Exterior views of Peterson Boat Building Co. for Mr. Heitman of Fidelity Rent & Collection. This site, adjoining the Foss yard on the outer edge of the Middle Waterway, was chosen by the father & son team of George and John Peterson for their shipyard. It was devoted entirely to the construction of fishing vessels. This is a view of hull #7 under construction. The finished vessel would be 11 feet in depth, 22 ft. beam, 85 ft. long and weigh 120 tons. Peterson operated at this location until 1969 when it was destroyed by fire. (TT 8/5/1942, pg. 3) TPL-9441
Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Peterson Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma;
On the evening of June 15, 1942, the sawmill at the Henry Mill & Timber Co. was fully engulfed in flames. The fire department managed to save the planer plant, warehouse and offices, but the sawmill was a complete loss. The owners swore to rebuild immediately. However, after the fire, the company's business began to consist mostly of prefabricated items for the military. (T. Times 6/16/1942, pg. 1)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Fires--Tacoma--1940-1950;
On April 4, 1942, after several aborted attempts, the Northwest Hauling Company successfully raised a 150 foot smokestack at the new plant of Puget Sound Plywood located at 230 E. "F" Street. The huge steel stack weighed 13 tons and was constructed by Seattle Boiler Company. Once lifted into place on its 30 foot tall base, it jutted 180 feet into the air over the tideflats. The plant was expected to be fully operational in 30 days. The erection of the stack required several days of planning by the hauling company owned by Dan Cooney. Puget Sound Plywood, the first cooperative plywood plant in Tacoma, opened June 1, 1942. It had 298 members who each contributed $1,000 and received the same hourly pay and percentage of the company's profits. It was built on 3 1/2 acres at the mouth of the City Waterway. (T. Times 4/6/1942, pg. 2)
Shipyard bowling teams. Painters and fitters from the Seattle Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. Portrait of the champion team identified as (standing) Roy Besam, captain, Frank LaFleur and Al Levorson. On the front row are Jack Olson and Robert Robbins.
Sea-Tac Shipyard bowling teams. Painters and Fitters. Back row, standing: Pip Koehler, C. Skidmore, Jim Cartwright. Front row: George Winegarden, Ralph Conklin (captain)
On January 19, 1942, hard hatted workers at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyard lined up to purchase Red Cross buttons from two lovely female volunteers in a booth. Genevieve Hyde is pictured pinning a button on Rudolph Wolfe. The shipyard's goal was to raise $10,000 for the Red Cross emergency war fund. (T. Times 1/21/42, pg. 3)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Hyde, Genevieve; Wolfe, Rudolph;
Workers at the Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard are serenaded by the shipyard band during the kickoff for the Red Cross button sale. The shipyard had pledged to raise $10,000 for the Red Cross emergency war fund. For Keel Magazine. (T. Times 1/21/1942, pg. 3)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma;
Crowd of men reporting to work at the Seattle-Tacoma shipyards. During World War II, the shipyard was Tacoma's biggest employer. By June of 1942, over 20,000 persons were employed, with plans to add another 5,000 in July. Nineteen thousand of those were directly involved in the production of ships, with 1,000 more working in the office. Tacoma had to make special arrangements for transportation and construct housing for the influx of workers. The original houses at Salishan off Portland Ave. were built to house war workers. For a work force the size of a small city, the shipyard even had its own police force totaling 130. The private uniformed police force was the same size as that of the city of Tacoma. For Pacific First Federal Savings window display.
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Highway traffic on Tacoma tideflats. A bus can be seen in the middle of the picture. The city was running three 60 passenger World's Fair buses, three 23 passenger, six 25 passenger and three 36 passenger buses. The buses were also getting stuck in the traffic congestion, slowing down their schedule. Plant personnel at the yard was expected to double by years end. (TT 5/8/1942, PG. 1)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--War work--Tacoma; Automobiles--1940-1950; Traffic congestion--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Electricians, Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co., Carl Brusberg- Foreman, July 10, 1940. A group of workers in hard hats poses in front of one of the buildings at the shipyard. Lettering over one door reads "electricians" or "electrical." One of the two men is suits is possibly foreman Brusberg. As war loomed, STSC became one of Tacoma's largest employers. TPL-2348
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Brusberg, Carl;
On February 17,1941, a log from a great fir tree has been delivered to St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. where it has been loaded on the carriage in the mill. The slab cut has been taken off and the saw is going into the log for the second cut. (T. Times 2/26/1941, pg. 13)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Logs; Saws;
St. Regis Paper Company (Kraft Pulp Division) showing an overaged destroyer that was to be sunk to provide a breakwater. Scuttling of the warship hulk commenced on Thursday, September 19, 1940. St. Regis took over the Union Paper company in 1936. Logs litter the waterway in the foreground. (T.Times)
Paper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Scuttling of warships--United States;
This birds eye progress shot was taken on August 20, 1940 of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co.'s hull #3, the MC 121. Hull #3 would be launched November 29, 1940 as the Cape Cleare. It was one of five 415 foot merchant motorships. The shipyard would cash in on the coming war effort and be awarded many military contracts. The yard was soon running shifts around the clock. TPL-1855
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Progress photograph of Hull #3 at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co. The vessel was launched near the end of November of 1940 as the Cape Cleare. It was part of the shipyard's first contract for five 415 foot cargo ships. TPL-1852
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Power Cranes putting up truss in Petrich Shipbuilding Corp., a new shipyard located on former Vermont Marble Company site, where the 11th Street Bridge crossed the City Waterway. This was the second of two plants operated by the Petrich family, headed by Martin Petrich Sr. The first was Western Boatbuilding on the Tideflats. The new yard had two parallel ways, capable of building ships up to 160 feet long. During the war, this yard would specialize in the mass production of wooden ships for the Army. They were used for Army South Seas and Alaska freight, passenger and supply transport. Note: Negative released to Michigan Power Shovel Company, Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Seventy five members of the brewing and allied industries gathered in Tacoma October 24, 1942 to pay tribute to Otto Birkmaier. Mr. Birkmaier was celebrating his 25th anniversary as brewmaster at Columbia Brewery, a position he had held since 1917. He held the longest record of continuous service of any brewmaster in the district. Some of the guests are pictured at the Saturday afternoon luncheon at the Brewery.
Brewing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1940-1950;
Laying of first keel at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Seattle Mayor Arthur Langlie, center (later Governor), kneels down to help with equipment. Governor Clarence Martin is standing above him and Tacoma Mayor J. J. Kaufman, with hardhat on left, are among those in the forefront of this March 5, 1940 photograph. (T. Times)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Langlie, Arthur B., 1900-1966; Mayors--Seattle; Martin, Clarence D., 1887-1955; Governors; Kaufman, Joseph J.; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Renton housing project showing the use of standardized Cheney studding. Construction is the Highlands Development, east of I-405. Photographs made for Cheney Lumber Co.
Photograph of the new storage tanks at the Air Reduction Co., an oxygen producing plant. The plant opened around May of 1942 at 702 Alexander Ave. In June of 1942, Peterman Manufacturing was forced out of its location by the government. The land was needed for the expansion of the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co. and its many defense contracts. Peterman, originally at 600 Alexander Ave., relocated to Garibaldi Oregon.
This photograph is an overview of the ceremony on December 18, 1942 when the Tacoma Boat Building plant was presented with an "E Award" by the Army & Navy. The "E Award" was a production award, and the shipyard's was the first given for production of minesweepers. The award consisted of a "E" flag to fly over the plant and a pin for each employee. The company also took this opportunity to launch their newest minesweeper, the YMS 244.
Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Launching of "Pride of America" at Peterson Boat Building. The Peterson shipyard was owned by the father and son team of George and John Peterson. The yard was devoted entirely to the construction of fishing vessels. The site of their yard adjoined the Foss yard at the outer edge of the Middle Waterway. The shipyard was rebuilt in 1943 and the company remained at this site until it burned in 1969.
In September of 1942, Peterson Boat Building was preparing to launch the "Pride of America." The small shipyard was operated by father and son team George and John Peterson. It was located at 223 E. F St., a site that adjoined the Foss Yard (225) at the outer edge of the Middle Waterway. The busy shipyard specialized in the construction of fishing vessels. The shipyard was rebuilt in 1943 and remained at this location until it was destroyed in a fire in 1969.
Peterson Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;
While taking photographs of a railroad accident at 24th and Bay St., the Richards photographer captured this image of railroad cars and tracks on the Tideflats in October of 1942.
On October 15, 1942, a southbound Great Northern freight engine derailed and fell over on its side at 24th and Bay St. Six railroad cars piled up behind the derailed engine. Luckily the train was moving slowly and the engineer and the crew had time to leap to safety. Engineer R. Ritter and Fireman August Zueger, both of Seattle, were able to crawl out of the cab of the locomotive. (T. Times 10/16/1942. pg. 1; TNT 10/16/1942, pg. 1)
