Eighth graders at Fern Hill School pose in front of the elementary school's brick facade on June 3, 1924. Fern Hill School began as Byrd School in 1880 and was used by settlers as a church and also a Sunday School at what is now 86th & Park Avenue. When the City of Tacoma expanded its boundaries in 1910, the school (by then re-named Fern Hill School) was annexed to the Tacoma School District. Land was purchased in 1911 and a new Fern Hill School was built at the present location. Since then the school has been remodeled several times, the most recently in 2005-6. G46.1-083 (Olsen: For the Record, p. 97)

Fern Hill School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; School children--Tacoma--1920-1930;

North end neighborhoods in 1924. These homes on North Puget Sound Avenue near North 30th St. overlooked Commencement Bay. Houses were buffeted from traffic by large expanses of grass between the sidewalks and neighboring streets. G58.1-065

Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1920-1930; Residential streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Dwellings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

This is Miss Anna B. Quigley's 6A class standing in front of the entrance to Lowell School, 1210 North Yakima Avenue, in June of 1924. Two girls in the front row hold a scroll indicating that the class was a "Savings Banner Room." The scroll was given by the Education Thrift Service headquartered in New York. Each Tuesday was banking day at Tacoma Public Schools and each week Miss Quigley's class had the greatest percentage of depositors at Lowell. Her class were perennial winners. TPL-2331; G46.1-105 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 6-15-24, 4-A)

Lowell Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; School children--Tacoma--1920-1930; Teachers--Tacoma--1920-1930; Quigley, Anna B.;

Five workers are pictured on June 12, 1924, in an Olympia mill loading sheets of plywood for the Pacific Mutual Door Co. The men wear gloves, overalls and the ever-present caps. G75.1-024

Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930; Sawmills--Olympia; Plywood;

The "Commercial Guide" is in port on June 20, 1924, awaiting a shipment of lumber to be hoisted aboard by crane. To the rear is the "Lewis Luckenbach " from the Luckenbach Line. Both cargo ships were docked at the Port of Tacoma. The "Commercial Guide" left Tacoma on June 22, 1924, under the command of Captain Jack Wright. She was part of the Moore & McCormick's regular intercoastal service. G49.1-105 (TNT 6-23-24, p. 15-small article on the "Commercial Guide")

Cargo ships--1920-1930; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930; Port of Tacoma (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery;

A beaming "Miss Tacoma," Chonita Lazelle Rudides, sits on board a new Dodge sedan provided by Griffith Motors in June of 1924. A small banner identifying her title is attched to the passenger side doors. Miss Rudides, who represented the Tacoma Avenue Improvement Club, was selected as "Miss Tacoma" on June 20th. 15 civic and improvement clubs had chosen winsome young ladies as candidates for the title. Photograph ordered by Griffith Motor Co. G42.1-137 (TNT 6-21-24, p. 2-article)

Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1920-1930; Rudides, Chonita Lazelle; Dodge automobile; Griffith Motor Co. (Tacoma);

A large contingent of druggists and their wives pose outside the Hotel Tacoma on June 23, 1924. The style of the day called for hats, long dresses and ankle-length coats for the women and standard business attire for the men. They were preparing to join a caravan of 50 and more cars to Olympia for a three-day convention. In addition, the Tacoma druggists met delegations of fellow pharmacists from other parts of Washington state who were on the way to the Olympia annual convention and took them on brief tours of Tacoma. G30.1-097 (TNT 6-19-24, p. 8-article; TDL 6-24-24, p.12)

Pharmacists--Tacoma--1920-1930; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

On Independence Day, July 4th, 1924, a huge throng gathers to ogle these bathing beauties at the Tacoma Yacht Club Bathing Girl Revue at Point Defiance. The contest was part of the Water Carnival scheduled to help celebrate America's birthday. The contestants of all ages pose in their swimsuits; bare arms, shoulders and legs shaded by parasols. Stockings rolled down below the knees and bobbed hair seem to be the most common fashion statement. Miss Grace Copeland was selected by five judges as Tacoma's most beautiful bathing beauty. G20.1-007

Bathing beauties--1920-1930; Bathing suits--1920-1930; Tacoma Yacht Club (Tacoma);

Tacoma bathing beauties posed for the camera during the Tacoma Yacht Club Bathing Girl Revue on July 4th, 1924. A new kind of girl was coming to the light in the twenties. A girl who exercised, ate right and wasn't afraid to show off her bare arms and legs and bob her hair. Bathing suit designer Annette Kellerman's one piece suits were appearing at swimming holes across the country. Tacoma was riding the crest of this fashion; the fledgling Miss America contest (then called the Inter-City Beauties Contest) had in 1922 abolished restrictions on scandalous swimwear. They allowed contestants to wear the one piece swimsuits with stockings rolled down, or no stockings at all. America took a deep breath and then applauded or protested. In Tacoma, this contest seems to have taken place with little or no complaints. Grace Copeland was judged Tacoma's most beautiful bathing girl, out of 32 contestants. G20.1-034; TPL-158 (TNT 7/5/1924, pg. 7)

Bathing beauties--1920-1930; Bathing suits--1920-1930; Tacoma Yacht Club (Tacoma);

Brick building under construction in Yelm in mid-July, 1924. Signposts to the right of building indicate that Tacoma is 27 miles away and McKenna, a mere 2. Yelm would incorporate in December of 1924 after suffering devastating fires on May 24-25th where most of the city's business district was destroyed. Twenty buildings were destroyed and two more structures damaged with a total estimated loss of $100,000-140,000. Yelm would rebuild as seen above. TPL-4483B; G72.1-061 (TNT 5-26-24, p. 2-article on fires)

Building construction--Yelm;

Western Union employees enjoyed a picnic and ball game in Centralia in July of 1924. Several young men have a prime view of all activities as they have scrambled atop a nearby roof. A batter waits patiently for his chance to belt one into the distance. G78.1-090

Western Union Telegraph Co.--Employees; Baseball players--Centralia;

A labor convention was held in Olympia in mid-July of 1924. This unidentified man from Tacoma was a delegate representing the state Culinary Workers. He is wearing several badges/ribbons pinned to his three-piece suit. G38.1-002

Meetings--Olympia--1920-1930; Labor unions;

Christening of the SS Bienville. Dorothy Maxson is pictured on July 16, 1924, in the act of christening the SS Bienville at Todd Dry Dock & Construction facilities. She is the daughter of Captain and Mrs. C.P. Maxson; Captain Maxson would become the ship's new master. The Bienville was built for the Atlantic Steamship line of Southern Pacific at a cost of over a million dollars for the purpose of travel between New York and New Orleans. She was named after an old Louisiana family. Thousands of cheering spectators were present at the launching of the steamer which was the first Atlantic liner built on the Pacific Coast. After being in service less than five months, the Bienville caught on fire while being overhauled in New Orleans in mid-March of 1925. Only the crew was aboard and all escaped. G37.1-108 (TNT 6-21-21, p. 1,9-articles; TDL 7-17-24, p. 1-article; TNT 3-19-25, p. 1-fire on ship article; TDL 3-28-25, p. 1-fire on ship article)

Launchings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Maxson, Dorothy;

Planing mill at Western Boat Building. Stacks of smooth surfaced timber wait to be used at the Western Boat Building facility on E. 11th St. Western Boat Building, operated by M.A. Petrich, built and repaired boats. G37.1-123

Mills--Tacoma--1920-1930; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Fircrest Golf Club clubhouse under construction. The golf course, located on 160 acres in Fircrest, opened its first 9 holes on July 26, 1924. The clubhouse pictured above six days before the course opened would be the first of three built on the private club's property. Construction funds were about $25,000 and were a gift from Tacoma lumberman Leonard Howarth. The most recent clubhouse was opened in 1997. G54.1-029 (www.fircrestgolf.com-articles; TDL 4-8-25, p. 9-article on golf course)

Building construction--Fircrest--1920-1930; Clubhouses--Fircrest--1920-1930; Golf--Fircrest--1920-1930;

Photographer Marvin Boland's notes indicate that this is the "waiting room" for the Steilacoom ferry as pictured on July 21, 1924. Long wooden benches are positioned below windows and there appears to be a drinking fountain against one wall. Staircase leads below. G66.1-093

Ferries; Waiting rooms; Benches;

Several barely visible small children, huddled in shrubbery, appeared fascinated by the upside down Joe Lyons Bus Company vehicle involved in an accident at 7:30 a.m. on July 21, 1924. The bus was bound from Dash Point to Tacoma, a scenic half-hour ride, when it plunged off the highway, overturned twice, and came to rest approximately 100 feet below the road. Four men were injured in the accident, none seriously. The bus made regular stops at several points of interest including the Milwaukee shops, the Todd Shipyards and Browns Point. (TNT 7-21-24, p. 1) G66.1-023

Buses--Dash Point; Traffic accidents--Dash Point;

Several small boys and an an adult pause at the site of an early morning bus accident that occurred on July 21, 1924. A Joe Lyons Bus Co. vehicle had left the Dash Point Rd. at the scene above, flipping over twice, and landing upside down in woods about 100 feet below the road surface. The bus was making one of its usual runs from Dash Point to Tacoma where it let off workers at the Milwaukee Shops, Todd Shipyards and Port Commission docks as well as other points. Fortunately all injuries were relatively minor. G25.1-019

Buses--Dash Point; Traffic accidents--Dash Point; Children--Dash Point;

Two Whitworth Transfer & Storage Co. trucks are spilling over with bundles of used clothing collected during a one-day relief drive in July of 1924. Local residents were asked to contribute whatever clothing they could spare to send toward needy recipients in the "Near East." The clothing was then bagged in preparation for transport. Whitworth Transfer was one of many Tacoma firms who donated their services for the drive to collect clothing for Armenian refugees. A record shipment of 16,000 pounds was collected and departed on August 1, 1924, via the freighter Virginia V for Seattle where the clothing would be reloaded and shipped overseas on U.S. transports. The four workers next to the truck in the foreground were not identified. On the right of the photograph were William Worthington, in charge of relief efforts in Tacoma, and general manager of Whitworth Transfer, C. McA Logan. G66.2-117 (TDL 8-2-24, p. 4)

Trucks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Clothing relief--Tacoma; Worthington, William; Logan, C. McA;

Display of concrete pipes stored outside the Harrison Concrete Pipe Co. at the end of July, 1924. Pipes, wire and wood fill the plant's yard. The company was believed to have been located at 3615 East "B" in Tacoma. G33.1-094

Pipes (Conduits); Pipe industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The USS Omaha at anchor in Commencement Bay at the end of July, 1924. The Omaha had streamed into the Bay on Monday, July 28th, for a week's stay. The 550-foot "scout cruiser" was accompanied by a squadron of six destroyers. She was the first of a ten-ship class of 7050-ton light cruisers. Omaha was built by Todd Dry Dock of Tacoma and launched on December 14, 1920. She would spend the next 17 years after her commissioning in 1923 serving in both the Pacific and Atlantic areas and would take an active role during WWII. G71.1-026 (www.history.navy.mil; TNT 7-24-24, p. 1-article)

Government vessels;

Packed bleachers and covered stand at Athletic Park. Spectators are there on August 16, 1924, to watch teams battle it out in the sixth round of baseball's City League. Athletic Park had a capacity of 4,500. G53.1-051 (print has been damaged)

Athletic Park (Tacoma); Athletic fields--Tacoma--1920-1930; Baseball--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Sailors from the Seven Seas found a welcoming place to stay at the Seamen's Church Institute on the Municipal dock in August of 1924. Several men of varying races have gathered for a friendly billiards match. The purpose of the Seamen's Institute was to bring cheer to visiting sailors by providing them a comfortable place to congregate and rest. A library, gym, social hall, billiard room, reading/writing rooms, showers, kitchens, bedrooms and chapel were available, regardless of race or rank. It was partially supported by funding from the Tacoma Community Chest. TPL-7141; G53.1-093 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 2-5-28, 4-A - article on Seamen's Church Institute)

Sailors; Billiards--Tacoma--1920-1930; Seamen's Church Institute (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Sailors from many fleets enjoyed time away from their ships at the Seamen's Institute in August of 1924. Horseshoes, billiards, juggling clubs and boxing speed bag were just some of the activities pictured that the men could participate in without charge. Rev. Harry Ferneyhough is the clergyman near left. He had operated the Seamen's Church Institute for eighteen years as a friend to mariners. Books and newspapers were also available as well as meals for the hungry.

Sailors; Seamen's Church Institute (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Clergy--Tacoma; Ferneyhough, Harry; Horseshoes;

This view is of Broadway at 9th looking south in August of 1924. On the right foreground is a portion of the massive Tacoma Theater building (902-14 Broadway) with new tenant Frank C. Hart & Sons (jewelers) sign and the Electro Dental Parlors (former practice of dentist John Austin). The Colonial Theater (916-18 Broadway) is next, then showing for the second week the movie "The Covered Wagon." The Pythian Temple (924-26 Broadway) and Burnett Brothers jewelry store (932 Broadway) follow. At the end of the block is the Rhodes Brothers Department Store (950 Broadway). On the left side of Broadway several businesses are visible: the Hotel Illington and the McMillan Bros. Drugstore in the Jonathan Smith Bldg. (911-13 Broadway); Lou Johnson (ladies apparel) in the Collier-Hardenberg Bldg (915-17 Broadway); Pierce Hotel (912 1/2 Broadway); and further down the street, the Lewis Brothers clothing store (935-41 Broadway). G59.1-030

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Colonial Theater (Tacoma); Pythian Temple (Tacoma); Tacoma Theater (Tacoma);

This is 11th St. at the bridge looking west as pictured on August 22, 1924. On the left is the Perkins Building at 1101 A Street, Tacoma's first fireproof building; on the right is the Tacoma Building, 1017-21 A Street, home to the Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. The unfinished Scandinavian-American Bank building (later known as the Washington Building) is in the distance also on the right. G57.1-133

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Perkins Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma);

Lake Steilacoom as seen through tall trees on August 25, 1924. The fresh water lake was created from a series of ponds in the 1850s by the building of a dam to provide water for Byrd Mill, located on Steilacoom Creek. G38.1-061

Lake Steilacoom (Wash.);

Side view of Buckley Public School bus No. 3 as photographed on August 30, 1924. G7.1-062B

School buses;

The City College Employment Department sought to help people obtain jobs. It was a free service offered in 1924 by the Y.M.C.A. primarily for students and members. Employers were welcome at any time and given immediate attention by staff. Two men are pictured above on September 2, 1924, utilizing the services of the employment department. Their names, and the name of the interviewer, were not given.

Employment agencies; Young Mens Christian Association (Tacoma);

An unidentified driver is at the wheel of the Brown & White Cab Co. taxi on September 5, 1924. According to the 1924 City Directory, the firm was located at 1013 Pacific Avenue and was owned and operated by E.J. Shaw and C.T. Taylor. G66.2-088

Taxicabs--Tacoma; Taxicab drivers;