As the United States moved into a peacetime economy after WWII, Tacoma's industries began manufacturing new products for the growing domestic market. In December of 1947, the Marine Iron Works, 1120 East D Street, was building "Mighty Man" garden tractors. Designed by B.A. Winter, a top aviation engineer, the "Mighty Man" was aimed at home owners and small suburban farmers. It could operate as a two wheeled, walk behind tiller, or be easily converted to a four wheeled riding machine. (Photo ordered by Condon Advertising Company) TPL-9139

Agricultural machinery & implements--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tractors--Tacoma; Machinery; Equipment; Marine Iron Works, Inc. (Tacoma); Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A silo built against a barn in rural Pierce County. A conveyor belt type loader stands next to the silo as well as the farmer and his dog.

Farmers--Puyallup; Silos--Puyallup; Dogs--Puyallup; Conveying systems--Puyallup; Plywood; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Exterior Washington Co-op Farmers Association buildings. Located close to the modern feed mill appears to be the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association garage. The Co-op owned several delivery trucks that would transport bulk feeds and petroleum to its customers. They could be stored and maintained at this facility, which included three gas pumps. Photograph ordered by Washington Cooperative Farmers Association.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Garages--Tacoma--1950-1960; Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Representatives of the 4-H Clubs of Washington meet with a Washington Co-op Farmers Association official on April 26, 1957, outside the association's headquarters on Taylor Way. Two of the 4-H'ers are standing on the running board of the Co-op's bulk feeds delivery truck. Photograph ordered by the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; 4-H Club (Tacoma);

The area surrounding Wenatchee Washington. Wenatchee is a city on the Columbia River, at the mouth of the Wenatchee River, in southeast Chelan County. It is primarily an agricultural area and is close to being the geographic center of the state. Here hay has been cut & stacked and waits to be baled. A barn and farm house sit on the rolling hills. This area was revitalized with the availability of irrigation after the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam.

Farms--Wenatchee; Farmhouses--Wenatchee; Barns--Wenatchee; Hay; Haystacks;

Grange, Redmond. The one-story building appears to be located on a field of gravel in Redmond. It is part of the National Grange, the nation's oldest national agricultural organization formed in the years following the Civil War. This is possibly Happy Valley #322, organized in 1909 by E.M. Smith, incorporated in 1930. Photograph ordered by the R.G. Williams Co.

Farmers' groups--Redmond;

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association's Feed Mill. The Co-op spent a million dollars in the late 1940's to construct the modern feed mill pictured above. The feed mill would utilize the most modern techniques to blend and weigh its grains. In addition, a bulk feed unit was constructed where the feed could be funneled directly into waiting delivery trucks or rail cars. The Washington Co-op had been serving the Tacoma area since 1920. Its feed mill manufactured much of the formula feeds used by Western Washington members. As the Co-op continued to grow, new additions were made to improve efficiency including eight huge tanks added to the bulk feed loading-out line to increase storage by 50%. A completely new overhead conveying system was added to speed the handling from the mill to the truck. It made it possible to convey two different products simultaneously and increased the loading capacity from 40 to 100 tons per hour. (TNT 9-1-58, C-2)

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Food storage buildings--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Quality control testing in the bulk grain storage, photograph ordered by the Washington Co-op. The uniformed man is selecting samples of the grain in the compartments of a long pole. The length of the pole is perhaps due to the need to test samples from the core of the pile of grain.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Grain elevators--Tacoma; Mills--Tacoma; Food storage buildings--Tacoma; Product inspection; Food adulteration & inspection; Testing;

George Lawler bulb farm at Gardenville. Four men working inside a dark bulb shed. They are pouring bulbs onto a bulb sorting machine constructed of wood with four metal rollers. The machine is possibly a grading machine, that divides the bulbs by size.

Farms--Fife--1930-1940; Lawler Bulbs (Fife); Crops; Lawler, George--Homes & haunts; Agricultural laborers--Fife--1930-1940;

George Lawler bulb farm at Gardenville, near Fife. Several women sorting bulbs on a conveyor inside a bulb shed. These women are cleaning the bulbs by hand. Old husks are removed and daughter bulbs are separated. Diseased and cut bulbs will be discarded before grading. This image is similar to A7411-1.

Farms--Fife--1930-1940; Lawler Bulbs (Fife); Crops; Lawler, George--Homes & haunts; Agricultural laborers--Fife--1930-1940;

Men in a field operating an antiquated thresher.

Back of Photo:
Farmers with tools vegetable, etc. Colonial Gardens, Fife. Was close to the Poodle Dog Rest. This was an Italian operation owned by Italians. Before 1918.

Doris Lee and Bobby Seeber may not be riding a bicycle built for two, but she appears comfortable sitting in the front basket of the boy's bicycle. The pair enjoy ice cream cones at an area farmers' picnic in Sumner. A day off was declared by Pierce County farmers in August of 1936 as they and their families and friends attended the 9th annual picnic sponsored by area agricultural organizations and the County Agent's office. (T. Times 8/22/1936 p. 1) Series D1721, Image 6 has been enlarged and cropped to make the figures more prominent in this version.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Lee, Doris; Seeber, Bobby; Picnics--Sumner--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--Sumner--1930-1940; Ice cream & ices; Children eating & drinking--1930-1940;