1940 Daffodil Parade; Tacoma Retail Trade Bureau float. Two young women on garden design float. 60-75,000 spectators turned out to view the 1940 parade. They were rewarded by a parade that was just under an hour long, with 26 floats, bands and marching drill teams. (T. Times)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1940 :Tacoma);

This float is bearing her royal highness, Queen Marge I, Daffodil Royalty of 1940. Queen Marge I, 1940 Daffodil Queen, is seventeen year old Puyallup High School senior Marge Roscoe. Selected for her photogenic looks, Queen Marge is also a star on the school's debate team. She rides on the float from her home city of Puyallup, with a crown of daffodils and a regal robe of purple. She is flanked by attendants Lillian Kelly and Ella Reno. (T. Times 3/30/1940, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1940 :Tacoma); Roscoe, Marge;

1940 Daffodil Parade. Rotary International float on residential street. Older wooden houses and Japanese church in background. The center focus of the float is the globe, its continents worked out in daffodils. The float placed first in the service club catagory. See series G20.1 image 130 for another photograph of the same float. (T. Times 3/30/1940, pg.1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1940 :Tacoma);

1940 Daffodil Parade. The Sweepstakes winner in the 7th annual Daffodil Parade was entered by the Tacoma Labor Council. A huge floral bell tolled in the center of the float, topped by doves representing peace. The float is pictured parading through Sumner. Heads of drivers can be seen among flowers on float on which four young girls are riding. Sumner floral sign and house in background. Over 26 floats were entered in the 1940 parade. (T. Times 3/30/1940, pg. 1))

Parades & processions--Sumner--1940-1950; Festivals--Sumner; Floats (Parades)--Sumner--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1940 : Sumner);

The 7th annual Daffodil Parade coursed through Tacoma on March 30, 1940. On the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce float, Charlene Anderson and Wyona Diemer ride in a covered wagon pulled by two floral oxen. Between 60,000-75,000 spectators turned out to view the parade.(T. Times 3/30/1940, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1940 :Tacoma);

1940 Daffodil Parade. Twenty six floats participated in the 7th annual Daffodil Parade on March 30, 1940. The sun only peaked occasionally through the clouds to view the floats covered in the sunshine yellow flowers. The Kiwanis Club float had daffodil seahorses hitched to a sea shell, the carriage of a beautiful blonde girl. (T. Times 3/30/1940, pg. 1))

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1940 :Tacoma);

1940 Daffodil Parade, Brown & Haley Almond Roca float. Man and woman with three women dressed in costumes standing beside float. The float features the vacuum sealed tin of Almond Roca candy. This packaging innovation made it possible for the candy to go "to the four corners of the world." The Brown & Haley float won first place in the commercial division. (T. Times 3/30/1940, pg.1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1940 :Tacoma);

Comic highlights of the 1940 Daffodil Parade. With the sun only peaking through clouds over the parade route, clowns added a note of humor. They took a "perfect sleeper" mattress from the F. S. Harmon float and threw it out on the route at 9th and Broadway. A steamroller, entered in the parade by Woodworth and Cornell, ran over the mattress, flattening it. A unique moment in daffodil history. (T. Times 3/30/1940, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1940 :Tacoma);

1940 Daffodil Parade. Float on truck decorated with daffodils and fir tree branches. Wing-emblem feature of float and also pictured on the girls' sweaters. (T. Times)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1940 :Tacoma);

1940 Daffodil Parade. Sumner float. Five young women in portals of a daffodil fan. The float was portrayed in the Tacoma Times as a giant paddle wheel a-la a Mississippi riverboat, with a beautiful girl in each paddle. Adams Brake Service building in background. See series G20.1 image 134 for a another photograph of the same float. (T. Times)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1940 :Tacoma);

1940 Daffodil Parade; "City of Electric Homes" float, winning first place in the Municipal Division. This float entered by City Lights had a kitchen carpeted with daffodils and filled with various electric appliances. Two women are shown seated in the model home kitchen. Grocery store in apartment building in background. (T. Times 3/30/ 1940, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1940 :Tacoma);

Twelve princesses for the 1956 Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival, dressed in Easter dresses and hats and holding baskets of flowers. Preparations were well underway for the 23rd annual Daffodil Festival to be held on April 9-15, 1956. Twelve candidates were vying for Queen. Seated left to right in row 1 are Dianne Divelbiss of Sumner and Judy Poolman of Sumner. 2nd row: Donna Kaelin of Sumner, Nancy Rosario of Sumner, Cheryl McDonald of Tacoma, Evelyn Strandley of Puyallup. 3rd row: Frances Delano of Puyallup, Connie Vandewall of Puyallup, Judy Nelson of Puyallup, Margaret Strachan of Tacoma. Top Row-Kathy Gustafson of Tacoma and Betty Zevenberger of Tacoma. Margaret Strachan was crowned Queen by Governor Arthur Langley April 9th in Spartan Hall in Sumner. The 18 year old Stadium High School senior was the first Tacoma girl ever elected Queen. Princesses were Diane Divelbiss, 17 year old Sumner senior, and Evelyn Strandley, 16 year old Puyallup junior. (TNT 4/1/1956, pg. D-1, TNT 4/10/1956, pg.1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956); Divelbiss, Dianne; Poolman, Judy; Kaelin, Donna; Rosario, Nancy; McDonald, Cheryl; Strandley, Evelyn; Delano, Frances; Vandewall, Connie; Nelson, Judy; Strachan, Margaret; Gustafson, Kathy; Zevenberger, Betty;

The intersection of 11th & Pacific, a group of young baton twirlers clad in short plaid skirts and white sweaters march in majorette boots performing for the crowd. The identity of this group is not known, but some of the twirlers look hardly larger than their batons. The 1956 parade featured 37 bands and drill teams.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Baton twirling--Tacoma; Drum majorettes--Tacoma;

The intersection of 11th & Pacific, crowds dispersing after the 1956 Daffodil Parade. People have lined up several deep along Pacific to enjoy the parade.The dull, overcast day did not deter the over 100,000 parade viewers in Tacoma; another 50,000 were expected to view the parade in Puyallup and Sumner. In addition, the parade was telecast by local stations who anticipated a viewing audience of over 1 million. The parade was made up of 59 floats, 37 bands and drill teams, 7 cars and 4 mounted units. The parade got underway at 10am in Tacoma and was over 2 hours long. The parade route began at 17th and Broadway, proceeded north on Broadway to 9th, down 9th to Pacific and south on Pacific to 19th. More than 2 million King Alfred daffodils were used to carry out the theme of "Storytime in Daffodils." (TNT 4/12/1956, PG. 1, 4/14/1956, PG.1, 4/15/1956, PG. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma;

Intersection of 11th & Pacific, Johnny Appleseed scatters the seeds of faith on this float entered by the First Assembly of God. In keeping with the 1956 theme of "Storytime in Daffodils," the church has chosen the fable of Johnny Appleseed who seeded the Northwest with groves of apple trees to provide shelter and food. This Johnny sows the seeds of faith next to a small flower bedecked church.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; First Assembly of God (Tacoma);

Cinderella is the theme of this float; the clock has almost struck 12 midnight as Prince Charming, believed to be the newly elected Exalted Ruler of the Elks Norbert E. Grove, attempts to fit the slipper back on Cinderella's foot. This charming salute to the Cinderella fairy tale won first place in Division 4, fraternal groups, for the Elks. The carriage and castle are all covered with sunny yellow daffodils. (TNT4/14/1956, pg. 1; 4/15/1956, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Tacoma Lodge No. 174 (Tacoma); Grove, Norbert;

Fabled logging giant Paul Bunyan and his blue ox Babe are featured on this float designed for St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. This float won the Sweepstakes Award in the 23rd annual Daffodil Festival Parade. The 45 foot float was the longest and lowest single unit in parade history. Designed by Roy E. Stier, it was covered with 40,000 daffodils and 3,000 blue daisies. St. Paul and Tacoma had won many Festival Parade awards and was known for its beautiful and original floats. TPL-2034

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

The characters from the famous L. Frank Baum childrens' book "The Wizard of Oz" populate this float in the Daffodil Parade. Waving to the audience are Dorothy, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and Princess Ozma of Oz. The Oz float was sponsored by the West Coast Grocery's Shop Rite Markets and won the Festival Award for 1956. The float had an 8 x 10 replica of the book and used 40,000 daffodils for coverage. (TNT 4/14/1956, pg. 1; 4/15/1956, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The nursery rhyme "Mary Mary, quite contrary" is the theme of this float; Mary waves to the crowd as she waters streams of flowers on her garden of "pretty maids all in a row." This float was sponsored by the Sears and Roebuck Co. and won first place in the Retail division, division 8. The parade viewers are bundled up in coats and hats as the day was dull and overcast, but the pretty maids show off their stems in short skirts. (TNT 4/14/1956, pg. 1; 4/15/1956, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Tacoma);

This float, designed for the Omaha Woodman Life Insurance Society, has a frontier theme and appears to be populated by Boy Scouts. The Scouts embrace the frontier way of life foraging for their own food by rifle, bow and arrow and fishing. Two boys wave a large American flag. A floral log cabin occupies the front half of the float. This was one of 59 floral float entries in the 1956 parade, the 23rd annual Daffodil Festival Parade.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma--1950-1960; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Omaha Woodman Life Insurance Society (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Retail Trade Bureau seems to have transported this float directly from the Arabian Nights to the Daffodil Festival. Two harem girls in black two piece outfits adorn the front of the float, while the sultan sits cross legged in the rear. The two Nubian slaves appear to be floral mannequins. The flower bedecked float adheres to the 1956 theme of "Storytime in Daffodils" and won first place in Division 6, other clubs and organizations.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Retail Trade Bureau (Tacoma);

McKinnon's Department store's contribution to the 1956 Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival parade is dedicated to "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin eater." It is the story of a man who couldn't hang on to his wife, so he put her in a pumpkin shell where she seems quite content to remain in this picture. A bevy of beautiful girls with daffodil chain crowns ride on the front of the float. This float won third place in Division 8, retail stores, behind Sears and Rhodes.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1956 : Tacoma); Festivals--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; McKinnon's Department Store (Tacoma);

Narrows Bridge - McChord Field Parade, Tacoma Elks Lodge #174 Golden Jubilee float. Noted by newspapers as one of the most beautiful floats, the Elks Lodge float had the honor of being the first float in the massive July 1, 1940, parade. Just hours before, Governor Clarence D. Martin had officially opened the new (first) Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The parade was held in honor of the bridge and also the opening of the country's newest and most modern airbase, McChord Field. The lodge was also celebrating its Golden Jubilee, the lodge's 50th anniversary in Tacoma. More than 400 Elks marched in the parade, by far the largest represented group. (T. Times, 7-2-40, p. 3).

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Tacoma Lodge No. 174 (Tacoma);

Narrows Bridge - McChord Field Parade, Brown Floral Company float. Four women seated among large baskets of floral sprays during the July 1, 1940, parade honoring the openings of the (first) Tacoma Narrows Bridge and McChord Field. The sight of beautifully decorated commercial floats from Brown's and Carsten's Packing drew enthusiastic responses from the massive throngs viewing the 1 1/2 hour parade. Brown's has been a longtime institution in Tacoma; it is still located at 4734 South Tacoma Way. (T. Times, 7-1-40, p. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Narrows Bridge/ McChord Field Parade; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Brown's Conservatory of Flowers (Tacoma);

Narrows Bridge - McChord Field Parade, Tacoma Public Utilities, Light Department float. City Light and its counterpart, Seattle City Light, both sponsored brilliantly lit floats featuring dams during the July 1, 1940, parade honoring the opening of the (first) Tacoma Narrows Bridge and McChord Field. Tacoma City Light's large float was sculpted with representations of the Olympic Mountains, Cushman Dam, and the Narrows Bridge. The small children on the float are fishing, skiing, hunting, and boating. The designated theme was "Gateway to the Olympics." (T. Times, 7-2-40, p. 1).

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Narrows Bridge/ McChord Field Parade; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Public utility companies--Tacoma; Power plants;

Narrows Bridge - McChord Field Parade, July 1, 1940. Sponsored by the Peninsula community, and taking note of the 1940 presidential elections, an automobile festooned with flags, greenery and a portrait of President Roosevelt with caption "He gave us the bridge, he will protect it" injected a political aspect into the July 1, 1940, parade. A solemn "Uncle Sam" rests his hand on the stopped vehicle. The Republicans countered with a Wendell Willkie float of their own. Other signs include: "Watch the Peninsula Grow:" and "Rosedale." The massive parade was just one of the many celebratory events occuring June 29 - July 4 which honored the openings of the new (first) Tacoma Narrows Bridge and McChord Field. Others included the annual Y.M.B.C. water carnival, block parties, and a July 4th extravaganza at Stadium Bowl. (T. Times, 7-2-40, p. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Narrows Bridge/ McChord Field Parade; Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Political campaigns; Signs (Notices); Flags;

Japanese American representation at the Narrows Bridge/McChord Field Parade. On June 29, 1940 Tacoma began six days of events to celebrate the openings of both the 1st Tacoma Narrows Bridge and McChord Field, and the 4th of July. The events on July 1, 1940, included the official ribbon cutting ceremony at the bridge and a grand parade. The Japanese communities of Tacoma and Seattle were represented by a float which was preceded by a score or more of marching Japanese young women. Each of the marchers was attired in a Japanese kimono, and each carried a brightly colored, bell covered wand. Marching ahead of the women were the drum & bugle corps of the First Hill district, Seattle Boy Scouts (not pictured.) Businesses in background: left to right, The Laurel Apartments, Rowland - Hulscher Adams Brake Service, Northern Laundry Cleaning and Pressing. (T. Times, 7-2-40, p. 3). TPL-2174

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Narrows Bridge/ McChord Field Parade; Japanese Americans--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Kimonos;

Narrows Bridge - McChord Field Parade, July 1, 1940. Farm Maid Dairy Bar/Tacoma Milk Producers/KMO Radio float carrying a large group of young people on back of decorated truck. The children wave merrily to parade viewers as they and their streamer-bedecked truck pass by. The City of Tacoma threw on a huge celebration in honor of the opening of the first Narrows Bridge and the newest national airbase, McChord Flying Field. Crowds estimated between 60,000-100,000 viewed the 1 1/2 hour parade after the bridge dedication. (T. Times, 7-2-40, p. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Signs (Notices); Dairy products industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; KMO Radio Station (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Narrows Bridge/ McChord Field Parade;

Narrows Bridge - McChord Field Parade, July 1, 1940. Large group of men dressed as Native Americans with war paint. These representatives of the fraternal order "Improved Order of Redmen" marched in the celebratory parade, honoring the grand openings of the new (first) Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the country's newest airbase, McChord Field. Crowds estimated from 60,000-100,000 watched the 1 1/2 hour parade as it wove its way through downtown Tacoma. The Order of the Redmen was founded in 1765 as the Sons of Liberty. It was a secret society dedicated to throwing off the bonds of English tyranny. After the revolution, it assumed its current name. The group is devoted to inspiring a greater love of the United States of America and the principles of American liberty. (T. Times, 7-2-40, p. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Indians of North America--Tacoma; Headdresses; Drill teams--Tacoma; Improved Order of Redmen (Tacoma); Narrows Bridge/ McChord Field Parade;

On July 1, 1940, there was a parade in Tacoma to celebrate the openings of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and McChord Field. The most unusual float was that of Tacoma's YMCA, Phalanx Club. Four young men, their bodies silvered, rode on a float while holding up a large globe. Here are the men - minus the globe. Before the year's end, the bridge, which quickly became known as Galloping Gertie, had collapsed into the Narrows. (T. Times, 7-2-40, p. 3).

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Narrows Bridge/ McChord Field Parade; Young Men's Christian Association (Tacoma); Body painting--Tacoma;