Service that you can depend on was Mueller-Harkins' motto, they were proud of their fast and efficient service. Interior view of Mueller-Harkins Buick Agency's showroom at night, looking south; 1949 Buick Roadmaster, accessories including child booster seats and US Royal whitewall Tires on display; Neon sign for Hudson Automobile dealer down the street visible thru window (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
Mueller-Harkins Buick dealership had two twin turn tables, with huge windows that surrounded the display room; all fixtures were constructed of aluminum. Exterior view of Mueller-Harkins Buick Agency, lighted, glassed-in showroom at night; 1949 Buick Roadmaster is on display inside, neon signs pierce the darkness on the exterior (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
The new Buick building for Mueller-Harkins was designed by Silas E. Nelsen, a local Tacoma architect. Interior view of service area at Mueller- Harkins Buick Agency; machine shop area, work benches with grinders, a drill press and other power tools, roll-away tool boxes, two unidentified mechanics working on Buicks (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
Mueller-Harkins Buick dealership had just moved into their new building and had officially opened to the public on December 6, 1948. View of the service area at Mueller-Harkins Buick Agency, station #23, steering service, late 1940s Buick with whitewall tires on elevated rack, Joe Elliot is standing beside "Visualiner" front end alignment machine (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
Mueller-Harkins' motto was "Service that you can depend on", their service center was one of the finest in the country. Interior view of service area at Mueller- Harkins Buick Agency, upholstery area with two men working on recovering an auto seat, rolls of fabric on rack, sewing machines and work benches (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
The new Mueller-Harkins Buick center had a staff of 80 people, they were proud to deliver fast and efficient service. Interior view of service area at Mueller- Harkins Buick Agency, engine diagnostic area, station #2 in foreground; Sun Equipment Co. testing equipment, glass partitions, Delco industrial battery on floor. unidentified men are working on Buick automobiles (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
The new Mueller-Harkins building was constructed in joint slab construction style and has 30 foot spans; all fixtures are made of aluminum. Interior view of service area at Mueller- Harkins Buick Agency; "Heavy Repair" area for body work, unidentified man is stripping smashed parts off a late 1940s Buick, placing the scrap in a GMC pickup, another mechanic inspects the passenger side of a Buick of similar vintage (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
The main showroom at Mueller-Harkins had twin turn tables with windows surrounding the huge display room, two new 1949 Buicks were currently being displayed. Interior view of service area at Mueller-Harkins Buick Agency; painting or detail area, unidentified man inspects a late 1940's Buick Special, another looks on and a third polishes a car in the background; container of "Nason Thinner" on shelf, "Quaker State Motor Oil" on bench (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
The Mueller-Harkins building included a collision and paint room, upholstery shop, regular service department, Texaco Station, Firestone store, used cars, new cars, new car delivery service and many other unique automotive features. Interior view of service area at Mueller-Harkins Buick; motor overhaul stations 11 through 13, "Straight-eight" engine head on bench, automobile with canvas on fenders, hood removed and propped against stub wall, unidentified mechanic reads service order at station 11 (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
Mueller-Harkins Motor Company have been authorized Buick distributors since 1916. Interior view of service department at Mueller- Harkins Buick Agency; machine shop area, work benches with grinders, a drill press and other power tools, parts cleaning sink, four unidentified mechanics working on Buick authorized parts (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
The new Mueller-Harkins building was four stories high, and had a clean arrangement which was designed to speed up work. Interior view of Mueller-Harkins Buick Agency's executive or sales offices; two offices with window between them, one man working in each office, identical desk clocks, certificate "Mueller Aviation ... authorized Sea Bee Dealer ... Republic Aircraft Co." on wall (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
Buick automobile; Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Office workers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Mueller-Harkins Motor Co. (Tacoma); Silas E. Nelsen Architects (Tacoma);
The new Mueller-Harkins building was one finest and most modern sales and service centers in the United States. Interior view of service area at Mueller- Harkins Buick, elevated "Service Master" command post with customer waiting room below, parts counter, lighted overhead chart of stations/services available, Quaker State clock, two Buick convertibles at stations 17 & 18 (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28).
Service area at Mueller- Harkins Buick Agency. Car going through the "Washmoblie", automatic car washing machine. Bare concrete walls, reflection of outdoor advertising for the agency in window at top right in photo.
Mueller-Harkins' employees had their lunch and recreation room located in a round glassed-in tower. Mueller-Harkins promised fast and efficient service to their customers. Interior view of service area at Mueller-Harkins Buick Agency's painting booth, unidentified man with breathing apparatus sprays a well-masked older coupe (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 28)..
In September 1948, 62,559 residents in Tacoma had telephones; this number would continue to increase as the phone company got closer to completing their expansion and improvement program. The telephone growth rate was three times as fast as before and during World War II. The Fawcett building was four stories with a basement of steel frame construction, fireproof and reinforced concrete with brick and terra cotta facing; the building addition was at the rear of the main building. View of building progress at the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company; scaffolding provided by the Safway Steel Scaffolding Company.
Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company began enlarging and expanding their communications center before World War II, the war slowed the process due to inability to obtain necessary materials. The improvement program was estimated to cost about $25,000,000. Every telephone district in Tacoma would get new dial and long distance equipment and telephone lines would be extended. View of building progress at the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph facilities located at 757 Fawcett Avenue, scaffolding provided by Safway Steel Scaffolding Company.
Griffin Fuel Company was one of the largest fuel delivery companies in Western Washington, with one office in Tacoma and another in Seattle. Griffin Fuel promised prompt and speedy delivery 24 hours per day. Exterior view of Griffin Fuel Company, the coal piles are being loaded into the fuel delivery trucks, "Barber Greene" coal chute is being used by the laborers, Griffin Fuel sign in background. This photograph was used to advertise Griffin Fuel Company, the advertisement read "Be Safe... with Aberdeen", possibly a type of coal (T.N.T., 1/7/49, p. 3). TPL-9959;
Pietro Belluschi amazed the world with his modern office building in Portland, Oregon. The Equitable Building, later known as the Commonwealth Building, was an ethereal tower of sea green glass and aluminum. This was the first skyscraper to be built in over twenty five years in Portland. Aerial view of Portland's downtown business district.
Commercial facilities--Oregon--Portland; Office buildings--Oregon--Portland; Architecture--Oregon--Portland; Architects; Belluschi, Pietro; Equitable Building (Portland, Or.); Commonwealth Building (Portland, Or.);
The Equitable Building, later known as the Commonwealth Building, was completed in 1948. It was a completely modern office building, twelve stories high, built in the International style, but was called "distinctly American". Aerial view of Portland's downtown business district; the Willamette River separates the downtown and Old Town area from the east side of the city; view of Mount Hood in background.
Commercial facilities--Oregon--Portland; Office buildings--Oregon--Portland; Architecture--Oregon--Portland; Architects; Belluschi, Pietro; Equitable Building (Portland, Or.); Commonwealth Building (Portland, Or.); Hood, Mount (Or.);
January of 1949 view of building construction on Market Street; Wild Cat Bargain Center and Neal's Radio Sales Company are located next to the construction site; the building site is marked with a Roy T. Earley Company "Engineers -- Builders" sign. Neal's Radio Sales Company advertises their electric appliances; Wild Cat Bargain Center appears to be a grocery store and soda fountain; an "Olympia Beer" and West Coast Grocery Company truck is parked in front. TPL-10534
Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business enterprises--Tacoma; Neal's Radio Sales Co. (Tacoma); Wild Cat Bargain Center (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Pacific Lutheran's Choir of the West participated in many concerts throughout the Pacific Northwest, but they also had countless radio performances, broadcasted over KOMO radio in Seattle. The choir had over fifty of the most talented singers and a number of soloists. View of Pacific Lutheran College's Choir of the West, being conducted by Gunnar J. Malmin; student names appear in yearbook (PLC Saga, 1949).
Conducting--Tacoma; Choirs (Music); Events--Tacoma; Concerts--Parkland; Conductors; Universities & colleges--Parkland; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1940-1950; Choir of the West (Parkland); Malmin, Gunnar J.;
View of window display at Fisher's Department Store; the display features modern "Morton and Kelvinator" kitchen appliances and cabinets, with a female mannequin on right side. "Morton" pantryettes and kitchen cabinets are along the walls of the display; "Kelvinator" range, freezer, double kitchen sink and refrigerator help give this kitchen all of the modern conveniences.
Department stores--Tacoma; Cupboards--Tacoma; Kitchens--Tacoma--1940-1950; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Window displays; Appliances; Appliance stores--Tacoma; Mannequins; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma);
Brown's Conservatory of Flowers was celebrating their re-opening; they had just gone through a remodeling and expansion of their flower shop. Brown's had invested approximately $67,000 in the latest flower ideas. Interior view of Brown's Flowers; an unidentified man is in the decorating room, this room has the floral arrangement supplies, including a flower spray painting machine; ribbons are lined up under the cabinets (T. Times, 12/16/48, p. 14-15).
Florist shops--Tacoma; Flowers--Tacoma; Decorations--Tacoma; Business enterprises--Tacoma; Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Brown's Conservatory of Flowers (Tacoma);
Brown's Flowers had one of the most qualified flower staffs in all of Tacoma. Patsy Johnson was a wedding specialist, Hazel Freeman specialized in center pieces and bowl arrangements, Margie Leingang specialized in corsages, Larry Rucker specialized in funeral arrangements, and William Durrall was the greenhouse supervisor. Interior view of Brown's special order and arrangement room, refrigerated cabinets and storage compartments are located below the spacious counters (T. Times, 12/16/48, p. 14-15).
Florist shops--Tacoma; Flowers--Tacoma; Decorations--Tacoma; Business enterprises--Tacoma; Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Brown's Conservatory of Flowers (Tacoma);
Brown's Flowers had an extra wing added, roof gardens and an apartment were also an addition on the second floor. The building houses a large display room, rock garden, corsage room, special order room, and the store is proud to offer their customers new and exotic flowers from South America and Hawaii. View of Brown's Flowers modern display case, a recent addition in the remodeling project (T. Times, 12/16/48, p. 14-15).
Florist shops--Tacoma; Flowers--Tacoma; Window displays; Decorations--Tacoma; Business enterprises--Tacoma; Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Brown's Conservatory of Flowers (Tacoma);
Brown's Conservatory of Flowers has recently enlarged and modernized their facilities. Modern display cases, additional rooms, and a unique, interior rock and water garden have been added. New and exotic flowers from South America and Hawaii are now available at Brown's. The business was started by Herbert Brown and is managed by his son Bill. Exterior view of Brown's flower shop; view of electric signs, window displays and delivery trucks parked on side of building.
Flowers--Tacoma; Business enterprises--Tacoma; Electric signs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Florist shops--Tacoma; Brown's Conservatory of Flowers (Tacoma);
Brown's had invested about $67,000 to remodel and expand their business, they would offer their customers the latest in floral ideas. Brown's Conservatory of Flowers had specialists ready to help plan any type of event, including a special order room. Exterior view of Brown's flower shop; view of electric signs, window displays and greenhouse located towards the back of the building.
Flowers--Tacoma; Electric signs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Florist shops--Tacoma; Brown's Conservatory of Flowers (Tacoma);
In 1949 Nalley's had been a stable part of Tacoma's industries for more than thirty years; the company had been referred to as, one of Tacoma's "payroll builders". The company's plant had modern food processing buildings; they were expanding in order to keep up with the growing demands for their products. Interior view of plant; view of machinery used in processing the Nalley's food products.
Nalley's Incorporated was founded in Tacoma in 1918, Nalley's has gained an impressive reputation in the food industry; pickles, potato chips and salad dressings are just a few of the food items they produce in their line of well known products. Nalley's maintains a high quality control with all of the products, this helps to achieve the great tastes and flavors in their products. Interior view of plant; view of containers where the food items are processed and produced.
Nalley's has always maintained a consistent building and development program; the company was expanding throughout Tacoma and the Pacific Northwest. In later years the company would acquire other food processing plants. In Tacoma, the company would begin expanding throughout the industrial area and continue operations at the company's original plant located on Puyallup Avenue. Interior view of Nalley's; view of machinery in food processing department.
