A Buffelen employee concentrates as he applies pressure to a louvered door on December 7, 1954. The door is made to allow air to circulate; it may be designed for a closet or a pantry. There appears to be three doors stacked one on top of another as the worker completes his tasks. Photograph ordered by Condon Co., an advertising agency.

Buffelen Lumber & Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Doors & doorways--Tacoma--1950-1960; Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Informal office photos of John Philip (Phil) Weyerhaeuser Jr., President of Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, with the oil painting of Frederick Weyerhaeuser, founder of the company. Executive offices of the company were located on the 10th floor of the Tacoma Building, 1017-1021 A St. The company was founded in 1900 with the purchase of 900,000 acres of Washington timberlands from the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. Weyerhaeuser now owns in excess of 1.6 million acres of timberland in Washington, with 4 million acres located elsewhere in the U.S. In 1971, the company moved its corporate headquarters to Federal Way. Phil Weyerhaeuser guided the company from 1933 until his death in 1956 and oversaw its transition from a dealer in timberlands to a manufacturer of forest products and a manager of renewable tree farms. Central to this change was his vision that the only way for a forest products company to operate was to own its own renewable timberlands. ("Phil Weyerhaeuser Lumberman" by Charles E. Twining)

Weyerhaeuser, John Philip; Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Informal office photos of John Philip (Phil) Weyerhaeuser Jr., President of Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, with a model of the Everett facility. Phil Weyerhaeuser arrived in Tacoma in 1933 to take over the reins of the family timber business, after spending almost 13 years learning the profession in the Inland Empire. He ran the company until his death from leukemia December 8, 1956. He was a private, unpretentious and shy man, but he guided his company through the Great Depression, World War II and the New Deal. He imprinted the company with his vision that it must change in order to survive. No longer just a dealer in timberlands, the company diversified its interests and invested heavily in forestry as a renewable resource. In a 1955 passport application, he listed his profession as "lumberman," a modest assessment of his contributions to the industry. ("Phil Weyerhaeuser Lumberman" by Charles E. Twining)

Weyerhaeuser, John Philip; Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Informal office photos of John Philip (Phil) Weyerhaeuser Jr., President of Weyerhaeuser Timber Company. Executive offices were located on the 10th floor of the Tacoma Building, 1017-1021 A St. The company came into being in 1900 when Frederick Weyerhaeuser and several of his colleagues agreed to purchase 900,000 acres of western Washington timberlands from the Northern Pacific Railway Company. George S. Long, the company's first manager, originated the idea of timber as a renewable resource. In 1936, Phil Weyerhaeuser proudly pronounced the origination of the company's program of growing trees for harvesting, his personal vision. In 1941, Clemons Tree Farm was dedicated as the first of its kind. (" A History of Pierce County, Washington" Vol. 1)

Weyerhaeuser, John Philip; Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Informal office photograph of Charles H. Ingram, Vice-president and General Manager of Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. When Phil Weyerhaeuser arrived in Tacoma in 1933 as the company's chief executive officer after the death of George S. Long, who had operated as manager since its 1900 beginning, he inherited a very capable office staff. Ingram was assistant manager, he was promoted to manager in 1936 and became Weyerhaeuser's right hand man. They were the perfect complement, Ingram's attention to detail giving Weyerhaeuser the freedom to look to the future. ("Phil Weyerhaeuser Lumberman" by Charles E. Twining)

Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Ingram, Charles H.;

Presentation of award to the president of U.S. Plywood, Tony Antoville (on right.) Photograph ordered by the DFPA. United States Plywood Corp. was one of the first companies to build after the industry was decontrolled. It opened a 36 million foot capacity plant at Mapleton, Oregon in 1948. By 1955, the firm controlled four plants with a total capacity of 342 million feet annually.

Plywood; Lumber industry--Seattle--1950-1960; United States Plywood Corp. (Seattle); Antoville, Tony;

Weyerhaeuser Timber Co.; Board of Directors 1955. The board poses at a long table underneath the portrait of founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser. Seated clockwise from the left bottom: O.D. Fisher, C. Davis Weyerhaeuser, Norton Clapp, John Musser, F.K. Weyerhaeuser, Laird Bell, George S. Long, Jr., J.P. Weyerhaeuser, Jr., Edmond Cook, Edmund Hayes, Carleton Blunt, Charles H. Ingram, Henry T. McKnight and F.W. Reimers.

Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Tacoma); Weyerhaeuser, John Philip; Clapp, Norton, 1906-1995;

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company. Photos featuring "quality control" of hemlock at St. Paul. A man in a hard hat operates controls for the lumber processing machinery at St. Paul & Tacoma. He watches the gauge to the right as he moves the controls.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. The word "Moke' " has been carved into a piece of fir plywood. The final swoop of the "M" has been lifted up to give a 3D effect. Moke panels were popular in the 1950s as backdrops in department store window displays and as decorative art in homes. For the same carving illuminated from the back, see image #7. (Additional information provided by a reader)

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A design has been cut into fir plywood with a saw. Dowel rods hold some portions of the design raised from the main board; other portions are bent back from the main design. The end result is a 3D look. A wooden finished knob in the center also lends a dimensional feel.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A design has been cut into fir plywood with a saw. The design is raised in some places and bent the other direction in others. The design has been illuminated from behind, accenting the detail. For the same design without the backlighting, see image #51.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A cabinet is viewed from above topped with an assortment of power tools, hand tools and plywood trim pieces. These are the materials and tools used in a woolworking display captured in this photographic series (D89928.) This cabinet would be perfect for the home handyman to store his tools and small materials or for the hardware store to shelve small items. The DFPA, located in the Fuller building in Tacoma, was constantly promoting its product and its myriad uses. The plywood industry exploded in the Northwest thanks to this dedicated self promotion.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Drills (Equipment); Hammers; Woodworking--Tacoma;

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A man does detailed and intricate cutting with a skill saw. A completed decorative woodwork piece can be seen in the background.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Saws; Woodworking--Tacoma;

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A man poses with decorative woodwork pieces cut from fir plywood. The wood has been cut in intricate patterns with a skill saw. Dowel rods have then been inserted to hold some of the pieces out from the main piece, giving the design a 3D look.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. In this photograph, a piece of 3D woodworking has been backlighted. The result looks almost like neon.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;

Two blonde models and a casually attired unidentified man pose on the barrier around 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. Early in 1905, Portland was getting ready for a World's Fair as part of the centennial observance of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Portland Manufacturing Co. was asked to prepare an exhibit featuring something new and unusual. N.J. Bailey and Gustav Carlson and a crew of about six men constructed by trial and error the first plywood panels. This was the birth of the plywood industry that became one of the backbones of the economy of the Pacific Northwest. ("The Plywood Age" by Robert M. Cour)

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland--1950-1960;

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;

Wallace E. (W.E.) Difford, managing director, addresses the 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. Difford advised the group of the need for research and product improvement to fuel industry growth. He also warned that the future of industry management depended on talented young people being advanced on the career path, not shuttled into dead end jobs. Difford was selected at the meeting as one of the top 3 plywood salesmen in the industry's history. The highlights of the Jubilee were a Broadway type musical pageant, the presentation of Arlene Francis's televised "Home Show" and the unveiling of a giant exposition containing 50 golden ideas designed by 5 nationally leading architects.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland; Plywood; Difford, Wallace E.;

The Douglas Fir Plywood Association's (DFPA) annual meeting in 1955. The Golden Jubilee Convention was held in Portland, Oregon, celebrating 50 years of the plywood industry from its inception in 1905 to 1955. Over 12,000 plywood manufacturers and distributers attended the meeting. One of the highlights was the unveiling of the Plywood Memorial at the Forestry building in Portland. The Memorial was designed around the original sheet of plywood manufactured in 1905 for display at the Lewis and Clark International Exposition in Portland.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland; Plywood;

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;

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;

Circus trucks used to transport the travelling exhibit "Fir Plywood Golden Jubilee Show." Photo series ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. 1955 marked the 50th anniversary of the plywood industry. As part of the year long celebration, the travelling display toured the West Coast regions where plywood was manufactured. The free show included something for everyone. It featured a plywood menagerie, a color movie showing how plywood is manufactured and some new ideas for modern living, "Fifty Golden Ideas" by prominent designers. (TNT 7/19/1955, pg. C-17)

Plywood; Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A model of a plywood mill, part of the travelling exhibition "Fir Plywood Golden Jubilee Show." 1955 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of the first plywood panel. As part of the celebration, a mobile exhibit toured the West Coast regions where plywood is manufactured. This model recreation of a plywood mill was part of the show. In the model, cutting and barking of the log is shown as well as the peeling of the log. The wood is cut into lengths and placed in the drying racks to dry. In the rear, the lengths are having glue applied in preparation to being laid in plys to form the multi-layer plywood. The panels are then heated to form a solid bond.

Plywood; Logs; Laborers--Tacoma; Trees--Tacoma; Woodcutting--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Cheney Lumber Co. Midget Baseball League. Summer was baseball time and the Metropolitan Parks offered many leagues based on the age of the players. Each team had a commercial sponsor and many of the different age teams bore the name of Tacoma philanthropist and sports enthusiast Ben Cheney. Ben Cheney made it possible for athletes of many different ages to experience the joys of competitive sports.

Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior Cheney Lumber. Neatly stacked piles of logs are separated from sections of plywood by railroad tracks at the Cheney Lumber Co. lumberyard at the Port of Tacoma. The Cheney Lumber Co. was owned and operated by Ben Cheney. Founded in 1936, the company was established originally to manufacture railroad ties. Cheney developed the 8' Cheney Studs which were heavily in demand in the building industry. His logo of a horse was stamped on each stud produced. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Logs; Plywood; Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Interior views of Anacortes hardboard plant. An Anacortes Veneer, Inc., worker appears almost dwarfed by the enormous machinery before him as he inspects gauges in the plywood plant on December 29, 1955. Anacortes Veneer was only the second worker-owned venture in the industry, following the example of Olympia Veneer. More workers would become owners in the near future. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Machinery; Lumber industry--Anacortes; Anacortes Veneer, Inc. (Anacortes); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Interiors hardboard plant in Anacortes. Sheets of veneer are stacked upright at the Anacortes Veneer plant on December 29, 1955. The plywood on carts would then be easily transported via tracks. Anacortes Veneer was the second worker-owned in the lumber industry, after Olympia Veneer in 1927, and after much trial and tribulation, peeled its first log on November 27, 1939. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (Cour: The Plywood Age, p. 123-127)

Plywood; Lumber industry--Anacortes; Anacortes Veneer, Inc. (Anacortes); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

An employee of the Anacortes Veneer, Inc., plant seems to have the responsibility of monitoring the gauges on the large piece of machinery. He may have to report his findings on the piece of paper in front of him. It is possible that this giant machine might be a hot press; the heat and pressure would seal in adhesive, making the plywood panels tougher and perhaps waterproof. The plywood then could be used for the exteriors of boats and other outdoor usage. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Machinery; Lumber industry--Anacortes; Anacortes Veneer, Inc. (Anacortes); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Interior of veneer plant. One man is all that is apparently needed to monitor operations at this stage of manufacturing at the Anacortes Veneer, Inc., plywood plant in December, 1955. Anacortes Veneer was one of the first co-ops in the industry as it first commenced operations in 1939. Charles Carlson was elected president on April 8, 1939. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Machinery; Plywood; Lumber industry--Anacortes; Anacortes Veneer, Inc. (Anacortes); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

ca. 1955. Photograph ordered by the Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. Men sit around a boardroom table, with others seated at the back of the room. The chart in the back of the room reads "Fire Chart."

Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Tacoma);