In June of 1952, the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association operated a grain elevator, feed mill and warehouse complex at 1801 Taylor Way on an 8 1/2 acre site on the Hylebos Waterway. The mill, including its 163 Foot tall "headhouse" was completed in 1949 and was the last word in mill construction at that time. The site was served by the Tacoma Belt line, giving it access to all transcontinental railroads, and had a dock to accomodate ocean-going vessels. The mill was sold to Land O'Lakes/Cenex Feeds, Inc. in the 1980s and closed in 1990. TPL-9616
Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Grain elevators--Tacoma--1950-1960; Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Living room of the home built during the "Farm in a Day" project at Moses Lake, Wa. For Hal Hughes & Assoc. During a 22 hour period on May 29, 1952, 300 volunteers built a complete $75,000 farm- including seven room house, barns, livestock areas and planted fields- and gifted it to deserving WWII vet and farmer Donald Dunn. The house was designed with the farmer in mind. One of its main innovations was to place the fireplace in the dining room, so that the farmer could relax in the evening without changing clothes. The living room could then be kept in pristine condition for entertaining guests.Exposed beams and cedar walls gave a rustic but comfortable touch to the living room.All the furnishings and appliances for the house were provided, down to the food on cupboard shelves. (Popular Mechanics "They Built Him a Farm in a Day" Dec. 1952, pg. 118-22+)
Agriculture--Moses Lake--1950-1960; Reclamation of land--Moses Lake--1950-1960; Irrigation--Moses Lake--1950-1960; Houses--Moses Lake--1950-1960; Living Rooms--Moses Lake--1950-1960; Farms--Moses Lake--1950-1960;
Kitchen of the home built during the "Farm in a Day" project at Moses Lake, Wa. For Hal Hughes & Assoc. During a 22 hour period on May 29, 1952, 300 volunteers built a complete $75,000 farm- including seven room house, barns, livestock areas and planted fields- and gifted it to deserving WWII vet and farmer Donald Dunn. The house was designed by a group of five architects headed up by Paul Kirk of Seattle. It included such innovations as a fireplace in the dining room where the farmer could relax without having to clean up. It had two bathrooms, one near the back door so the farmer could cleanup without having to cross the house in muddy boots. It had less hallway space and was built on a concrete slab. The kitchen had a maximum of natural lighting, provided by the "butterfly" roof. The farm wife could see the fireplace, fields and playground through picture windows. The home came to the Dunns complete, even down to groceries stocked on the shelves. (Popular Mechanics "They Built Him a Farm in a Day" Dec. 1952, pg 118-22+)
Thirty year old WW II veteran Donald Dunn surrounded by reporters on his receiving a free 80 acre farm built in one day by the community of Moses Lake. The boosters of Moses Lake conceived "Farm in a Day" to promote the irrigation possibilities of the new Grand Coulee Dam. The VFW was asked to search for a worthy veteran recipient for the farm. Their search yielded Donald Dun, a decorated GI and top notch farmer who had been flooded out by the Cottonwood River in Kansas. Despite the farming skills of Dunn, the boosters had underestimated the amount of acreage needed for profit and the Dunn family returned to the Midwest after three years, unable to make ends meet. (Popular Mechanics "They Built Him a Farm in a Day" Dec. 1952, pg 118-22 +)
A view of Washington Cooperative Farmers Association with the feed mill on left. Two trucks loaded with wood crates are parked in front of the mill. A line of automobiles is parked on left side of railroad tracks. The grain elevators are in the left background.
Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Grain elevators--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Men are weighing a truck filled with bulk feed at the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association's grain elevator, feed mill and warehouses on the Hylebos Waterway. The truck in the foreground and two more in the background have been painted with the Washington Co-op name.
Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Grain elevators--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; International trucks;
Exposure of construction on Taylor Way, Washington Cooperative Farmers Association. The Washington Coop had built a large grain elevator at this site and was making additions to the plant.
Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma);
Exposure of Washington Cooperative Farmers Association's grain elevator and feed mill, 1801 Taylor Way, on the Hylebos Waterway. Railroad tracks run beside the building facilitating product delivery.
Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Grain elevators--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Exposure of Washington Cooperative Farmers Association's grain elevator, feed mill and warehouses at 1801 Taylor Way, on the Hylebos Waterway. Trucks and railroad cars pull up directly to the warehouses for loading.
Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Grain elevators--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Scenic views from Eastern Washington. Fields of ripened wheat surround the farm buildings in this view of flat farm land in eastern Washington. High clouds spread across the sky.
Valley Sales Pavilion was an animal and items auction center, located between Fife and Firwood on the Fife-Puyallup Road. People traveled throughout the state to buy their animals and other household goods at the auction. Interior view of lunch room at Valley Sales Pavilion and view of Mrs. J. W. Flood, Mrs. Lyle Foreman, Mrs. Phil Hartman, all of Auburn, and Caroline Deering of Tacoma, feeding the hungry farmers and animal buyers (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 6).
Marine Iron Works located at 1120 East D Street, was designing and building lightweight garden tractors, known as the "Mighty Man". These small tractors were intended for use on small farms and gardens, they could pull up to 8,000 pounds on a 2% grade. These tractors were becoming very popular with the urban farmers. View of "Mighty Man" garden tractor in action, photo ordered by Condon Advertising Company. TPL-9140
Agricultural machinery & implements--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tractors--Tacoma; Machinery; Equipment; Marine Iron Works, Inc. (Tacoma); Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
As the United States moved into a peacetime economy after WWII, Tacoma's industries began manufacturing new products for the growing domestic market. In December of 1947, the Marine Iron Works, 1120 East D Street, was building "Mighty Man" garden tractors. Designed by B.A. Winter, a top aviation engineer, the "Mighty Man" was aimed at home owners and small suburban farmers. It could operate as a two wheeled, walk behind tiller, or be easily converted to a four wheeled riding machine. (Photo ordered by Condon Advertising Company) TPL-9139
Agricultural machinery & implements--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tractors--Tacoma; Machinery; Equipment; Marine Iron Works, Inc. (Tacoma); Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Marine Iron Works designed and manufactured small tractors known as the"Mighty Man" tractors. The "Mighty Man's" were designed by a top aviation engineer, B. A. Winter, specifically for small suburban farming. The "Mighty Man" tractors had an automatic 5 jaw clutch, 4 cycle air coded Wisconsin engine, which was built in the plant, and could pull up to an 8,000 pound load on a 2% grade. View of 8 blade disc tractor, used for plowing small farms. TPL-9136
Agricultural machinery & implements--Tacoma; Machinery; Equipment; Tractors--Tacoma; Marine Iron Works, Inc. (Tacoma);
Mr. Schaeffer. Washington co-op. Exposure of farm supply warehouse at Milwaukee Street taken on June 10, 1947. Supplies of DDT, garden tools, tires, paint, etc.
Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Merchandise display--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Washington Co-op Farmers Association. Items used by farmers are on display: wheelbarrow, feeders, sprayers, tires, oil, grease, paint and paint brushes, insecticides, hand tools and a cultivator plus other items. The customer counter is on the right side.
Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Agricultural industries;
Buck and Sons was holding a tractor and farming equipment demonstration for the local farmers. They were showing their new merchandise and their new and modern facilities. Buck and Sons had modern equipment and supplies to meet a farmer's needs. Interior view of Buck and Sons.
Buck & Sons manufactured farm machinery, sold Ford and Ferguson Tractors, repaired tractors and sold tractor tires. Exterior view of their building, Ferguson System tractor sign above entrance, shop windows, garage on left side.
Buck & Sons manufactured farm machinery, sold Ford and Ferguson Tractors, repaired tractors and sold tractor tires. Exterior view of their building, Ferguson System tractor sign above entrance, also visible are Puget Sound Paint and Hardware store and Signal gas station.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. This interior view of a silo shows that the walls are built of sheets of plywood. This view also provides a closer view of the conveyor belt system for moving silage. An electric motor seen in the opening of the silo rotates two wheels that pull a chain the length of the wooden trough. The chains in turn, pull the belt with the silage material on it. Prefabricated silos built with treated plywood were built by a number of companies in Washington state during the 1940s including Modular Structures Incorporated of Tacoma.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A silo built against a barn in rural Pierce County. A conveyor belt type loader stands next to the silo as well as the farmer and his dog.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A young farm hand forks silage onto a conveyor belt system to move the material around in the interior of the silo. Silage is cut up material grown for feed. It is allowed to ferment in the silo and is then fed to livestock.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A farmer leans against his new plywood silo standing next to his barn. A conveyor belt loader leans against the top of the silo.
Younglove Fruit & Produce Co. was founded by E. A. Younglove in 1907. They moved in 1935 to a larger better equipped building that allowed them access to rail and water transport systems. Their new location made them one of the most complete and efficient wholesale food distributing centers on the Pacific Coast. View of produce, photo ordered by Robert Baker, manager of Younglove Fruit and Produce Co.
Farm produce--Tacoma; Agriculture--Tacoma; Fruit industry--Tacoma; Younglove Grocery Co. (Tacoma);
General Mills plant. Exterior view of the hay, grain, feed and seed retail business outlet for General Mills. Trucks and an automobile are parked along side. TPL-6518
Agricultural industries--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; General Mills, Inc., Farm Service Division (Tacoma);
General Mills plant. This exterior view includes the grain elevators and the retail outlet building. Sperry Flour Company, a division of General Mills, may be forced to suspend flouring operations because of wheat shortages. Other plants of General Mills and six other companies will be closing. The government is able to pay 30 cents more per bushel than the mills which are subject to ceiling prices. Before this happened Tacoma was the biggest four milling center west of Minneapolis and Kansas City. (T.Times, 5/15/1946) TPL-6517
Agricultural industries--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; General Mills, Inc., Farm Service Division (Tacoma);
In July of 1943, with both an army and a civilian population to feed, harvesting the crops became a patriotic duty. With most of Washington's able-bodied men, and many of its women, serving in the military and in the defense industries, farm labor jobs fell to students. Two unidentified students are pictured working as farm laborers in Puyallup Valley in July of 1943. A young boy helps an older teenage girl lift a crate of leafy spinach onto a stack of crates placed in an open field. Boxes are labeled Kelley, Farquhar & Co., a major vegetable and fruit packing company with plants in Salem, Oregon and Tacoma. In 1958, Clyde Farquhar became sole owner of the company. (P.C. Herald 8/9/1984 p.3)
Agricultural laborers; World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Croplands--Puyallup Valley;
In July of 1943, with our country at war and an army to feed, bringing in the crops became a patriotic duty. Most men were either in the service or working in the defense industry; therefore, the job of harvesting fell to women and youth. Especially targeted as a work force were youth organizations and the schools. Here, women and students work side by side in a Puyallup Valley spinach field. Wooden crates are placed in the field and Richards Studio's wood paneled station wagon is parked in the distance. Adults were also urged to join the youths in the harvest of valley peas and berries whose peak was to be reached soon. 1,200 kids had already been enrolled in Pierce County's harvest army through the Tacoma Agricultural Manpower Committee of the Chamber of Commerce. 7,000-10,000 adult workers were needed the first two weeks in July. Bus transportation would be provided by the Chamber of Commerce. (T.Times 7-2-43, p. 16-article on harvesting)
Agricultural laborers; World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Croplands--Puyallup Valley;
