ca. 1940. The city of Bremerton. Photograph is taken looking east down 4th street. Photographed businesses include Leary Hotel at 540 4th, Tower Theatre at 522 4th, Apex Baking Co. at 603 4th, Daily News Searchlight 545-547 4th and the "Poudre Puff" Beauty Salon 611 4th.

Commercial streets--Bremerton; Business districts--Bremerton; Leary Hotel (Bremerton); Tower Theatre (Bremerton); Apex Baking Co. (Bremerton); Daily News Searchlight (Bremerton); Poudre Puff Beauty Salon (Bremerton);

Buildings on left on Pacific Ave. looking south include Shaub Ellison Company, American Plumbing Supply and Harmon Manufacturing Company. For United Pacific Insurance Company. Photograph was taken in January of 1941. See D10723, image 9 for additional view of this portion of Pacific Ave.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shaub-Ellison Co. (Tacoma); American Plumbing & Steam Supply Co. (Tacoma); F.S. Harmon Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma)--Buildings;

This is a view of Pacific Avenue looking south in January of 1941. Buildings on right in the 1900 block include Shaub-Ellison Co. featuring Goodyear tires, the American Plumbing & Steam Supply Co., Wiegel Candy Co. and Harmon Manufacturing Co. Photograph taken for the United Pacific Insurance Co.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shaub-Ellison Co. (Tacoma); American Plumbing & Steam Supply Co. (Tacoma); Wiegel Candy Co. (Tacoma); F.S. Harmon Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma)--Buildings;

Stairwell of Provident Building, for Hansen and Rowland, Inc.

Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stairways; Provident Building (Tacoma);

Exterior of Anderson Building showing Federal Insurance offices and sign. 10th and Pacific. Knapp Business College was located on the second floor.

Anderson Building (Tacoma); Knapp College (Tacoma); Storefronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Federal Insurance Group (Tacoma);

Exterior of Anderson Building showing Federal Insurance offices and sign. 10th and Pacific. Knapp Business College was located on the second floor.

Anderson Building (Tacoma); Knapp College (Tacoma); Storefronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Federal Insurance Group (Tacoma);

This photograph of the modern, Art-deco style Mottau Building was taken for Safeway Stores one year after the building opened. At its opening, the Tacoma News Tribune wrote: "The K street district may well be proud of this new addition to the several modern buildings erected there in the past two or three years." Russell & Lance, architects, designed the aluminum- and Virolite-clad (polished green and black glass) building for Pauline Mottau. It replaced an early 1880s structure, a two-story, Queen Anne-style wooden building with five stores on the first floor and apartments above. Mottau's husband, Robert, built two of Tacoma's first hotels in the early 1880s--the St. Charles and the Villard--and later built several apartment buildings in Tacoma. In 2000, the Mottau Building was razed for construction of another new building in the district where other older structures are being replaced with new additions. (T.N.T., 10/6/1933, p. 13).

Commercial buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business districts--Tacoma; Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Appliance stores--Tacoma; Paulson's Radios & Appliances (Tacoma); Mottau Building (Tacoma); Safeway Stores, Inc. (Tacoma);

Interior of Broadway Branch, Puget Sound National Bank General View. Wooden counter with glass partitions, fancy wall covering and light fixtures, terrazzo flooring and countertops. Fueled by the wartime economy and the able leadership of bank president Reno Odlin, Puget Sound Bank began to grow dramatically. With the increased business, the bank needed additional help as well as replacements for those men serving in the war. The bank could not find enough employees to cover both the Broadway and the Lincoln branches, as well as the main branch. The Broadway branch was closed and the main branch remodeled in 1942.

Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

Interior of Broadway Branch, Puget Sound National Bank. Wooden counter from customer's side. Glass partitions, fancy wall covering and light fixtures, terrazzo flooring and countertops. Fueled by the wartime economy and the able leadership of bank president Reno Odlin, Puget Sound Bank began to grow dramatically. With the increased business, the bank needed additional help as well as replacements for those men serving in the war. The bank could not find enough employees to cover both the Broadway and the Lincoln branches, as well as the main branch. The Broadway branch was closed and the main branch remodeled in 1942.

Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

ca. 1943. Sears window, Mr. Moor. Servistan Inlaid Linoleum is advertised at "$9.88 Covers average kitchen". Rolls of samples stand in the window. A sign indicates the store is open until 9 p.m. Monday nights to accomodate shoppers working in the war industry.

Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma); Window displays--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In October of 1941, the city had nearly completed the long awaited "face lift" of 6th Avenue. The work included widening and repaving Sixth Avenue at Pine Street (pictured) and near Sprague (in front of Jason Lee) to eliminate "jogs." The street was straightened by razing a building once occupied by Applings store. On the left are the new Safeway store (608 N. Pine) and gas station. The Safeway was located on property vacated in the straightening. The overall plan called for 6th to be widened as far south as 7th St. and for new road surfacing Sprague to Proctor St. (TT 10/3/1941, pg. 7)

Business districts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Safeway Stores, Inc. (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The exterior of the reconditioned General Paint store. This nighttime view shows the illuminated neon sign in the shape of a toy soldier. O'Connell-Regan company is located on the second floor of the building.

Buildings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Stores & shops--Tacoma--1950-1960; Paints & varnishes; General Paint Corp. (Tacoma); Window displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; O'Connell-Ragan Co. (Tacoma);

Street scene, Stadium Way to City Hall, as pictured on June 19, 1951. A few cars motor down the otherwise uncrowded street. Ornamental street lamps visible on left side of roadway. Ordered by Electrical Products, Larry Moore.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960; City & town life--Tacoma; Residential streets--Tacoma; Old City Hall (Tacoma); Street lights--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior of General Paint Corporation at 102 So.10th, Tacoma. Rolls of wallpaper are displayed in the store windows, beckoning passerbys to redecorate with the latest styles. A large sign of a uniformed toy soldier at attention, the emblem of General Paint, outlined with neon adorns the building. Above the retail space is the second floor office of O'Connell-Ragan Advertising.

Buildings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Stores & shops--Tacoma--1950-1960; Paints & varnishes; General Paint Corp. (Tacoma);

ca. 1951. Tacoma's Broadway in 1951 was a bustling, busy location. The Sears, Roebuck store was a major cornerstone on 11th and Broadway. It had recently opened a free parking lot for customers to alleviate parking congestion. Tacomans could also view a movie at the Blue Mouse theatre, spruce up their homes with supplies from Johnson Paint & Wallpaper, have their hair done at the Modern Beauty Academy, or fill their prescriptions at Savon or Smith Drug Stores. Those seeking to quench their thirst could visit the Happy Days tavern or Pat & Mike's. View of Broadway looking northward. TPL-1449

Business districts--Tacoma--1950-1960; Business enterprises--Tacoma; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma);

A view along the east side of the 900 block of Broadway looking south features Oakes Apparel at 921 Broadway, Weisfield's at 925 Broadway, and Lerner Shops at 931 Broadway. Two buildings further along the street are undergoing renovations with scaffolding along their facades. In the left foreground, a large clock stands on the sidewalk in front of Mahncke & Company Jewelers at 919 Broadway.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cities & towns--Tacoma; Clocks & watches;

Exposure from Lloyd Suiter Tire Co., 1955 Pacific Ave., looking each way down Pacific Ave. On the right hand side of the picture is Hunt and Mottet Co. wholesale hardware (2112), Coast Auto Wrecking (2120) and Tacoma Junk Co. (2128). On the left hand side of the street is the G.L. Walls Gas Station (2101), the Bone Dry Shoe Manufacturing Co. occupies 2113-2115 Pacific Ave. The city bus headed for Manitou occupies the foreground.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Business districts--Tacoma--1950-1960; Buses--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1887. This view of Pacific Avenue, looking north from 10th, was taken in 1887. Horse drawn carriages and wagons fill the unpaved street. The Fife Hotel, 742-50 Pacific Avenue (at left background), was still under construction with scaffolding visible. The building at 930 Pacific Ave. was home to the Tacoma News. The News and The Daily Ledger, both founded in 1883, were the two biggest newspapers in Tacoma at this time. The Ledger was a morning paper; The News was an evening paper. Some years later, both papers were bought by Sidney A. Perkins. Ultimately, they were taken over by The News Tribune. Copy made August 31, 1950. (TPL-2297 and TPL-8147)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1880-1890; Carts & wagons--Tacoma; The News (Tacoma); Newspapers--Tacoma--1880-1890; Fife Hotel (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1880-1890; Building construction--Tacoma--1880-1890;

The exterior of the old B.F. Goodrich building. B.F. Goodrich moved to their new location at 707 Pacific Avenue in May 1950. Lloyd Suiter Tire Company had taken over this location by 1951. Lloyd Suiter had formerly been located at 2302 Pacific Avenue. Lloyd Suiter died in April 1949. Ted L. Fix served as president of the Lloyd Suiter Tire Company in 1951. Wesley Maitland served as secretary. Ordered by Lloyd Suiter Tire Company, Mrs. McGorran.

Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Lloyd Suiter Tire Co. (Tacoma); B.F. Goodrich Co. (Tacoma);

The F.W. Woolworth Company celebrated the grand opening of their store # 105 (in Tacoma) on November 2, 1950. The four-story building at 955 Broadway had entrances on both the Broadway and Commerce Street levels. It replaced the Fidelity Building which had stood on the corner from 1890 until in was demolished in 1949. Woolworth closed their Tacoma store in 1993.

Commercial facilities; F.W. Woolworth Co. (Tacoma);

A view of the exterior of the F.W. Woolworth Company building recently completed in Tacoma from across Commerce Street. The store's escalator can be seen through the large window on this side of the five-and-dime's building. TPL-4551

Commercial facilities; F.W. Woolworth Co. (Tacoma);

An elevated view of Pacific Avenue looking south from the 900 block. The Riviera Theatre is shown on the lower right corner at 906 Pacific Avenue. Ghilarducci's California Florists is seen across Pacific at 909. The Provident Building is at 915 Pacific. The Bank of California and the Washington Building are prominent in the next block. Peoples Department Store was on the corner across 11th Street. Bankers Trust Building at 1111, the Puget Sound National Bank Building at 1119 and the National Bank of Washington at 1123 Pacific filled most of the following block. Shoenfeld's Furniture is seen prominently at 1423 Pacific Ave. TPL-2299

Business districts--Tacoma; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior Security Building. A "no parking loading zone" sign sternly advises against the possibility of blocking these loading doors during business hours in 1955. This was probably the rear of the Security Building which was located at 9th & Pacific. The beautiful brickwork has been defaced by scratches and possibly paint. Designed by noted architect George W. Bullard and built in 1903, the building had previously been known as the Provident Building. Photograph ordered by Comfort, Davis & Blangy.

Security Building (Tacoma); Provident Building (Tacoma); Signs (Notices); Comfort, Davis & Blangy (Tacoma);

ca. 1956. Exteriors of the Hunt & Mottet building. The eight story brick building was built in 1907 and designed by Bullard & Hill. Letters several feet tall emblazon the company name on the side of the building. A smaller new building lies to the left, with a parking lot to left of that. Hunt and Mottet were wholesalers of hardware.

Hunt & Mottet Co. (Tacoma); Hardware stores--Tacoma;

Interiors of the Hunt & Mottet building. Hunt & Mottet were wholesalers of hardware. A man inventories what looks like life jackets in the foreground. Boxes of items line the walls and the other employees appear to be filling orders.

Hunt & Mottet Co. (Tacoma); Hardware stores--Tacoma;

ca. 1910. Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. South 11th Street looking east. The steepness of South 11th St. is evident in this view from possibly the early 1900's. Traffic seems very light, with only a streetcar, one automobile and one man keeping pace with his team of horses. Tacoma would not experience parking problems in the downtown area for quite a few years. A glimpse of Peoples Store on the corner of 11th & Pacific can be seen as well as a meat market believed to be owned by William T. Dickenson further up on 11th. The Perkins Bldg., on A St., has flags flying. The Stone-Fisher department store, later known as the Fisher Department Store then the Bon Marche, is to the foreground, far right at the corner of Broadway and 11th. Copy made from glass plate on October 3, 1958.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1900-1910; Street railroads--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Horses;

ca. 1915. Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. Looking east on South 11th St. toward bridge. Giant letters proclaiming "Municipal Light and Power, Cheapest in the U.S.," are painted on the 11th Street Bridge. Downtown Tacoma appears vibrant, with streetcars providing convenient transportation, and plenty of people on the sidewalks. Businesses located on or near 11th at that time included the Purity Lunch and the Warburton Apartments; signs for those can be hanging on buildings on the right side of the photograph. The Warburton was listed then on South "C" Street; this would become Broadway. The Perkins Bldg. is on A St. near the entrance to the bridge. Copy of glass plate made on October 3, 1958.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1910-1920; Street railroads--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma); Bridges--Tacoma;

Three blended photographs of the area between Sears, Roebuck & Co. and the Bon Marche building in downtown Tacoma taken in September, 1965. The J.C. Penney company was conducting clearance sales as it had moved its main store to the Tacoma Mall Shopping Center. Longtime downtown fixtures on Broadway pictured above were Mode O'Day, Leroy Jewelers, Bernie's Men's Wear, Fashion Shoes, Karl's Shoes, Lyon's, Frank's Diamond Shop, Spellman's Shoes and Penney's. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank. TPL-502

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; J.C. Penney Co. (Tacoma); Stores & shops--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Undated copy of customer postcard. View of Main Street in Sand Lake, Michigan. There is no moving traffic on Sand Lake's Main Street although several cars are parked along the town's business establishments. Estimated population in 2004 was barely over 500; it apparently has not changed much since the above photograph was taken perhaps in the 1930's. Photograph ordered by Pierce Powers, Puyallup.

Commercial streets--Michigan--Sand Lake; Business districts--Michigan--Sand Lake;

ca. 1911. Street scene in Grandview, Washington. Copy of customer print. Asahel Curtis traveled to Grandview in Yakima County in 1911 to photograph several areas of town. Print #20733 was taken of the business district including the Grandview State Bank. Several men are pictured outside the bank while three horse-drawn buggies go by. Photograph ordered by Dr. C.B. Coulter of the University of Puget Sound. (University of Washington Digital Collections)

Commercial streets--Grandview; Grandview State Bank (Grandview); Carriages & coaches--Grandview;