In November of 1947, an unidentified employee at the Hooker Electrochemical plant , at 605 Alexander Avenue on Tacoma's tideflats, used an industrial scale to weigh large chemical storage canisters. The scales he was using were manufactured by the Toledo Scale Company, which had opened an office in Tacoma in 1927 and maintained an office here for 30 years.Toledo scales, like these "No Spring, Honest Weight" units could be found in grocery stores, farmers markets and industrial plants throughout the Northwest. The Hooker Chemical Company, which in its final years was owned by Pioneer Companies, Inc. closed in 2002.
Hooker Electrochemical plant workman is filling a chemical storage tank, marked Detrex Corporation, the Toledo "No Springs, Honest Weight" scale indicates the tank weighs 550 pounds, the weight capacity is 1,000 pounds. Detrex Corporation and Hooker Electrochemical Company had recently merged, making the chemical industry in Tacoma larger and stronger.
Ace Furnace and Steel Company was owned and operated by Alvin Davies, he also owned Birchfield Boiler Company and Tacoma Boiler Works. Ace Furnace manufactured furnaces, tanks, gasoline tankers and prefabricated steel gas stations. Interior view of Ace Furnace plant, laborers are welding parts of the gas station that is under construction.
Ace Furnace is constructing a prefabricated gasoline service station, the workmen are welding the structure together. Ace Furnace and Steel's facility was large enough to provide spacious work areas, which enabled the company to work on many projects simultaneously. The company's work could be found throughout Tacoma industries, including the boat building industry.
Construction industry--Tacoma; Welding--Tacoma; Iron construction--Tacoma; Iron & steel workers--Tacoma; Metalworking--Tacoma; Ace Furnace & Steel Co. (Tacoma);
In November of 1947, Tacoma's Top of the Ocean was in such high demand, that the restaurant had to reduce the general operating hours for the public. Clubs and organizations now had more time options in reserving private dining rooms. Interior view of the main dining room and dance floor. Orchestra area in background, where Hal Gullett's Orchestra appeared on the weekends, photo ordered by Condon Advertising. The Top of the Ocean was also home to the Tacoma Athletic Commission. They maintained their own private club on the upper level with its own private entrance. (T. Times, 11/28/47, p. 5). TPL-8248
Dance floors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Table settings & decorations; Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Interior decoration; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Captain's Quarters at the Tacoma Athletic Commission's Club located at the Top of the Ocean restaurant. Tacoma's Top of the Ocean was likely the most popular place in town. It was conveniently located in Tacoma's Old Town waterfront. Interior view of a smaller dining room with dance floor and jukebox, bar in foreground, photo ordered by Condon Advertising (T. Times, 11/28/47, p. 5).
Dance floors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Jukeboxes; Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Interior decoration; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Photograph taken in November of 1947 of the Captain's Quarters at the Tacoma Athletic Commission's Club, located on the upper level of the Top of the Ocean, 2217 Ruston Way. Top of the Ocean housed Tacoma Athletic Commission, which retained its own private Club on the top level. The lower portions of the facility were open to the public. Organizations could also rent the facilities for parties. A cocktail area in the TAC Club is pictured; with a small dance floor, cocktail tables and comfortable chairs, a full bar and slot machines against the back wall. Photo ordered by Condon Advertising. (T. Times, 11/28/47, p. 5).
Dance floors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma);
Captain's Quarters at the Tacoma Athletic Commission's Club located on the upper level of the Top of the Ocean. Top of the Ocean housed Tacoma Athletic Commission, but its main dining room was also open to the public. They advertised smorgasbord dinners for $1.00 and dinners from their menu for $1.75 to $3.50. Interior view of a smaller dining room with dance floor, a fully stocked bar with mirrors in background, photo ordered by Condon Advertising (T. Times, 11/28/47, p. 5).
Dance floors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bars (Furniture)--Tacoma; Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Interior decoration; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Holroyd's Tacoma plant has twelve transit mixers that are regularly charged, they mix approximately 400 cubic yards of concrete mix every day. They also operated a very active concrete block manufacturing plant at Meadow Park. Exterior view of plant, sand, gravel and cement storage and loading machine is surrounded by Holroyd trucks (T. Times, 12/10/47, p. 25).
Ornately carved staircase in Thornewood's entrance hall. The grand staircase with its carved oak posts was removed from its original home in a 15th century castle and shipped to Tacoma.
Stone, David L.--Homes & haunts; Thornewood (Lakewood); Stairways--Lakewood;
Thornewood was designed by Kirtland Cutter of Cutter and Malmgen Architecture firm, Cornell Brothers were the contractors. Landscaping on the grounds was done by Olmsted Brothers. The house was built on a 100 acre estate, including 35 acres of gardens. Interior view of Thornewood, ornately carved Oriental chest, photo ordered by Anita Thorne Stone.
Chests; Drawers (Furniture components); Art objects; Stone, David L.--Homes & haunts; Thornewood (Lakewood);
The library at Thornewood in Lakewood. The paneled room is lit by ornate windows. The windows are made of crystal glass and contain more than 100 pieces of rare 15th- 17th century stained glass.
Stone, David L.--Homes & haunts; Thornewood (Lakewood); Libraries--Lakewood;
Parts of Thornewood's interior came from an original Elizabethan style house in England; materials were obtained from this facility and shipped to the United States via Cape Horn. Interior view of Thornewood, alcove of dining room with beautiful credenza holding a silver serving dish. The arched windows allow for natural lighting of the room, view of carved detailed ceiling. Also seen clearly are the magnificent crystal glass windows. The windows throughout the house contain more than 100 works of stained glass crafted in the 1500's. The works of art are purportedly part of a collection of an English duke, who spent 40 years collecting them, purchased by Chester Thorne.
Buffets (Furniture); Urns--Tacoma; Windows--Lakewood; Art objects; Stone, David L.--Homes & haunts; Thornewood (Lakewood);
The library at Thornewood estate in Lakewood. Many shelves of books, a long table with fancy candle holders stands in front of them. Thornewood was constructed in 1910 for Tacoma financier Chester Thorne and took three years to complete. Much of the golden oak paneling used in the 40 rooms is from a 15th century British palace, paid for with US currency and shipped around Cape Horn on Thorne's Pacific Steamship Co.
Stone, David L.--Homes & haunts; Thornewood (Lakewood); Libraries--Lakewood;
In 1935, Mrs. Anna Thorne deeded the family mansion "Thornewood" to her daughter Anita Thorne Corse Stone. David and Anita Stone did major renovations to Thornewood during the early 1940's. Thornewood had been originally built in 1910. View of large fireplace, one of nine, with a coat of arms above the mantel; long padded railing in front of hearth allows for people to warm up during the cold winter months. The walls are beautifully paneled in wood, much of which was stripped from English ancestral homes and shipped to Tacoma.
Art objects; Fireplaces--Lakewood; Longcase clocks; Andirons; Coats of arms; Chimney pieces--Lakewood; Stone, David L.--Homes & haunts; Thornewood (Lakewood);
Thornewood was made with Wilkeson sandstone and had a three foot thick foundation. Walls were 10 inches thick and floors were separated by 18 inches of concrete and cinder. The house was occupied by General David L. and Anita Thorne Stone, who had renovated the house in the early 1940's. View of small fireplace, one of nine in the mansion constructed of Florentine marble, with two candelabras on each side of the portrait of a man above the mantel. The beautiful detail on the ceiling draws the viewer's attention, this was possibly a sitting room. Much of the oak panelling and ornate woodwork came from English mansions, shipped around Cape Horn by Chester Thorne's own Pacific Steamship Co.
Art objects; Fireplaces--Lakewood; Candelabras; Andirons; Chimney pieces--Lakewood; Stone, David L.--Homes & haunts; Thornewood (Lakewood);
Thornewood, named as one of the ten most beautiful homes in Tacoma, has also been called the only occupied structure north of San Simeon worthy of being called a castle. An interior view of Thornewood of a small dining room with table and four chairs, and a grandfather clock in the corner of the room. The home was built from a design by Kirtland Cutter in 1910 for Tacoma banker Chester Thorne for one million dollars. Much of the oak woodwork was imported from Europe. In the background are some of the crystal glass windows mounted in lead frames and containing glass paintings dating from the 14th century.
Art objects; Longcase clocks; Dining tables; Dining rooms--Lakewood; Windows--Lakewood; Stone, David L.--Homes & haunts; Thornewood (Lakewood);
Frances Garfton was a freelance interior decorator in Tacoma. Frances shared office space with her husband, Arthur E. Grafton Jr., in the W. R. Rust Building. Frances Grafton had done work in the Arthur Murray Dance Studios. Picture of chair, photo ordered by Frances Grafton, Interior Decorator.
Frances Garfton was a freelance interior decorator in Tacoma. Frances shared office space with her husband, Arthur E. Grafton Jr., in the W. R. Rust Building. Frances Grafton had done work in the Arthur Murray Dance Studios. Picture of table, photo ordered by Frances Grafton, Interior Decorator.
Globe Machine Company was working with Weyerhaeuser Lumber Company to develop a log barker. The log barker would remove the bark using compression and shearing action, leaving the log free from bark without cutting into the outer sapwood. The machine would have rotating wheels that would guide the logs through and the de-barking was taking place. With this new machine, average de-barking time for an 8 foot long, 40 inch diameter log would be: one and three quarter minutes long. Interior view of plant with de-barking machine (T. Times, 12/15/47, p. 10).
Graybar Electric Company started doing business in Tacoma in 1918, they are an electronic wholesale distributing company. Graybar was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1869, when high demands increased their production, the company relocated to Chicago, Illinois that same year. In 1926 they changed the company's name to Graybar, combining the two founders names, Gray and Barton. Interior view of Tacoma's Graybar showroom, featuring desk lamps, toasters, radios and many other new electronic devices for 1948.
Graybar Electric Co. (Tacoma); Radios; Light fixtures; Toasters; Appliance stores--Tacoma;
In 1929 Graybar Electric Company employees purchased all the common stock and became the first business of its size to be completely owned and operated by its employees. Graybar manufactures, buys and sells many different types of electrical appliances and apparatus. Interior view of the showroom, vacuums, electric fans, doorbells, lamps, irons, mixers, clocks, and an advertisement for GE lamps and lightbulbs.
Graybar had an increase of orders for their products, which came with the post-war building boom. John Reine was Graybar's current Tacoma manager. In the past Graybar had specialized on certain industries, such as the telegraph business, but they were now dealing with all home electronics. Interior view of Graybar Electric kitchen appliances, "Hotpoint" refrigerators, stoves, kitchen cabinets, water heater and kitchen sink.
Graybar Electric Co. (Tacoma); Appliance stores--Tacoma; Appliances;
View of Pierce County Sheriff's office new medicine kit, kit is shown both opened and closed. Medicine kit has analgesic balm, liniment, Olympic Trainer athletic liniment, Red Cross bandages, ammonia inhalant, tweezers, scissors, swabs, gauze and other first aid items. Richard's Studio has combined two images, photo ordered by Gordon Hill, Pierce County Deputy Sheriff's Officer.
Sheriffs--Tacoma; Law enforcement--Tacoma; Law enforcement training--Tacoma; First aid--Tacoma; Emergency medical services--Tacoma; Pierce County Sheriffs (Tacoma);
Pacific Lutheran College's library was designed in 1936, building began in 1937 and the building was dedicated in 1939. This building was designed by Emanuel J. Bresemann, a local Tacoma architect. Pacific Lutheran was planning to remodel the library during 1948, view of PLC students outside of the library, possibly between their classes or on their way to study (Saga, 1948).
Students--Parkland; Libraries--Parkland; Educational facilities--Parkland; Education--Parkland; Universities & colleges--Parkland; Xavier Hall (Parkland); Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--Buildings; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1940-1950;
Pacific Lutheran College has an important role in the education system of the Pacific Northwest. The growing College has gained national acclaim for its outstanding methods of instruction. Pacific Lutheran experienced an increase in student enrollment following the end of World War II. Exterior view of the newly built Memorial Gymnasium, one of the best college gyms in the west. Photo taken for PLC's Saga, the school yearbook (Saga, 1948).
Universities & colleges--Parkland; Education--Parkland; Gymnasiums--Parkland; Memorial Gymnasium (Parkland); Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1940-1950; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--Buildings;
Pacific Lutheran College offered their students an "Education for Life" and "Build for Character". They had programs in Liberal Arts, Teacher Training, Music, Parish Work, Pre-Medical, Pre-Nursing, Pre-Theology and Pre-Law. Pacific Lutheran College had brought a lot of benefits to the Parkland community. View of Pacific Lutheran College school grounds, building on left side has ivy covered walls, Chapel in background (Saga, 1948).
Universities & colleges--Parkland; Education--Parkland; Educational facilities--Parkland; Students--Parkland; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--Buildings; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1940-1950;
Pacific Lutheran College was a member of the American Association of Colleges, and was an accredited educational facility. Dr. Eastvold was PLC's President, in addition to the new gymnasium Pacific Lutheran College had also built a new $200,000 Science Hall in 1947. View of Pacific Lutheran College buildings, Memorial Gymnasium on left side, photo taken for PLC's Saga, the school yearbook (Saga, 1948).
Universities & colleges--Parkland; Education--Parkland; Gymnasiums--Parkland; Memorial Gymnasium (Parkland); Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--Buildings; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1940-1950;
Holroyd delivered their building materials products throughout the Tacoma area and shipped their products throughout the Pacific Northwest. The plant had storage facilities for their cement and concrete masonry units. View of concrete foundation at an industrial facility, barrels are lined up outside; photo ordered by Holroyd Company, manufacturers of concrete products and other building materials.
Ray's Auto Service center was owned and operated by Ray W. Burrows. Exterior view of Ray's Auto Service center, painted "Lights Adjusted" and "Brakes Relined" signs and cars parked out in front, concrete foundation by Holroyd Company, manufacturers of concrete products and other building materials. Holroyd's facilities were located in South Tacoma on 5047 South Washington Street.
Foundations--Tacoma; Concrete--Tacoma; Reinforced concrete construction--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Ray's Auto Service (Tacoma);
