Tom O'Leary (center) was yell leader at Bellarmine High School during the 1945-46 school year. Backed by Charles Kelly (left) and B. Ludeman (right), his cheers were described in the school yearbook as being like "a string of firecrackers exploding". Although none of Bellarmine's varsity teams won city titles that school year, there was still plenty to cheer about with four Lions football players being named to the Tacoma All-City team and three basketball players receiving the same honor. (The Cage, 1946, Bellarmine H.S. p.30)

Megaphones; Sweaters; Students--Tacoma; Bellarmine High School (Tacoma);

Alemite Company at Buffelen Lumber Company. Nineteen men stand behind a display of materials set out on a board supported by saw horses. Buffelen Lumber is located at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Taylor Way.

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Beffelen Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Studio picture of Lagerquist. The Lagerquist baby smiles as she gets her portrait taken. She is wearing a one piece outfit with matching bonnet and keeping her hands warm in her muff.

Portrait photographs; Children--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bonnets; Baby boom generation--Tacoma;

Born on June 10, 1927, Gloria Victoria Hallis was almost 19 years old at the time of this March, 1946, portrait. She would later marry and become the mother of two daughters, Despina K. McLaughlin Alatsis and Stephanie McLaughlin. With property that her parents gave her, she and her husband built a home at 116 South 40th St. where she lived throughout her life. Gloria worked for her father's business, Hallis Produce Co., as head bookkeeper. She was an organist for the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church for many years and an active lifetime member of the Daughters of Penelope. She would pass away on December 22, 2003. This photo of Miss Hallis was ordered by St. Nicholas Greek Church. TPL-6696 (Information provided by Despina K. McLaughlin Alatsis)

Portrait photographs; Greek American women--Tacoma; Hallis, Gloria Victoria;

A new type of pre-fabricated house is being assembled at North 29th and Proctor Streets. A worker places insulation in the seams between prefabricated sections of the walls of this new house. Insulation has been added to the open sections of the 32" x 8' panels in both the walls and ceiling of this initial house. The panels are manufactured as whole panels or with windows installed. (T.Times, 1/24/1946, p.2)

Prefabricated houses; Dwellings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building construction; Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. (Tacoma);

In January of 1946, a new type of pre-fabricated house was assembled at North 29th and Proctor Streets using pre-built 8 ft. by 32 inch panels. The panels were manufactured locally by the Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Company, and the house was erected by Ketner Brothers, a long time Tacoma contracting firm. It was expected that this new building system would help alleviate the housing shortages in Tacoma and other Northwest cities by speeding construction. Two workmen are putting a piece of the exterior wall into place. A sign in the upper left corner of the photograph says, "TLF, The Quality Mark of Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Company". (T.Times, 1/24/1946, p.2)

Prefabricated houses; Dwellings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building construction; Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. (Tacoma); Progress photographs;

A new type of pre-fabricated house is being assembled at North 29th and Proctor Streets. This elevated view shows the rear of the house. The outside walls are now complete and the interior walls and doorways are nearly in place. A family stands on what will be the back porch. (T.Times, 1/24/1946, p.2)

Prefabricated houses; Dwellings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building construction; Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. (Tacoma); Progress photographs;

A new type of pre-fabricated house is being assembled at North 29th and Proctor Streets. From this elevated view we can see workers moving the roofing sections to the top of the one story residence. Several sections are already in place. The manufactured wall and roof sections will conserve materials, and facilitate economical, sturdy and speedy construction. (T.Times, 1/24/1946, p.2)

Prefabricated houses; Dwellings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building construction; Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. (Tacoma); Progress photographs;

A new type of pre-fabricated house is being assembled at North 29th and Proctor Streets. Another view of the roof sections going up on this house. Each section is attached at the ridge pole and at the top of the walls. This initial structure is being built by Ketner Brothers Contractors and it was designed by Lea, Pearson and Richards Architects. (T.Times, 1/24/1946, p.2)

Prefabricated houses; Dwellings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building construction; Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. (Tacoma); Progress photographs;

Forty five "Annie's" stand in front of Annie Wright Seminary wearing one of their uniforms. One of the student in front row center is holding up a toy bulldog.

Private schools--Tacoma; Uniforms; Students--Tacoma--1940-1950; Group portraits; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

Frankie Hansler killed six cougars in Eatonville, Washington. Hansler is a predator hunter and got his first two cougars after they had killed a young buck deer. View of four of the six cougars hanging by their legs, each cougar weighs approximately 65 pounds. The cougars will be on display at Washington hardware. Photo ordered by Washington Hardware (T. Times, 3/18/46, p. 9).

Pumas; Puma hunting; Hansler, Frank; Dead animals; Hunting trophies; Washington Hardware Co. (Tacoma);

Trikskirts window display. Rhodes Brothers Department store first opened up on "C" Street in Tacoma, then within a few years had expanded into Seattle and a few other states as well. View of Trikskirts window display, showing a variety of colors and prices.

Department stores--Tacoma; Skirts; Window displays; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Times called them the "Happiest family in South Tacoma" in its March 15, 1944, edition. C.A. (Clif) Erdahl had just won election as the city's Commissioner of Public Utilities the day before. He and his wife, the former Florence Sellman, posed with their four children in the Erdahl living room at 1672 South 56th St. The two boys, Martin (8) and Ronald (11) attended Horace Mann Elementary School while daughter Bebe (14) was a 9th grader at Stewart Junior High. Little Judith (4) completed the family picture. Mr. Erdahl, age 37, was a former state legislator. He had led the field of candidates for the commissioner of public utilities position in the primaries and carried through to win the final runoff with William L. Gaffney, Light Department chief inspector, with a margin of over 1300 votes. Mr. Erdahl would take office on June 5, 1944. (T.Times, 3-15-44, p. 1)

Erdahl, C.A.; Erdahl, C.A.--Homes & haunts; Erdahl, C.A.--Family; Erdahl, Florence; Families--Tacoma--1940-1950;

K Street fire at Meyer Drug Store. The Meyer Drug Company fire was started in the basement with fly poison spray. Tacoma Firemen were aided by the Civilian Defense Fire Fighter Auxiliary and the Coast Guard. It quickly destroyed a significant portion of the store. View of unidentified fire fighter, probably Coast Guard, standing in front of fire engine (T. Times, 5/30/44, p. 1).

Fire fighters--Tacoma; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma; Meyer Drug Co. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Boat fish boat water shots. A view of the port side of North Sea, a combination fishing vessel, on Puget Sound. She was owned by Henry Stakset, Ernest Nelson and Richard Rydman, had a 100 hp Washington diesel engine and was sistership to North Star. Tacoma Boatbuilding Company was started in 1936 by H. Dahl and A. Strom. The partners wanted to build fishing vessels for North Pacific fishermen. (Fisherman Yearbook, 1945, p.256, 376)

Fishing boats--Tacoma; Boats--Tacoma; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Ship trials--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Sperry Flour Co. Flour milling is one of the oldest industries in the Northwest. Sperry Flour Division in Tacoma was just one plant of the many throughout the West. The Tacoma plant did most of the international exporting. The company celebrated its 92nd anniversary this year. Exterior view of plant.

Flour & meal industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; General Mills, Inc., Sperry Division (Tacoma);

Eagles and WAC's war salvage pictures. Tacoma's Aerie No. 3 Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Women's Army Corp joined forces and set a new record for loading and sorting scrap metal. View of Eagles and WAC's after a hard day at work in April of 1944.

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Military service--Tacoma; Scrap drives--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Scrap drives;

Fircrest housing progress for A. G. Homann. A new housing development, consisting of 50 homes is under way in Fircrest. Miller Construction Co. is expecting the project to be completed later this year. View of construction progress in Fircrest.

Housing developments--Tacoma; Miller Construction Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

This fetching quintet of Clover Park High School upcoming seniors dressed as hula dancers and performed at the Tyac Club anniversary dance held in the Tacoma Armory at 715 South 11th Street on Saturday June 17, 1944. Two of the girls have been identified: farthest right is Joyce Woodward (Toso); second to right is Phyllis Lofgren. The Tyac Club was started in 1943 to give the students in Tacoma's high schools the opportunity to organize and run their own cooperative recreational program. To celebrate their success as an organization they sponsored the first anniversary dance, complete with a top dance band, floor show numbers provided by each of the high schools, and a birthday cake and punch for refreshments. (T. Times, 6/16/44, p. 6). (Additional information provided by a reader)

Hula dancing--Tacoma; Tyac Club (Tacoma); Women--Dancers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Woodward, Joyce; Toso, Joyce Woodward; Lofgren, Phyllis; Youth organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Hoyt, Pat at Ice Arena. The talented Pat Hoyt was one of Tacoma's skating stars in 1944. Photo was taken at the Lakewood Ice Arena, Tacoma's only ice skating rink.TPL-7768

Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Hoyt, Pat;

Ole Olson's house showing dirt. In 1944, Ole Olson, commonly known throughout the Ruston community as "Chicken," was asked to clean up his home. The neighborhood with support from the Sheriff had placed Ole under a guardianship and given him one year to clean up his home. Exterior view of Ole Olson's house (T. Times, 7/20/44, p. 2).

Land; Houses--Ruston--1940-1950; Olson, Ole--Homes & haunts;

March 5, 1944, saw the launching of a 72-foot tug built for the U.S. Army by Pacific Boat Building of Tacoma. View of wood boat with bunting.

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tugboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Henry Mill barge assembly. Henry Mill & Timber Co. products were used throughout Tacoma for many projects. The company was organized by W. Yale Henry, who also serves as president. View of Henry Mill & Timber Co. plant with lumber being used for a barge.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Wilkeson Products interior and exterior of mine. Interior view of Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. mine with unidentified coal miner standing in front of coal car. TPL-6620

Mining equipment; Coal mining--Wilkeson; Coal miners--Wilkeson; Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. (Wilkeson);

Three young newspaper salesmen, who sold the Tacoma Times on the streets of downtown Tacoma, receive bundles of the late afternoon edition of the Times from District Manager Ken Hagen. In 1944, the Tacoma Times printed five editions each day to keep up with breaking news from the war. The young paperboys are: (l to r) Jim Olson, who sold papers around the main post office; Melvin Merchant, who worked the corner at 11th and Commerce; and Bill Hergert, who had the Peoples store corner. (T. Times 7-15-1944 p.4) TPL-9649

Newspapers--Tacoma; Children--Employment--Tacoma--1940-1950; Newspaper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boys--Tacoma--1940-1950; Newspaper carriers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Times Publishing Co. (Tacoma);

Many Tacoma boys were trained as newspaper carriers by the Tacoma Times. These young men were responsible for keeping Tacoma citizens informed of World War II events and were committed to their jobs. The Tacoma Times treated their carriers to banquets and trips in addition to shows for their loyalty and responsibility in delivering the newspapers.

Newspapers--Tacoma; Children--Employment--Tacoma--1940-1950; Newspaper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boys--Tacoma--1940-1950; Newspaper carriers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Times Publishing Co. (Tacoma);

Gryphon staff for United Pacific Insurance. United Pacific Insurance Company relocated their home offices to Tacoma after they purchased the Medical Arts Building in downtown business district of Tacoma in 1942. This move brought many employment opportunities to the Tacoma area. United Pacific Insurance Co. is a leading casualty and surety company on the Pacific Coast. View of two United Pacific Insurance Co. women employees.

Office workers--Tacoma; United Pacific Insurance Co. (Tacoma);

Tacoma hospitals observed National Hospital Day on Friday May 12, 1944.This photograph, taken in the surgery at St. Joseph's Hospital shows (l to r) Mrs. Darlene St. Onge, supervisor of surgery, U.S. Cadet Nurse Patricia Richards, Dr. R. Merrick, U.S. Cadet Nurse Eldoris Miller and Lucille Edwards. Tacoma General and St. Joseph's were both learning hospitals for enrollees in the U.S. Nurse Cadet Corps. On Saturday May 13, 1944, seventy six cadet nurses at St. Joseph's took the induction pledge at a ceremony held in the St. Leo's High School auditorium. (T. Times, 5/11/44, p. 1).

Operating rooms--Tacoma; Medical personnel--Tacoma; St. Joseph's Hospital & School of Nursing (Tacoma); Cadet Nurse Corps (Tacoma);

The upcoming primary election had Robert Dykeman with his wife, Martha, and daughter out in the Tacoma streets campaigning. In June of 1944, Mr. Dykeman was one of the Democrats running in the primary to be the 3rd District County Commissioner. Although not elected, two years later he successfully ran for the position of County Clerk. He held this office until May, 1963 when he died at the age of 69, having served as County Clerk for sixteen years.

Political campaigns; Dwarfs--Tacoma; People associated with politics & government; Dykeman, Robert--Family;

The Boeing Aircraft Company expanded into Pierce County as World War II production demands increased. Plant security for important war industries was also a major concern. View of guards of the South Tacoma Boeing plant protection team, led by Sgt. Calvin H. Baird, on left.

Private police--Tacoma; Guards--Tacoma; Boeing Aircraft Co. (Tacoma);