ca. 1914. Joe Thomas behind the wheel of his Mercer automobile at the Tacoma Speedway circa 1914. His "mechanician" is believed to be named Kindic. Mr. Thomas, from Seattle, was entered solely in the InterCity 100-mile race on July 3rd. He did not place in the top 5. In 1915 Mr. Thomas again entered the InterCity race but his Mercer failed to start. Unlike many of his colleagues, he survived his racing career and by 1939, was the head of the Washington State safety inspection station in Tacoma.

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Mercer automobile; Thomas, Joe;

ca. 1914. Driver named Billy Taylor behind the wheel of an Alco "six" at the Tacoma Speedway with an unidentified mechanic probably during the July 3 & 4, 1914, races. Racers at that time were accompanied by their mechanics who were able to fit into the streamlined vehicles. Mr. Taylor was from Los Angeles and drove the vehicle owned by A. H. Woolacott, a broker and member of the Los Angeles Stock Exchange. He would end up in fifth place during the final race for the Montamarathon trophy, completing 250 miles without more than one stop for tire change. (TNT 6-21-14, 2-B-article; TNT 7-5-14, p. 1-results; Sunday Daily Ledger, 7-5-14, p. 1+-results)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Alco automobile; Taylor, Billy;

ca. 1914. Driver and his "mechanician" at Tacoma Speedway. The driver behind the wheel is possibly Jack A. Croston, a Tacoma resident who entered the July 3, 1914 InterCity 100-mile race limited to cars from cities in the Pacific Northwest. He had car #1 and was the first entrant. His Chevrolet had a very small motor, one of the smallest of the cars entered. Mr. Croston was the manager of the Chevrolet Motor Sales Co. and had a great deal of experience in Buicks, Nationals and Chevys. The man seated next to him is possibly J.J. Crane, his "mechanician." Mr. Crane, also of Tacoma, was the head of Tacoma Automobile Machine Works. The duo would finish fifth out of twelve cars in the InterCity race which was won by Jim Parsons of Seattle in his Frantz. (TNT 6-21-14, 2-B-article; TNT 6-28-14, 3-D-article; TNT 7-3-14, p. 1-results)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920;

ca. 1914. Car #26, driven by N. Latta, and car #21, believed to be a Studebaker driven by H. Staley, drive past the grandstand of the Tacoma Speedway. This race is believed to be the July 1914 InterCity 100-mile race held at the Tacoma Speedway which featured cars from cities in the Pacific Northwest. Driver Latta, from Seattle, drove the #26 Lozier which came in third place in the race. The News Tribune noted that Latta did not pit or stop on the racetrack before crossing the finish line. Latta won $250 and Staley, the 4th place winner, earned $150 for the race. Jim Parsons, also of Seattle, was the winner among the twelve cars entered. He picked up a prize of $750. (TNT 7-3-14, p. 1-results; Sunday Daily Ledger, 7-5-14, p. 1+, p. 16-articles; TDN 7-3-14, p. 1-results)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Grandstands--Lakewood; Sports spectators--Lakewood; Crowds--Lakewood;

ca. 1914. Driver Billy Taylor from California and his unidentified "mechanician" in A.H. Woolacott's big Alco #12 at the 1914 Tacoma Speedway races. Mr. Taylor had driven the car to a second place finish in the Vanderbilt Cup race at Santa Monica the previous winter, outracing several cars who were really faster. This so impressed car owner A.H. Woolacott that he entered the Alco with Mr. Taylor as driver in the July 3 & 4th races at the Tacoma Speedway. The Alco would come in 5th at the closing race of the Montamara Festo which was won by Earl Cooper of California for the second straight year. (TNT 6-21-14, 2-B-article; TNT 7-5-14, p. 1-article on results)

Taylor, Billy; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Alco automobile;

ca. 1914. H. C. Terrien behind the wheel of the "Pacific Car Special" in Tacoma for race at Tacoma Speedway. Mechanic is Oscar Soderburg (name misspelled on print). Herman C. Terrien, from Tacoma, entered his small Regal in the InterCity race on July 3, 1914. The 100-mile race was restricted to cars from cities in the Pacific Northwest. His Regal, #9, was worked on with Bob Field at the Pacific Car Co. The race was won by Seattle's Jim Parsons in his Frantz car. Mr. Terrien's car was not among the top five finishers. (TNT 6-21-14, 2-B-article, 10-A-alt. photograph; TNT 7-3-14, p. 1-results)

Terrien, Herman C.; Soderburg, Oscar; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Regal automobile;

ca. 1914. Frank Verbeck behind the wheel of his Fiat (car # 11) on the track at the Tacoma Speedway in July of 1914. Accompanying him was Forrest C. Smithson, his mechanic. Mr. Smithson was a world-class and Olympic hurdler. The Fiat ran in both the 200-mile and 250-mile races which attracted entries from the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere. Since the Fiat had raced here the past two years, expectations were high for another successful finish. Unfortunately the car did not perform well and Mr. Verbeck won neither race. (TNT 6-21-14, 2-B-article; TNT 6-28-14, 3-D-alt. photograph; TNT 7-5-14, p. 1+-results)

Verbeck, Frank; Smithson, Forrest C.; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Fiat automobile;

ca. 1914. This is possibly H. Staley and his unidentified "mechanician" aboard car #21, believed to be a Studebaker, preparing for the Montamara Festo races in early July of 1914. Driver Staley captured 4th place and $150 in the Inter-City Century, a 100-mile race held at the Tacoma Speedway on July 3rd. (TDL 7-4-14, p. 5-list of drivers; Tacoma Sunday Ledger 7-5-14, p. 16-results)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Automobile racing drivers;

Undated photograph of a ship docked at the Port of Tacoma.

Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);

Copy of sketch of proposed hotel at the site of the Tacoma Theater Building, 9th & Broadway, by architect Roland E. Borhek; copy made 4-15-1925. Mr. Borhek was a well known Tacoma architect with offices in the Puget Sound National Bank building. He had been the associate architect for the Winthrop Hotel design and was responsible for many Tacoma buildings including the Titus Motor Co. structure (built originally for the Pacific Car Co.) at 616-24 Broadway, Jason Lee Intermediate School (6th & Sprague), Stewart Intermediate School (5010 Pacific Ave.), Hickey Apartment Hotel (Walker Apartments) at 405 Sixth Ave., the Auditorium Building (1308-10 Fawcett) and the Hiroshimaya Hotel (15th & Market). Mr. Borhek was to also be architect in charge of the 1930's Fort Nisqually reconstruction at Point Defiance.

Architectural drawings;

Undated photograph, copied by Boland Studios on March 7, 1927, of Matthaei Baking Co.'s first bakery, probably in Kansas City. Two men, one in baker's garb, casually pose in the doorway of the Bakery & Confectionery store. A third man with a derby is on the far left. None of the men were identified. The bakery's windows have breads, cakes and pies on display. Potted flowers and plants rest on a ledge above the store's marquee. G33.1-014

Bakeries; Merchandise displays;

View of the Steilacoom-Longbranch ferry. Copy of photograph made on May 23, 1927, per the request from the Washington Navigation Co. Date of original print is unknown. Ferry is clearly labeled "City of Steilacoom" in several places aboard ship. G66.1-088

Ferries;

Unnumbered race car with unidentified driver and "mechanician" photographed on the Tacoma Speedway post-1913. 1913 was the last year of the track's dirt surface. From 1914 to 1922 cars ran on a board track, pictured here. The dapper driver is wearing a bow tie, striped white shirt and vest. His protective goggles are propped over his cloth/leather headgear. G52.1-007

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood; Automobile racing--Lakewood; Racing automobiles; Automobile racing drivers;

This is a copy of the January 6, 1866, issue of Harper's Weekly, pgs. 8-9, that was photographed by Marvin Boland on February 7, 1932. The article and drawings are of the "Mercer Girls," a sample of the 400 women recruited by Asa Mercer, then president of the Washington Territory University, to emigrate to the Northwest. Washington Territory was sorely lacking females so Mr. Mercer chartered the steamer "Continental" to bring intelligent women from New England and the Midwest so they could be teachers and seamstresses. He had tried this experiment on a smaller scale a few years prior but found that his new teachers quickly married and replacements were not available in the area.

Internal migration;

Undated photograph of tank maneuvers at Fort Lewis. Copy made by photographer Marvin Boland on May 18, 1934. G70.1-010

Tanks (Military science)--Fort Lewis;

A copy was made by photographer Marvin Boland on May 18, 1934, of this picture of a tank running over a man-made wood-and-dirt obstacle during maneuvers at Fort Lewis. Date of original photograph is not known. G70.1-018

Tanks (Military science)--Fort Lewis;

Undated photograph of the Port of Tacoma

Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);

Undated photograph of the Port of Tacoma.

Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);

Undated photograph of the Port of Tacoma.

Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);

Copy of hotel register made for court purposes by Boland Studios on September 21, 1925. This image is of the Butler Hotel registration desk entry for part of October, 1924. The guest's name, city of residence, room number, time of arrival and time of departure were noted. On the far left of the page are the dates when the rooms were occupied. According to the 1925 City Directory, the Butler Hotel was located at 824 A Street in downtown Tacoma. G31.1-005

Recording & registration--Tacoma; Registers;

Undated photograph of Mount Tacoma (Rainier) from Eagle's Peak. Copy made on April 13, 1927. G76.1-071

Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

Bow-view of the ferry "Wollochet." Date of original print is not known; copy made on May 23, 1927. The "Wollochet" was built by the Skansie Shipyards in 1925 for service between Tacoma and Wollochet Bay and Fox Island. Her name would be changed to "Fox Island" while still under service with the Washington Navigation Co. TPL-7914; G66.1-087

Ferries--1920-1930;

Copy of undated photograph of Tacoma Grain Co. and Pyramid Flour mills on Tacoma's waterfront. Pyramid Flour was a product of Tacoma Grain. Tacoma Grain was incorporated in 1893 (built in 1890 by Northern Pacific Elevator Co.) and would become Centennial Flouring Mills in 1934. Copy of this photograph was made on February 19, 1928. G34.1-120

Tacoma Grain Co. (Tacoma); Flour & meal industry--Tacoma;

Copy of color painting believed to have been from the brush of noted Western artist Charles M. Russell. Two Native American men, armed with rifles, are hiding behind a rocky ridge. They may be waiting for an opportune moment to fire at the herd of animals on a nearby mountain top. Charles M. Russell, 1864-1926, created more than 4000 works of art including many paintings of cowboys, Native Americans and Western landscapes. (www.cmrussell.org) The date of this original painting is not given; copy made by Boland Studios on July 5, 1928.

Paintings;

Undated photograph of Mount Tacoma (Rainier); copy made by Boland Studios on December 16, 1928. Traces of snow still cling to the mountainside. G76.1-070

Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

Display of First Consul Cigars combined with automobile tires meant to reflect Barney Oldfield's Cords. This undated photograph promoted the dean of American racing, Barney Oldfield, his Oldfield brand of tires, and First Consul cigars. Mr. Oldfield had been pictured many times with a cigar clenched between his teeth while tearing up tracks although his favored type seemed to be Havanas. The First Consul brand was established by F. Garcia & Bros. Cigar Co. circa 1895 and generally featured a photograph of Napolean on its lid. At the time this photograph was taken, First Consul Cigars could be purchased for a dime each or 2 for 25 cents. G52.1-124; G56.1-017; TPL-2631

Merchandise displays; Cigars; Tires;