Both pedestrian and cars are blurred as this view of 17th & Pacific looking north was captured on May 8, 1922. This section of Pacific had at least two hotels visible with a third, the Japanese-owned Hotel Rector, on Broadway. The Savoy Hotel on the right was listed in the 1922 City Directory as being on 1535 1/2 Pacific Ave. and owned/operated by B. Bertleson. On the left side was the Hotel Lewis at 1522 Pacific Ave., owned by the Hotel Operating Co. of Seattle. There rooms advertised as "new and modern" could be had for as little as $1.00. The Hotel Rector, far left of the photograph, was listed at 1541 Broadway and owned by K. Nakatsukasa. Rooms were available for 50 cents and up. At the time, there were several other downtown hotels owned by Japanese, including the Madison Hotel, Central Hotel, Hotel Victoria, and the Hotel Dewey. TPL-5550

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hotels--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The corner of South 9th and Pacific was nearly free of traffic -both foot and motor- on this October day in 1922. A single couple was standing outside the Liberty Theater where the Charles Jones (later known as "Buck" Jones) picture "Trooper O'Neil" was playing while another man peers through a nearby doorway. Two people were window shopping at the McGinley-Garness hat store near 9th & Commerce. The brick building with recessed windows is the Wright Building (902-04 Pacific Ave.) which contained in 1922 the United Cigar Store and Imperial Billiards (and bowling alleys). G61.1-045

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Liberty Theater (Tacoma); United Cigar Stores (Tacoma);

1923 downtown Tacoma street scene. This was Pacific Avenue near 12th St. in January of 1923. This view, looking north, shows the Delmonico Hotel on the right at 116 1/2 South 12th next to the familiar spire-topped Puget Sound Bank Bldg. (formerly National Realty Bldg.) Further in the background on the right is the uncompleted Scandinavian-American Bank Bldg. which would later become the Washington Building. Across the street on the left are numerous businesses including the Palace Hotel, Chicago Dentists, and the Dickson Bros. Co. G61.1-038

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Delmonico Hotel (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma);

View of Pacific Avenue looking south at 10th St. Streetcars and buses are blurred as they scud by along Pacific Avenue on a wintery day in 1923. Prominent among buildings is the unfinished Scandinavian-American Bank structure on the left; it would not be completed until 1925 for the Washington-California Co. and named the Washington Building. The spire-topped Puget Sound Bank Bldg. (formerly National Realty Bldg.) can be spotted beyond at 11th & Pacific. Among other businesses on the left are the Peerless Grill, Argonaut Hotel, Union Tailors, Parker E. R. System Dentists and Thomas Billiards. Across the street at 950 Pacific is the Rust Building. TPL-5837; G61.1-030 (photograph has been damaged on the left)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930;

A wet, overcast day lends to this tranquil view of Sixth Avenue, looking west from Prospect Street, in February of 1923. The Sunset Theater, at left, was built in 1919 by Louis Perunko. It is now occupied by Speedy Auto Glass. The Red Cross Drug Store and F. C. Jonas Hardware occupied the building at the right. Several children on bicycles pause on the wet roadway while three men and a small boy huddle near the awning of the drugstore. G57.1-067; TPL-1797;

Sunset Theater (Tacoma); Red Cross Drug Store (Tacoma); F.C. Jonas Hardware (Tacoma); Bicycles & tricycles--Tacoma; Street railroad tracks--Tacoma;

The R.L. Courtney Building, located at 1105 South 11th Street, was designed by architect George Trost and built for $37,000 by Peter Madsen in 1922. The Hill Top Confectionery occupied the corner level and Dr. Eugene Hallan (dentist) and a Dr. Lynch (physician & surgeon) had offices on the second floor. Businesses at the 11th & "K" St. location were easily accessible by private car or streetcars. In 1922 the businessmen of "K" St. (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way) saw a rapid growth of business in this section of Tacoma. Six new buildings replacing older units included the Dobson-Nelson Motor Co. at 12th & "K," Normanna Hall Association's new business block at 14th & "K," the Nasser Building, also on 12th & "K," occupied by the Piggly-Wiggly and a branch of the National Bank of Tacoma, the Langlow Building at Sixth & "K," the Woolen Cleaners Building adjoining the Dobson-Nelson structure and the Courtney Building. TPL-896; G19.1-071; BU-10,064 (TNT 12-29-22, p. 22)

R.L. Courtney Building (Tacoma); Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Bustling downtown street scene. This is 11th St. looking east near Broadway as it appeared in January of 1924. Pedestrians scurry across the road aided by the helpful policeman holding the "Stop" sign before the few cars. It apparently was a dry, sunny day with no umbrellas in sight. Some of the business district's notable buildings are in view: the Fidelity Building, the Rust Building, and the unfinished Scandinavian-American Bank building (later completed and named the Washington Building) on the left with the Stone-Fisher (name changed the following year to Fisher Co.) Department Store on the right foreground. The 11th St. Bridge (name changed later to honor Murray Morgan) is in the far background. G57.1-141

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma);

11th Street street scene. This is a view of 11th St. looking east toward the 11th St. Bridge and the tideflats in January of 1924. Strolling up and down the steep street are several groups of people. On the photograph's left are the Rhodes Brothers Department Store, the Fidelity Building, the Rust Building, and the unfinished Scandinavian-American Bank building (later to be completed and called the Washington Building). On the right in the foreground at 11th & Broadway is the Stone-Fisher Department Store which would have its name changed to the Fisher Co. store in 1925 and later on, the Bon Marche. G57.1-140

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma);

This wide street was South Union Ave. (later to be known as South Tacoma Way), part of South Tacoma's business district, as viewed in late May of 1924. A few cars are rolling down the street apparently being monitored by a lone traffic policeman in the distance. Flags are flying in honor of Memorial Day. The flags and poles on both sides of the street had been purchased by individual merchants from a company that manufactured them to be of uniform size. The flags were to be dedicated by the South Tacoma merchants on Flag Day. Residents in South Tacoma had ready access to bakeries, drugstores, grocery stores, candy shops and even pool halls on this stretch of South Union, close to South 52nd St. G62.1-005; TPL-2539 (TNT 6-4-24, p. 13)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Flags--United States;

A large crowd of curious spectators gathered on Pacific Avenue outside the Charles F. Lewis (Hats) store on Saturday, June 7, 1924, to await the unveiling of the "Mystery Car." One man is crouched next to the shrouded hood, perhaps in preparation to flip off the car's covering. The "Mystery Car," type unidentified, proved to be a car finished at the Tacoma Duco Co. with the new Duco finish which was becoming popular nationwide. The Duco finish was now appearing on the latest models of cars direct from the factory. TPL-5552; G32.1-058 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 6-15-24, G-11)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Spectators--Tacoma--1920-1930; Crowds--Tacoma--1920-1930; Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This August 1924 view of South 10th and Pacific Avenue shows a part of Tacoma's major business district located in the downtown section of the city. A banner flies above the street pointing out the direction of the Tacoma Tourist Information Bureau at 115 South 10th Street. On the left is the Argonaut Hotel (1007 Pacific), the unfinished Scandinavian-American Bank at 1019 Pacific (later completed as the Washington Building in 1925) , Peoples Department Store (1101-07 Pacific) and Puget Sound National Bank (1117-19 Pacific). On the right is the 12-story Rust Building. The box-shaped structure in the middle of South 10th street (on the left) is the entrance to Tacoma's below-street-level Women Only comfort station. TPL-1418

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Banners; Argonaut Hotel (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Peoples (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma);

Photographer Marvin Boland took a series of pictures of Tacoma's downtown business district on August 22, 1924 where he focused on the numerous business establishments, large and small, packed into a few city streets. This view is of Pacific Avenue near South 11th Street. L-R are the 12-story Rust Building (950 Pacific) with one of their tenants, Lundquist-Lilly (men's clothing store); Scobey's Cigars at 946 Pacific with the Naubert & Manning Billiard parlor upstairs; Davis Men's Shop, M&M Hat, Friedman's (Jewelers) all at 942-44 Pacific with Peterson & Cooksie Billiards above; and the Regal Shoe Co. at 938-40 Pacific. TPL-225; G61.1-016

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Rust Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Scobey Cigar Co. (Tacoma); Naubert & Manning Billiards (Tacoma); Peterson & Cooksie Billiard Parlor (Tacoma);

This view is of Broadway at 9th looking south in August of 1924. On the right foreground is a portion of the massive Tacoma Theater building (902-14 Broadway) with new tenant Frank C. Hart & Sons (jewelers) sign and the Electro Dental Parlors (former practice of dentist John Austin). The Colonial Theater (916-18 Broadway) is next, then showing for the second week the movie "The Covered Wagon." The Pythian Temple (924-26 Broadway) and Burnett Brothers jewelry store (932 Broadway) follow. At the end of the block is the Rhodes Brothers Department Store (950 Broadway). On the left side of Broadway several businesses are visible: the Hotel Illington and the McMillan Bros. Drugstore in the Jonathan Smith Bldg. (911-13 Broadway); Lou Johnson (ladies apparel) in the Collier-Hardenberg Bldg (915-17 Broadway); Pierce Hotel (912 1/2 Broadway); and further down the street, the Lewis Brothers clothing store (935-41 Broadway). G59.1-030

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Colonial Theater (Tacoma); Pythian Temple (Tacoma); Tacoma Theater (Tacoma);

This is 11th St. at the bridge looking west as pictured on August 22, 1924. On the left is the Perkins Building at 1101 A Street, Tacoma's first fireproof building; on the right is the Tacoma Building, 1017-21 A Street, home to the Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. The unfinished Scandinavian-American Bank building (later known as the Washington Building) is in the distance also on the right. G57.1-133

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Perkins Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma);

Pacific Avenue at South 9th St. looking south. Barricades from the Consumers Central Heating Co. are positioned in the center of South 9th St. Street construction and/or repair were occurring during this part of August, 1924, in this area. Notable downtown buildings visible include the Provident Building (917 Pacific Ave.), the unfinished Scandinavian-American Bank Bldg (later called the Washington Building at 1019 Pacific Ave.) and Puget Sound National Bank (1117-19 Pacific Ave). G61.1-037

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Barricades--Tacoma; Provident Building (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma);

This is how the east side of Pacific Avenue, near South 10th & 11th Sts., appeared in September of 1924. Buildings were tightly built side-by-side with no space in between for parking lots. From L-R were: First Mutual Savings Bank's Deposit Vaults (1005 Pacific); Western Union Telegraph Co. (1007 Pacific); Keystone Printing Co., Peerless Grill and the Tourist Hotel Annex (1009 Pacific); and Shaw Supply Co.'s three-story brick building (1015 Pacific). The Tourist Hotel Annex would be demolished later to make way for the Bank of California. G61.1-019 TPL-10075

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Tourist Hotel Annex (Tacoma); Western Union Telegraph Co. (Tacoma); Keystone Printing Co. (Tacoma); Peerless Grill (Tacoma); Shaw Supply Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

The top of the Washington Building tower, circa 1925. At 17 stories, almost everyone had to look up at this building, it was the second highest in the Northwest. The Washington Building was innovative in grouping its tenants by fields and making offices specific to those fields. The top floors were dedicated to doctors and medical offices. Some floors were huge open spaces on completion, for large concerns who would dictate where partitions would be placed. (TNT 6/30/1925, pg. 1) (WSHS)

Washington Building (Tacoma);

9th & Broadway business district -downtown Tacoma- as seen in March of 1925. On the left in the center is the Fidelity Building, 949-55 Broadway. Built in 1890 as a six-story structure, an additional six stories were added in 1909. On its left is a portion of the Rhodes Brothers Department Store; on its right is the smaller Rust Building and the Washington Building, still under construction. G57.1-135

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Street scene. This is the east side of Pacific Avenue at 10th St. as seen on April 3, 1925. Businesses visible included the American Savings & Loan Assn. (1001 Pacific Ave.); Martz Clothes Shop; American Mortgage & Safe Deposit Co. /First Mutual Savings Bank of Tacoma and Western Union. G61.1-044

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; American Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); American Mortgage & Safe Deposit Co. (Tacoma); First Mutual Savings Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma);

This is South 11th St., looking east, from Broadway in April of 1925. The 11th St. Bridge (now called the Murray Morgan Bridge) is visible in the distance. On the left are the Fidelity Building, Rust Building, and nearly completed Washington Building. Across the street from the Washington Building is the Peoples Department Store and closer to the bridge, the Perkins Building at 11th & "A." G57.1-143

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Peoples (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;

City Center skyline. This photograph, taken on April 13, 1925 from the Puget Sound National Bank Bldg. at 1117-19 Pacific Avenue, gives the viewer a good look at the massive office buildings located in the downtown commercial district. The building on the right with scaffolding is the Washington Building whose much-delayed construction would finally be completed and the building opened in July of 1925. Next to the Washington Building is the Rust Building (950 Pacific) designed by architects Sutton, Whitney & Dugan. Its neighbor is the Fidelity Building (949-55 Broadway). The last building on the extreme left is the Rhodes Brothers Department Store at 950 Broadway. Directly across the street from the Rust Building is the Equitable Building (1102-04 Pacific) which housed at that time the Pacific Savings & Loan Assoc. with Crown Drug Co. at one corner.

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washington Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma);

Photographer Marvin Boland peered out of one of the top floors of the Puget Sound Bank Building (1117-19 Pacific Avenue) on April 13, 1925, to capture the view of several massive buildings nearby in the midst of the downtown business district. The Rust Building, 950 Pacific, is the lighter-colored building across from the smaller Equitable Bldg. (1102-04 Pacific). Next to the Rust is the taller Fidelity Building with an actual address of 949-55 Broadway. On the far left in the photograph is the Rhodes Brothers Department Store. TPL-1907; G8.1-010

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;

A person standing across the street on April 14, 1925, would be able to see the following establishments on the west side of Pacific Avenue near South 10th St. in downtown Tacoma: (L-R) the Rust Building (950 Pacific), Charles F. Lewis Hatters (948), Scobey's Cigars (946) with Naubert & Manning Billiards upstairs, Davis Men's Shop (944), Peterson & Cooksie Billiards (942-44), Haugen & Loney Tailors (942), and in the San Francisco Block building, the Regal Shoe Co. (938-40) with several businesses upstairs including the Chinese Medicine Co. and attorney G.B. Aldrich. TPL-5475; G61.1-048

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Rust Building (Tacoma); Regal Shoe Co. (Tacoma);

Washington Building under construction in April of 1925. Started 1919 by the Scandinavian-American Bank and left unfinished when the bank failed, the building was completed and opened in June of 1925. At 17 stories, it was one of the skycrapers changing the skyline of Tacoma. The building is of steel framework, completed with glazed white terra cotta. The investment in the building was 1 1/2 million dollars. (filed with Argentum)

Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;

In April of 1925, this was the view from the top of the flagpole on the Puget Sound National Bank building, 1117-19 Pacific Ave., looking down on the west side of Pacific Ave. between 11th and 12th. The photograph was snapped by professional steeplejack B.B. Florer with a Tacoma News Tribune employee's camera that was hoisted up to him. Mr. Florer had been engaged to paint the flagpole. (TNT 4/28/1925, pg. 9) (WSHS- negative A693-0)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930;

View looking up Saint Helens Ave. This photograph was taken from the top of the Winthrop Hotel, 773 Broadway, on May 15, 1925, the day before its grand opening. The view is of Saint Helens Avenue, just beyond the Bostwick Block (755-71 Saint Helens), the triangular shaped building next to the Winthrop. Visible businesses included the Montelius Music House (736 Saint Helens), the Gilliam & Steven Motor Co. (735 Saint Helens -street renamed Court C), and the Caswell Optical Co.(752-66 Saint Helens), on the far left edge. In the distance at the far left is Central School. G8.1-013

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Central School (Tacoma); Montelius Music House (Tacoma); Gilliam & Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma); Caswell Optical Co. (Tacoma);

This view of South 9th Street looking west from the corner of Broadway and Saint Helens was taken on May 15, 1925 from the top of the Winthrop Hotel. At the bottom left is a part of the old Tacoma Theater. The ornate white building on the same side of 9th is the Rialto Theater, 310 So. 9th. Up the street is the First Baptist Church at 902 Market Street with its bell tower still under construction. On the north side of 9th is the Caswell Optical building, 752-66 St. Helens, in the foreground, followed by the white Exley Apartments at 309 So. 9th, originally the oldest existing house in Tacoma and later converted into apartments. The taller Rhodes Apartments, 311 So. 9th (now the Rialto Apartments), are next. Rising in the background are the Gothic towers of the Pierce County Courthouse, left, and the Central School building, right. G57.1-101

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1940; Tacoma Theatre (Tacoma); Rialto Theatre (Tacoma); First Baptist Church (Tacoma); Caswell Optical Co. (Tacoma); Exley Apartments (Tacoma); Rhodes Apartments (Tacoma); Rialto Apartments (Tacoma);

This section of Broadway near South 7th Street was "Auto Row" in September of 1925 with several automobile dealerships located side-by-side. L-R were: Griffith Motor Company selling Dodge Brothers motor cars; Mueller-Harkins Motor Company, a Buick dealer; Arthur Bryan Motor Company, a Chevrolet dealership and Richardson Motor Company, the Cleveland & Chandler dealership. Most, if not all, also had used car departments. TPL-1731; G59.1-025

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Griffith Motor Co. (Tacoma); Mueller-Harkins Motor Co. (Tacoma); Arthur Bryan Motor Co. (Tacoma); Richardson Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. The Washington Building under construction. Construction on the modern American skyscraper in downtown Tacoma began in 1919 for the Scandinavian American bank, but halted a couple of years later when the bank closed. The steel structure sat deserted until it was completed in 1925 for the Washington-California Co. and dedicated on June 29, 1925. At 17 stories, it was the second tallest building in the Northwest. (WSHS)

Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Washington Building at 1019 Pacific Ave. and on the left, the Rust building at 950 Pacific Ave.The Washington Building was finished in 1925. At 17 stories, it was the second tallest building in the Northwest. The Rust building measures in at 12 stories. It is named after its builder William R. Rust. (WSHS-negative A695-0)

Washington Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma);