In September of 1920, work was begun on the Consumers Central Heating Co., a huge steam heating plant on Dock St. at the foot of 11th St. By the end of October, the last brick had been laid in the 200 foot stack, second only in size to the one located at the Tacoma Smelting Co. Boilers had been installed, and the tunnel excavated for the pipe from the plant that would connect to the piping system of the city. The new plant was needed to supply heat to the new construction in downtown Tacoma - the Rust Building, Scandinavian American Bank and the National Bank of Tacoma. In an innovative move, it would run on refuse wood from Tacoma's many mills. The plant was expected to be fully operational by mid-November. The city liked the location of the plant so much that in 1922 they erected their own plant at 1145 Dock St. (The site of Dutho Rubber Co. and Pacific Machine Shop in the picture.) In September of 1979, 59 years later, the Cental Heating plant shut down permanently. The stack was dismantled brick by brick in 1980. (TDL 10/31/1920, pg. 5- picture, TDL 9/5/1920, pg. B6, 10/17/20, pg. B7) Boland B3347, TPL-9503
On October 17, 1935, one of the most spectacular fires in Tacoma's history completely destroyed The Tacoma Hotel. The hotel, which covered a square block from So. 8th to So. 9th and A St. to what is now I-705, opened in August, 1884. Designed by the architectural firm headed by Stanford White, it was the show place of Tacoma, and, many said, the most beautiful hotel north of San Francisco. BU-12,609, TPL-6564
Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);
The entrance in the barricade to the bleacher seating, the best seat in town to watch the ongoing construction of the Tacoma Savings & Loan building. The new home office was being built across the street from its former headquarters. The city's oldest savings & loan was constructing a new aluminum and glass office building at this site. The new building would be 95 x 73 feet, on a lot that measured 120 x 75 feet. It had a basement, ground floor, mezzanine and penthouse for a total square footage of 21, 096 plus room for 2 additional floors. (TNT 6-27-1957)
Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Construction--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Earl Russell, Mr. Banjo, the featured banjo virtuoso at Steve's Gay '90s poses with two banjos. Steve's was famous in the fifties and sixties for its old fashioned home grown entertainment and for good food at a reasonable price. It was the brainchild of Steve Pease, whose goal was to create a wholesome family entertainment spot which providing dining and entertainment for one low price.
Jennie Wheeler poses with a menu at Steve's Gay Nineties in front of the Opera House Entertainment Coliseum in June of 1956. The public preview of the newest edition to Steve's was scheduled for June 14-17, 1956. The Opera House was the main entertainment venue, where the floor show was performed every Friday and Saturday night. The Gay Nineties revue featured can-can girls, keystone cops, banjo playing and old time sing-a-longs. Steves, owned by Steve Pease and John Stanley, grew in 10 years from a 20 customer cafe and the adjoining tavern to include 5 major dining, entertaining and banquet areas under one roof. The ornate gold facade to the Opera House formerly faced the Banker's Trust Building and its crystal chandeliers came from the recently razed Seattle Opera House. Pease did endless research to preserve portions of the most beautiful buildings of the area and place them in the perfect place in his restaurant. (TNT 6/13/1956, pg. C-9- C-11) (Ms. Wheeler's identification supplied by a former employee at Steve's)
Portrait of Jane McKee, formerly Powers, organist at Steve's Gay '90s. Monday through Saturday night McKee played dinner music on the Hammond organ from 6:15p.m.- 8:15p.m. She was one of the featured performers at Steve's.
Two waitresses, Jennie Wheeler (right) and Josephine Trumble, in dark dresses and crisply ruffled white aprons pause in setting a homey checked table to smile for the camera at Steve's Gay 90's. Behind them is a large antique mirrored hutch. Steve's was furnished with pieces from some of the finest mansions in South Tacoma, and the walls were decorated with pictures of those homes. (TNT 6/13/1956, pg. C-9- C-11)
Plywood barricade around the construction site for the new headquarters for Tacoma Savings & Loan; ordered by Simpson Plywood Barricades. The barricade reminds passerby that despite the inconvenience of the construction site, the bank is building for the future. Founded in 1899, it is the city's oldest savings & loan. The new headquarters is being built across the street from the current facility, and the bank has a branch at the Lakewood Center. Ketner Brothers are the general contractors for the project.
Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Construction--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Standard Oil; opening of new service station. Richards appointment book gives the station's address as 9821 South Tacoma Way. Three gas station employees in sparkling white uniforms and caps kneel in front of five men in suits. The Standard Oil neon sign is emblazoned over all.
Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Standard Oil Co. of California (Tacoma);
The barrier wall has gone up, anticipating the beginning of the construction of the new home-office headquarters of the Tacoma Savings and Loan. The Savings & Loan was founded June 28, 1899 in a lawyer's small office with assets of $2,000. At 57 years old, it was Tacoma's oldest and most respected savings and loan. Signs on the fence read "No knotholes in this fence. Get it all from a bleacher seat. Bleacher seats reserved for sidewalk superintendents, watch the show from a bleacher seat." Arrows point around the right hand fence where the bleachers must be located. The building, as designed by Lea, Pearson and Richards, would have modern glass and aluminum silhouette. Its main entrance would be on 9th, with a side entrance on Court A with a drive up window and space for 7 cars.(TNT 5/2.1956, pg. D-4)
Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Construction--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Washington Cleaners and Launderers, Ft. Lewis. Washington Cleaners had its main dry cleaning and laundry plant in Tacoma, but it had seven branches at Fort Lewis to serve the military. This appears to be the interior of the main Fort Lewis branch, at 3rd & Pendleton. Several women stand behind the counter, taking orders and delivering the clean uniforms to their owners. Several uniformed military men lean in against the counter. Most of the competed hanging clothes are uniforms. (TNT 5/13/1956, pg. A-15)
Washington Cleaners and Launderers (Fort Lewis); Cleaning establishments--Fort Lewis;
The 45th Annual convention of the Washington Bankers Association was held June 13th and 14th, 1940 at the Hotel Winthrop. A trio of bankers sits holding a conversation on a sofa; Reno Odlin, Puget Sound National Bank, is on the right. The Bankers Association was established in 1889 and boasts a membership of officials from all banks in Washington and representatives of all national affiliates.
Bankers; Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Washington Bankers Association (Tacoma);
The money men are singing a chorus at the Tacoma Club dinner hosted by S.M. Jackson on June 12, 1940. The dinner is the kick off for the 45th Annual convention of the Washington Bankers Association, held June 13th and 14th, 1940 at the Hotel Winthrop. Over 400 bankers from Washington state and national affiliates were in attendance. Third from left in the picture is J.H. Miner of Seattle, president of the state Bankers Association. To the far right are Robert M. Hanes of Winston-Salem, S.C., president of the American Bankers Association and S.M. Jackson, chairman of the board of National Bank. The major business of the convention, beyond election of officers, was to pass a resolution urging "active material aid to the Allied cause" and calling for an "aggressive program of preparedness" at home. (T. Times 6/13/1940, pg. 1)
Bankers; Singing; Jackson, Samuel M.; Washington Bankers Association (Tacoma); Miner, J.H.; Hanes, Robert M.; Tacoma Club (Tacoma);
The 45th Annual convention of the Washington Bankers Association was held June 13th and 14th, 1940 at the Hotel Winthrop. Harry Cain, newly elected Tacoma Mayor on right, is presenting a loving cup to an unidentified man. On the left is Robert M. Hanes, president of the American Bankers Association.
Bankers; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Washington Bankers Association (Tacoma); Hanes, Robert M.;
Ground breaking for the new Tacoma Savings & Loan building, ordered by the Condon Advertising Co. Two of the three men present look anxiously up at the wrecking ball that will be used to break up the concrete where the new building will stand. The three men are bank officers Raymond Winden, vice president, W.D. Hopping, president, and Donald Kohler, secretary. Built across the street from the bank's current headquarters, the new building would be a modern edifice of aluminum and glass. It will have a basement, main floor, mezzanine and the ability to accomodate two additional floors when needed. The new building is estimated to be ready for occupancy in 10 months. Founded in 1899 in a lawyer's office while Tacoma was still a rowdy youngster with planks for sidewalks, Tacoma Savings and Loan is the city's oldest savings and loan. (TNT 5/2/1956, pg. D-4)
Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Winden, Raymond T.; Hopping, William D.; Kohler, Donald;
Dick Bevington pours a mug from the Triple XXX root beer barrel dispenser at his new drive-in restaurant in this photograph dated May 29, 1940. The franchise offered round the clock service, carhops and root beer on draft.
Dick Bevington's new Triple X Barrel drive-in restaurant. Dick and Gwyne Bevington pose behind the counter with a large congratulatory flower arrangement in this May 29, 1940 photograph. Triple XXX Root Beer barrel dispenser in background. The Bevingtons had the restaurant constructed at a cost of $29,000 and actually resided in an apartment on the premises.
An unidentified carhop delivers a tray holding two large mugs of Triple XXX Root Beer to a smiling customer sitting behind the wheel of his car. Dick Bevington opened his Triple XXX Barrel drive-in restaurant at 924 Puyallup Avenue in May of 1940. The restaurant offered booth, counter and car side service with a staff of six waitresses and six carhops.
Dick Bevington's new Triple XXX Barrel drive-in restaurant. Six waitresses and six carhops lined up in front of building with neon trim and giant barrels on roof. The restaurant offered booths, counter service, car side service and XXX root beer on draft. TPL-1514 (T. Times 6/4/1940, pg. 7)
Dick Bevington's new Triple XXX Barrel drive-in restaurant. Six waitresses and six carhops lined up on May 29, 1940 in front of the building with neon trim and giant barrels on the roof.The service department included Bea Joyce, Grayce Bailey, Marialyce Johnson, Lola Emerson, Della Reghitto, Betty Emerson, Winnie Cunningham, Lucille Bartholet, Anne Bullard, Irving Fleming and Kenneth Lilly. (T. Times 6/4/1940, pg. 7)
Tacoma Savings & Loan Association; drilling at site of the new savings and loan association. Raymond T. Winden, left, vice president of the association, inspects the drilling on a vacant lot at 9th and A St., the future site of the association's downtown headquarters. Built across the street from the bank's old headquarters, the new building would be modern in appearance and built of aluminum and glass with black granite trim. An exploratory hole is being drilled in hopes of finding enough water to operate the proposed air conditioning system. Called "reverse-cycle" air conditioning, the process pumps water up from far below ground to both heat and cool the building. The association building would be the first downtown to use this process, also used in the Public Utilities building. (TNT 4/5/1956, pg. A-13)
Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Drilling--Tacoma; Construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Drilling & boring machinery; Winden, Raymond T.;
Hotel Greeters. Group at party at Olympus Hotel in this photograph dated March 9, 1940. Comical portrait of group holding a variety of objects including a rabbit, chicken, piglet, bag of onions, pumpkin and bouquet of flowers.
Hotels--Tacoma; Olympus Hotel (Tacoma); Group portraits--1940-1950; Animals--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Frank W. Power, publisher and president of the Tacoma Times Publishing Co., sits at his desk at the new location of the paper, 919 Market St. He is surrounded by flowers from well wishers, congratulating the paper on its move. On the desk in front of Mr. Powers are the front page of the February 25, 1940 Times and one of the special editions from the February 27th paper. The paper on the 27th was 92 pages long, in five sections and weighed over 1 pound.
Tacoma Times Publishing Co. (Tacoma); Newspaper industry--1940-1950; Newspapers--1940-1950; Power, Frank W.;
Unidentified woman sitting on top of switch board cabinet and talking into phone on February 10, 1940. All of the office equipment and furniture is being moved to the Tacoma Times newspaper's new location at 919 Market Street. For Mr. Voorhees.
Tacoma Times Publishing Co. (Tacoma); Newspaper industry--1940-1950; Newspapers--1940-1950; Telephones;
Moving day at the Tacoma Times. Seven men in disheveled news room. The men have just finished publishing the final edition to come out of the newspaper's old location, 819 Pacific Ave. All office equipment and furniture is being moved to its new location at 919 Market Street. The next edition, Monday's, will come out of that location. For Mr. Voorhees. (T. Times)
Tacoma Times Publishing Co. (Tacoma); Newspaper industry--1940-1950; Newspapers--1940-1950;
Moving day at the Tacoma Times. Eight men posing candidly, some elated, some sorrowful, in stripped news room where papers and furniture are in disarray. Immediately after the final edition on Saturday afternoon, February 10, 1940, was published, the Times began its move to its new home at 919 Market Street. The three story structure had formerly been the telephone building. The Times had been publishing its paper at 819 Pacific Avenue since 1917, but had outgrown the facility. Over the weekend, several tons of heavy machinery, equipment and furniture were moved to its new home. For Mr. Voorhees. (T.Times)
Tacoma Times Publishing Co. (Tacoma); Newspaper industry--1940-1950; Newspapers--1940-1950;
It's Moving Day at the Tacoma Times. One employee lifts a glass to a successful move to the paper's new home at 919 Market Street. He is surrounded by other employees, one ready to swing a hatchet, perhaps ready to demolish the paper's old location at 819 Pacific Ave.
Tacoma Times Publishing Co. (Tacoma); Newspaper industry--1940-1950; Newspapers--1940-1950;
