Construction of the Allen C. Mason Intermediate School was well under way in September of 1925. The 600-pupil school was designed by the architecture firm of Hill & Mock and named in honor of pioneer Tacoma promoter and real estate developer Allen C. Mason. Its name would be changed to the Allen C. Mason Junior High School in 1928. The school was one of three intermediate schools opened for use in 1926. In all, six intermediate schools opened 1925-26 as the Tacoma school district moved toward a 6-3-3 grade model. Funds to build and/or remodel Tacoma schools were provided by a $2,400,000 bond issue authorized by voters in a special election held in October of 1923. (WSHS) (TNT 9/3/1925, pg. 17)
Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930; Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Mason Junior High School (Tacoma);
Stewart Intermediate School under construction in 1925. The school was designed by Roland Borhek, architect, and was originally designated as the South Central Intermediate School. It opened in September of 1925 as the James P. Stewart school, honoring Tacoma's first school teacher. It was the second of six planned intermediate schools provided for under a special bond passed in October of 1923. On completion, Tacoma would educate on a 6-3-3 plan (6 years at elementary, 3 at intermediate, 3 at high school.) The plan was designed to prevent overcrowding and reduce expenses. Stewart is still in use today with additions in 1964, 1974 and 1983. (WSHS- negative A854-0) (TNT 9/3/1925, pg. 17)
Stewart Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;
This photograph of the Talmud Torah Synagogue, 901 South 4th Street, was taken shortly before its dedication on September 18, 1925. The synagogue was designed by Hill and Mock, architects, in the Romanesque Italian Renaissance manner. It was located at South 4th & I Streets and served the Orthodox Jewish community in Tacoma. The dedication was held in conjunction with the start of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. In 1968, after the merger of Talmud Torah and Temple Beth Israel into Temple Beth El, the Talmud Torah Synagogue was sold to the Tacoma Blood Bank. It was later demolished and the site was used as a parking lot for Tacoma General Hospital. (WSHS) (TNT 9/17/1925, PG. 20)
Molzen wedding anniversary. According to the 1925 City Directory, there is no listing for a "Molzen." There are two listings for Molzan, Albert & Ida at 1623 E. 35th and Henry and Emily at 9006 McKinley Ave. (WSHS- negative A907-0)
The Tacoma Civic Orchestra posed in November of 1925 outside of the Scottish Rite Temple, 5 So. G St., where they performed their first concert of the winter season on November 22, 1925. Every seat in the house was full. Prof. D.P Nason was conductor and director; Carl Bergman was concert master. The group was organized by Prof. Nason, director of music at Lincoln High School, and was composed of 65 young amateur musicians who volunteered their time and effort. The orchestra had given their first concert in February of 1925. (T. Times 11/23/1925, pg. 2; TNT 2/19/1925, pg. 24; TNT 3/5/26, pg. 4- musicians' names in article) (WSHS)
A group of thirteen men and two women pose on the front steps of a building for a group portrait, "Conference Presidents and Office Staff, Northwestern States Mission, Tacoma, Wash., December 19, 1925." The Northwestern States Mission was organized in July of 1897 by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons, for the purpose of locating lost members who had migrated to the Northwest. (WSHS) (www.mission.net/oregon)
Group portraits--Tacoma--1920-1930; Northwestern States Mission (Tacoma); Mormon churches--Tacoma; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Tacoma); Church membership--Tacoma;
ca. 1925. Tacoma Railway & Motor Co. Power House. This building was built in 1889 and was designed by architect J.H. Cummings. It began life as a streetcar facility, housing the huge wheels that ran the cable car drive and the machine shops that kept the cars in running order. When the streetcars were retired in 1938, the facility became the Tacoma Transit Co. Garage for the new buses. It was razed in 1959 and the area became a parking lot. It is now the site of the Columbia Bank Center.
Mass transit--Tacoma; Cable railroads--Tacoma; Street railroads--Tacoma; Tacoma Railway & Power Co. (Tacoma);
ca. 1925. Large group of men in business suits outside of the Mayor's office in the (Old) City Hall at 625 Commerce St. The men are unidentified in this circa 1925 photograph with the exception of the man seated second to the right who is thought to be Dr. Hinton Jonez, prominent Tacoma physician.
Municipal government--Tacoma--1930-1940; Old City Hall (Tacoma);
ca. 1925. In 1925, 1215 Pacific Ave. was occupied by the O.K. Loan Office at ground level and the St. Charles Hotel above. The O.K. Loan Office was owned by S.J. Farber and they advertised, "Big Bargains in Unredeemed Pledges." To the right of the picture is the corner of 1217 Pacific Ave. occupied by Brewitt Brothers Tailors, owned by Tom and Herbert Brewitt. Upstairs (1217 1/2) was the Everett Rooms boarding house. On the left is the corner of 1213 Pacific, occupied by the White Lunch restaurant on the ground floor, Fred A. Wilhelm manager. This block has been demolished and is now the location of the First Interstate Plaza. (WSHS)
O.K. Loan Office (Tacoma); Pawnshops--Tacoma--1920-1930; Brewitt Brothers (Tacoma); St. Charles Hotel (Tacoma); White Lunch (Tacoma); Lodging houses--Tacoma--1920-1930;
ca. 1925. View of Tacoma North End, circa 1925, featuring Annie Wright Seminary, Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, Architects, 1924. Houses in neighborhood, Commencement Bay in background. Taken from hill at about G Street. (filed with Argentum)
ca. 1925. Interior of Raynor Chapel at Annie Wright Seminary, circa 1925. Beamed ceiling, stained glass window, rows of pews. Building by Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, Architects, 1924. The chapel was erected by the Raynor Alumnae Chapter of the Seminary in honor of Mrs. Amanda Raynor, vice president of the school from its opening in 1884 till 1908. The stained glass memorial window was donated by Jesse Thomas in honor of his wife. The altar was a gift of the Tacoma Rotary Club. (TDL 1/18/1925, pg. 10) (Argentum)
ca. 1925. Annie Wright Seminary. Interior view of dining hall, circa 1925. In 1925, the dining hall was located on the first floor of the Paddock Wing. Room with beamed ceiling and wooden columns, round tables with tablecloths. Building by Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, Architects, 1924. (Argentum)
ca. 1925. According to the 1925 City Directory, Standard Office Equipment was located at 109 So. 10th. The company was a stationer and office outfitter. Apparently they guaranteed to furnish your office no matter what the employee's sizes. They demonstrate this by photographing the circus "Fat Lady" in a chair built by Sikes. A regular office chair is posed nearby for comparison. (WSHS)
Standard Office Equipment (Tacoma); Human curiosities;
ca. 1925. The wheels are falling off an old pickup truck. Another truck with built-up wooden sides is parked in front of the broken down truck; it has a rope dragging behind it and it appears to have been towing something. What is attached to the rope is blocked from view by the pole. (WSHS)
ca. 1925. Walker Cut Stone, looking down into a stone quarry at Wilkeson. There appears to be a track or timbered skid to the left hand side of the photo, where stone can be brought down from the higher elevations. There are large stones of varying shapes and sizes piled on the ground. (WSHS)
Walker Cut Stone Co. (Tacoma); Building materials industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Quarrying--Wilkeson--1920-1930;
ca. 1925. The Washington Building under construction. Construction on the modern American skyscraper in downtown Tacoma began in 1919 for the Scandinavian American bank, but halted a couple of years later when the bank closed. The steel structure sat deserted until it was completed in 1925 for the Washington-California Co. and dedicated on June 29, 1925. At 17 stories, it was the second tallest building in the Northwest. (WSHS)
Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930;
ca. 1925. Washington Building at 1019 Pacific Ave. and on the left, the Rust building at 950 Pacific Ave.The Washington Building was finished in 1925. At 17 stories, it was the second tallest building in the Northwest. The Rust building measures in at 12 stories. It is named after its builder William R. Rust. (WSHS-negative A695-0)
Washington Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma);
ca. 1925. Winthrop Motor Company, REO automobile dealership, general view of building from northwest. Brick structure with overhanging shed roof and exposed beam ends. Garage doors on both elevations, automobile visible in showroom window. (WSHS)
Winthrop Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950;
ca. 1925. Artist's rendering of design that would later become the Winthrop Hotel, 773 Broadway, designed by architect W.L. Stoddard and associate architect Roland E. Borhek. The hotel opened in May of 1925. The image appears to be reversed, since "New Tacoma Hotel" is printed backwards near the bottom of the drawing. (filed with Argentum)
ca. 1925. Interior shot of a bedroom with two twin beds. Two desks sit in front of a sunny window. A small dog stares at the camera from the bed in the foreground. (WSHS)
ca. 1925. Bekins Transfer Company, moving and storage. A. M. Oswald, manager. This concrete structure was designed in 1916 by Lundberg & Mahon; it was the home to the City Transfer & Storage Co. from 1916-1921. In 1921, the business became McLean Moving and Storage Co. By 1925, it had sold to Bekins. (WSHS)
ca. 1925. A large two-story house with a balcony along its entirety, with a climbing vine growing up each column. A veranda leads out into the landscaped grounds. Location of the home was not provided. (WSHS)
