The National Realty Building, far right on the card, built in 1910, was the tallest building on the West Coast until the Smith Tower was completed in Seattle in 1914. The building just to the left of the National Realty Building, Puget Sound State Bank, was built as an annex and was completed in 1912.
Printed on front: In the Business Section, showing Tacoma's Newest Skyscrapers, Tacoma, Washington
Here a sign hangs high above Pacific Avenue, likely during the time of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in June, 1909. One of Tacoma's official mottos, "You'll Like Tacoma" was displayed in big wooden letters on the shore facing the AYPE to publicize the city to the Seattle fair attendees. There were reports that some attendees were confused by the sign, thinking it referred to a breakfast food being offered at the event.
Printed on front: You'll Like Tacoma--Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, Wash.
Located near the corner of Division and North "I" Street, the duck pond was once home for many years to a pair of swans until the male developed a case of wanderlust and was found as far away as Seattle. After the female died, the male was given to the Point Defiance Zoo to live out his days.
Printed on front: Section of Wright Park, Tacoma, Wash.
Originally constructed as a hotel, it never opened because the structure was damaged by fire in 1898. It was converted for use as Tacoma High School in 1906. The name was changed in 1913 to Stadium High school.
Printed on front: High School, Tacoma, Washington.
Built by William Sheard, and then inhabited subsequently by prominent Tacoma citizens John Philip Weyerhaeuser and John Buffelen, this mansion was demolished in 1959 to make way for the Vista Palms Apartments. The original palm trees planted by Sheard were saved.
Printed on front: Residence District, Yakima Avenue, Tacoma, U.S.A.
The Pierce County Court House, built in 1892 at 1012 So. G Street, was demolished in 1959 after the new County-City Building was completed. The State Armory with its distinctive arched roof and battlements, is at 715 So. 11th St., and was added to the Tacoma Historic Registry in 1976.
Printed on front: The Pierce County Court House and State Armory, Tacoma, U.S.A.
The Tacoma Totem Pole was built in 1903 by two carvers from Alaska. The pole was originally a 105 foot cedar tree trunk, donated by the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company. Commissioned by William Sheard and Chester Thorne, the Tacoma Totem Pole was known at the time as the largest in the world. The Hotel Tacoma was located at 913 A Street. It was built in 1884, and destroyed by fire in 1935.
Broad view of northern downtown Tacoma, with Old City Hall and the Northern Pacific Headquarters to the right, the railyards to the left, and Mount Rainier in the distance.
Fairly common view of downtown Tacoma for the time period, with pedestrians bustling about, and a streetcar and automobiles featured. The Equitable Building, built in 1891 as the Merchants National Bank, and renamed in 1897 is to the left--and the building to the right was demolished in 1920 to make way for the Rust Building.
Printed on front: Eleventh Street, Tacoma, Washington.
Printed on back: Fifth anniversary Souvenir Card of the Oregon Trail Monument Expedition; left Puyallup Washington on January 29, 1906; erected 27 monuments, inscribed seventeen boulders, and otherwisemarked the Trail on the way; arrived at Missouri River crossing, Oct. 9th; thence drove to Washington City; arrived Nov. 29, 1907; interviewed President Roosevelt; procured introduction of bill in Congress appropriating $50,000 to complete the work; expedition returned home 1908; second trip made 1910; trail located, platted, cost of monumenting estimated; now enroute to Washington City; will there report findings to Congress; estimated number of monuments 700; cost $85,000 ; is forerunner of greater monument to be known as Pioneer Way 2,200 miles along the Oregon Trail; distance driven 8500 miles. Ages: Ezra Meeker 80 years; Mardon 36; Jim 7; Dave 10; Dandy 10; Wagon (in part) 60. Reader, write your Congressman to favor this work; advocate it in the home; the church; lecture halls; streets; its a great work to thus record history, honor the memories of the Winners of the farther west and build up patriotism in the breasts of countless generations to follow. Dayton, Ohio. Jan. 29th, 1911.
Card bearing image of Ezra Meeker surrounded by his faithful dog Jim, wagon driver H. Mardon, oxen Dandy and Dave, and his original covered wagon. Washington pioneer Ezra Meeker came to the Pacific Northwest by wagon via the Oregon Trail in 1852. He made two trail re-crossings from 1906-1908 and 1910-1912 to raise markers along the way, commemorating the Oregon Trail's original emigrants. He sold a series of post cards to help fund the trips and raise the monuments.
Printed on front: Oregon Trail Monument Expedition 1906-1911.
A map showing the "Line of Original Emigration to the Pacific Northwest commonly known as the Old Oregon Trail." This card was part of a series sold by Washington State pioneer Ezra Meeker between 1906-1912. During this period, Meeker, one of the first emigrants to cross the trail in 1852, re-crossed it again twice by ox team and wagon, raising monuments along the way to commemorate the Trail's original pioneers.
Printed on front: The Old Oregon Trail. The famous Trail, shown on the map, the natural gateway to the Pacific, may be said to date back to the discovery of the South pass of the Rocky Mountains in 1822 by Etienne Provost, although sections of it had been traversed by hardy adventurers in the early part of the seventeenth century. After the buffaloes came the Indians, followed in turn by trappers and traders, and these by the the intrepid missionariies who pointed the way for that mightiest migration of the world's history, the home builders of the Pacific Northwest, to the Oregon country. History does not record so great a movement for so great a distance as this, over a 2,000 mile stretch of an unknown country from the Missouri River to the Pacific coast. The Mormons in 1846 and the gold seekers of Californina in '49 followed the Oregon Trail for more than a thousand miles to the big bend of the Bear River and contended for possession of the single trail then existing, with the still passing throng to Oregon, until in later years parallel tracks were worn deep for long distances as the multitudes jostled each other in their weary westward journey. The Oregon Trail is without its parallel of picturesque sceneries, its tragedies and legends of heroism, that some day will lend a theme for an imperishable epic to go down into history for all ages, as has already been the physical marks along the way to point the spots where the multitudes passed and suffered and died.
