William Jennings Bryan visited Tacoma in Sept of 1924. This photograph was taken outside the Tacoma Hotel, 913 A St., where an invitation-only breakfast was held in his honor. The famed orator had been a Presidential candidate and Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of State. Mr. Bryan was on a farewell lecture tour of the West and stopped in Tacoma to give an address at the First Methodist Church and a brief talk on local radio station KGB. He would pass away the following year on July 26th, at the age of 65. (TDL 9-16-24; TNT 9-15-24, p.1-article)

Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925;

ca. 1884. The Tacoma Hotel, 913 A street, with its commanding view of the Tacoma tideflats, was one of the best hotels north of San Francisco. Designed by the famous architect Stanford White, it had its official opening in August of 1884. The scaffolding at the north end of the building suggests that it was still under construction when this photograph was taken. Note the Northern Pacific Railroad tracks crossing the almost completely barren tideflats; mills and manufacturing structures had yet to be fully built. The body of water at the left is the Puyallup River as it flows unfettered into Commencement Bay. The massive Tacoma Hotel was destroyed by fire on October 17, 1935, and was never rebuilt; its annex would be remodeled and called the "new" Tacoma Hotel in January, 1936.

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

ca. 1885. Photograph of "The Tacoma" (Hotel) shortly after it was built - before any of the later additions were added. The massive hotel, focus of much civic pride, opened on August 8, 1884. It had cost more than $250,000 to build, an enormous sum at the time, and was the design of architect Stanford White in 1881 who, according to Murray Morgan's South on the Sound, had been commissioned by the Northern Pacific Railroad and Tacoma Land Co. In subsequent years, several additions and renovations were made to further extend the hotel's reputation as "the finest west of the Mississippi and north of San Francisco." The Tacoma Hotel even boasted of having for a time a tame bear named Jack who spent time in the hotel lobby and was a drinker of beer. The elegant hostelry attracted many prominent visitors who enjoyed breathtaking views and luxurious furnishings. It was destroyed by fire on October 17, 1935 and never rebuilt.

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1880-1890;

Dinner held at the Tacoma Hotel on September 7, 1907, in honor of William H. Taft during his visit to Tacoma while he was Secretary of War. 300 prominent members of the Chamber of Commerce and local businessmen accorded Secretary Taft a rousing welcome. Those included Everett G. Griggs, S.A. Perkins, Francis W. Cushman, T.J. Handforth, George F. Wright, Alexander Baillie, Thomas Carstens and Dave Gross among hundreds. This was the second address of the day for Secretary Taft who had arrived in Tacoma after inspection of the maneuver grounds at American Lake. He had praised the site as ideal for a military post with the only drawback being the cost of some of the privately held property. Secretary Taft spoke to a teeming crowd of some 12,000 Tacoma citizens at Wright Park at 5 p.m. that evening prior to the banquet. They had gathered to hear the potential successor to Teddy Roosevelt. Showing that he was held in high esteem by not only the well-to-do but the average working man, an impromptu escort of about 500 men just finished with their daily endeavors marched along the automobile carrying William Taft and his party to Wright Park. 2/3rds of them bore lunch pails and working garb. (TDL 9-7-1907, p. 1-article; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 9-8-1907, p. 1, 23-article)

Banquets--Tacoma--1900-1910; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Taft, William H.; Government officials--United States;

ca. 1935. Photograph taken of the ruined Tacoma Hotel after the disastrous fire on October 17, 1935. The hotel was totally destroyed by a fire that started out in the north end of the basement in the early morning hours. (photograph courtesy of the Tom Stenger collection)

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

ca. 1935. Photograph taken of the destroyed Tacoma Hotel after the disastrous fire on October 17, 1935. Ivy was still clinging to the lower walls despite the intense heat and in the right foreground was the Tacoma Totem Pole. The Tudor Hotel was built in 1884 from a design by Stanford White's architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White. The Tacoma landmark was widely recognized as one of the finest hotels on the Pacific Coast. It was not rebuilt after the fire and although its annex continued as the new Tacoma Hotel, it never achieved the same prominence as the original. (photograph courtesy of the Tom Stenger collection)

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

Panorama of the Seventh Annual Meeting of Pacific Northwest Feed Association at the Tacoma Hotel, exhibiting textured wood work of the building's interior.

Group of young men on the docks outside of a wooden building with a sign that says "Parcels Checked" and another sign advertising hot lunch.

Tacoma Magician's Banquet

Panorama of the United Swiss Singing Society, "1st Saengerfest."

Panorama of 39th Convention of Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs.

Panorama of the Japanese-American Citizen's League Inaugural Banquet.

Panorama of a large, formally dressed standing party.

Debris litters the site of the once magnificent Tacoma Hotel after an October 17, 1935 fire totally destroyed the building. The famous landmark where presidents and other notables were hosted was gutted and never rebuilt. It had opened in August of 1884 and was believed by many to be the most beautiful hotel north of San Francisco. The fire began in the north end of the basement at 6:19 a.m. and rapidly spread throughout the north wing of the building and finally engulfed the entire structure. Line after line of hose was run along A St., 9th St. and 10th St. so that thousands of tons of water could be blasted against the raging fire. Nearly every fireman in the city was called upon in this emergency. Despite the ferocity of the fire, there were no fatalities reported among the 128 guests, hotel staff and countless firemen. Initial estimates of damage ran about $300,000 and 135 hotel workers were, for the most part, jobless. (T.Times 10-17-35, p. 1; p. 17; Talbot & Decker:100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 87+)

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

Remains of the Tacoma Hotel framed starkly by the sky after an October 17, 1935 fire reduced the hotel to ruins.

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

Ruins loom where the once majestic Tacoma Hotel stood after an October 17, 1935 fire ripped through the building leaving only charred remains. The modified Tudor structure built by the architectural firm headed up by Stanford White was a Tacoma landmark since its construction in 1884. Northwestern Dock Co. can be see through the gaping hole in the hotel's wall backed by the industrial waterfront. Businesses on the waterfront include City Lumber Co., Coast Sash & Door Co. and Western Fibre Furniture Co.

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

ca. 1935. Display of gas home appliances at the Tacoma Hotel for the Washington Gas and Electric Company. Sign stating "Gas is Best" on far wall. Columns are topped with ornate carvings of sea creatures, mermaids and faces. The wall clock is inside a ship's wheel. Upper walls are decorated with stencilling and antlered animal heads. Exposed beams and dark wood give the room a heavy, dark look. Dark leather chairs and sofas are scattered about. Appliances displayed are cook stoves, water heaters and refrigerators.

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Washington Gas & Electric Co. (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Appliances--1930-1940; Water heaters; Stoves--1930-1940; Refrigerators--1930-1940;

ca. 1935. Display of gas home appliances at the Tacoma Hotel, for the Washington Gas and Electric Company. Sign reading "Gas is Best" on far wall. Columns are topped with ornate carvings. Appliances displayed are water heaters, refrigerators and cook stoves.

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Washington Gas & Electric Co. (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Appliances--1930-1940; Water heaters; Stoves--1930-1940; Refrigerators--1930-1940;

ca. 1934. Two couples enjoy a tender dance within the Tacoma Hotel while a young lady provides the music on a piano in this circa 1934 photograph. Others enjoy dining at small tables placed nearby. The Tacoma Hotel, Tacoma's showpiece, opened in August of 1884 and underwent several renovations before being destroyed by fire in October of 1935. TPL-346

Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Dancers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Pianos;

ca. 1934. This is part of the lobby of the grand Tacoma Hotel circa 1934. The spacious foyer had several chairs and benches resting against the enormous pillars for guests taking their ease. Of note are the fancy "sea horses" at tops of the pillars and a large clock attached to the ceiling beams. A portion of a dining area is visible further down the lobby. The Tacoma Hotel was reduced to ruins by a massive fire on October 17, 1935. TPL-219

Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Lobbies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Clocks & watches;

On October 17, 1935, one of the most spectacular fires in Tacoma's history completely destroyed The Tacoma Hotel. The hotel, which covered a square block from So. 8th to So. 9th and A St. to what is now I-705, opened in August, 1884. Designed by the architectural firm headed by Stanford White, it was the show place of Tacoma, and, many said, the most beautiful hotel north of San Francisco. BU-12,609, TPL-6564

Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

Adlai E. Stevenson, the 23rd Vice president of the United States, paid an overnight visit to Tacoma on July 26, 1893, arriving from Portland by train. A Democrat, Stevenson served under Grover Cleveland, and teamed up with William Jennings Bryan in 1900 in an unsuccessful run for president. A parade in his honor in downtown Tacoma included the police harmony band and Puyallup Indian band, police and fire departments, civic groups and representatives of the G.A.R., as the vice-president was also a member. Vice-President Stevenson was formally welcomed to the city by acting mayor John T. Lee, president of the Tacoma city council, and spoke to the crowd at the Tacoma Hotel. He was the grandfather of Adlai E. Stevenson II who would himself become the two-time Democratic nominee for the presidency in the 1950's. Photo from the collection of Roy Clark, Yelm, WA. Mr. Clark furnished the livery for the occasion. (TDL 7-26-93, p. 4, 7-27-93, p. 1) (Also G67.1-177)

Vice presidents--United States; Stevenson, Adlai Ewing--1835-1914; Carriages & coaches--Tacoma--1890-1900;

ca. 1890. The Tacoma Hotel as it looked circa 1890, before any of the numberous additions had been added to the structure of the building. Tacoma was justly proud of this elegant structure with its beautiful views of Commencement Bay. It had opened in August of 1884. Photo from "Northern Pacific Railroad Scenery" with photos by F. Jay Haynes (F. Jay Haynes Collection)

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1890-1900;

Undated photograph of unidentified gardener at the original Tacoma Hotel. Photograph was taken probably in the 1920's or early 1930's; the hotel was destroyed by fire in October of 1935.

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Gardens--Tacoma--1920-1930; Gardening--Tacoma;

Undated photograph of unidentified gardener at the original Tacoma Hotel. Photograph was taken probably in the 1920's or early 1930's; the hotel was destroyed by fire in October of 1935.

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Gardens--Tacoma--1920-1930; Gardening--Tacoma;

Ruins of Tacoma Hotel showing interior rubble following the chimney's collapse. (T. Times)..

Disasters - Fires - Building Fires - Building RuinsBuildings - Hotels - The Tacoma Hotel (original)

Ruins of Tacoma Hotel, showing chimney before collapse. (T. Times).

Disasters - Fires - Building Fires - Building RuinsBuildings - Hotels - The Tacoma Hotel (original)

Three firefighters, two on a high ladder and one standing amid the buildings ruins, spray water on the charred remains of the Tacoma Hotel, 913 A Street. At 6:19 a.m. on October 17, 1935 a fire broke out in the north end of the basement of Tacoma's most famous hotel. Within ten minutes the flames had spread throughout the north wing of the building. Although virtually every firefighter in Tacoma worked to put out the fire, including most who were off-shift, by 8:00 a.m. the hotel was fully engulfed in flames. The hotel believed by many to be the most beautiful north of San Francisco was totally destroyed.

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Fire fighters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fire fighting--Tacoma;

Tacoma played host to the first Northwest Fire College June 17-20, 1936. The school was an opportunity for professional and volunteer fire departments from across the Northwest to train together and share techniques. The remains of the burned out Tacoma Hotel had been left intact for training. On Thursday, June 18th, 1936, eerie red lights once again glowed inside the hotel as Tacoma's various fire departments sped to the scene. The first floor is well-lit in this night-time exposure. Automobiles are parked in front of the fenced-off hotel. The Balfour dock, destroyed in a January 1936 fire, was also left intact for training. (T. Times 6/19/1936)

Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--Tacoma--1930-1940; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma); Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);