ca. 1931. RKO Orpheum Theater, 901 Broadway. Six ushers posed in front of the movie palace dressed as jockeys. Banners on their chests say "Starting Monday, Sweepstakes." "Sweepstakes" was a 1931 RKO Pathe racetrack movie about a jockey and his horse, starring Eddie Quillan, James Gleason, Marion Nixon and Lew Cody. The playbill advertisement in the background refers to the Burns & Allen comedy act "Dizzy."

ca. 1931. Jack Estes, a photographer for the commercial photography studio McIntire & Davenport, 315 1/2 S. 9th, takes a picture of an unidentified man posing behind a political cartoon. The cartoon shows Herbert Hoover, and the G.O.P. "On the Skid Road".

ca. 1931. Broadway businesses. This is how one side of Broadway appeared circa 1931. The Warburton Building at 1101-03 (far left) was the first concrete building erected in Tacoma. It housed the French Drug Co. on the lower level and the E.R. Parker Painless Dentists above. At the near right was the equally tall Montgomery Ward & Co. store, in the New York Building (1117-19), the former home of the Horgan-Parker and Fair Department Stores. Between the two tall structures were smaller businesses including the Broadway Electric Co. and Kimball's Gun Store.

Farewell banquet for Harry A. Lehnhardt, Union Club, Jan. 14, 1931, given by the Tacoma Agency Sales Force. 1953 copy of a customer's print.

Union Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lehnhardt, Harry A.;

In February of 1931, Lucille Dyment, 6, and her sister Mardelle, 8, offered food items to Harry D. Hurlbut, president of the 4L Band, in exchange for admission to the concert at the Gault Intermediate School auditorium. The girls were the grandchildren of City Commissioner Dyer Dyment. More than 1 and one half tons of food were collected at this event sponsored by the McKinley Hill Improvement Club. This was the first year that the 36 piece volunteer band had performed relief concerts, and this was the 12th concert so far. Over 21,000 pounds of food had been collected in all for the needy and unemployed. The concerts were performed in halls all across the city and the food was distributed in the community where the concert took place. (TNT 2/25/1931, pg. 1) TPL-9968

In February of 1931, elderly Richard Henry "Jimmy" Davis demonstrated how he and the neighborhood boys played marbles outside the frame home of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Ill. The future President, depending on his mood, would either join the boys in the game or shoo them away, saying that they were making too much noise. Mr. Davis, who in 1931 was well past 80, lived in the Lutheran Compass Mission. He couldn't remember much about how he came to live there. He worked in the mines from the age of 11 and three cave-ins have robbed him of much of his memory. As a young man, he was active in the labor movement and for two years travelled and worked with Mary Harris "Mother" Jones, the "Miners Angel." The pair helped with organizing what would become the United Mine Workers. (TNT 2/11/1931, pg. 1) BGN-284 TPL-9934

Miss Betty Gaston, with some creative photographic additions, was the sweetheart of the Tacoma News Tribune's 1931 Valentines Day edition. An unusually warm February, a balmy 60 degrees on the 14th, induced the photographer to enhance the image with an outdoors motif. The swing hung from a budding tree and Miss Gaston's legs protruded from a large heart that covered most of her body. Her "rompers" showed prominently and were pointed out as spring wear. Her hair and lips were darkened for contrast. (TNT 2/14/1931, pg. 1)

In the depths of the Great Depression, about 1,000 men and women waged a peaceful orderly march on City Hall in late February of 1931 to focus attention on immediate unemployment relief. Members of the Unemployed Council, the Trade Unity League and the Communist Party requested: 1) unemployment insurance at $15 per week with $5 extra per dependent; 2) an immediate relief fund of $1 million generated by reducing city officials' salaries; 3) non-ejection of unemployed not able to pay house rent; 4) free use of civic auditoriums for meetings of the unemployed and 5) full payment of war bonus. Mayor M.G. Tennent met with twelve chosen marchers to express his and the city council's concern but stated that their powers were limited. He did state that a $41,000 Sheridan Avenue project was approved that morning so that more men could be employed through city construction. After listening to a program of addresses by their leaders, the large crowd dispersed after about three hours. (TDL 2/26/1931, p.4-article). Bowen 03-914.

House at 417 No. E St., Tacoma. Photograph was taken for a real estate ad and ordered by R.G. Walker & Co., realtors, in February of 1931. House was vacant at the time. The Georgian period Colonial home was built in 1906 for George Lewis Gower. It was designed by the architectural firm of Russell and Babcock. After Gower's death, the home was purchased in 1920 by Leonard Howarth. After the death of Mr. Howarth, the home was sold by Janie M. Rice, the Howarth housekeeper, to Mrs. Anita Thorne Corse, the daughter of Chester Thorne. After her marriage to General David Stone, the couple relocated to the family home Thornewood. She sold this Colonial in 1935 to J.P. Weyerhaeuser, Jr. In 1948, it was remodeled into apartments.

Gower, George Lewis--Homes & haunts; Howarth, Leonard--Homes & haunts; Houses--Tacoma;

Dennison's Chili, found in markets today, was first made in a Tacoma plant located in Fern Hill. The factory opened in 1925, when they moved to Fern Hill. Belle Dennison started canning chicken in her kitchen in 1915. Friends raved about the product and soon her husband Lee was selling it to local stores. When this photograph was taken in 1931, 15 women from the Fern Hill neighborhood worked at Dennison & Company. Meat from 45,000 chickens, purchased at nearby ranches and packed in glass jars, was sold in stores from Alaska to the border of Mexico. The product line was expanded in the 1930s and sold about 1938 when the company moved to Seattle. (TDL, 3/29/1931, p. 4A).

On March 10th, 1931, at around 6:30p.m., the sheet iron canopy at the Broadway Theater, 902-14 Broadway, came crashing down from the marquee to the pavement. The metal canopy over the theater entrance at So. 9th and Court C was in the process of having new electric lights installed. The weight of the lights and the workmen was just too much for the metal canopy. Luckily no one was hurt. (TNT 3/11/1931, pg. 1; TDL 3/11/1931 p.1)

Broadway Theater (Tacoma); Motion Picture Theaters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Building failures;

This was the Market Street side of the St. Helens Clinic building on a rainy March 10, 1931. The towering Medical Arts Building (at right) can be seen dimly in the fog. The building housing the St. Helens Clinic formerly had been the Hyson Apartments. It was remodeled in late 1919 as a medical building. Later in the 1930s the triangular site reverted back to apartments. It was damaged by fire in May of 1966 and demolished in April of the following year. BU-13331

St. Helens Clinic (Tacoma); Clinics--Tacoma--1930-1940; Medical Arts Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Saint Helens side of the St. Helens Clinic building in 1931. The triangular shaped building had formerly been the Hyson Apartments when constructed about 1903. It was remodeled in late 1919 as the St. Helens Clinic with additional businesses on the first floor. Later in the 1930s the building was remodeled again into apartments. As the Berk Apartments, it would be damaged by fire in May of 1966 and demolished in April of 1967. BU-13330

St. Helens Clinic (Tacoma); Clinics--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The Temple of Justice was the first campus building completed on the Washington State Capitol grounds in 1920. Pierce County's quarries contributed the Wilkeson sandstone used in its construction. This view of the grand edifice was taken in March of 1931. It is home to the State Supreme Court and the State Law Library. G72.1-033

Temple of Justice (Olympia);

Inside hanger at Tacoma Field. Four airplanes are clearly visible, a single-wing tri-motor passenger plane and three bi-planes. Two of the bi-planes are marked Bennett Air Transportation Inc. Photograph was taken in March of 1931.

Airplanes--Lakewood--1930-1940; Bennett Air Transportation Inc. (Lakewood); Tacoma Field (Lakewood);

One of Tacoma's busier intersections in 1931 was North 1st St. and Tacoma Avenue North. The San Clare Cafe (at left) featured everything from cigars to candy and Medosweet ice cream. Further down Tacoma Avenue North was the Supreme Cleaners & Dyers. Across the street was the Davis & Hollingsworth retail furniture concern at 20 Tacoma Avenue North. The First Presbyterian Church, a beautiful example of Romanesque architecture, rises high above the street at 20 Tacoma Avenue South. TPL-1605; G62.1-064

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; San Clare Cafe (Tacoma); Supreme Cleaners & Dyers (Tacoma); Davis & Hollingsworth (Tacoma); First Presbyterian Church (Tacoma);

View of Tacoma Tideflats from the top of the Medical Arts Building. The City Waterway can be seen in the background. City Hall, with its distinctive clock tower, is clearly visible. This photograph was taken on April 5, 1931.

Aerial photographs--1930-1940; Cityscapes--1930-1940; City Waterway (Tacoma); Old City Hall (Tacoma);

View of downtown business district of Tacoma looking southeast from the top of the Medical Arts Building as seen on April 5, 1931. Good view of the fronts of the buildings on the east side of Broadway between 9th and 11th.

Aerial photographs--1930-1940; Business districts--Tacoma--1930-1940;

View looking north on Saint Helens St. from the top of the Medical Arts Building on April 5, 1931. Buildings that are clearly visible include the Webster Apartments (629 Saint Helens) and the Elks Temple (565 Broadway- large white building lower right), followed by (right to left) an apartment building (553 Broadway) and the Union Club (539 Broadway.)

Aerial photographs--1930-1940; Cityscapes--1930-1940; Webster Apartments (Tacoma); Elks Temple (Tacoma); Union Club (Tacoma); Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Along with daffodils and April showers, children and their pets have been a sure sign of spring in the Puget Sound area for generations. Photographer Chapin Bowen captured young Bobby David with his beloved dog, "Rags," seated in front of the Rialto Theater in 1931. Bob and Rags attended Tacoma's pet parade, held April 9, 1931.

Dogs--Tacoma--1930-1940; David, Bobby;

Along with daffodils and April showers, children and their pets have been a sure sign of spring in the Puget Sound area for generations. Photographer Chapin Bowen captured young Bobby David with his beloved dog, "Rags," seated in front of the Rialto Theater in 1931. Bob and Rags attended Tacoma's pet parade, held April 9, 1931.

This photograph of the front entrance of the Rialto Theatre, showing the marquee and a North Coast Limited sign, was taken for the Northern Pacific Railroad in April of 1931. There was a special double bill playing at the Rialto beginning on April 12th. Along with the feature "Dishonored," starring Marlene Dietrich and Victor McLaglen, they were showing a special feature titled "No.1." The first transcontinental trip to be filmed in sound, "No.1" took viewers from Chicago to Tacoma, with scenes of the Rockies and Cascades. Produced by the Northern Pacific, the film contained some splendid advertising for Tacoma. According to the NP ticket agent, it was scheduled to play in every major city in the United States. Bowen # 310-163

On April 15, 1931, after spending two weeks loading lumber and timber at the Defiance Mill, 4601 Ruston Way, the four masted "Commodore" left port in Tacoma for the Hawaiian Islands. It was towed to the Straits of Juan de Fuca by the tug Goliath. The last of the off shore sailing fleet in regular service on Puget Sound, it was the first sailing vessel to visit Tacoma in more than two years. The wooden four masted topsail schooner of 1,500 tons was built in 1919 by the JH Price Construction Co., a Lake Washington yard, for Norwegian owners and was named "Blaatind." By 1920, it was owned by a Seattle company and was renamed "Commodore." She sailed with lumber to Hawaii long past the demise of the remainder of the west coast sailing fleet. By 1942, she had passed through many hands to South African owners. They had her towed to South America and knocked apart for lumber to build houses. Bowen 05-761 (TNT 4/16/1931, pg. 20; "Marine History of the Pacific Northwest" H.W. McCurdy) TPL-9411

Donoghue Chevrolet was located at 824 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (then known as South "K" St.), the former home of Mutual Motors, in 1931. This interior view of Donoghue's focuses on the repairs section of the facility with its display of tools and machinery. Fred W. Donoghue was the president of the company. G36.1-189

Donoghue Chevrolet (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hand tools; Machinery; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Automobile supplies were on display at the Donoghue Chevrolet facility located at 824 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (then called South "K" St.) in April of 1931. Genuine Chevrolet parts and other quality equipment were for sale at the former home of Mutual Motors. G32.1-134

Donoghue Chevrolet (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1930-1940; Automobile equipment & supplies; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1930-1940;

A shining black hearse from the Allen Motor Co. was parked in front of the Mellinger funeral home on April 17, 1931. A black-clad driver is waiting patiently at the wheel of the sleek Studebaker. The C.C. Mellinger Co. colonial-styled mortuary, located at 510 Tacoma Avenue South, was built in 1909 for $65,000 by noted architects Heath & Twichell. The firm was established by Ohio native Charles C. Mellinger who first began on a small scale in Tacoma in 1897. The company grew quickly to become one of the largest in the city. G26.1-135; TPL-1743 Hunt: "Charles C. Mellinger," History of Tacoma, p. 580-582)

C.C. Mellinger Funeral Directors (Tacoma); Morgues & mortuaries--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hearses--Tacoma--1930-1940; Studebaker automobile;