In August of 1935, General James M. Ashton posed at the Ferry Museum, 315 North Stadium Way, with an old cavalry guidon with stars in a circle pattern. The flag was the one presented to Troop "B" by Clinton P. Ferry when the troop served as the guard of honor at the 1889 inaugural ceremonies of Elisha P. Ferry as the first Governor of Washington State. Elisha P. Ferry was Clinton P. Ferry's uncle. General Ashton had served as captain in Troop B nearly 50 years ago. Troop B is actually designated as the Headquarters Troop, 24th Cavalry Division, Washington National Guard and it is the oldest military group in the state. Clinton Ferry's large personal collection of antiques and historic artifacts was housed in the Ferry Museum until the whole collection was donated to the Washington State Historical Society in 1930. (T. Times 9-11-1935, pg. 3)

Ferry Museum (Tacoma); Flags; Washington National Guard, 24th Cavalry Division (Tacoma); Ashton, James M.;

ca. 1937. General view of the Stadium Bowl (Frederick Heath, Architect) and the Ferry Museum at 315 No. Stadium Way, operated by the Washington State Historical Society (George W. Bullard, Architect.) Photograph taken after the addition of a third floor to the museum. One section of masonry railing has been added on the roof. The Puget Sound can be seen in the background of the photograph. TPL-2515

Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Stadiums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound (Wash.); Ferry Museum (Tacoma);

Washington State Historical Society, ( Ferry Museum ). General view of building by George W. Bullard, Architect. (T. Times, Spring Edition)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In March of 1937, work began on construction of a $40,000 third story addition to the Washington State Historical Society, 315 No. Stadium Way. A crane on the roof is helping to erect the masonry cornice on the roof level. The additional space was being added to provide a display area for the museums valuable collection of art and historical relics which were crowded into storage areas not open to the public. This building is now the Washington Historical Society Research Center. (T. Times 3/30/1937, pg. 1)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ferry Museum (Tacoma);

William P. Bonney, pictured left center with trowel, Pierce County native son and secretary of the Washington Historical Society, can now add masonry to his long list of careers. He has been a farmer, teamster, dispatch rider and pharmacist; and most recently he went up to the roof of the Ferry Museum to "help" place one of the stones for the cornice of the $40,000 third story being constructed on one wing of the building. The additional story will display works of art and historical relics now kept in storage rooms. The work is scheduled to be completed by summer. (T. Times 3/13/1937, pg. 1)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bonney, William P.; Remodeling;

Alonzo Victor Lewis, noted sculptor, stands in the shadow of a column at the entry to the Ferry Museum where he recently added the art-deco detail above the front doors. Artistic portraiture. (T. Times).

Lewis, Alonzo Victor; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ferry Museum (Tacoma);

Washington State Historical Society, ladies dressed in costume for the Centennial pose with Territorial artifacts. Ordered by the TNT. One of the highlights of the week long city wide celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the Northwest Territory was the Pioneer Tea. It was hosted by members of the local chapters of the Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington and the Daughters of the American Revolution attired in pioneer outfits. Pictured, left to right, are Mrs. Clyde Davidson, Della Gould Emmons, Miss Ruby Blackwell, Florence Hoegh and Clara E. Goering, general chairman for the week long city celebration. (TNT 8/20/1953, pg. D-7)

Celebrations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Centennial celebrations--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Goering, Clara; Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington (Tacoma); Daughters of the American Revolution (Tacoma);

Washington State Historical Society, ladies dressed in costume for the Centennial. Ordered by the TNT. One of the events planned in Tacoma to help celebrate the Washington State Territorial Centennial was a Pioneer Tea held at the Washington State Historical Museum. The tea was intended to showcase the Museum's fine collection of artifacts. It was sponsored by the Tacoma & Steilacoom chapters of the Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington and three chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution (the Mary Ball, Virginia Dare & Elizabeth Foley chapters) who served in period costumes. A musical program was provided by the Ladies' Musical Club. Pictured, left to right, Janet Judson Russell, Nellie Hartl, Josephine Alexander, Mrs. William Sechler, Josephine Bertschy, Minnie Birkie, Mrs. P.M. Simons, Isabel Wells, Mildred McCallum, Flora Blackwell and Mrs. F.L. Gordon (TNT 8/23/1953, pg. D-4 & photo TNT 8/30/1953, pg. D-7)

Celebrations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Centennial celebrations--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington (Tacoma); Daughters of the American Revolution (Tacoma);

W.P. Bonney, Washington State Historical Society, holds double-barreled shotgun used by Lyman Cutler to kill a British neighbor's pig on San Juan Island, beginning what came to be called the "Pig War." In the 1850's, the San Juan Islands were at the center of a territorial dispute between the US and England. Lyman Cutler, failed Frasier Valley gold prospector, settled on San Juan Island and started a farm next to British citizen John Griffin, who raised livestock. One morning Cutler went out to dig new potatoes for breakfast only to find Griffin's pig happily rooting and chewing them. The angry Cutler grabbed his gun, shot the pig and delivered it to Griffin. Tempers rose, both governments were contacted and soon troops and battleships of both countries were massed for attack. The two governments wisely decided not to battle over such a small matter and presented the argument to the German Kaiser for arbitration. The area was eventually given to the US. (T. Times 10/22/1938, pg. 5)

Bonney, William P.; Guns; Firearms;

Washington State Historical Society building addition. View of entrance facade with construction cranes on roof. Original building by George W. Bullard, Architect; addition by Mock and Morrison, Architects. Original photograph, see D881 image 3 for cropped version. (T. Times).

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ferry Museum (Tacoma);

ca. 1937. The Washington State Historical Building Museum, originally the Ferry Museum, was built in 1911 from a design by George W. Bullard, architect. A third floor was added on in 1937.

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ferry Museum (Tacoma);

Washington State Historical Society building addition. Curator William P. Bonney directs masonry crew constructing the new third floor of the building. Addition by Mock and Morrison, Architects. Original photograph, see D881-3 for cropped version. (T. Times 03/30/37 p. 1)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bonney, William P.; Remodeling;

Twelve students from Bryant Elementary School, dressed in colonial costumes, pose in front of the old Washington State Historical Society building, 315 No. Stadium Way, in February, 1953. Looking very much like little George and Martha Washingtons, the boys have white pigtailed "wigs" while the girls are adorned with white decorated caps. The students were first graders whose teacher, Mrs. Donald Fries, taught them to dance the stately and graceful minuet. Students pictured are: Calvin Bertram, Paul Dessen, Craig Luoma, David Peschek, Mark Redal, Fred Wahlgren, Patricia Dillinger, Linda Fote, Geri Rickard, Diane Thomson, Mary Lee Merz and Mary Louise Dotter. (TNT 2-22-53, D-1, D-2) TPL-10188

School children--Tacoma--1950-1960; Costumes; Dancers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);

W.P. Bonney, left, of the Washington State Historical Society, and Harvey Scofield, expert rifleman and small arms authority, examine an old, American-made "Kentucky Rifle" used by Levant Frederick Thompson in the Indian War of 1855. Mr. Thompson was the youngest member of the first territorial legislature and the oldest member of the first state legislature. (T. Times, 5/26/38, p. 2).

Bonney, William P.; Guns; Firearms; Scofield, Harvey;

Catherine G. (Mrs. Harry) Compton was in charge of the doll show which was one of the most important special events of the year at the Washington State Historical Society. Mrs. Compton is shown with a group of dolls that were to be on display. All doll collectors in the Tacoma area were urged to participate. Dolls with costumes and from all over the world were shown. (TNT, 2/24/1952, p.A-7)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Dolls; Compton, Catherine G.;

Chapin D. Foster and Dean H. Eastman present a new exhibit at the Washington State Historical Society depicting Northern Pacific Railway's first transcontinental train arriving at Tacoma's 17th and Pacific Avenue depot. Dean H. Eastman, assistant vice president of Northern Pacific, represented the company in development of the scene. The exhibit was the work of Kenn E. Johnson, a Tacoma artist. (TNT, 1/12/1952, p.B-5)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Foster, Chapin D.; Eastman, Dean H.; Railroad companies--Tacoma; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Chapin Foster and Mr. Eastman stand beside model in Northern Pacific Railway (Railroad) alcove at Washington State Historical Society. Model represents arrival of train at New Tacoma depot with factories, houses, bay in background.

Earl Coe, Secretary of State, presented a replica of the Washington State Seal to the Washington State Historical Society in late 1951. View of exhibit at historical society; possible replica of state seal on the left wall, portrait of Elisha Ferry, first governor, along with his desk. The Washington State Historical Society's building on North Stadium Way was built in the Neo-Classical Revival style, designed by architect George W. Bullard, and built in 1911. It later added the Ferry Museum with construction occupying most of 1916. .

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Ferry, Elisha P., 1825-1895;

The 50th anniversary of the Virginia Dare chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution was celebrated with a guest tea at the Washington State Historical Society museum on Monday, September 10, 1951. Charter members of the chapter were among those in attendance. Five unidentified women stand behind serving table and three-tierd cake. Portrait of Issac Stevens and other pioneer items in background. (TNT 9-16-51, D-1)

National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (Tacoma); Tea parties--Tacoma--1950-1960; Women--Clubs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);

Roger Gotteland of Seattle, French Consular Agent, speaking in Tacoma at the unveiling of a replica of the Statue of Liberty at the Washington State Historical Society. The replica was presented to the Washington State Historical Society by the Mount Rainier Council of Boy Scouts, comprising part of King and Pierce counties. The statue was the first to be erected in Washington as part of a national Scout Americanization program. Ordered by Mr. Foster. (TNT, 7/15/1951, p.1)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Foster, Chapin D.; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);

On June 27, 1951, a replica of the "Statue of Liberty" was unveiled at the Washington State Historical Building, 315 North Stadium Way, with ceremonies and speeches. More than 200 Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts and Cubs from the Mt. Rainier Council of Boy Scouts, who financed the replica through paper drives, marched with their color guards. The procession was led by a World War II Naval veteran. The unveiling proclamation was spoken by Scout Joe Crawford. James Pomeroy, Kenneth Riis and Hugh Judd pulled the veil from the statue. Roger Gotteland of Seattle, the French Consular Agent, spoke at the unveiling. There are over 200 of these replicas in 39 states in the U.S. and several of its possessions and territories. The copper statues were erected in the early 1950's by Boy Scout troops and others to celebrate Scouting�s 40th anniversary theme, "Strengthen the Arm of Liberty." Ordered by Mr. Foster. (TNT, 7/15/1951, p.1; www.troop101.thescouts.com)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Foster, Chapin D.; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);

Chapin D. Foster, secretary/director of the Washington State Historical Society, describes the use of Native American artifacts to a class of school children visiting the museum. The extensive collection includes: ceremonial boards, baskets, canoes, trade beads, tools, weapons, fishing equipment, clothing, masks, carved images, and exhibits showing everyday life among the Northwest and Alaska tribes.

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Children; Indians of North America; Foster, Chapin D.;

George Ball, age 12, of Redondo Beach, received a $25 check from the Tacoma Society of Architects for submitting the best design for a base of the replica of the Statue of Liberty that was to be erected by the Tacoma area Boy Scouts on the grounds of the Washington State Historical Society. L-R, Nelson J. Morrison, chairman of the architects' selection committee; Chapin D. Foster, director of the State Historical Society; George Ball; Farlin Nye, chairman of the project committee; and Lyle Swedberg, president of the Tacoma Society of Architects. (TNT, 5/20/1951, p.B-1)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Foster, Chapin D.; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Ball, George; Nye, Farlin; Morrison, Nelson J.; Swedberg, Lyle;

Museum artist J.H. Gipple builds a life like tree for the cougar diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. The purpose of the dioramas is to show the preserved wildlife in its natural habitat. The museum artist not only has to build the animals and cover them with the tanned skin, but also recreate all the natural elements such as rocks and vegetation from materials that will last. The limb of the tree was from where the cougar leapt from to attack a deer. The setting is a reproduction of the Nile Creek vicinity in the Yakima area. The branches and vegetation on the tree were brought from that area and chemically treated to retain their color indefinitely. (TNT 4/8/1951, pg. A-4)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.;

J.H. Gipple, taxidermist, creates the artificial bodies of a cougar attacking a deer for the Washington State Historical Society's diorama. Taxidermy is the art of putting a real animal skin on an artificial body. First, every part of the animal is measured so that the artificial body will fit inside the skin. The skin is removed from the body and tanned and the skeleton is saved. A body frame is created, either from wood or actual bones, and then covered with wire mesh and straw. In this picture, the frame is coated with a material in preparation for the addition of the skin. The cougar is suspended from wires in the ceiling to approximate an pouncing position. The cougar was killed near Eatonville by Robert E. Albaugh of Tacoma. The animal measured almost eight feet in length. (TNT 4/8/1951, pg. A-4)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.; Pumas--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A young woman poses in the almost completed diorama of an attacking cougar for the Washington State Historical Museum. The cougar's tanned skin covers the body frame of wood, bone and straw. The body is completed with the cougar's actual claws and glass eyes. The body is suspended from the ceiling with wires to hold it in an attacking position. The rocks and bushes complete the natural setting. The young woman poses in place of the cougar's usual prey, the deer.

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Museum artist J.H. Gipple creates a rock for the cougar diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. The rocks are created from papier-mache; paper pulped with glue and formed around a wooden form to simulate a rock. The diorama will show the woodland area that is the cougar's home in the wild. The complex display showing the life or death struggle between a cougar and a white tailed deer took four months to complete.

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.;

In December of 1950, taxidermist J.H. Gipple was busy working on a deer form for a diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. The deer's torso has been created from lightweight wood with the real skull attached to a long metal rod "neck". The deer's real leg bones are attached to the torso with metal attachments. The museum artist is using straw to fill out the body in preparation for covering with the tanned skin. The skin has been treated with chemical preservatives to keep the skin soft and make it last. The deer shown is a three or four year old white tail, with antlers in the "velvet" stage of growth. (TNT 4/8/1951, pg A-4)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.; Deer--Tacoma--1950-1960;

J.H. Gipple, taxidermist, at work on the background scenery for the cougar diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. A diorama is an exhibit recreating the preserved wildlife in its natural habitat including rocks, plants and other natural scenery. The museum goer can then see how the wild animals lived in nature. The museum artist is recreating boulders with a wood frame covered by papier-mache and then painted to appear real. Smaller boulders may be carved from foam.

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.;

Kappa Phi girls in old fashioned costumes pose in front of the alcove display paying tribute to the first missionaries coming to the Northwest. The alcove, the latest addition to the McCormick Hall in the Washington State Historical Society, was sponsored by Brown & Haley. A large painting of Cushing Fells, the first missionary in the Spokane area, shows him preaching to a group of Indians. Also included in the display were relics from Catholic missionaries and letters from Jason Lee who was the first missionary to come into the Northwest, having been sent here in 1834 by the Methodist church. Ordered by Chapin Foster. (TNT, 12/10/1950, p.A-17)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Costumes;