The landscape above has probably changed in the 30+ years since this Richards Studio photograph was taken. More homes have probably been built and traffic, barely seen above, increased. This aerial is possibly in the North Puyallup section of the county. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Aerial views;

ca. 1974. Aerial photograph of Kaiser Aluminum plant in industrial tideflats area of Tacoma, probably taken during the summer of 1974. The plant's 500-foot stack dominates the landscape. A ship is docked nearby taking on shipments of logs. Photograph ordered by Kaiser Aluminum.

Aerial views; Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1970-1980; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Smokestacks--Tacoma; Logs; Shipping--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1974. This aerial view of U.S. Oil & Refining Co. land was taken possibly on October 2, 1974. The company owned 120 acres south of Lincoln Avenue in the industrial Tideflats. A glimpse of Mount Rainier can be hazily seen in the background. Photograph ordered by U.S. Oil & Refining Co.

Aerial views; US Oil & Refining Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1974. This view of the Kaiser Aluminum plant is a cropped version of D165187, image A. It was taken circa 1974 with the focus on the 500-foot stack near right center. The stack was built in 1968, the same year Kaiser's new aluminum rod mill commenced operation.

Aerial views; Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1970-1980; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Smokestacks--Tacoma;

Closer look by air at Pearl St. in Tacoma's west end. Pearl St. is the street farthest left running vertically toward Point Defiance. Parallel to Pearl is Orchard St. with the playing fields of Wilson High School nearby. North 11th St. runs horizontally intersecting Orchard and Pearl. The Auto View Drive-In is to the left of Pearl. ASARCO's famous smokestack is clearly visible near the top of the photograph. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Auto View Drive-In (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma;

This section of Sixth Avenue looks a bit different now than it did in 1974. Kmart, with its 1000-car parking lot, is still there but the area directly across the street has been dotted with small shopping malls. In 1974 the only business immediately across Kmart was a new Goodyear store which would celebrate its grand opening at the tail end of October, 1974. The First Christian Church is set on a large wooded lot close to Goodyear. Wilson High School, 12th & Orchard, is the cluster of buildings near the top left center. Aerial photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Kmart (Tacoma); Parking lots--Tacoma--1970-1980; Goodyear Service (Tacoma); First Christian Church (Tacoma); Woodrow Wilson High School (Tacoma);

Aerial view of the Westgate neighborhood, taken via helicopter on August 28, 1974, on behalf of Puget Sound National Bank. Shopping center below is the Westgate Shopping Center at North 26th & Pearl St. The Westgate Thriftco (formerly known as Thriftway) was one of the main tenants. North 26th runs horizontally at bottom of the photograph; it intersects with Pearl Street on the left. Pearl is the extremely long street that will eventually end at Point Defiance Park. Other landmarks clearly visible include the North 30th St. reservoir and water tower at photo's right-center and ASARCO's smokestack at top.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Westgate Shopping Center (Tacoma); Reservoirs--Tacoma; Water towers--Tacoma; Thriftco (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma;

Westgate Shopping Center and environs via helicopter on August 28, 1974. The Westgate Shopping Center at North 26th & Pearl would later expand to include the large block across North 26th St. Most of the lot was undeveloped at the time of this 1974 photograph. Major streets on display are Pearl and Orchard St. (running vertically and parallel to one another) intersected by North 21st and North 26th. The North 30th St. water tower and reservoir is located at the upper right corner. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Westgate Shopping Center (Tacoma); Water towers--Tacoma; Reservoirs--Tacoma;

Aerial view of Tacoma's west end neighborhoods on August 28, 1974. Main streets shown above are Pearl (running toward Point Defiance) and Sixth Avenue (more diagonally). Hunt Junior High School (now Middle) with its mushroom-shaped cafeteria/auditorium is at the bottom of the photograph. On the left side of Sixth Ave. is the Highland Hill(s) shopping center with Ernst Hardware (white building) nearby. On the left of Pearl is the Auto View Drive-In at the center of the photograph. ASARCO's smokestack is near the top of the picture. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Auto View Drive-In (Tacoma); Henry F. Hunt Junior High School (Tacoma); Highland Hills Shopping Center (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma;

Aerial view of Sixth Avenue close to Orchard St. This August 28, 1974, view by helicopter shows the enormous Kmart parking lot with room for 1000 cars. Directly across the street is the new Goodyear Service, 5131 Sixth Avenue, managed by Chuck Ackley. The First Christian Church, at Sixth & Orchard, is separated from the Goodyear store by a thick strand of firs. Smaller strip malls have since been erected on the wooded sites to the left and rear of the Goodyear store. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Parking lots--Tacoma--1970-1980; Kmart (Tacoma); Goodyear Service (Tacoma); First Christian Church (Tacoma);

Log storage along the Hylebos Waterway. Pan Pacific Trading were log exporters with locations at 3502 Lincoln Ave and Yard 2 at 2407 Port of Tacoma Rd. This August, 1974, aerial shows the large Pan Pacific lot filled with stacks of logs. Color photograph ordered by Pan Pacific Trading Co.

Aerial views; Pan Pacific Trading Co. (Tacoma); Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Shipping--Tacoma--1970-1980; Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma);

Mount Rainier casts a benevolent eye on the industrial Tideflats in this color photograph taken on August 9, 1974. Kaiser Aluminum plant with 500-foot stack is on the right and Hylebos Waterway on the left. Piles of logs near bottom belong to Pan Pacific Trading Co., log exporters. Color photograph ordered by Pan Pacific Trading Co.

Aerial views; Pan Pacific Trading Co. (Tacoma); Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Shipping--Tacoma--1970-1980; Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Rainier, Mount (Wash.); Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma);

Aerial color view of Tacoma's industrial Tideflats area in the summer of 1974, taken on behalf of Pan Pacific Trading Co., log exporters. This particular business, with plenty of empty land surrounding it, has not been positively identified. Mount Rainier in background with snowy tip emerging from cloud cover.

Aerial views; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1970-1980; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

Kaiser Aluminum plant. This aerial view of the Kaiser Aluminum plant was taken on June 10, 1974. The plant was located in Tacoma's tideflats at 3400 Taylor Way. The wisps of smoke emerging from the plant's 500-foot stack appear to blend into the heavy cloud formation. Color photograph ordered by Kaiser Aluminum.

Aerial photographs; Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1970-1980; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Aerial of Kaiser Aluminum plant as viewed on June 10, 1974. Smoke drifts from the 500-foot stack near the aluminum rod mill. 32 years later in July of 2006, the smokestack was demolished in front of hundreds of fascinated spectators. Color photograph ordered by Kaiser Aluminum.

Aerial photographs; Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1970-1980; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1970-1980;

1974 Richards stock footage. Construction of the new Liberty House/Rhodes department store at the Tacoma Mall is proceeding rapidly during the spring of 1974. The two-story building is being built at the Mall's far west end for an estimated $2,000,000. There would be 128,093 square feet of floor space. The store was scheduled to open in the fall of 1974. Also included in this May, 1974, aerial view of the shopping center: the Tacoma Mall Office Building (in rear), the 10-month old west end addition to the Mall, Nordstrom, and the Bon Marche. (TNT 1-13-74, F-8 article)

Aerial views; Aerial photographs; Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma); Shopping centers--Tacoma--1970-1980; Building construction--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Mall Office Building (Tacoma); Bon Marche (Tacoma); Liberty House (Tacoma);

Aerial view of the City of Tacoma as seen from the industrial Tideflats. The City (now Thea Foss) Waterway separates the bustling industrial area from Tacoma's downtown business district. This May, 1974, photograph aptly captures how the ready availability of rail, water, and highway transport attracted such companies as Hooker Chemicals and St. Regis to Tacoma.

Aerial photographs; Aerial views; City Waterway (Tacoma); Business districts--Tacoma--1970-1980; Industrial facilities--Tacoma;

1974 Richards stock footage. A look at the Tacoma Mall by air in the spring of 1974 shows that the Mall continues to grow with the building of the new Liberty House/Rhodes department store at the Mall's extreme west end. The store was scheduled to open that fall. I-5 runs nearly vertically at the photograph's right, allowing easy access to the shopping center. The wooded area east of the freeway would eventually be dotted with new homes; businesses would also take the place of the homes located at the bottom of the photograph.

Aerial views; Aerial photographs; Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma); Shopping centers--Tacoma--1970-1980; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Express highways--Tacoma--1970-1980;

1974 Richards stock footage. Aerial view of the Tacoma Mall and surrounding south end neighborhoods. This May, 1974, view by air makes it plain that one of the main attributes of this popular shopping center was its ready access by freeway and its enormous free parking lots. Should a visitor to the Mall decide to bypass the freeway, the Mall would still be accessible through well traveled local streets such as Pine, South 38th and South 48th. The Mall had opened its west end addition in July of 1973 to add 20 more stores to the shopping center; in May of 1974, construction was proceeding rapidly with the new Liberty House/Rhodes department store at the far west end of the shopping center. TPL-5876

Aerial views; Aerial photographs; Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma); Shopping centers--Tacoma--1970-1980; Express highways--Tacoma--1970-1980; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. Aerial photograph, probably taken in the fall of 1973, of the St. Regis Paper Co. The plant, the county's largest non-military employer, was located between the Puyallup and St. Paul Waterways. St. Regis would be acquired by Champion International Corp. in 1984 and subsequently sold to Simpson Tacoma Kraft the following year. Simpson Tacoma Kraft still maintains the plant in 2007.

Aerial views; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1970-1980; Puyallup Waterway (Tacoma); St. Paul Waterway (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. Unidentified ships docked at Port of Tacoma, as seen by air, in 1973. The Port, then as now, was a busy, bustling place which saw the arrival and departure of many ships during the year.

Aerial views; Vessels; Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. A look by air at the shipyard believed to be Tacoma Boatbuilding, located at 1840 Marine View Dr. N.E., overlooking the Hylebos Waterway. Built on a spacious 20-acre site in 1969, the shipyard was able to expand production of extra-large fishing boats as well as complete government contracts. Tacoma Boatbuilding had decided to move operations to this Hylebos Waterway location after fire had destroyed their plant on the Sitcum Waterway in 1968.

Aerial views; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Logs; Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. Closer aerial look at shipyard on the Hylebos Waterway, believed to be Tacoma Boatbuilding who had constructed a $3,000,000 plant there after the disastrous fire of 1968 which had destroyed their Sitcum Waterway facility. The Hylebos location now provided 20 acres of space and held separate buildings for aluminum fabricating, steel fabricating, administrative and engineering, and warehouse for equipment. Several boats are pictured above docked at the 300-foot pier. TPL-6583

Aerial views; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma); Logs; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. This may be the 712-foot long tanker, "Achilles," as seen by air, docked at the Port of Tacoma in 1973. She appears to be ready to take on grain from the port's grain elevator. Other unidentified vessels are in the background.

Aerial views; Vessels; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. An overhead view of the American Smelting & Refining Co. (ASARCO) and Commencement Bay in 1973. Wispy puffs of smoke emerge from the plant's 562-foot smokestack. ASARCO would eventually close twelve years later due to economic and environmental reasons. The smelter stack was demolished in 1993.

Aerial views; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smelters--Tacoma--1970-1980; Smokestacks--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. Aerial view of North 52nd St. area, featuring the American Smelting & Refining Co. (ASARCO) plant and smokestack. Also in the photograph is winding Bayshore Drive near Commencement Bay. The tip of Mount Rainier can barely be seen in the background haze.

Aerial views; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma; Commencement Bay (Wash.); Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. This aerial view features the two large domes leased by Kaiser Aluminum from the Port of Tacoma. The aluminum sheathed domes stored shipments of alumina ore from Australia. Both domes were eventually dismantled about 2005.

Aerial views; Storage tanks--Tacoma; Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. Copy of customer print ordered on April 5, 1973, by Tacoma Boatbuilding. Colorful aerial view of Tacoma Boatbuilding's 20-acre plant on the Hylebos Waterway. Three cargo ships, including the "Atlantis," are in port. Tacoma Boatbuilding had moved to 1840 Marine View Dr. N.E. in 1969 after fire had destroyed their longtime Sitcum Waterway plant.

Aerial views; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Cargo ships--Tacoma; Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma);

1973 Richards stock footage. Color aerial view of the Export Pacific plant, 1942 E. 11th St., as photographed on September 10, 1973. The firm was headed by Chauncey L. Griggs and was involved in the lumber export business.

Aerials views; Export Pacific Co. (Tacoma); Shipping--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Another in a series of photographs taken on April 3, 1973, on behalf of Collison Realty showing the neighborhoods around 112th & Meridian. There was the Willows Mobile Home Park, Willows Lumber Co., and possibly the new 10-acre Willows Shopping Center under construction in this small business district. This area was still quite rural but would undergo rapid change in the future. The new shopping center, which included such stores as the Piggly-Wiggly, State Farm Insurance and Hallmark's, would serve a population of about 40,000 in the South Hill area, the fastest growing residential community in Pierce County. (TNT 3-18-73, D-10 -article on shopping center)

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Puyallup--1970-1980;