This May 1939 advertising photograph shows the wide range of Ford commercial vehicles sold by Titus Motor Co. on display in front of the Victorian style Seymour Conservatory at Wright Park. The glass conservatory, one of only three on the West Coast, was a gift to the citizens of Tacoma by Tacoman businessman William W. Seymour. The building, designed by I.J. Knapp, opened in November of 1908 and gave the average Tacoman their first glance at the foliage of the tropics. In 1938, Leon Titus, a 25 year veteran in the automotive sales business, got his foot in the door in Tacoma by being awarded the downtown dealership of Ford, Ford Mercury and Lincoln Zephyr. The dealership moved into the old Pacific Car Co. building at 618-624 Broadway, where they remained until the mid 1960's. As a boy, Leon Titus had worked for the Marmon-Nordyke Co., manufacturer of the Marmon automobile. The Titus family is still heavily involved in the automotive business today. (TNT 12/15/1938, pg. 11)
Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ford trucks; Seymour Conservatory (Tacoma); Wright Park (Tacoma); Greenhouses--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parks--Tacoma--1930-1940;
Titus Motor Company, exterior of building with parked automobiles and double-parked service truck. Many neon and painted signs, "We give you More ..trade now" posters in windows. Elizabethean style brick building by Roland Borhek, Architect, c.1926.
Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940;
A packed house at the Temple Theatre awaited Monk Watson's magic show on April 14, 1954. The evening's entertainment was sponsored by Miracle Power, an engine performance lubricant. Here Monk Watson gleefully holds a hand of playing cards while four others, possibly associated with National Auto Parts, display posters advertising Miracle Power's potency. A box full of Miracle Power cans is to the foreground along with the magician's props. Photograph ordered by National Auto Parts.
Automobile equipment & supplies; Posters; Watson, Monk; National Auto Parts, Inc. (Tacoma);
Construction worker in hard hat has one foot on the concrete forms while balancing the other on a plywood deck in an April, 1954, photograph. The forms are placed over plywood in the construction of the new United Pacific Insurance Company office building on Saint Helens Avenue. The building would take nearly two years to complete and cost an estimated $500,000. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation.
United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (Seattle);
Construction of the new United Pacific Insurance Company office building on Saint Helens took nearly two years and cost an estimated $500,000. The insurance company already owned the Medical Arts building next door; this five story addition would include several floors for United Pacific and a couple for rent to other companies. John Graham Company of Seattle was the architect; James J. Barnes Construction Company, also of Seattle, the general contractors. View of partially completed building taken on April 15, 1954; apparently workers have already reached and are busy on the fourth floor. Photograph ordered by James J. Barnes Construction.
United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Progress photographs;
Construction continues on the new United Pacific Insurance Company's office building, an addition to the Medical Arts building. Building costs would total a half-million dollars and add 30,000 square feet of office space. Work would continue throughout 1954 and the building would open in January, 1955. View of partially completed building with concrete forms being hoisted and large sign informing passersby that this would be the future home office of the United Pacific Insurance Company. Photograph was taken on April 15, 1954.
United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Progress photographs; Signs (Notices);
Briggs Manufacturing Co. found a niche in the competitive building industry by specializing in prefabricated homes. As the population in the Puget Sound region grew steadily in the years following World War II, prefabricated housing answered the call for affordable, easily constructed housing. During the course of one day, March 29, 1954, a series of photographs was taken showing the progression in erecting a prefabricated house. The time of day the picture was taken was carefully noted by way of a clock drawn in the left corner of the photograph. Thus, the construction could be tracked with ease. View at 8:45 a.m.; the flooring is in place and some walls are up. Two men in top coats and suits examine the site while a Briggs employee finishes attaching two wall sections.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Building construction; Prefabricated houses; Progress photographs;
Prefabricated housing was one solution to the burgeoning demand for homes in the Puget Sound area after World War II. The cost of erecting a prefabricated home was probably much less than a custom made house and it could be built quickly as well. Briggs Manufacturing Co. specialized in prefabricated buildings. They commissioned a series of photographs tracking the progress of erecting a structure, with the time of day noted in the left corner of each picture. These photographs were taken during the course of a single day, March 29, 1954. An employee of Briggs is shown kneeling on the roof top; there are plywood sections laid out in preparation of roofing. The house is taking shape at 2:00 p.m.; it now shows a one-story rambler style structure with possibly an attached garage.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Building construction; Prefabricated houses; Progress photographs;
A large glass window is carefully being put into its opening by two employees of Briggs Manufacturing Co. at 3:30 p.m. on March 29, 1954. Briggs Manufacturing specialized in prefabricated buildings; a series of photographs were commissioned to be taken during the course of one day, March 29, to show the speed in which a prefabricated home could be built. The time the picture was taken was then noted by way of a drawn clock in the left corner of each photo.
Workers on top of a prefabricated home are busy laying plywood sheets on the gently sloping roof in a photograph taken at 3:00 p.m. on March 29, 1954. The house apparently is a one-story rambler without a basement. The walls on at least one side of the house are up with window and door openings. A sign is nailed to a beam indicates this is a Cliff May home, manufactured and distributed by Briggs Manufacturing Co. This photograph is just one of a series of pictures taken during the course of one day, March 29, 1954, with clocks placed in the left hand corner so that construction progress could be tracked.
Evening is drawing near at 4:30 p.m. as shadows extend over the partially completed roof of a Briggs Manufacturing Co. prefabricated home. Workers are placing plywood over the roof in preparation for nailing shingles. A series of photographs was taken over the course of one day, March 29, 1954, showing the progression of a prefabricated house being constructed. A drawn clock in the corner of each picture enabled the viewer to track the speed in which the house was built.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Building construction; Prefabricated houses; Progress photographs;
Construction is rapidly progressing on a Briggs Manufacturing Co. prefabricated home. Trusses are in place on the roof and most of the walls appear to be up. Window and door openings are present but without glass. It now appears that the home will be a rambler style, one-story house without basement. A series of photographs was taken in one day, March 29, 1954, to demonstrate the speed that a prefabricated house could be constructed using experienced workers. Each picture had a drawn clock in the corner showing the exact time a photo was taken. Work probably began before 8:00 a.m.; it is now 1:00 p.m.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Building construction; Prefabricated houses; Progress photographs;
At 8:30 a.m., three employees of Briggs Manufacturing Co. are focused on erecting the walls of a prefabricated home. A series of progress photographs was taken in one day, March 29, 1954, showing Briggs' techniques in quickly constructing a prefabricated house. Tool boxes lie near pipes while plywood forms rest on the ground near the house floor.
Employees of Briggs Manufacturing Co. are blurred as they put up wall segments for a prefabricated home. A series of progress photographs was taken in one day, March 29, 1954, showing the speed that a prefabricated house could be built by experienced workers. A clock was drawn in the corner of each picture showing the exact time of day the photo was taken. At 8:05 a.m., the floor has already been laid and plumbing marked. Plywood forms and house sections are scattered near the site.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. were specialists in prefabricated houses. Due to the expanding population in our area after World War II, housing demands increased. Prefabricated housing was one solution. A series of photographs were taken in one day, March 29, 1954, showing the speed a prefabricated home could be built. Each photograph had a hand-drawn clock in the corner showing the time of day the picture was taken. The work day seems to have begun by 8:00 a.m. as Briggs employees commence to lay the flooring. The location of the home is unknown, other than it appears to be in a heavily wooded area. This possibly could have been outside city limits as population growth was beginning to expand past the city's established neighborhoods.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Building construction; Prefabricated houses; Progress photographs;
Briggs Manufacturing Co., 3755 South 60th St., specialized in prefabricated housing. The housing market was in full force in the years following World War II when our area's population increased dramatically. Prefabricated houses were one means of insuring inexpensive, quick construction to meet these needs. A series of photographs were taken over the course of one day, March 29, 1954, showing Briggs Manufacturing's techniques in building homes. A clock was placed in the left corner of each picture showing at what time the photo was taken so construction progress could be tracked. Two Briggs employees are in the process of putting up plywood forms at 8:15 a.m. Floor has been laid and basic plumbing installed.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Building construction; Prefabricated houses; Progress photographs;
The Briggs Manufacturing Co. specialized in prefabricated homes. These houses could be built more quickly and less expensively than a custom made home. The area's population had been steadily increasing after World War II and prefabricated homes eased the hunger for more housing. To show the speed that prefabricated homes could be constructed, a series of photographs was taken in one day on March 29, 1954. There was a clock placed in the left corner of each picture to show the time of day when it was taken; thus, the progress of the construction could be tracked. View of construction at 9:00 a.m.; some walls are already up while plywood forms are in place on the other sides. Since there was no basement, the time needed to excavate could be eliminated. Because the site of the home was not identified, except to note that it was a heavily wooded lot, it is possible that more than one home was being built on the same day.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Building construction; Prefabricated houses; Progress photographs;
Prefabricated homes were becoming more common in the late 1940's and early 1950's to satisfy demand for more housing as our area's population grew. New homes were being built outside established city neighborhoods where lot sizes could be larger and land less expensive. The Briggs Manufacturing Co., located in the city's south end, specialized in prefabricated housing. In a series of photographs taken in one day, the Briggs company showed how prefabricated homes could be built quickly and with a small crew. Each photograph had a hand-drawn clock in the left corner showing the time of day it was taken; the progress of the construction could be then noted. At 9:30 a.m., several walls are already in place, with window and door openings. Because the location of the construction was not identified, it is possible that more than one home was being built on the same day.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Building construction; Prefabricated houses; Progress photographs;
No workers are in sight in a photograph taken at noontime, on March 29, 1954. The Briggs Manufacturing Co., located at 3755 South 60th St., were builders of prefabricated homes. A series of photographs were taken in one day to show the speed in which a prefabricated home could be put up; clocks were placed in the left corners of each photo to show the time when it was taken. Since this home was built without a basement, there was no need to spend time excavating and laying concrete. It appears that some walls are already in place, with door and window openings. Since the location of the construction is not known, it is possible that more than one home was being built at the same time.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Building construction; Prefabricated houses; Progress photographs;
The Pierce County area's population was booming in the 1950's; more and more houses were being built to satisfy demand. Consumers found that prefabricated homes could be built quickly and less expensively than custom-made houses. Briggs Manufacturing Co., 3755 South 60th St., specialized in prefabricated housing. A series of photographs was taken in one day, March 29, 1954, to show the speed in which houses could be constructed. Clocks were placed in the corners of these photographs to show the exact time when the photo was taken. Because the location was not identified, it is possible that more than one house was built by Briggs' crews at the same time. In this noon progress photograph, walls are up on apparently two sides of the house, and wooden roof trusses in place.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Building construction; Prefabricated houses; Progress photographs;
Briggs Manufacturing Co. specialized in prefabricated homes. According to the 1954 City Directory, Ralph C. Bekken was listed as superintendent; the business was located at 3755 South 60th St. A series of progress photographs was taken in late March, 1954, showing how prefabricated homes could be constructed rapidly and by a smallish crew. Hand-drawn clocks were placed in the left corners of these photographs to show the time when each photograph was taken. View of crew with pre-fab home; some walls are up with window and door openings in place. Workers may be getting ready for roof trusses in this 11:00 am photograph. Location of this home was not given; the lot was apparently a heavily wooded one.
Briggs Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Building construction; Prefabricated houses; Progress photographs;
Fred Carleton, vice president of the Peoples Store. See T1030 image #1 for Carleton's wife Sylvania and son Alvin. Peoples Store was located at 1101-1107 Pacific Ave. It opened in 1895 and closed in 1983. The Carletons had recently relocated from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to Tacoma. (T. Times 9/16/1937, pg. 12)
Selden's Inc. had a carpet show in their main store on Broadway in March, 1954. Store employees pictured here on stage hold up samples of drapes and rugs for interested shoppers. Selden's was owned and operated by Sydney C. Selden, Sr., as president and general manager. It specialized in floor coverings but also sold household appliances including televisions, and offered an interior decorating service.
Selden's, Inc. (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Rugs; Home furnishings stores--Tacoma;
Triangular flags flap in the wind at the site of a Shell Service Station in a March, 1954, photograph. Two mechanics are inspecting an elevated car inside the garage. There are at least four gas pumps at this station. Tires and other auto accessories can be purchased here as well as gasoline.
Interior of Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store, probably Bremerton. Three men stand among the isles between bakery display and canned goods. Sign of wall " Parade of Progress, nationally known grocery products" between two Ritz Cracker advertising panels.
Future home office of the United Pacific Insurance Company. Plywood fencing proudly proclaims the presence of the company and surrounds the construction site. Central School building can be seen in the right background of the picture taken on February 15, 1954. The structure would provide three floors of offices for the only Tacoma based insurance company and two floors of rental space. United Pacific also owned the Medical Arts building next door.
United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Progress photographs--1950-1960;
Future home office of the United Pacific Insurance Company. Plywood fencing surrounds the construction site in this February 15, 1954 photograph. Steven Motor Company and the Old City Hall can be seen in the background. Steel framework has been erected for what would become the five story office building of United Pacific. The building was designed with a foundation capable of supporting 10 stories if needed for future expansion. The concrete, steel and glass structure would be completed in January of 1955.
United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Progress photographs--1950-1960; Old City Hall (Tacoma);
Progress photograph of the United Pacific Insurance Co. building, ordered by James J. Barnes Construction. The clock tower of the Old City Hall can be seen in the background of this February 3, 1954 photograph. James J. Barnes was the general contractor for the planned five story home office for United Pacific. The building would be built of reinforced concrete faced with glass and designed to complement the Art Deco Medical Arts building, also owned by United Pacific. The finished product would cost over $500,000 and open for occupancy January of 1955.
United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Progress photographs--1950-1960;
Steve's (Gay 90's) Cafe, photographed for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Steve's was owned and operated by Steve Pease and John Stanley. The fantasticly popular restaurant and nightclub included many internal rooms like this one. All were decorated with an old time flair. This room features tall wooden booths and round tables. Above the wainscoting is wallpaper picturing nineties gents stepping up to the bar and ladies at round tables, just like the ones in this room. On the walls are museum framed and lighted photographs of the original Red Front Saloon where Steve's back bar came from. Through the open doorway to the right, you can see a counter with seats or stools. These two rooms may have been the original 20 seat coffee shop and tavern run by Stanley and Pease.
