This elevated view shows the exhibit booths that were part of the Washington State Tavern Association Convention in October of 1952. In the foreground the booth and salesmen for National cash register can be seen. Brodies Hotel Supplies and other exhibitors are also in sight.The booths were on display in the Winthrop Hotel. Ordered by Roberts Decorating Company.

Washington State Tavern Association (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibit booths--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

The theme for the El Choclo Club's annual masquerade ball for 1952 was Tin Pan Alley. Members came dressed in costumes resembling musical hits as convicts, hoboes, characters from the Arabian Nights, tap dancers and other personalities. The ball was held in the Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. (TNT, 10/25/1952, p.14)

Costumes; Masquerades--Tacoma--1940-1950; Balls (Parties)--Tacoma--1950-1960; El Choclo Club (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

The Comus Club presented the "Comus Comets" ball at the Winthrop Hotel. Eight men and eight women are seen in their formal attire for the event. The men wear tuxedos and black bow ties. The women wear evening gowns and tiaras with three stars each. Charles and Betty Wolf were co-chairmen of the dance. Mr. Wolf was president of the Comus Club at this time. Other members of the planning committee were Wilfred and Avonelle Brown, Leonard and Lucille Peck, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Kemp, Mr. and Mrs. Chester Hogan, Sidney and Ellen Dean, George and Gwyne Bevington, and Jonas and LaVerna Bjelland. (TNT, 10/12/1952, p.D-4)

Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1950-1960; Clubs--Tacoma; Dance parties--Tacoma--1950-1960; Comus Club (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Employees of Columbia Breweries enjoyed their annual Christmas banquet on December 18, 1952. It was held in the Wedgwood Room in the Winthrop Hotel. View of crowded dining room; it appears that guests were enjoying roast beef dinners.

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

The Pacific Coast Association of Pulp & Paper Manufacturers met in Tacoma in March, 1953. They were attending the 7th Annual Joint Labor-Management Safety Conference. They joined union and employer representatives from twenty mills; sponsors included the International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers and International Brotherhood of Paper Makers. View of association members awaiting luncheon at the Winthrop Hotel. (TNT 3-1-53, B-10)

Pacific Coast Association of Pulp & Paper Manufacturers (Tacoma); Group portraits; Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

The trophy for the best plant safety record for the past five years was being awarded to the Longview Fibre Co. during this March 12, 1953 banquet. The Pulp & Paper Manufacturers were one of the sponsors of the March 12 - 13 safety conference. Over 200 labor and management representatives from 20 mills attended the 7th annual meeting. The banquet was being held in the Wedgewood Room, Winthrop Hotel. (TNT 3-1-53, B-10, TNT 3-13-53, p. 26))

Pacific Coast Association of Pulp & Paper Manufacturers (Tacoma); Awards; Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Members of the Pacific Coast Association of Pulp & Paper Manufacturers proudly displayed the Governor's Annual Safety Award during a banquet held at the Winthrop Hotel on March 12, 1953. Governor Langlie was scheduled to present the trophy to the mill with the best safety record. It was claimed that work accidents had deceased 80% since the conferences began in 1946. Over 200 labor and management representatives from 20 mills were in Tacoma March 12-13th for the 7th annual jointly sponsored, with the International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers and the International Brotherhood of Paper Makers, safety conference. The 1953 winner was the Hoquiam plant of Rayonier, Inc. (TNT 3-1-53, B-10)

Pacific Coast Association of Pulp & Paper Manufacturers (Tacoma); Group portraits; Awards; Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Card rack at Winthrop Hotel, Rust Craft Publications. Since Christmas trees, fir boughs and pine cones decorate the back wall over the many rows of Christmas cards and the photograph is dated in July, this must have been an advertising set up, possibly for a catalog.

Hotels--Tacoma--1950-1960; Greeting cards; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Standard Brands Inc. The "25 Year Club" annual banquet. Two area residents were inducted into the quarter century club of Standard Brands Inc. at their annual dinner held at the Winthrop Hotel. The two inductees are in the center of the front row holding their certificates of long service. To the left is Emil C. Werner and to his right is Elmer E. Krueger. Both were employed at Fleischmann's Yeast in Sumner. For their 25 years of continuous service, they were presented with gold watches and certificates. Werner resided at 413 8th Ave NW, Puyallup. Werner came to the US in 1906 and worked as a farmer. In 1928, he joined the work force at Fleischmann's. His hobbies were fruit growing and farming. He had 3 daughters, a son and 7 grandchildren. Krueger lived in Sumner Heights. He was a native of Clear Lake, S.D., a WWI veteran and a member of the American Legion. He had two sons, Jerry and LaVon, who were employed at Rainier Plywood in Tacoma. Company executives attending the dinner were Albert R. Fleischmann, vice president and general sales manager, and L. G. Reichhard, vice president of manufacturing. (TNT 11/16/1953, pg. 13)

Standard Brands, Inc. (Tacoma); Group portraits; Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fleischmann's Yeast (Sumner)--Employees;

Walter C. Davidson, standing row second from right, son of the co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Co., visited Northwest dealers on 12/5/1953 for an all day meeting at the Winthrop Hotel. The dealers are posed around the 1954 model Harley-Davidson motorcycle, the Golden Anniversary model. Harley-Davidson was celebrating fifty years of motorcycle design and production. In 1903, Davidson's father, Walter Davidson Sr., began making motorcycles in a small shop in Milwaukee. By 1953, the endeavor had grown into a plant that produced 40,000 motorcycles a year. (TNT 12/6/1953, pg. A-10) TPL-8194

Motorcycles; Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Co. (Milwaukee);

Walter C. Davidson, son of the co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Co., and now sales manager of the Milwaukee firm was making a tour of the US in observation of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the motorcycle industry in this country. In 1903, his father Walter Sr. began making motorcycles in a small shop in Milwaukee. Walter Jr. entered apprenticeship in the factory at the age of 15 and learned every phase of the business over the next 10 years. His son Douglas is planning to follow in his footsteps. David Huffman, Northwest representative, Joe Campbell, parts rep, and Howard Beck, West coast service manager, assisted in the sales meeting for the NW dealers at the Hotel Winthrop 12/5/1953. (TNT 12/6/1953, pg. A-10)

Motorcycles; Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Co. (Milwaukee); Davidson, Walter C.;

Heidelberg Brewery- Salesmen's wives boarding bus outside the Winthrop Hotel. Heidelberg often held sales meetings in Tacoma and entertainment was planned for the ladies. Here the wives are neatly attired in coats and some furs, as well as the requisite hat, and ready to board a bus for a sightseeing junket. The brewery was known as Columbia Breweries from 1900-1953; in July of 1953 the company changed its name to Heidelberg Brewing Co. Its most famous products were the beers "Alt Pilsener" and "Columbia Ale." Both labels stopped production with the breweries' closure in 1979. TPL-8479

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Heidelberg Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

American Institute of Architects, Southwest Washington Chapter, in the Wedgewood Room at the Winthrop Hotel. Most Tacoma and Seattle architects are pictured here, some with spouses. In the foreground of the picture, left to right, are Si Nelson, Percy Ball, Rod O'Hiser, Marshall Perrow, James Wilson and future mayor Gordon Johnston. Seated on the right side of the room, directly under the palm tree wall decoration are Hubert and Betty Bisson. Mr. Bisson was an architect, and later associate, for the well-known Tacoma firm of Lea, Pearson & Richards. Mr. Bisson worked for them for over 20 years until his death in 1971. He designed many of Tacoma's banks and schools for the firm. (for more detailed name information, please see name chart accompanying picture in Richards files) (Additional information provided by a reader)

American Institute of Architects, Southwest Washington Chapter (Tacoma); Architects; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Bisson, Hubert; Bisson, Betty; Johnston, Gordon N.; Nelson, Silas E.; Ball, Percy G.; O'Hiser, Rod; Perrow, Marshall; Wilson, James;

American Institute of Architects, Southwest Washington Chapter, in the Wedgewood Room at the Winthrop Hotel. The map of the counties of Southwest Wa. is on the wall, with each county connected by string with a lighted candle. The back row tentatively identified as, left to right, Gil Wojahn, Percy Ball, Si Nelson, unidentified, John Richards, W.W. Durham and Nelson Morrison. The seated row, left to right, Charles Lea, Marshall Perrow, unidentified and George Gove. The two men to the right of the table are unidentified.

American Institute of Architects, Southwest Washington Chapter (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

New marquee being put in place at the Winthrop Hotel. Six men hold the new marquee in place. The sign advertises the hotel as the home of Daffodil Room and the Sabre Room. A panel van parked in front has a sign on it reading "Man of the Year."

Marquees--Tacoma; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

ca. 1953. Three cars are parked next to the Winthrop Hotel, 773 Broadway, in the fall of 1953. An ornate marquee extending over the sidewalk would help to protect exiting car occupants and passersby from inclement weather. The elegant hotel was built in 1925 with funds supplied by a local subscription drive. It was named after explorer and author Theodore Winthrop who helped popularize the Northwest. BU-12138

Automobiles--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotels--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Winthrop Hotel, new sample furniture on display in rooms 505, 522 & 525. The room has been decorated for the discriminating traveler with a patterned embossed carpet, floral drapes, full bed with chenille bedspread, dresser, a desk/vanity and a variety of tables and chairs with numerous lamps. A bench has been placed at the end of the bed to hold an open suitcase or for sitting. A long coffee table, however, has been placed blocking a door.

Hotels--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Furniture;

Seven Up Bottling Co. A breakfast for twenty featuring the bubbling soda. 7UP's slogan at this time was "You like it, it likes you." The breakfast was part of the meetings scheduled around the 37th annual convention of the Washington Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages held in Tacoma at the Winthrop Hotel. The three day run of meetings had its kickoff on Sunday, 2/7/1954, with a reception and smorgasbord at the hotel. Over 250 bottlers and their families were expected to attend. (TNT 2/7/1954)

Washington Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages (Wa.); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Carbonated beverages;

The beaming lass pictured is Lynn Green, the 1954 Sweetheart of Sigma Chi, Delta Phi Chapter. She has recently been selected over four other contestants to rule as Sweetheart at the Sigma Chi dance in the Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. Lynn Green from Redmond was a sophomore at the College of Puget Sound. She was working toward degrees in sociology and education. She belonged to the Chi Omega sorority and Spurs. (TNT 3/7/1954, pg. D-4)

Sigma Chi (Tacoma); Fraternities & sororities--Tacoma--1950-1960; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Green, Lynn;

Ben Perham smilingly shows off the watch he was given at the annual banquet of the Pacific Northwest Conference of Savings & Loans Associations held on May 24, 1954. Mr. Perham was the former chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco; the watch was presented to him by Gerrit VanderEnde for his sixteen years of service to the federal institution. Mr. Perham now is the president of a food distributing company in Yakima. View of Ben Perham on left and Gerrit VanderEnde on right, Mr. VanderEnde is the president of Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan in Tacoma. (TNT 5-23-54, C-16, TNT 5-25-54, p. 11)

Awards; Clocks & watches; Perham, Ben; VanderEnde, Gerrit;

Dr. R. Franklin Thompson, president of the College of Puget Sound, was the featured speaker at the annual banquet of the Pacific Northwest Conference Savings & Loan Associations on May 24, 1954. His speech was entitled "Prelude to a New Age." At the head table in the Winthrop Hotel's Crystal Ballroom with Dr. Thompson were Mr. and Mrs. Ben Perham, Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit VanderEnde, and Mr. and Mrs. J. Alston Adams. More than 150 delegates and wives attended the two day savings & loan conference. (TNT 5-23-54, C-16, TNT 5-25-54, p. 11)

Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Public speaking--Tacoma--1950-1960; Thompson, R. Franklin, 1908-1999; Perham, Ben; VanderEnde, Gerrit; Adams, J. Alston;

The Winthrop Hotel hosted the Northwest Federation of Stamp Clubs' 14th annual convention in late May, 1954. Framed displays of rare and beautiful stamps were placed in long rows for interested collectors to view in the hotel's Crystal Ballroom. Stamp collectors were of assorted types, ranging from young boys to teenagers and also older men and women. Stamp collecting was a very popular hobby during the 1950's and exhibits such as the one pictured would have attracted large crowds. (TNT 5-23-54, p. 6)

Postage stamps; Collectors--Tacoma; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

On August 13, 1954, Tacoma Mayor Harold Tollefson (second from left) presented Air Force General T. Alan Bennett and his wife with a special proclamation declaring them "Tacoma Citizens in Absentia." The Bennett family was being transferred to Fairbanks and Tacoma would sorely miss them. Because the Bennetts were the sort of "neighborly, friendly type of people" Tacoma wanted as residents, the proclamation urged their speedy return. This photograph was taken at the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce offices in the Winthrop Hotel.

Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Mayors--Tacoma--1950-1960; Bennett, T. Alan; Bennett, T. Alan--Family; Generals--United States; Proclamations;

Elevated view of Tacoma's downtown and industrial area. Photographs taken on September 2, 1954, from Room 716 of the Winthrop Hotel show a cluster of downtown Tacoma businesses, the 11th Street Bridge, and a portion of the industrial area in the distance. Tacoma Savings & Loan, the Tacoma Hotel, Lincolnshire Hotel and Security Building (formerly Provident Building) can be clearly seen. Smokestacks billow as Tacoma's lumber and chemical mills operate with full staff. Large billboards, placed on the rooftop of the Lincolnshire Hotel, provide advertising information for consumers interested in liquor, fruit and electrical equipment.

Billboards--Tacoma--1950-1960; Security Building (Tacoma); Lincolnshire Hotel (Tacoma); Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Bridges--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Elevated view of Tacoma's downtown and industrial area. Smoke from various lumber and chemical companies in Tacoma's industrial area blends into the sky. Busy plants meant employment for thousands of local residents. The Tacoma Hotel and Tacoma Savings & Loan can also be spotted on the left of this September 2, 1954, photograph, taken from the seventh floor of the Winthrop Hotel.

Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

Employees of the Washington Hospital Service enjoyed a tasty luncheon at the Winthrop Hotel on September 23, 1954. The business apparently handled Blue Cross plans and was located in Seattle at 2121 Third Avenue. View of luncheon tables with employees; some have on name tags.

Washington Hospital Service (Seattle)--Employees; Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Tuxedoed men and ladies dressed in evening gowns posed for this October, 1954, group portrait. The group, including Mr. and Mrs. T.G. Calbreath, Mr. and Mrs. L. Evert Landon and Judge and Mrs. Bertil E. Johnson who were surrounding the wicker table, were members of the Comus Club attending the "Moonlight Magic" dance on October 16, 1954. The glittering crescent moon on the backdrop is framed by several potted trees. The dance was held in the Wedgwood Room of the Winthrop Hotel.

Group portraits; Comus Club (Tacoma); Calbreath, T.G.; Landon, L. Evert; Johnson, Bertil E.; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

The splendid chandeliers and sconces of the Winthrop Hotel provided an elegant setting for the Capital District, Washington Federation of Garden Clubs' show on December 6, 1954. A Christmas motif was evident; the majority of arrangements on display were small tabletop decorations. A few tall firs were added to complete the tableau. This may have been an annual event sponsored by the federation.

Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs (Tacoma); Flower shows--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Clinton S. Reynolds (left), new president of Tacoma Chamber of Commerce, presents outgoing president Charles M. Fogg (center) with a framed check for $1.00, his salary for his tenure as 1954 Chamber President. Looking on at the right is Tom Collins, Kansas City banker and humorist and featured speaker for the event. The presentation was the highlight of the 70th annual Chamber dinner in the Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. A standing room only crowd of 435 attended the event. (TNT 1/20/1955, pg. 1 & A-5)

Tacoma Chamber of Commerce (Tacoma); Fogg, Charles M.; Checks; Collins, Tom; Reynolds, Clinton S.;

Associated General Contractors, convention. Over 100 contractors from all parts of the Northwest attended the first annual convention of the Pacific Northwest Branch of the Associated General Contractors of America February 3-4, 1955 at the Winthrop Hotel. The two day sessions included discussions on problems related to general contractors and the various local, municipal, state and federal agencies from whom they perform work as well as that performed for architects and engineers. The Northwest branch was composed of chapters in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, a total of over 600 members, that performed most of the commercial and industrial construction in these areas, including dams, bridges and highways. James W. Purvis, President of the Tacoma Chapter, served as convention chairman. (TNT 2/3/1955, pg. 1)

Associated General Contractors, Tacoma Chapter (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);