View looking up Saint Helens Ave. This photograph was taken from the top of the Winthrop Hotel, 773 Broadway, on May 15, 1925, the day before its grand opening. The view is of Saint Helens Avenue, just beyond the Bostwick Block (755-71 Saint Helens), the triangular shaped building next to the Winthrop. Visible businesses included the Montelius Music House (736 Saint Helens), the Gilliam & Steven Motor Co. (735 Saint Helens -street renamed Court C), and the Caswell Optical Co.(752-66 Saint Helens), on the far left edge. In the distance at the far left is Central School. G8.1-013

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Central School (Tacoma); Montelius Music House (Tacoma); Gilliam & Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma); Caswell Optical Co. (Tacoma);

This view of South 9th Street looking west from the corner of Broadway and Saint Helens was taken on May 15, 1925 from the top of the Winthrop Hotel. At the bottom left is a part of the old Tacoma Theater. The ornate white building on the same side of 9th is the Rialto Theater, 310 So. 9th. Up the street is the First Baptist Church at 902 Market Street with its bell tower still under construction. On the north side of 9th is the Caswell Optical building, 752-66 St. Helens, in the foreground, followed by the white Exley Apartments at 309 So. 9th, originally the oldest existing house in Tacoma and later converted into apartments. The taller Rhodes Apartments, 311 So. 9th (now the Rialto Apartments), are next. Rising in the background are the Gothic towers of the Pierce County Courthouse, left, and the Central School building, right. G57.1-101

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1940; Tacoma Theatre (Tacoma); Rialto Theatre (Tacoma); First Baptist Church (Tacoma); Caswell Optical Co. (Tacoma); Exley Apartments (Tacoma); Rhodes Apartments (Tacoma); Rialto Apartments (Tacoma);

This section of Broadway near South 7th Street was "Auto Row" in September of 1925 with several automobile dealerships located side-by-side. L-R were: Griffith Motor Company selling Dodge Brothers motor cars; Mueller-Harkins Motor Company, a Buick dealer; Arthur Bryan Motor Company, a Chevrolet dealership and Richardson Motor Company, the Cleveland & Chandler dealership. Most, if not all, also had used car departments. TPL-1731; G59.1-025

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Griffith Motor Co. (Tacoma); Mueller-Harkins Motor Co. (Tacoma); Arthur Bryan Motor Co. (Tacoma); Richardson Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This is 11th & Broadway looking south in early 1926. Cars are parked on both sides of the street while streetcars and a small 6th Ave. bus share the road. On the left side of the street is one of the McMillan Bros. drugstores. Besides being a pharmacy, the McMillan Bros. also sold Brunswick and Victor phonographs and Wurlitzer pianos. Among the establishments on the right side of the photograph is the Feist & Bachrach department store (1114-20 Broadway); the site would later become the J.C. Penney Co. department store. Photograph ordered by Foster & Kleiser. TPL-1582; G59.1-033

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroads--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; McMillan Brothers (Tacoma); Feist & Bachrach (Tacoma);

This was busy, bustling Pacific Avenue near South 9th St. in January of 1926. Although there were stately office buildings on Pacific such as the 17-story newly completed Washington Building (center at 1019) and Puget Sound National Bank (1117-19), there were also many smaller establishments packed in as well. The Carlyle Cafeteria (ground floor of the Provident Building), the Thomas Billiard Parlor, Tabell's featuring chili and tamales, the Argonaut Hotel and Western Union were on the left side of Pacific with Dundee Woolen Mills Tailors, Bennett Typewriter Co., Samuelson & Berg's and Washington Hardware among others on the right. It was possible then to book a room, play pool, dine at a variety of restaurants, get a suit tailored, complete banking transactions, pickup tools for the home, and buy a pair of shoes all within a block or two. Streetcars were available for easy transport as an alternative to driving. G61.1-040

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washington Building (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Carlyle Cafeteria (Tacoma); Provident Building (Tacoma); Argonaut Hotel (Tacoma);

This view is of part of the growing 6th Avenue business district at the intersection of Oakes looking east in January of 1926. Streetcar tracks run down the middle of 6th and the 6th Avenue car is in sight. Businesses on the left include the 6th Ave. Furniture Co. in the Masonic Lodge (2609) and the Pollyanna Cafe. On the right are the Piggly Wiggly, Foultz Variety Store, Frederick Dean Drug Co., Prospect Market and the new Sixth Avenue Baptist Church. TPL-1798; G57.1-065 (TNT 1-21-26, p. 15)

Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Sixth Avenue Baptist Church (Tacoma); 6th Ave. Furniture Co. (Tacoma); Pollyanna Cafe (Tacoma); Piggly Wiggly (Tacoma);

This is how Broadway looking south from 11th St. appeared in March of 1926. The large building on the right at 1104 Broadway is the Fisher Co. (formerly known as Stone-Fisher until October of 1925), Tacoma's oldest department store. It had been at that location since 1906 although the store had begun operations as Sanford & Stone on Tacoma Avenue in 1889. On the left were the E.R. Parker System (painless dentists) at 1103 1/2 Broadway and the French Drug Co. (1101-03) both in the Warburton Building with the relocated Blue Bird Electrical Shop (1105-07) next door. The main business districts were then still in the downtown Tacoma area where a variety of stores, restaurants and recreation outlets were available to the consumer. City buses had yet to supplant streetcars as a means of mass transit although automobiles were becoming more prevalent. G59.1-032 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 10-11-25, 12-A-article on the Fisher Co.)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; 0; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); E.R. Parker System (Tacoma); French Drug Co. (Tacoma); Blue Bird Electrical Shop (Tacoma); Warburton Building (Tacoma);

This is a glimpse of busy Fourth Avenue in Olympia post 1947. Cars are lined up on both sides of the street as well as motoring down the long roadway, including a newish Lincoln. On the left foreground are the Olympia Bakery, Liberty Cafe, a bowling alley and a hotel. At right are the Reder's Grocery, Olympia Drug Co.and Gottfeld's men's clothing store. (Photograph courtesy of the William Cammarano Collection) TPL-10430

Commercial streets--Olympia; Lincoln automobile; Automobiles--Olympia--1940-1950; Olympia Bakery (Olympia); Liberty Cafe (Olympia); Reder's Grocery (Olympia); Olympia Drug Co. (Olympia);

ca. 1894. Business district of Tacoma (copy of original), circa 1894. Many of the streets surrounding Pacific Avenue in the 1890s, even then the heart of the city's financial district, were filled with a hodgepodge of wood framed buildings and more substantial brick structures. At the foreground are the Pioneer Paint Store, sellers of wallpaper, mouldings, paints, and glass and W.H. Robison's, where new and second hand goods could be purchased. The Freeman & Boggs livery stable, near left center, stood near the corner of 13th & Pacific. George A. Boggs, who was City Treasurer before going into private business, had been sent away to the state pen in Walla Walla after auditors found a $109,000 shortage in the city books. Also in the far right background is the steeple of the original St. Leo's Church near So. 11th & "D" St. S7.2, TPL-378 (Researched by Murray Morgan)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1890-1900; Business districts--Tacoma--1890-1900; Freeman & Boggs Livery (Tacoma); Pioneer Paint Store (Tacoma); W.H. Robison (Tacoma);

125 feet of property around Sixth Avenue and Proctor, ordered by Arthur Locke. This is approximately the 3800 block of Sixth Avenue and features several businesses: Johnson's Bakery with its brick facade and awnings spanning the length of the building, Petite Beauty Salon, Pearl's Nook restaurant, Stop-Lite Tavern, and Value Stores. This block was built ca. 1926, apparently by Arthur Locke.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Facades--Tacoma--1960-1970; Johnson's Bakery (Tacoma); Petite Beauty Salon (Tacoma); Pearl's Nook (Tacoma); Stop-Lite Tavern (Tacoma); Value Stores (Tacoma); Awnings--Tacoma;

In July of 1964, awnings extended from the buildings on the 3800 block of Sixth Avenue near Proctor; providing shade and protection from the elements for customers frequenting the variety of businesses along the 125 foot stretch of property. Built in 1926 by Arthur Locke, the brick businesses consisted of Johnson Bakery, Petite Beauty Salon, Pearl's Nook restaurant, Stop-Lite Tavern and the 5 & 10 cent Value Stores. A modern street lamp towers over the one-story businesses. Photograph ordered by Arthur Locke.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Facades--Tacoma--1960-1970; Johnson's Bakery (Tacoma); Petite Beauty Salon (Tacoma); Pearl's Nook (Tacoma); Stop-Lite Tavern (Tacoma); Value Stores (Tacoma); Awnings--Tacoma; Street lights--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Washington Building. Situated at the corner of 11th & Pacific, the imposing Washington Building, built in the style of the Chicago School, stands 17 stories high. A large red neon sign installed on the top of the building advertised its neighbor, the Bank of California. As their signs advertised, United Mutual Savings Bank and Household Finance had offices in the Washington Building. The left side of the photograph shows the Rust Building, 950 Pacific Ave., also built in the 1920's. Beyond the Rust Building, on Tacoma Ave. So., is the County-City Building. The Medical Arts Building, on Market St., is the large Art-Deco structure on the right side of photograph. Photograph ordered by Washington Building Co.

Washington Building (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1960-1970; Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Medical Arts Building (Tacoma); Signs (Notices);

Undated customer postcard of Lake Street in Sand Lake, Michigan. This undated photograph shows the north side of Lake Street in the very small town of Sand Lake, Michigan. This is probably prior to the common automobile age as the road is unpaved and transportation is primarily horse-and-wagon. Power or telephone poles are present on the north side of the street. Photograph ordered by Pierce Powers, Puyallup.

Commercial streets--Michigan--Sand Lake; Horses--Michigan--Sand Lake; Carts & wagons--Michigan--Sand Lake;

Undated customer postcard of street scenes in Sand Lake, Michigan. This appears to be one of Sand Lake's commercial streets with establishments close together. Photograph may have been taken about 1900 or before. Sand Lake in 2004 only had a population of barely 500; 100 years ago it may have been about the same or even smaller. The Sand Lake House is the large building closest to the camera. This may have been the town's hotel or even a boarding house. What appears to be a windmill is behind the business. A boots-and-shoe store is one of the businesses close to the Sand Lake House. Photograph ordered by Pierce Powers, Puyallup.

Commercial streets--Michigan--Sand Lake; Sand Lake House (Sand Lake, MI);

The rear and north side of the Jones Building which was built in 1917 as one of the Pantages Theaters featuring vaudeville. The back of the building shows beautiful detail in the brickwork creating lines and arches reminiscent of the architecture found on the north and west sides of the building as well as the interior. The north side has architectural details with arches and balconies built into the stone facade. Terra cotta details are seen as ornaments against the stone. Lanes Grill is seen at 904 Commerce Street and Tryfon Hatters is at 908 Commerce Street. TPL-9064

Jones Building (Tacoma); Historic buildings--Tacoma; Roxy Theatre (Tacoma); Lanes Grill (Tacoma); Tryfon Hatters (Tacoma);

Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan building at intersection of S. 11th & Commerce Sts. Pedestrians wait to cross busy Commerce St. on February 1, 1961. The savings & loan association had announced two weeks before that they would be constructing a new building on the original site and including the Bernice Building location next door. Both buildings had been built in the late 1800's and heavily utilized the semi-circular Roman arch feature. Photograph ordered by Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Assn.

Pacific First Federal Building (Tacoma); Bernice Building (Tacoma);

Originally built in 1891 as the Merchants National Bank, the building on the corner of 11th and Pacific Avenue became home to Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan in 1939. When the building was remodeled in 1949 many innovations were added to the venerable structure including Tacoma's first escalator. Both the Pacific First Federal building at 1102-04 Pacific and the Bernice Building next to it were torn down shortly after this photograph was taken in 1961; a new, larger Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association building was built on the site. The new savings and loan had its grand opening in September 1964. Today it is home to Washington Mutual Bank. (Photograph ordered by Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Assn.)

Pacific First Federal Building (Tacoma); Bernice Building (Tacoma); Bender's (Tacoma);

Streets of downtown Tacoma appear quiet on a Sunday in April, 1961. A few people stand near Bender's Ready to Wear clothing store for women and men located in the Bernice Building in the 1100 block of Pacific Avenue. Both the Bernice and the adjoining Pacific First Federal Building would be but a memory shortly as they would be torn down to make way for a modern Pacific First Federal Savings location. Photograph taken from the third floor of the Washington Building on behalf of Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan.

Bernice Building (Tacoma); Pacific First Federal Building (Tacoma); Bender's (Tacoma);

View of downtown Tacoma's business district on Pacific Ave. In 1972, businesses on one side of Pacific Ave. included Dammeier Printing (Print NW), the Olympus Hotel, the Security (Provident) Building, the Washington Building with the giant neon Bank of California sign on its roof, and Puget Sound National Bank. In the foreground of this November 22, 1972, picture is the Olympus Hotel: it offered free television in every room and entertainment in the Frontier and Mirror Rooms. Built in 1909, the Olympus would close its doors as a hotel in November of 1974, later undergoing several changes in use of the property. Photograph ordered by Western Union, Seattle.

Business districts--Tacoma--1970-1980; Olympus Hotel (Tacoma); Security Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1970-1980; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma);

ca. 1972. Downtown Tacoma wished its residents "Seasons Greetings" during the 1972 Christmas holidays with a lighted banner spanning Pacific Ave. Schoenfeld's, Puget Sound National Bank, and the Washington Building with the red neon Bank of California rooftop sign are some of the major businesses on the right side of Pacific, looking north. Bimbo's Italian Restaurant, Tacoma Rescue Mission and American Federal Savings are on the left.

Business districts--Tacoma--1970-1980; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1970-1980; Christmas decorations; Electric signs--Tacoma--1970-1980; Washington Building (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. Pacific Avenue at night during the 1972 Christmas holiday season or shortly thereafter. This view looks south; the Security (Provident) Building, Washington Building and Puget Sound National Bank are on the left with the Park Plaza North parking garage and the Rust Building, purchased in October of 1972 by American Federal Savings & Loan, on the right.

Business districts--Tacoma--1970-1980; Parking garages--Tacoma--1970-1980; Rust Building (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Security Building (Tacoma); Christmas decorations;

Washington Building. View of the Washington Building, 1019 Pacific Ave., believed to have been photographed from the top of the Perkins Building in August of 1970. From this angle, the distant Art-Deco styled Medical Arts Building (now Municipal Building) can be seen along the right-center edge. The Rust Building, another well known Tacoma landmark, is slightly up the hill at 950 Pacific. Seldens furniture store is in the right lower corner. A small section of the Bank of California, whose large red neon sign rested on top of the Washington Building, can be spotted at the lower right edge. Photograph ordered by the Washington Building.

Washington Building (Tacoma); Medical Arts Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Seldens, Inc. (Tacoma); Business districts--Tacoma--1970-1980; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1970-1980; Electric signs--Tacoma--1970-1980;

View of downtown Tacoma taken from rooftop of building. Businesses along Saint Helens Avenue showing the Medical Arts Building (left at 747 Market), Allen Motor Company Studebaker, and the Walker Apartments. (filed with Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1930-1940; Medical Arts Building (Tacoma); Walker Apartments (Tacoma); Allen Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Puyallup Avenue at Bay Street. Puyallup River Bridge with traffic. Contractor Ray A. Moisio completed Puyallup Avenue resurfacing in 60 days. The 2,601-feet-long street was 100 feet wide and up to 20 inches thick. (T. Times, p. 4, 10/21 p. 20).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bridges--Tacoma; Puyallup Avenue Bridge (Tacoma); Depressions--1929; Public Works Administration (Tacoma);

Puyallup and Pacific Avenues intersection. Repaving Puyallup Avenue in asphalt concrete, a Public Works Administration project, brought traffic from the Seattle Highway to Pacific Ave. and into the downtown Tacoma business core.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bridges--Tacoma; Puyallup Avenue Bridge (Tacoma); Depressions--1929; Public Works Administration (Tacoma);

Pacific Avenue at 11th Street. Bank of California and adjacent structures. In Tacoma's busy commercial center, shoppers stand-in-line to board one of the city's 95 buses operated by Tacoma Railway & Power (T.R.& P.) system.(T.Times 2/8/39, p. 21)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Business districts--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bus stops--Tacoma; Tacoma Railway & Power Co. (Tacoma); Buses--Tacoma--1930-1940;

This view of Tacoma from Court C looking down 11th Street toward the Murray Morgan Bridge (11th St. Bridge) dates from February 1939. A corner-mounted sign for Fisher's Department Store hangs over the sidewalk at the right. On the left, descending the hill, are the Rhodes Department Store, the Fidelity Building, the Rust Building, the Washington Building, Kegel's Inc. and the Tacoma Building. The Fidelity Building was torn down in 1949 to make way for the F.W. Woolworth Co. Building. The bus coming up the hill is one of the new busses that replaced the 11th Street cable car after it went out of service in 1938. For Corky Mabin. (T. Times, 2/8/1939, p. 29).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Department stores--Tacoma--1930-1940;

View of intersection at Puyallup Avenue and Bay Street. Puyallup River bridge and traffic, Model Lumber Company on right. Resurfacing of Puyallup Ave., from E. "G" St. to Pacific Ave., extended the Seattle Highway into the downtown Tacoma business district. (T.Times, 10/20, p 4, 10/21, p.20).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Model Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Formal opening of resurfaced Puyallup Avenue from East G Street to Pacific Avenue slated for October 21, 1938. Standard Service Station and Firestone Store on left, OK Bakery on right. (T.Times, 10/20/1938, p. 4 and 10/21/1938, p. 20).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Telephone lines--Tacoma; Utility poles--Tacoma--1930-1940; OK Bakery (Tacoma); Standard Service Station (Tacoma); Firestone Store (Tacoma);

ca. 1939. View on Market Street in San Francisco, circa 1939. Curved faced building, column with sculpture, Hotel Howard at left. On right, building with Radio Tower on roof, Call Building in background. Studio stock negative.

Commercial streets--California--San Francisco; Hotel Howard (San Francisco, CA)