puyallup, Port Angeles, Portland and Vancouver, B. C.; tremors were also felt in Idaho. View of stack at Wheeler Osgood that was damaged during the earthquake (T.N.T., 4/14/49, p. 1 & 2).

Building failures--Tacoma; Rescue work--Tacoma; Earthquakes--Tacoma; Disasters--Tacoma; Bricks; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma);

Wheeler-Osgood employees were pictured on April 10, 1928, manufacturing mahogany doors. Mahogany is a very durable wood which resists rot. Its reddish hue and generally smooth surface makes for an attractive product as doors. The Wheeler-Osgood plant, located at 1216 Saint Paul Ave., would produce much of the nation's supply of doors. It closed in 1952 after being in business for 63 years. TPL-2449; G34.1-046

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Doors & doorways--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;