Tacoma Art League was presenting the work of Colonel C. Ross Greening at the Washington State Historical Building. Colonel Greening painted his graphic paintings while in a German Prison Camp. Colonel Greening was the inventor of the "10 Cent Bomb Site", this technique was used by Colonel James Doolittle in his Tokyo raid. View of Colonel C. Ross Greening explaining his art work to a member of the Tacoma Art League (T. Times, 1/24/48, p. 5).

Tacoma Art League (Tacoma); Art exhibitions--Tacoma; Art; Painting--Tacoma; Artists--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Veterans; Greening, C. Ross;

Meeting of Fine Arts Studio Club at the Washington State Historical Society Building, TNT, Ernie Knight. Members of the Fine Arts Studio Club of Tacoma met at the Washington State Historical Society Building. They heard songs accompanied by one of the members playing on an old, square piano and were taken on a tour of the current exhibits including one of old musical instruments. (TNT, 2/22/1948, p.B-4)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Fine Arts Studio Club (Tacoma); Group portraits; Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Meeting of Fine Arts Studio Club at the Washington State Historical Society Building, TNT, Ernie Knight. Members of the Fine Arts Studio Club were taken on a tour of the Washington State Historical Society's collections with special attention given to the rare, old musical instruments that were housed there. Members were allowed to play the instruments. Fritz Berntsen played an old guitar, Adeline F. (Mrs. Byron) Foreman an autoharp, C.N. Arendt a flageolet, Eliz (Mrs. Fritz) Berntsen a concertina and Paul Prentice a Chinese stringed instrument. (TNT, 2/22/1948, p. B-4; 3/7/1948, p. B-4))

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Fine Arts Studio Club (Tacoma); Musical instruments--Tacoma--1940-1950; Wind instruments; Autoharps--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stringed instruments; Lutes; Musicians--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Twelve students from Bryant Elementary School, dressed in colonial costumes, pose in front of the old Washington State Historical Society building, 315 No. Stadium Way, in February, 1953. Looking very much like little George and Martha Washingtons, the boys have white pigtailed "wigs" while the girls are adorned with white decorated caps. The students were first graders whose teacher, Mrs. Donald Fries, taught them to dance the stately and graceful minuet. Students pictured are: Calvin Bertram, Paul Dessen, Craig Luoma, David Peschek, Mark Redal, Fred Wahlgren, Patricia Dillinger, Linda Fote, Geri Rickard, Diane Thomson, Mary Lee Merz and Mary Louise Dotter. (TNT 2-22-53, D-1, D-2) TPL-10188

School children--Tacoma--1950-1960; Costumes; Dancers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);

The Washington State Historical Society Building welcomed a new Indian department on March 1, 1953; it would eventually include the entire fourth floor excluding the library. There were apparently Indian artifacts from various tribes across the state, including the Columbia, Flathead, Chewelah and Kutenai. View of Indian department; displays include baskets, masks, blankets, clothing and a framed painting from the Edward S. Curtis collection. The tepee shown was made by the Yakama tribe; it was placed in front of a scene donated by Yakima pioneers including Walter Purdin. Photograph ordered by Chapin Foster. (TNT 3-1-53, A-4)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Tipis--Tacoma; Baskets; Masks--Tacoma;

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);

Washington State Historical Society, ladies dressed in costume for the Centennial pose with Territorial artifacts. Ordered by the TNT. One of the highlights of the week long city wide celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the Northwest Territory was the Pioneer Tea. It was hosted by members of the local chapters of the Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington and the Daughters of the American Revolution attired in pioneer outfits. Pictured, left to right, are Mrs. Clyde Davidson, Della Gould Emmons, Miss Ruby Blackwell, Florence Hoegh and Clara E. Goering, general chairman for the week long city celebration. (TNT 8/20/1953, pg. D-7)

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

Chapin Foster and Mr. Eastman stand beside model in Northern Pacific Railway (Railroad) alcove at Washington State Historical Society. Model represents arrival of train at New Tacoma depot with factories, houses, bay in background.

Chapin D. Foster and Dean H. Eastman present a new exhibit at the Washington State Historical Society depicting Northern Pacific Railway's first transcontinental train arriving at Tacoma's 17th and Pacific Avenue depot. Dean H. Eastman, assistant vice president of Northern Pacific, represented the company in development of the scene. The exhibit was the work of Kenn E. Johnson, a Tacoma artist. (TNT, 1/12/1952, p.B-5)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Foster, Chapin D.; Eastman, Dean H.; Railroad companies--Tacoma; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Catherine G. (Mrs. Harry) Compton was in charge of the doll show which was one of the most important special events of the year at the Washington State Historical Society. Mrs. Compton is shown with a group of dolls that were to be on display. All doll collectors in the Tacoma area were urged to participate. Dolls with costumes and from all over the world were shown. (TNT, 2/24/1952, p.A-7)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Dolls; Compton, Catherine G.;

George Ball, age 12, of Redondo Beach, received a $25 check from the Tacoma Society of Architects for submitting the best design for a base of the replica of the Statue of Liberty that was to be erected by the Tacoma area Boy Scouts on the grounds of the Washington State Historical Society. L-R, Nelson J. Morrison, chairman of the architects' selection committee; Chapin D. Foster, director of the State Historical Society; George Ball; Farlin Nye, chairman of the project committee; and Lyle Swedberg, president of the Tacoma Society of Architects. (TNT, 5/20/1951, p.B-1)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Foster, Chapin D.; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Ball, George; Nye, Farlin; Morrison, Nelson J.; Swedberg, Lyle;

Roger Gotteland of Seattle, French Consular Agent, speaking in Tacoma at the unveiling of a replica of the Statue of Liberty at the Washington State Historical Society. The replica was presented to the Washington State Historical Society by the Mount Rainier Council of Boy Scouts, comprising part of King and Pierce counties. The statue was the first to be erected in Washington as part of a national Scout Americanization program. Ordered by Mr. Foster. (TNT, 7/15/1951, p.1)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Foster, Chapin D.; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);

On June 27, 1951, a replica of the "Statue of Liberty" was unveiled at the Washington State Historical Building, 315 North Stadium Way, with ceremonies and speeches. More than 200 Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts and Cubs from the Mt. Rainier Council of Boy Scouts, who financed the replica through paper drives, marched with their color guards. The procession was led by a World War II Naval veteran. The unveiling proclamation was spoken by Scout Joe Crawford. James Pomeroy, Kenneth Riis and Hugh Judd pulled the veil from the statue. Roger Gotteland of Seattle, the French Consular Agent, spoke at the unveiling. There are over 200 of these replicas in 39 states in the U.S. and several of its possessions and territories. The copper statues were erected in the early 1950's by Boy Scout troops and others to celebrate Scouting�s 40th anniversary theme, "Strengthen the Arm of Liberty." Ordered by Mr. Foster. (TNT, 7/15/1951, p.1; www.troop101.thescouts.com)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Foster, Chapin D.; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);

Chapin D. Foster, secretary/director of the Washington State Historical Society, describes the use of Native American artifacts to a class of school children visiting the museum. The extensive collection includes: ceremonial boards, baskets, canoes, trade beads, tools, weapons, fishing equipment, clothing, masks, carved images, and exhibits showing everyday life among the Northwest and Alaska tribes.

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Children; Indians of North America; Foster, Chapin D.;

The 50th anniversary of the Virginia Dare chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution was celebrated with a guest tea at the Washington State Historical Society museum on Monday, September 10, 1951. Charter members of the chapter were among those in attendance. Five unidentified women stand behind serving table and three-tierd cake. Portrait of Issac Stevens and other pioneer items in background. (TNT 9-16-51, D-1)

National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (Tacoma); Tea parties--Tacoma--1950-1960; Women--Clubs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);

Earl Coe, Secretary of State, presented a replica of the Washington State Seal to the Washington State Historical Society in late 1951. View of exhibit at historical society; possible replica of state seal on the left wall, portrait of Elisha Ferry, first governor, along with his desk. The Washington State Historical Society's building on North Stadium Way was built in the Neo-Classical Revival style, designed by architect George W. Bullard, and built in 1911. It later added the Ferry Museum with construction occupying most of 1916. .

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Ferry, Elisha P., 1825-1895;

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;

Kappa Phi girls in old fashioned costumes pose in front of the alcove display paying tribute to the first missionaries coming to the Northwest. The alcove, the latest addition to the McCormick Hall in the Washington State Historical Society, was sponsored by Brown & Haley. A large painting of Cushing Fells, the first missionary in the Spokane area, shows him preaching to a group of Indians. Also included in the display were relics from Catholic missionaries and letters from Jason Lee who was the first missionary to come into the Northwest, having been sent here in 1834 by the Methodist church. Ordered by Chapin Foster. (TNT, 12/10/1950, p.A-17)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Costumes;

A young woman poses in the almost completed diorama of an attacking cougar for the Washington State Historical Museum. The cougar's tanned skin covers the body frame of wood, bone and straw. The body is completed with the cougar's actual claws and glass eyes. The body is suspended from the ceiling with wires to hold it in an attacking position. The rocks and bushes complete the natural setting. The young woman poses in place of the cougar's usual prey, the deer.

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Museum artist J.H. Gipple creates a rock for the cougar diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. The rocks are created from papier-mache; paper pulped with glue and formed around a wooden form to simulate a rock. The diorama will show the woodland area that is the cougar's home in the wild. The complex display showing the life or death struggle between a cougar and a white tailed deer took four months to complete.

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.;

In December of 1950, taxidermist J.H. Gipple was busy working on a deer form for a diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. The deer's torso has been created from lightweight wood with the real skull attached to a long metal rod "neck". The deer's real leg bones are attached to the torso with metal attachments. The museum artist is using straw to fill out the body in preparation for covering with the tanned skin. The skin has been treated with chemical preservatives to keep the skin soft and make it last. The deer shown is a three or four year old white tail, with antlers in the "velvet" stage of growth. (TNT 4/8/1951, pg A-4)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.; Deer--Tacoma--1950-1960;

J.H. Gipple, taxidermist, at work on the background scenery for the cougar diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. A diorama is an exhibit recreating the preserved wildlife in its natural habitat including rocks, plants and other natural scenery. The museum goer can then see how the wild animals lived in nature. The museum artist is recreating boulders with a wood frame covered by papier-mache and then painted to appear real. Smaller boulders may be carved from foam.

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.;

J.H. Gipple, taxidermist, creates the artificial bodies of a cougar attacking a deer for the Washington State Historical Society's diorama. Taxidermy is the art of putting a real animal skin on an artificial body. First, every part of the animal is measured so that the artificial body will fit inside the skin. The skin is removed from the body and tanned and the skeleton is saved. A body frame is created, either from wood or actual bones, and then covered with wire mesh and straw. In this picture, the frame is coated with a material in preparation for the addition of the skin. The cougar is suspended from wires in the ceiling to approximate an pouncing position. The cougar was killed near Eatonville by Robert E. Albaugh of Tacoma. The animal measured almost eight feet in length. (TNT 4/8/1951, pg. A-4)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.; Pumas--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Museum artist J.H. Gipple builds a life like tree for the cougar diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. The purpose of the dioramas is to show the preserved wildlife in its natural habitat. The museum artist not only has to build the animals and cover them with the tanned skin, but also recreate all the natural elements such as rocks and vegetation from materials that will last. The limb of the tree was from where the cougar leapt from to attack a deer. The setting is a reproduction of the Nile Creek vicinity in the Yakima area. The branches and vegetation on the tree were brought from that area and chemically treated to retain their color indefinitely. (TNT 4/8/1951, pg. A-4)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.;

A group from Highline School is visiting the Ferry Museum. Hundreds of students visited the museum on school field trips each year to learn about the history of Washington Territory and State. Ordered by the Washington State Historical Society, Mr. Foster.

Students--Tacoma; School field trips--Tacoma; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);

The Washington State Historical Building, originally the Ferry Museum after its founder, Col. Clinton Peyre Ferry, was part of the "Kla-How-Ya" trail dedicated in the spring of 1950. The Trail was a 26 mile sightseeing tour around the Tacoma area, marked by green salmon direction signs. The trail was designed to bring the tourist dollar to Tacoma. The State Historical Museum was the largest in the Northwest and noted for its illuminated photo murals and its northwest pioneer, Indian and Alaskan exhibits, as well as its curios from around the world. The four story building also contained a reference library and art gallery, and had breathtaking views of the Stadium Bowl and the Puget Sound. (TNT 7/16/1950)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);

Publicity photo of window transparencies in the Washington Hall of the Washington State Historical Building celebrating the completion of another unit in the ongoing S.A. Perkins historical photographic mural project. Mr. Perkins, President of the Historical Society, and Chapin Foster, Society Director, pose in front of the large view window overlooking the stadium bowl and the sound. The view is surrounded by a transparency of Mount Baker. Also new to the project were two murals flanking the doorway commemorating transportation in the Northwest, the coming of the Northern Pacific Railroad and the inauguration of air service. (TNT 3/31/1950, pg. 1)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Paintings; Transparencies; Perkins, S.A.; Foster, Chapin D.;

Interior exposure of the Washington Hall in the Washington State Historical Building featuring the newest additions- a handsome floor covering, octagonal benches built around the pillars and the transparency of Mount Baker surrounding the view window. The unique display was the project of S.A. Perkins and portrayed the development of the Northwest. The first unit to be completed was the top 150 photographs of Washington, colored in oil, and varying in size up to 7 feet high, and 3-15 feet wide. The second unit completed was the 100 photographs of Washington views prior to 1889 below, enlarged and colored for transparencies and displayed in illuminated light boxes. An open house celebrated the completion of the third unit. (TNT 3/31/1950, pg. 1)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Paintings; Transparencies;

A group of 260 school children from the Silverdale School in Kitsap County and Bainbridge Island School visited the Washington State Historical Society in June 1950. Chapin D. Foster (right foreground), Secretary and Director of the Washington State Historical Society museum, was giving a talk on Washington history prior to conducting them through the building. This was the largest school group in the building at one time in 1950. During the school year more than 200 bus loads of pupils totaling more than 6,000 students visited the Historical Society building as part of their study of Washington history. (TNT, 6/4/1950, p.A-4)

School children--Tacoma; School field trips--Tacoma; Art exhibitions--Tacoma; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Foster, Chapin D.;

Dedication of the Liberty Bell replica at the Washington State Historical Society. Governor Arthur B. Langlie, left in photo, with Society Director Chapin Foster on the museum steps. The dedication ceremony took place on Sunday afternoon, July 9, 1950, before a capacity crowd. Governor Langlie accepted the bell from Reno Odlin, who represented the Treasury department. The replica bell had been touring the state for six weeks during the Independence Savings Bond drive before being placed for permanent display at the Washington State Historical Society Museum.

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