Arriving from Yokohama, the Japanese ship, the "Katori Maru," is in town in mid-January of 1922 to take on a shipment of flour from the Tacoma Grain Co. warehouse on the waterfront. The company produced Pyramid Flour, "The Great Bread Maker." The "Katori Maru" set sail for the Orient on the evening of January 12th. G49.1-154 (TDL 1-11-22, p. 7-article)

Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--Japanese; Tacoma Grain Co. (Tacoma); Flour & meal industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Tanker "Socony" docked in Tacoma in mid-March of 1927 at what is possibly the City Waterway. Several large companies had tanks (receiving stations) on the City Waterway at this time: Shell Oil, Associated Oil, and Standard Oil. The three tanks in the picture may have belonged to the General Petroleum Co. G49.1-075 (TNT 4-2-26, p. 1-article on plants on waterway) Photograph ordered by Allen Lubricating Co.

Tankers--United States; Storage tanks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The "Pacific Spruce" was the first vessel to unload cargo at the new dock of the Washington Cooperative Egg & Poultry Association, which had recently taken over the Milwaukee grain elevator and dock on the Tacoma tideflats. The ship arrived on the evening of April 26, 1927, and completed discharging 360-370 tons of oyster shells the following day. This view shows bags of oyster shells (used in chicken feed) in the process of being transported from the "Pacific Spruce" to the dock by stevedores. In the days before cargo containers every bag of shells had to be moved by hand. Suited men standing by may be officials of Washington Cooperative. The dock would now be known as "Co-op" dock. The Egg & Poultry Assn. was building a new headquarters on the dock which was soon to be completed. (TNT 4-27-27, p. 18-article); G49.1-197; TPL-661 (copy made for Washington Co-op on 10-12-27)

Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Longshoremen--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Washington Co-op Egg & Poultry Association (Tacoma); Piers & whaves--Tacoma--1920-1930;

A tanker out of San Francisco, believed to be the "Tulsagas," is moored at the Associated Oil Co. terminal along the City (now Thea Foss) Waterway on May 29, 1929. She was making her first visit to Tacoma in nearly three years, this time to discharge a cargo of oil and gasoline. The air is hazy with smoke billowing from the many lumber and industrial plants in the Tideflats. Adjacent to the Associated Oil plant are Shell holding tanks and those of the Union Oil Co. TPL-5891; G49.1-048 (TNT 5-29-29, p. 14-small article on the "Tulsagas")

Tankers; Cargo ships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Associated Oil Co. (Tacoma); Petroleum industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1920-1930; Storage tanks--Tacoma--1920-1930; City Waterway (Tacoma); Smoke--Tacoma;

On April 1, 1933, the flagship of the Imperial Japanese fleet and another Japanese naval training ship arrived in Tacoma for a three day visit. The flagship Yakumo and the Iwate were moored at the Port of Tacoma Piers. The ships were open for tours on Saturday and Sunday drawing large crowds. Over 1500 officers and men were on the two ships and were released for leave in Tacoma. Just eight years later, with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7,1941, Japan and the United States were at war. TPL-9080. Boland A11023. (TNT 4/1/1933, pg. 1; 4/3/1933, pg. 1)

Battleships--Japan; Sailors--Japan;

Japanese cruiser, probably either the Idzumo (sp) or the Iwate, at dock in Tacoma. Crowds gather to board the ship. Photograph was taken on September 6, 1932. TPL-7102

Cruisers (Warships)--Japan--1930-1940; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The ship "Seattle" of the Tacoma Oriental line is docked next to the Associated Oil Co.'s plant along the City (now Thea Foss) Waterway in early May of 1929, as she prepares to load fuel oil. Associated Oil was a relative newcomer to Tacoma as the company's plant was built in 1925. It was a major distributor of fuel and diesel oil and gasoline to all parts of southwestern Washington. TPL-6705; G49.1-047 (TDL 5-7-29, p. 13-mention of "Seattle")

Associated Oil Co. (Tacoma); Fuel trade--Tacoma--1920-1930; Petroleum industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1920-1930; City Waterway (Tacoma);

The schooner "Commodore," the last of the offshore sailing fleet in regular service on the Puget Sound, was photographed in September of 1936 while taking on a load of lumber at one of the mills in Tacoma. She was built in 1919 by the J.H. Price Construction Company, a Lake Washington shipyard, and by 1935 the wooden four masted schooner had fallen on hard times. In 1937 she was operating in Alaska as the Iniskin. She met her end in 1942. She was towed to South America and broken up for lumber to build houses. ("Marine History of the Pacific Northwest" H.W. McCurdy) G50.1-118, TPL-5845

Sailing ships; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Raising of the "Rubaiyat." Part of the steamer "Rubaiyat" is visible on March 22, 1924, as she is slowly being raised from the deep waters of Commencement Bay. She had sunk after capsizing on September 29, 1923, on her way to Seattle. Initial attempts to haul her to the surface had failed. 8-10 feet of the stern became visible on Friday morning, March 21st. Hoses from a Foss Tug & Launch fireboat were used days earlier to undermine mud from beneath the hull so that heavy cables could be passed around to form a secure hold. Diver Walter McCray had removed most of the 20 tons of plaster from the "Rubaiyat" on March 17th. Plans were made to haul the ship to the beach on March 22nd and salvaged. The ship would then be floated to the Western Boat Building plant on the Wapato Waterway on March 25, 1924. None of the four bodies that went down with the ship in September were located and it was thought that they had been swept away by the tide after the sinking. G49.1-015 (TNT 3-18-24, p. 16-article; TNT 3-21-24, p. 21-article; TNT 3-24-24, p. 9-article; TDL 3-24-24, p. 1-article)

Hoisting machinery; Ships--Tacoma--1920-1930;

A 25-ton reel of specially constructed flexible steel cable is hoisted by a heavy Hart Construction Co. derrick from the freighter "J L Luckenbach" at the Port of Tacoma pier on June 13, 1925. The reel was too heavy to be handled by the Luckenbach's tackle. Valued at $4,850, the cable will be used as cable line by the Tacoma Railway & Power Co. It has a length of about 3 1/2 miles. G50.1-007 (TNT 6-12-25, p. 21-article; TNT 6-13-25, p. 14)

Hoisting machinery; Cargo ships--1920-1930; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1920-1930; Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);

Three ships on Commencement Bay visible through the trees. They are the battleships Tennessee (foreground) and Maryland along with U.S. supply ship, Arctic, who were all in town for a three-day visit in late July of 1926. In addition to the above three, six destroyers (not pictured) were tied up at Commercial Dock. The supply ship Arctic was commanded by Commander J. N. Ferguson and Captain G.L. P. Stone was in charge of the Tennessee. All ships sailed for Port Angeles on Monday, July 26th. G71.1-025 (TDL 7-24-26, p. 1-article; TNT 7-24-26, p. 1)

Government vessels--Tacoma; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

ca. 1888. Two ships sit at dock next to the Tacoma coal bunkers while three more ships lay at anchor in Commencement Bay in this photograph from 1888. The enormous bunkers along the waterfront enabled Tacoma to become, briefly, the leading coaling station on the Pacific Coast. In 1879-180, the Northern Pacific built a branch railroad up the Puyallup River valley and opened the Pierce County field in Wilkeson, Carbonado, and Fairfax. The first commercial coke plant was established and put into operation by the Tacoma Coal and Coke Company in 1888. TPL-8327

Ore industry--Tacoma--1880-1890; Coal--Tacoma--1880-1890; Cargo ships--Tacoma--1880-1890; Sailing ships--1880-1890

Undated photograph of gas powered ship the "Fossberg" in City Waterway (now Foss Waterway.) 11th Street bridge at left. This is believed to be the largest of Foss Launch & Tug Co.'s launches, a 15 ton, 100-hp engine and 64-feet in length. She was built in 1912 in Gig Harbor as a combination passenger and freight boat. Passengers and freight were able to be transported to and from ships. In addition, excursion parties and groups of workers were carried to destinations around the Tacoma area. The "Fossberg" also put in extra duty as a tug. (Skalley, Foss Ninety Years of Towboating, p. 32-article)

Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Launches--Tacoma; Boats--Tacoma; 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma);

Cargo handling at the Milwaukee Dock. A large wooden crate is being either unloaded or loaded onto the unidentified vessel at the Milwaukee Dock in March of 1919. The shipment is either headed for or came from Yokohama, Japan, according to printing on the crate. G49.1-204

Cargo ships--Japanese; Shipping--Tacoma--1910-1920; Containers; Crates;

Ambassador ready for launching. The motorship "Ambassador" was built for the Chichagof Mining Co. of Alaska in 1919. She was 112-feet long and would be used by the company for transport between Chichagof, Juneau, and Tacoma. In 1924 she would be sold to Alexander & Baldwin Ltd. for service in the Hawaiian coastal trade. The "Ambassador," launched on September 11, 1919, was built by the Tacoma Shipbuilding Co. She was the only boat built by the firm since the cancelling of contracts by the Emergency Fleet Corporation. G37.1-119 (Newell: " Maritime Events of 1924;" T.Times 9-13-19, p. 14-article)

Launchings--Tacoma--1910-1920; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Tacoma Shipbuilding Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1888. In this circa 1888 photograph, the ship "Republic" is discharging tea at the railroad wharves of Northern Pacific Railroad , Tacoma, W.T. The "Republic" was a three-masted clipper. Photograph is courtesy of the John Ogden Collection. TPL-10170

Shipping--Tacoma--1880-1890; Sailing ships--1880-1890; Cargo ships--Tacoma--1880-1890; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1880-1890;

ca. 1901. Ships at dock on Tacoma waterway (Copy). Masted vessels are waiting on the City Waterway to take on cargo in this circa 1901 photograph. The buildings on the water's edge are wheat warehouses. The Northern Pacific Railroad Headquarters building is at far left upper edge, with its commanding view of the busy marine activities. TPL-1344

Sailing ships--Tacoma--1900-1910; Cargo ships--Tacoma--1900-1910; Shipping--Tacoma--1900-1910; Warehouses--Tacoma--1900-1910; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1900-1910; City Waterway (Tacoma); Northern Pacific Headquarters Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1928. The ship "President Jefferson" lies at dock next to the Sperry Mill probably in July or August of 1928

The "Point Judith" was built by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding in Tacoma, launched on March 16, 1966, and commissioned that July. She is pictured above undergoing sea trials in mid-July of 1966. "Point Judith" was the first of 26 new Point Class 82-foot Coast Guard cutters built to replace similar cutters sent to Vietnam. This patrol boat was designed to have light steel hulls and aluminum superstructures. The "Point Judith" would spend her life stationed in California, at San Pedro and Santa Barbara. She was used for law enforcement and search-and-rescue operations until being decommissioned in January, 1992, and transferred to Venezuela. "Point Judith" was the first cutter built outside the Coast Guard's own shipyards in Curtis Bay, MD. Costs for the 26 cutters averaged approximately $400,000 apiece. Ordered by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding. (TNT 10-30-66, A-17); (www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/WEBCUTTERS/Point_Judith.html; Newell, Gordon: Maritime Events of 1966, McCurdy: Marine History of the Pacific N.W.1966-1976);

Ship trials--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Government vessels--Tacoma;

Broadside view of the "Point Lobos." Built by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., the "Point Lobos," CG 82366, was commissioned on May 29, 1967. She was a Point Class 82-foot patrol boat built for the Coast Guard. The boat had a mild steel hull and aluminum superstructure. She had two Cummins 800-hp diesels. Photograph ordered by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. while ship was undergoing sea trials. (www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/WEBCUTTERS/Point_Lobos.html)

Ship trials--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Government vessels--Tacoma;

Sea trials. The "Cabrillo," elegant in its blue, white, and red coloring, quietly completes sea trials in late May, 1968. Water is being released through the scupper. She had been launched by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding on February 17, 1968, with Gale Marie Soares as sponsor. The large vessel was built to carry 650 tons of tuna and would be used for fishing in Puerto Rican waters. Photograph ordered by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (TNT 2-11-68, A-26, TNT 2-18-68, C-21) TPL-9134b

Ship trials--Tacoma--1960-1970; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Sea trials. A small cruiser, the "Scotch Mist," has a head start over the trailing tuna seiner "Marietta" who is commencing ship trials on October 29, 1968. The ship, with accents of blue and white, was built by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corporation and launched in late July of 1968. She was named for the wife of Captain Julius Zolezzi of San Diego. Measuring in at 165 feet, the "Marietta" would be turned over to her owner after completion of ship trials. Color photograph ordered by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corporation. (TNT 7-30-68, p. 19)

Ship trials--Tacoma--1960-1970; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

ca. 1960. The American flag flies proudly over the ship "Argyll" as she docks in Tacoma in 1960. The cargo ship is preparing to load or unload a shipment on behalf of the Hooker Electrochemical Co. Hooker had a dock on the Hylebos Waterway facilitating transfer of Hooker chemical products.

Cargo ships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Flags--United States; Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma);

The Tenkai Maru, a boat with Japanese registry, is docked at Port Alice, British Columbia. The Japanese flag is flying on deck. Forklifts carrying wrapped packages move closer to the ship in preparation to load them aboard. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie, industrial consultant.

Ships--Japanese; Flags;

Anela undergoing sea trials in late November, 1971. She was a 100 X 25-foot steel tuna fishing sampan built by Martinolich Shipbuilding for fishing in Hawaiian waters. The "Anela" was officially launched on October 18th. The Hawaiian tuna fleet was beginning to replace the old wood-hulled vessels with these new steel hulled versions with much longer miles of fishing lines. Hawaiian boats used long lines because nets would get shredded. Photograph ordered by Martinolich Shipbuilding. (additional article on Hawaiian tuna boats - TNT 5-14-73, p. 31)

Ship trials; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Sampans--Tacoma; Martinolich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Ship trials. Two men inside the "Sea Royal," in what may be the fishing boat's pilot house. The "Sea Royal" had been launched by Tacoma Boatbuilding on November 11, 1972, and was scheduled for delivery to Vivian Ann Fisheries Corporation by the first of the year. Prior to being released to her owners, she would need to undergo demanding ship trials. The man in the blue windbreaker is the ship's captain, Manuel Andrade of San Diego. The "Sea Royal" was Captain Andrade's third vessel as an independent owner. The other man and woman in background are not identified. Color photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 12-29-72, p. 31- article on ship)

Ship trials--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Andrade, Manuel;

Ship trials. The "Sea Royal" underwent sea trials in late December of 1972 prior to being released to her owner, Vivian Ann Fisheries Corporation. She is shown on December 27th in the Hylebos Waterway as she passes the Hooker Chemical plant. The "Sea Royal," a giant 225-foot tuna seiner, was launched on November 11, 1972, by Tacoma Boatbuilding. Color photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding.

Ship trials--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma);

Kinyo Maru at Pier 7. The Japanese cargo vessel, the "Kinyo Maru," is pictured at the Port of Tacoma's Pier 7 on January 9, 1975. The two-year-old, 460-foot ship survived seven days of stormy seas which resulted in damaged cargo estimated at $3,000,000. A large container crane is in position to unload the steel containers. Color photograph ordered by Howard, LeGros, Buchanan & Paul, Seattle. (TNT 1-13-75, A-1, B-13-article)

Cargo ships--Japanese; Shipping--Tacoma--1970-1980; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1970-1980; Hoisting machinery;

Ship trials. Color photograph of the fishing vessel, "Aquarius," undergoing sea trials on February 20, 1971. Waves churn as the big Martinac-built boat cuts briskly through the waters of Puget Sound. Photograph ordered by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. TPL-9477

Ship trials--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

ca. 1935. Ford Motor Company freighter. Detail view of ship with Ford logo on funnel. For Stimpson Motor Company.

Cargo ships--1930-1940; Ford Motor Co.;