Undated portrait of sculptor Allan Clark. Mr. Clark was born in 1896 in Montana, but moved to Tacoma around 1908 with his family. He attended Stadium High School and Puget Sound College where his remarkable talent was noticed. He studied at the Chicago Art Institute and began working as a sculptor around 1917 in New York City. As a sculptor, he gained recognition in the art world at a very young age. In 1923, at the age of 27, he received his largest commission- the 21 statues that adorn the Suzzallo Library at the University of Washington in Seattle. By 1924, he had been made a member of the Society of Sculptors, limited to 100 members, and the Institute of Arts and Letters. His work was heavily influenced by his travel and study in the Orient. He later settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and focused on Native American figures. He was killed in 1950, at the age of 53, in a car accident. CLARK-004 (www.askart.com)

Clark, Allan, 1896-1950; Sculptors--Tacoma; Artists--Tacoma;

William L. Case enjoying a dip on the shoulders of a family friend at Hick's Lake on July 4, 1925. With the advent of the automobile, this small chain of spring fed lakes southeast of Olympia became the destination for summer fun. The Thurston County chain consists of Hicks Lake, Long Lake and Pattison Lake. Hicks Lake is located near Lacey and is the the smallest of the trio. By 1926, there were seven resorts on Hicks Lake alone. The resorts offered swimming, fishing, boating, picnicking and camping, the perfect activities for a holiday outing. (photograph courtesy of the William T. Case Collection) (information Lacey, Thurston County Chamber of Commerce site)

Hicks Lake (Lacey); Water holes--Lacey--1920-1930; Swimming; Case, William T.--Family; Case, William L.;

ca. 1926. William L. Case, son of "Bill" (William T.) Case, poses on tugboat Foss #12. For many years, #12 served the city of Tacoma as a fireboat. It was skippered for much of that time by the elder Case. In 1914, #12 was the first vessel designed and built for Foss exclusively for towing. It was built primarily for turning the Seattle-Tacoma passenger steamers in the City Waterway and designed so that one man, the captain, could run the engine, pilot the boat and tend the lines. Arthur Foss made a proposal to the city that they contract with Foss for the services of a fireboat. The agreement was made at a cost to the city of $2993 a year ($8.20 a day.) Foss #12 was refitted with a powerful pump that could throw 1200 gallons of water per minute at a pressure of 400 pounds per square inch. Two men were stationed on the tug at all times and it could reach any harbor fire within 6 minutes of receiving a call. The tug was instrumental in controlling several potentially disastrous waterfront fires. (photograph courtesy of the William T. Case collection) (Foss: A Living Legend" by Bruce Johnson and Mike Skalley)

Case, William T.--Family; Fireboats; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Case, William L.; Tugboats--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1946. Henry Foss (left) and William T. (Bill) Case held a discussion circa 1946 while leaning on the water pump of the Foss #12, used both as a fireboat and a tug. As the Foss Launch & Tug Co. expanded into new markets, Henry remained in Tacoma to run the local office. He served in World War II and returned once again to the company. He retired as president of the maritime company in the Northwest. Bill Case loyally worked for Foss from 1915 until his death in 1956. He started out as a deckhand and later skippered the Foss #12 during its tenure as Tacoma's fireboat. He was the Chief Dispatcher for the company when he retired due to illness. (Photograph courtesy of the William T. Case Collection)

Foss, Henry O., 1891-1986; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Case, William T.;

ca. 1888. Eight loggers pose with two large sections of logs that are sitting on a flat-bed railroad car. On the side of the railroad car are the words - W. F. McKay, Tacoma, Wash. T. One of the logs is larger in diameter then the out stretched arm of one of the loggers. Two loggers hold a long hand saw. The Puget Sound Directory for 1888 lists a William F. McKay as a logger.

Loggers; Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1880-1890

ca. 1887. A group of ten men stand by a very tall picket fence. Beyond the fence can be seen a number of hop kilns. There is a large stack of wood to feed the fires used to dry to hops. The caption on the photograph only identified it as "Washington Territory".

Hops--Washington--1880-1890; Brewing industry--Washington--1880-1890; Fences

ca. 1888. Titled "Loading Wheat for Gt. Britain, Tacoma, W.T. 1888" this lantern slide shows several sailing ships at dock next to the Puget Sound Flouring Mills Co. Warehouses. The railroad tracks in the foreground are Northern Pacific tracks. TPL-8716

Flour & meal industry--Tacoma--1880-1890; Sailing ships--Tacoma--1880-1890; Puget Sound Flouring Mills Co. (Tacoma); Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1880-1890;

ca. 1888. This photograph from 1888 shows the Hotel Fife, 742-50 Pacific Ave., as it appeared shortly after it was built. It stood on the north west corner of 9th and Pacific. This photograph is looking up 9th street. There is a horse drawn wagon standing in front of the hotel. The hotel was demolished in 1925. TPL-9660

Hotels--Tacoma--1880-1890; Hotel Fife (Tacoma); Commercial streets--Tacoma--1880-1890

ca. 1912. This unidentified boy is seated on a Flanders 4 motorcycle parked outside on grass while a man, several feet away, looks on in this circa 1912 photograph. The Flanders 4 was built for "all-round serious service, day in and day out, and especially on rough roads." The motorcycle was not meant for kids nor for speedsters but for those desiring a safe and dependable ride. The Flanders Mfg. Co. of Pontiac, Michigan, sold this model "4" motorcycle to RFD carriers who were certain to encounter errant road conditions or bad weather while on their carrier routes. The price was $175 at the factory and it was guaranteed unequivocally. (scanned from negative, no print on file) GDOE-168 (www.postalmuseum.si.edu/rfdmarketing) TPL-10532

Motorcycles; Houses--1910-1920;

ca. 1918. This photograph of William Thomas Case, in uniform, was probably taken during his basic training at Fort Worden around 1918. Mr. Case took his training at this fort near Port Townsend that protects the Strait of Juan de Fuca. He was trained to crew a large cannon during the first World War. The second of eight children, Mr. Case was born in Arkansas City, Kansas. He came to Washington in 1900 and Tacoma in 1913. He went to work for Henry Foss in September of 1915 as a deckhand on the tugs and launches. He worked his way through the ranks at Foss Launch & Tug Co. becoming a skipper and finally the chief dispatcher for the fleet of tugs and launches. He was the longest serving employee of Foss and one of the company's most valued. He was the skipper of Foss #12 for six years, the second oldest tug in the line, and one that served the city as a fireboat, the only one for the harbor until the city of Tacoma acquired their own. Mr. Case died in 1956 at the age of 59 after a year long illness. (photograph courtesy of the collection of William T. Case) (TNT 4/15/1956, pg. A-12)

Case, William T.; Uniforms--United States--World War, 1914-1918;

ca. 1935. William T. Case hard at work at his desk at the Foss Launch & Tug Co.'s floating office at 400 Dock St. In November of 1932, the original Foss offices at this location caught fire. Mr. Case discovered the fire and helped escort out the 20 people asleep on the premises, saving their lives. The Foss family scouted about for a viable substitute for their destroyed building. They found the first seaplane hangar in the Northwest on sale in Seattle. The huge building floated on a scow and was used by Eddie Hubbard, pioneer aviator, to house his hydroplane on Lake Union. It was purchased, towed to Tacoma and remodeled. The main deck contained the repair shop for tugs and the store for needed provisions. The second deck contained offices, bunk rooms, an apartment for Mr. Case and his family, a recreation room and company accountant Oscar Iverson's rooms. Heavy winds could cause the building to rock and more than once big freighters in the waterway came a little too close. (TNT 10/9/1935)

Case, William T.; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1888. In this photograph from 1888, over a half-dozen ships crowd up to the dock of a lumber yard in Tacoma to take on lumber. The dock shown is probably the Tacoma Mill Company dock which was located on the waterfront by present day Old Tacoma, close to the Jack Hyde Park at the south end of Ruston Way. TPL-8608

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1880-1890; Lumberyards--Tacoma--1880-1890; Sailing ships--Tacoma--1880-1890

ca. 1888. Two ships sit at dock next to the Tacoma coal bunkers while three more ships lay at anchor in Commencement Bay in this photograph from 1888. The enormous bunkers along the waterfront enabled Tacoma to become, briefly, the leading coaling station on the Pacific Coast. In 1879-180, the Northern Pacific built a branch railroad up the Puyallup River valley and opened the Pierce County field in Wilkeson, Carbonado, and Fairfax. The first commercial coke plant was established and put into operation by the Tacoma Coal and Coke Company in 1888. TPL-8327

Ore industry--Tacoma--1880-1890; Coal--Tacoma--1880-1890; Cargo ships--Tacoma--1880-1890; Sailing ships--1880-1890

Gig Harbor from head of the bay (near Shoreline Restaurant). This photograph is undated, but likely taken in the sixties. The "All Roads Lead to Rhodes" mileage sign was one of many throughout the state pointing to the downtown Tacoma store. The well-known department store closed in December, 1974. The majority of waterfront homes from this viewpoint seem to be located at right with the more heavily forested areas at left. TPL-1391 (Doecher Collection DOE-128)

Signs (Notices); Bodies of water--Gig Harbor;

Tacoma Mayor Gordon Johnston gets a helpful push from a young constituent as he pedals along on a tiny tricycle. A small child on another trike leads the way for the mayor in this September, 1973, photograph. ALBUM 16.

Mayors--Tacoma--1970-1980; Johnston, Gordon N.; Bicycles & tricycles;

ca. 1910. Jacqueline Noel joined the Tacoma Public Library staff in July of 1914 as an assistant in the Reference Department. She became head of the Reference Department and later City Librarian, after the departure of John Kaiser. She served as City Librarian from 1924 until her retirement in 1947. At that time, the Tacoma Public Library did not have a Director and the City Librarian ran the library. Miss Noel deserves much of the credit for raising the funds for the McCormick (now Wheelock) and the Mottet branch libraries. Both libraries were built entirely from donations; citizens raised the funds for the land and the buildings were donated by their namesakes. She was a member of the American Library Association and served as vice president of the Pacific Northwest Library Association. She died on May 19, 1964 at the age of 83.

Noel, Jacqueline; Public libraries--Tacoma--1910-1920; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; Librarians;

Mary Ann Lemon on Day Island. Mary Lemon was the wife of John J. Lemon after whom Lemon's Beach, just south of Day Island, was named. The Lemons were a pioneer family who arrived in the Tacoma area in 1888 from the midwest. Mrs. Lemon passed away in December of 1924. (Wheelock - Lemon collection)

Lemon, Mary Ann; Lemon, John J.--Family;

ca. 1935. Photograph taken of the ruined Tacoma Hotel after the disastrous fire on October 17, 1935. The hotel was totally destroyed by a fire that started out in the north end of the basement in the early morning hours. (photograph courtesy of the Tom Stenger collection)

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

ca. 1887. This street scene of Pacific Avenue looking north from the corner of 11th and Pacific was taken by an unknown photographer in 1887. The brick building at the far left is the Merchant's National Bank Building. Several doors down is the Kaufman & Berliner dry goods store, 948 Pacific. Across the street, at the far right, is Mrs. Mary Fowler's millinery store. The Northern Pacific Headquarters Building is under construction at the far end of the block. The Tacoma Old City Hall will not be built for another four years.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1880-1890; Business districts--Tacoma--1880-1890; Merchant's National Bank (Tacoma); Fowler Millinery (Tacoma)

ca. 1887. Tacoma Street Railway car # 1 as it appeared circa 1887. Behind the street car is a line of Northern Pacific coal cars.

Street railroads--Tacoma--1880-1890; Tacoma Street Railway (Tacoma)

West Side Grocery (now the Tides Tavern), 2925 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor . Docked beside it is the "Florence K," a passenger steamer built in Tacoma by Crawford & Reid in 1903. The "Florence K" would end her service career as a ferry called the "Beeline." Buildings to the right in this undated photograph are part of the Skansie Brothers shipyard. TPL-191, BU-12833 (Doecher Collection DOE- N001)

West Side Grocery (Gig Harbor); Grocery stores--Gig Harbor; Skansie's Shipbuilding Co. (Gig Harbor); Steamboats--Gig Harbor;

ca. 1890. John N. Conna, wealthy real estate agent and head of first Black family in Tacoma. John Newington Conna had accomplished much in his 85 years before his death in Alaska in 1921. Born of a mixed marriage in San Augustine, Texas in 1836, Mr. Conna fought in the Civil War as part of the famed 1st Louisiana Native Guards before migrating north to Hartford, Connecticut and then west to Kansas City, Kansas. In 1883 Mr. Conna journeyed to the "City of Destiny," Tacoma, and became a leading seller of real estate. The father of 14 children, he was married to Mary (Davis) Conna. Mr. and Mrs. Conna would donate to the City of Tacoma some 40 acres of land as a Christmas gift in 1889. He held numerous offices including president of the John Brown Republican Club and president of the Washington State Protective League. He was, in a sense, the titular leader of Tacoma's black community and highly influential in the city's black social and political activities. Mr. Conna was also an attorney authorized to practice before the Treasury Department; Conna family lore suggests that he was also an attorney for railroad magnate James J. Hill. John Conna was appointed as Asst. Sergeant At Arms for the Senate in 1889, Washington's first Territorial Legislature. He was the first black political appointee in the history of Washington Territory. Mr. Conna was also a delegate to the 1896 National Republican Convention. At the age of 64 and not ready for retirement, Mr. Conna traveled to Alaska on the S.S. Seattle with Federal Judge and close friend, James Wickersham. Mr. Conna, like thousands of others, had been attracted by the huge gold rush and opportunities in Alaska. Mrs. Conna and family remained behind while Mr. Conna set up his own real estate, mines and mining property company a few years later. John Conna, age 85, stricken with diabetes, a heart condition, and the loss of a leg, died on October 21, 1921. He is buried in Fairbanks. (Tacoma Morning Globe Annual Review, 1-1-1891; www.historylink.org) (Additional information provided by Douglas Q. Barnett, grandson of John N. Conna)

Conna, John N.; African Americans--Tacoma--1890-1900; Pioneers--Tacoma; Real estate development--Tacoma;

Undated photograph of John J. Lemon on Day Island. (Wheelock - Lemon collection) Mr. Lemon, after whom Lemon's Beach just south of Day Island was named, was a well-known pioneer who had resided here for 25 years. A native of Ohio, he was a retired printer and newspaper publisher. Mr. Lemon was a Civil War veteran who passed away on May 8, 1913, at the age of 70. He was survived by his wife Mary Ann, three daughters and one son. The Anna Lemon Wheelock Branch Library of the Tacoma Public Library system was named in honor of Mr. Lemon's daughter, Anna.

Lemon, John J.; Pioneers;

William L. (Bill) Case showing off his long skis while enjoying some Spring skiing at Cayuse Pass in May of 1938. Cayuse Pass is at the 4,675 foot level on Mount Rainier, at the junction of the Mather Memorial Highway and the road to Ohanapecosh Hot Springs. It was once used in winter months as a ski area. (Photograph courtesy of the William T. Case collection)

Case, William L.; Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940 ; Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Winter sports--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940;

ca. 1935. It's break time outside the floating office of the Foss Launch & Tug Co. at 400 Dock St. On the left is William T. (Bill) Case, company dispatcher, and on the right skipper Thomas Sadler. In November of 1932, the company's original floating office at this location was destroyed in an early morning fire. Due to the quick actions of Mr. Case, the twenty people inside were saved, but the building was a total loss. It was replaced by a floating airplane hangar converted into offices (seen in the background.) The building is emblazoned with the green and white Foss logo with the slogan "Always ready." The second floor window on the left leads to the rooms of company accountant Oscar Iverson. Living quarters for the Case family were also on the second floor. (photograph courtesy of the special collection of William T. Case)

Case, William T.; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma);

1935 Daffodil Festival Queen. 23-year-old Margaret Thomas of Sumner was the Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival's second-ever queen. She was the first chosen from a field of ten contestants in 1935; Mrs. Elizabeth Lee Wooten was selected by committee without a contest the previous year. Miss Thomas is pictured looking pensively at the camera while holding an enormous bouquet of daffodils.

Thomas, Margaret; Beauty contestants--Sumner; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1935 : Sumner);

The children of Col. Chauncey W. Griggs and Martha Ann Griggs posed for a family portrait in April of 1909 on the occasion of their parents' golden wedding anniversary. From left to right are: Heartie D. (wife of Dr. George C. Wagner), Everett G.; Herbert S.; Theodore D.; Chauncey Milton (called Milton), and Anna B. Milton was the oldest son and Anna the youngest child in the family. Col. Chauncey W. Griggs was one of the founders, in 1888, of the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co., and served as its first president continously until 1908 when he became chairman of the board of trustees. He died in October of 1910. (Major) Everett Gallup Griggs succeeded his father as president of the firm.

Griggs, Chauncey W.--Family; Wagner, Heartie D.; Griggs, Herbert S.; Griggs, Everett Gallup; Griggs, Theodore D.; Griggs, Chauncey Milton; Griggs, Anna B.; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1900-1910;