Douglas Fir Plywood Association's (DFPA) annual meeting. The Golden Jubilee Convention was held in Portland, Oregon June 19-21, 1955, celebrating 50 years of the plywood industry from its inception in 1905 to 1955. One of the highlights was the unveiling of an exposition. This appears to be the wives of delegates posing at the entrance of the exhibit hall.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland; Plywood;
The Douglas Fir Plywood Association's Plywood Memorial at the Forestry Building in Portland, Oregon. On display is the first plywood panel ever made from Douglas Fir. It was produced by the Portland Manufacturing Company for display at the Lewis and Clark International Exposition in Portland in 1905. Its production marked the birth of an industry that fueled the economy and development of the Pacific Northwest. The unveiling of the memorial was one of the highlights of the DFPA's Golden Jubilee, June 19-21, 1955, held in Portland.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland--1950-1960;
Advertising set up for plywood, the building material of 1,000 uses. Photograph ordered by the Condon Co. for an ad in Life magazine for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. The year of 1955 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the invention of plywood panels. The DFPA used this opportunity to further promote their product. Plywood is shown being used left to right as woodworking materials, in flooring, as furniture, in boats, as house siding, playground building materials, a doghouse for a real pig and in traffic signs. This surrealistic overview would be sure to catch the readers eye in the magazine.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma)--Products;
A little girl touches a stuffed animal whose head emerges from a toy storage unit in a September 20, 1954, photograph. A variety of toys are scattered on the floor including a football helmet, glove, drum, dolls and books. These are probably going to be picked up and stored in the two wooden toy boxes. The boxes have wheels and are marked "delivery truck" and "moving van". It would make cleaning up faster and more fun as the toy chests are mobile; the child would be in charge of "driving" to pick up or deliver her toys. The "vehicles" could then be parked under the wooden desk for convenient storage. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Children playing with toys--Tacoma--1950-1960; Toys;
Plywood was a versatile product. It seemed like you could make anything out of plywood, including these charming store window Christmas cutouts. Two little wooden children, mouths wide open, are singing Christmas carols. This particular store was offering free Christmas plans using fir plywood for gifts, decorations and toys. A do-it-yourselfer could use the plans to create similar cutouts and then paint them in whichever colors he desired. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Plywood; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Pencil behind his ear, a worker ponders the placement of a sheet of plywood on forms already in place. One large sheet is already been nailed on. The man needs to stand on a wooden plank to reach the forms as the building's foundation is already set and the ground excavated. Each plywood sheet is labeled "Plyscord" and stamped in numerous places informing buyers that this genuine fir plywood has undergone stringent testing for quality. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Plywood; Building construction; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
A young model enjoys an appetizing snack as she lounges on an extended sofa in a September 13, 1954, photograph. The plates of food are placed on a four legged TV table whose ends are tilted upward. The TV table, made out of wood, was built at the right height for someone sitting in front of it or for use as a miniature coffee table. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Plywood; Tables; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
A man examines a piece of plywood sheathing marked "Plyscord", as it is being removed from a pickup truck on October 5, 1954. Several sheets remain to be unloaded to join the those already stacked on the ground. Plywood was a versatile product with many uses; first and foremost may have been in construction. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
A special Plyscord Calculator was prepared by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association to help contractors or homeowners determine correct plywood thickness, nail size, nailing schedule, rafter spacing and FHA minimum property requirements necessary when roofing. Plyscord Roof Sheathing was 100% genuine Douglas Fir plywood. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Calculators;
Architects in the firm of Jensen & Mills examine a small display of Douglas Fir Plywood Association promotional material in their Jones Building office on November 19, 1954. The plywood association always stressed the stringent quality controls utilized in approving plywood for numerous uses. The DFPA label on plywood meant that customers could count on the association standing behind its product. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Advertising--Tacoma--1950-1960; Jensen & Mills (Tacoma);
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A view of a construction site using plywood forms for the reinforced concrete exterior walls for the new gymnasium nearing completion at the College of Puget Sound. It is being built by the Roy T. Early Company, contractors. Mock & Morrison were the architects. Several workmen are seen both on the ground and above the top of the wall securing the plywood forms. (T.Times, 1/2/1949, p.34)
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Reinforced concrete construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Progress photographs; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Gymnasiums--Tacoma;
Exterior shot of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association Circus. A banner outside displays the words "Plywood Jubilee" and "Free Show." Flood lighting can be seen at the top and bottom of the structure.
Display kiosk at the Doug Fir Plywood Association Circus with 233 small wooden disks labeled with ways the company creates sales. Black and white photographs of the plywood making process are visible in the background.
A miniature model of a plywood making work room on display at the Douglas Fir Plywood Association Circus. Dolls are exhibited processing the lumber into plywood.
Exterior shot of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association Circus. A banner outside displays the words "Plywood Jubilee" and "Free Show." A mural along the from of the structure depicts a magician turning a tree into plywood.
Interior view of Coast Sash & Door Company showing men building church windows. Coast Sash & Door had been in business on the Tideflats since 1924. Photograph ordered by the Plywood Association. (filed with Argentum)
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Coast Sash & Door Co. (Tacoma); Windows;
Clark residence, interior for D.F.P.A. A workman completes sanding the joint between two sheets of plywood on an interior wall. Plywood was used in home construction for its insulative qualities on both ceilings and walls. The Douglas Fir Plywood Association, headquartered in Tacoma, represented the entire fir plywood industry and promoted plywood nationally. (T.Times, 1/9/1946)
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
In February of 1947, the Tacoma Ice Palace at 3801 South Union Avenue was being prepared for a boxing bout. Plywood flooring was placed over the Ice Palace's skating rink. A boxing ring and a heating system with 12 large blowers was brought in. The main event, organized by Raleigh Sliger, was between the Canadian welterweight Hal Robbins and Chuck "Kid" Brown from Klamath Falls, Oregon. View of plywood floor being placed over Tacoma Ice Palace's skating rink, photo ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (T. Times, 2/10/47, p. 10).
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Floors--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Boxing--Tacoma;
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Four men stand by one of the displays at the one-day convention of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association showing some of the post-war requirements of the plywood industry. Among the displays at the convention were samples made by the Plywood Research Foundation showing new uses and new products from plywood. (T.Times, 6/11/1947, p.1)
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Four men have gathered to look at a display board of process samples at the one-day conference of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association held June 10, 1946, at the Elks Temple auditorium. Some 150 leaders of the plywood industry were assembled at this conference. (T.Times, 6/11/1947, p.1)
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Four men stand by one of the display boards at the DFPA conference referring to the advertising done by the association on behalf of the plywood industry. All 33 of the Douglas Fir plywood factories in the western parts of Oregon and Washington were then participants in the plywood industry's quality control program. (T.Times, 6/11/1947, p.1)
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Two men stand by a display for K-Veneer and its uses. Numerous new plywood products were exhibited such as surfacings for panels and combination products, some manufactured from sawdust and other substances previously considered waste. (T.Times, 6/11/1947, p.1)
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950;
ca. 1947. Plywood testing, ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. The plywood industry was one of the most rigorously self regulated businesses in America. Its own labs were constantly testing its product, plywood, for new uses and limitations. All of the testing, promotion and self regulation were performed under the banner of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Here plywood is being tested at extremely high temperatures, also under what appears to be a weight. Wires lead from sensors to meters being monitored by the tester.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Plywood; Experiments; Product inspection;
Great Northern Box Car being loaded by Sperry Flour Company at Ocean Dock, DFPA, Edith Leik. A view inside the box car. Bags of flour are being moved by a forklift to fill the upper spaces in the box car. The interior of the freight car is lined with plywood and paper to protect the flour and meal being shipped. TPL-10457
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Great Northern Railway Co. (Tacoma); General Mills, Inc., Sperry Division (Tacoma); Railroad freight cars--Tacoma; Railroad tracks--Tacoma; Flour & meal industry--Tacoma; Hoisting machinery;
Installation of sheathing at home of Joe Weston, Douglas Fir Plywood Association, Edith Link. A view in March of 1948 of the exterior of Joseph and Carol Weston's residence where a new addition is being added to the existing structure. Joe was a supervisor at DFPA. Douglas Fir Plywood Association was eager to show the potential uses of plywood.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Weston, Joseph--Homes & haunts; Dwellings--Tacoma--1940-1950;
DFPA. "Another Custom Built Home by Harry R. May", progress photograph (D32206-7). Joseph and Carol Weston began this addition to their residence in March of 1948. The basic structure has been completed, the chimneys added, the roof is nearing completion and the sides are enclosed by plywood. One exterior wall is being finished with a large bank of windows.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Weston, Joseph--Homes & haunts; Dwellings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Progress photographs;
Douglas Fir Plywood Association created laboratories to maintain high quality standards of its plywood; plywood was constantly being tested for durability and to detect any flaws. View of sheets of plywood in the D.F.P.A. warehouse undergoing testing. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Plywood; Product inspection--Tacoma; Testing--Tacoma;
