School children from Buckley and Elk Plain visited the Washington State Historical Society museum; they were guided through an imaginary trip across the plains during the time of the late Ezra Meeker. View of Chapin D. Foster (foreground, facing the children), Secretary and Director of the Washington State Historical Society museum, also known as the Ferry Museum, speaking to the visiting students (T.N.T., 4/6/49, p. 9).

School children--Tacoma; School field trips--Tacoma; Art exhibitions--Tacoma; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);

Gov. Arthur B. Langlie speaking at dedication of Liberty Bell replica at Washington State Historical Society in front of a capacity crowd. Sociey Pres.S A. Perkins sits to the governor's left; woman in large hat is Margaret Marshall, descendant of Chief Justice John Marshall. It was at the funeral procession of John Marshall in 1835 that the original Liberty Bell cracked. Identical in design, lettering, and calibration to the original bell, the replica weighs over a ton and stands six feet in height, measuring twelve feet in circumference at the lip and four feet at the crown. (TNT 7-8-50, p. 10; TNT 7-11-50, p. 19)

Governors; Langlie, Arthur B., 1900-1966; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Bells;

On July 9, 1950 Governor Arthur B Langlie accepted an exact replica of the Liberty Bell in the name of the residents of Washington state. The replica was one of 53 donated by the Copper Industry of America to each state, territory, and the District of Columbia . The bells were made in Annecy, France, and are identical in design, lettering, and calibration to the original Liberty Bell. Left to right: Governor Arthur B. Langlie, Washington State Historical Society President S.A. "Sam" Perkins, Society Director Chapin Foster. (TNT 7-8-50, p. 10; TNT 7-11-50, p. 19)

Governors; Langlie, Arthur B., 1900-1966; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Bells;

Tacoma Sculpturing Club has helped many homemakers become interested in wood carving as a hobby. The club meets regularly in the Bryant Creative Art Center at Bryant School. During World War II the club members volunteered with the Red Cross arts and crafts unit. The club is showing their work at the Washington State Historical Society museum, formerly known as the Ferry Museum (T.N.T., 5/1/49, p. D-5 & 5/8/49, p. A-13).

Tacoma Sculpturing Club (Tacoma); Wood carvings; Art; Art exhibitions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays;

The Pacific Gallery Artist Exhibit opened November 7, 1950, at the Washington State Historical museum in conjunction with American Art Week. L-R are, Chapin D. Foster, museum director; Helen Arter, exhibit assistant chairman, who is holding her "The Flowers", done in oil; and Vera Erickson, exhibit chairman, who is showing her watercolor "1889", of the old Hewitt home on North 4th and E Streets. Ruth Clark's work was also represented. Ordered by Tribune, Barbara Dana. (TNT, 11/9/1950, p.24)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Foster, Chapin D.; Arter, Helen; Erickson, Vera;

Posed with an elegent walking stick umbrella, Mrs. Valen Honeywell is wearing a new fall suit provided by Lou Johnson, Inc. Her suit has a definite nipped-in waistline and very slim skirt. Suede pumps and a small velvet hat with veil complete her ensemble. Mrs. Honeywell is the wife of the deputy county prosecuting attorney. Washington State Historical Society Museum is in the background. TNT 9-12-50, p. C-5) TPL-9336

Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1950-1960; Women--Tacoma--1950-1960; Honeywell, Valen--Family;

Two alcoves at Historical Building, McCormick Room, State Historical Society, Mr. Foster. Mr. and Mrs. William L. McCormick gave this alcove display that honors Isaac I. Stevens, the Washington Territory's first governor, and another alcove, honoring Mr. McCormick's father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Laird McCormick, to the State Historical Society. In the center is the desk Isaac I. Stevens used in his office in Olympia made of black walnut. Cases on either side house Stevens' flags, one of which Stevens carried while a general in the northern army in 1865 at the Battle of Chantilly when he lost his life. (TNT, 7/3/1949, p.A-3)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; McCormick, William L.; Gifts;

Washington State Historical Society, ladies dressed in costume for the Centennial. Ordered by the TNT. One of the events planned in Tacoma to help celebrate the Washington State Territorial Centennial was a Pioneer Tea held at the Washington State Historical Museum. The tea was intended to showcase the Museum's fine collection of artifacts. It was sponsored by the Tacoma & Steilacoom chapters of the Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington and three chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution (the Mary Ball, Virginia Dare & Elizabeth Foley chapters) who served in period costumes. A musical program was provided by the Ladies' Musical Club. Pictured, left to right, Janet Judson Russell, Nellie Hartl, Josephine Alexander, Mrs. William Sechler, Josephine Bertschy, Minnie Birkie, Mrs. P.M. Simons, Isabel Wells, Mildred McCallum, Flora Blackwell and Mrs. F.L. Gordon (TNT 8/23/1953, pg. D-4 & photo TNT 8/30/1953, pg. D-7)

Celebrations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Centennial celebrations--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington (Tacoma); Daughters of the American Revolution (Tacoma);

1973 Richards stock footage. By May of 1973, construction appears to be complete on the new wing of the Washington State Historical Society Building, 315 North Stadium Way. The new construction was designed by Tacoma architects Lea, Pearson & Richards to include room for a new library, auditorium and permanent gallery for Western art. It was located at the rear of the original structure.

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma;

Democratic Congresswoman Julia Butler Hansen and Washington State Historical Society president Reno Odlin pose before a display of paintings by Cathlamet pioneer Maude Kimball Butler on August 11, 1973. Mrs. Butler, the wife of former Wahkiakum County sheriff Donald Butler, was the mother of Mrs. Hansen and an accomplished watercolorist. Her paintings were on display at the Washington State Historical Society museum. Congresswoman Hansen was present at the annual meeting of the Washington State Historical Society. Photograph ordered by the Washington State Historical Society. (TNT 8-21-73, A-9 article)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Hansen, Julia Butler; Legislators--Washington--1970-1980; Paintings;

ca. 1971. 1971 Richards color stock footage. Progress photographs of new addition to the Washington State Historical Society building in 1971. Forms are in place and plywood stacked nearby. The majestic Stadium High School is in the background. The $1,000,000 wing was expected to take a year to complete. Architects in charge were the firm of Lea, Pearson & Richards. (TNT 2-7-71, A-1 -sketch)

Progress photographs; Building construction--Tacoma--1970-1980; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Stadium High School (Tacoma);

Washington State Historical Society secretary William P. Bonney with the Lister table on steps of the Ferry Museum. The table was donated to the Society by Alfred Lister on the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the J.H. Lister family in Tacoma. The Listers emigrated from England and established Standard Iron Works in Tacoma. They grew to hold important city and state governmental and banking posts. The inlaid table was made by J.H. Lister in 1900, when he was 70 years old. It contains 5209 accurately cut pieces, 4163 of which are in the top. Bonney accepted the table on behalf of the Society. (T. Times 10/13/1934, pg. 9, E.T. Short's column "After Many Years")

Bonney, William P.; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ferry Museum (Tacoma); Antiques;

Among the most cherished possessions of Eliza Ferry Leary was the Bible used to administer the oath of office to her father, Elisha P. Ferry, the first governor of Washington State. After Mrs. Leary died, the Bible was deposited with the Washington State Historical Society. W.P. Bonney, sitting at Governor Ferry's desk, at which he wrote his first message to the legislature, reads the inscription on the fly leaf of the Bible to Ruth and Harold Wheeler. The Wheelers were students in the History department at the College of Puget Sound. The chair in which Mr. Bonney is seated was made in 1854 for Isaac I. Stevens, the first governor of the Washington Territory. (T.Times, 11/11/1937 p. 14)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Bibles--Tacoma; Bonney, William P.; Wheeler, Harold; Wheeler, Ruth; Stevens, Isaac Ingalls, 1818-1862--Associated objects; Ferry, Elisha P., 1825-1895--Associated objects;

Sculptor Alonzo Victor Lewis standing by stairs in new top floor art gallery of Ferry Museum. (T. Times)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ferry Museum (Tacoma); Lewis, Alonzo Victor; Art;

Washington State Historical Society building addition. Curator William P. Bonney directs masonry crew constructing the new third floor of the building. Addition by Mock and Morrison, Architects. Original photograph, see D881-3 for cropped version. (T. Times 03/30/37 p. 1)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bonney, William P.; Remodeling;

Northwest pioneer Ezra Meeker is pictured on November 25, 1924, at the wheel of a White motor bus parked at the Ferry Museum, 315 North Stadium Way. Lettering on the bus promotes Nevada's Transcontinental Highways Exposition. Ezra Meeker had originally crossed the old Oregon Trail using oxen more than 50 years ago, quite a contrast to the modern convenience of land travel, a tour bus. Officials of the upcoming Transcontinental Highways Exposition in Reno had made a promotional stop in Tacoma, one of the many scheduled in their eleven state tour. G1.1-130 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-30-24, 6G)

Meeker, Ezra, 1830-1928; Buses;

Bearded pioneer Ezra Meeker posed with a group of men and women outside the Ferry Museum, 315 North Stadium Way, on November 25, 1924. Behind them was parked a small White bus advertising Nevada's Transcontinental Highways Exposition to be held in Reno from June 1-October 1, 1926. Next to Mr. Meeker on the right were W.B. Gelatt and Joseph Hutchinson, officials for the Transcontinental Highways Exposition. The women are Mrs. Gelatt and Jean Taylor of Reno. The group was touring eleven western states on behalf of the exposition, to be held in Reno in 1926. TPL-5687; G1.1-132A (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-30-24, 6-G)

Meeker, Ezra, 1830-1928; Ferry Museum (Tacoma); Buses; Gelatt, W.B.; Gelatt, W.B.--Family; Hutchinson, Joseph; Taylor, Jean;

April, 1961, sun-drenched view of the Neo-Classical Washington State Historical Society building overlooking Commencement Bay. The historical society was holding its 70th annual meeting on April 8, 1961. Reno Odlin was re-elected president of the Board of Curators; guest speaker R. Franklin Thompson, president of the University of Puget Sound, reviewed the history of the historical society. 35 years later, the historical society would build a new history museum on Pacific Avenue. TPL-2338 (TNT 4-9-61, A-18)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1960-1970;

A juxtaposition of old and new is the site of the venerable Washington State Historical Society Building and its new wing as pictured on November 9, 1973. After more than two years of planning and construction, the Historical Society opened its doors to the new four-story addition. Although it would not be completed until January of 1974, the majority of the building was finished enough so that visitors could tour the facility in May of 1973. A formal dedication with Dr. Louis L. Tucker as key speaker, was held on Saturday, October 6, 1973. Attendees were welcome to tour the new wing with its collection of murals, glassware, Edward W. Allen historic maps and Arthur Rowan early American quilts. Photograph ordered by the Washington State Historical Society. (TNT 10-4-73, A1, A-4 article; TNT 10-7-73, H-10 article)

Building construction--Tacoma--1970-1980; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);

1971 progress photograph of new construction at the Washington State Historical Building. A new wing had been designed by Tacoma architects Lea, Pearson & Richards that would include a new library, 300-seat auditorium and permanent gallery featuring Western art. The addition was expected to cost over $1,000,000. The addition was scheduled to open on Friday, May 4, 1973 although final work would not be completed until January 1, 1974. The four-story, 30,000 sq. ft. structure about doubled the size of the old facility. Besides a new elevator, restrooms would be placed on every floor and a large rooftop deck for outdoor exhibits was planned. Further improvements planned were a large parking lot and additional landscaping. Color photograph taken on spec but not ordered by the Washington State Historical Society. (TNT 4-29-73, Tahoman insert, p. 2-article)

Progress photographs; Building construction--Tacoma--1970-1980; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);

W.P. Bonney, left, of the Washington State Historical Society, and Harvey Scofield, expert rifleman and small arms authority, examine an old, American-made "Kentucky Rifle" used by Levant Frederick Thompson in the Indian War of 1855. Mr. Thompson was the youngest member of the first territorial legislature and the oldest member of the first state legislature. (T. Times, 5/26/38, p. 2).

Bonney, William P.; Guns; Firearms; Scofield, Harvey;