ca. 1905. Six unidentified men pose with their horses in front of the offices of the Commercial Truck Co. in the early 1900's. The Commercial Truck Co. first appears in the City Directory in 1903. The company occupied 717-19 Broadway after its construction in 1902. They listed their business as transfer, drayage, piano movers, livery and feed stables. The company was a predecessor of Tacoma's Star Moving Co. (photograph courtesy of Dan Powell)

Commercial Truck Co. (Tacoma); Moving & storage trade--Tacoma--1900-1910; Horses;

ca. 1934. A team of Budweiser Clydesdales delivers cases of beer to Tacoma Hotel in this circa 1934 photograph. The Clydesdales, in harness, have paused outside the entrance to the elegant hotel, one of Tacoma's most famous landmarks. Back then the Budweiser Clydesdales were a new sight, introduced to the public in April of 1933 to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition. The Clydesdale horses were used for promotions by the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Co. They were hitched to red, white and gold beer wagons. Each horse was selected with certain characteristics and temperaments and each had to be a gelding. The Budweiser Clydesdales are still being used for commercials and promotions nearly eighty years after this photograph was taken. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budweiser_Clydesdales -article)

Master of Foxhounds Earl Craig addresses the mounted members of the Woodbrook Hunt Club on the New Year's Day hunt held in 1953. The hunt club's pack of foxhounds surround Craig. Woodbrook is one of the few clubs in the country that maintains their own pack of hounds. The Woodbrook Hunt Club is still active, and they remain associated with the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America. They also still enjoy the sport of riding to hounds, but they do not hunt a live fox. They "drag hunt". The dogs follow a trail created by dragging a scent impregnated gunny sack along the ground. They use synthetic scent; the dogs follow a synthetic fox.

Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood); Horses--Lakewood--1950-1960; Horseback riding--Lakewood--1950-1960; Clothing & dress--Lakewood--1950-1960; Dogs--Lakewood; Craig, Earl;

The photographer's notes for this image indicate that it is a photograph of "Aza Destiny." The black Arabian horse, Aza Destiny, was born in 1971, sired by Azraff ex Bint Bass Hisan. His progeny would later number over 60. On the lower part of this photograph is a signature, apparently "Johnny Johnston," perhaps the photographer. Photograph ordered by Glenn Ash, Spanaway.

Horses;

Members of the Woodbrook Hunt Club, wearing English riding habits, set out in spring of 1941 on a hunt. The Club had hosted two fellow clubs from neighboring cities to a joint hunt during the spring. This image was captured by the Richards Studio photographer during one of those hunts. Their hunting grounds, located on the current Fort Lewis grounds, were highly prized.

Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood); Horses--Tacoma;

On May 21, 1941, an unidentified rider at the Woodbrook Hunt Club tested the jumping skills of a "Tennessee Walking Horse" by having it jump a human barrier. The unidentified human "cross bar" apparently survived the risky stunt. Mrs. Thomas Overland of Seattle brought the horse to Lakewood so that the club members could get a chance to see and ride the distinctive breed.

Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood); Horses; Jumping (Horsemanship);

In October of 1941, Charles F.T. (Chen) Rowe stands next to Sanka, one of the horses that he boarded at the Point Defiance Riding Academy stables. Using the old barn and pasture that had been the home for the park's herd of buffalo, the riding academy was founded in 1933. The 50 year old stables were destroyed by fire in August of 1969 and never rebuilt. The 33 year old thoroughbred mare Sanka was a direct descendent of racing legend Man O'War. Sanka raced as a filly on the West Coast before being bought by Rowe at the age of five. The pair spent the next 28 years covering hundreds of miles together on the woody trails of Point Defiance, including remote areas patrolled only Rowe and his horse. Rowe also held a commission with the Pierce County Sheriffs Department. Sanka died of old age in October of 1964 and was laid to rest by her loving owner. (TNT 10/4/1964, pg B-10)

Horses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Point Defiance Riding Academy (Tacoma); Rowe, Charles Frederick Trendall;

Rider in mid-leap over obstacle course at the Woodbrook Hunt Club. She is believed to be Iris Bryan, noted equestrienne and future Master of Foxhounds, a position formerly held by her father. Photograph taken as part of a series for the Tacoma Times on November 5, 1939.

Horses--Lakewood--1930-1940; Horseback riding--Lakewood--1930-1940; Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood);

An unidentified rider in a publicity photograph taken for the annual Woodbrook Horse Show, scheduled for November 15 & 16, 1940. The 1940 show would be notable because a Tennessee Walking horse would be shown for the first time in the state of Washington. The rider and horse were photographed in front of the Woodbrook Stables. (T. Times 11/9/1940, pg. 5)

Horses--Lakewood--1940-1950; Horseback riding--Lakewood--1940-1950; Woodbrook Stables (Lakewood); Show horses; Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood);

Two horses and their riders go for a walk in the pastures of Lakewood Stables. The male rider is on an English-style saddle and wears riding boots and perhaps breeches. His female companion smiles broadly as her horse is abreast of his. This sepia photograph was taken on September 5, 1951; photograph commissioned by Howard Smith, Condon Co.

Horses--Lakewood--1950-1960; Horseback riding--Lakewood--1950-1960; Clothing & dress--Lakewood--1950-1960; Boots;

Dr. Alexander G. Ruthven being initiated as an honorary member of the Pierce county Sheriff's mounted posse at Woodbrook Riding Academy. Dr. Ruthven, President of the University of Michigan, was visiting Tacoma and attending meetings with alumni and conferences regarding the University's program for the development of peace time uses of nuclear power. The educator was a veteran horseman and a Morgan horse enthusiast. (TNT 3/29/1950 pg 3)

Horseback riding--Tacoma--1950-1960; Horses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cowboy hats; Mounted police--Tacoma; Cowboys--Tacoma; Uniforms--Tacoma--1950-1960; Flags--United States; Ruthven, Alexander;

A. Burwood Kennedy (left) on "Jeep" and Cyrus Happy, III, on "Kay Boy" were photographed in October of 1948 while going over the jumps at the Woodbrook Hunt Club in Lakewood. Co-founded in May of 1926 by Thomas H. Bryan and Major J.E. Mathews, the club divides its year between the informality of summer rides, picnics and gymkannas and the winter "drag hunts," where riders stream across the prairies behind the club's hounds. Both Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Happy are wearing traditional riding garb and are riding English saddles. (TNT, 10/24/1948, p.D-1, 6/6/1976 p.D-1)

Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood); Horses--Tacoma; Jumping (Horsemanship)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1955. A woman in western style riding gear sits astride a horse and is being awarded a ribbon by a woman in formal English hunt attire. Photograph ordered by the Woodbrook Hunt Club. The Woodbrook Hunt Club's 1955 Spring Horse Show was held May 21-22, 1955 in the covered arena at the Woodbrook Stables. It featured exhibitions by the Pierce County Sheriff's Posse, square dancing on horseback by the Lariettes and a style show of what the best dressed horsewoman wears for Western riding, to an English hunt or square dancing. Also featured was competition in different horseback skills and on different breeds of horses. (TNT 5/15/1955, pg. D-1& D-2)

Horses--Lakewood--1950-1960; Horseback riding--Lakewood--1950-1960; Clothing & dress--Lakewood--1950-1960; Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood); Woodbrook Stables (Lakewood);

ca. 1905. An unidentified man calmed a rearing horse near the offices of the Commercial Truck Co. in the early 1900's. The Commercial Truck Co. first appeared in the 1903 Tacoma City Directory. S.J. Pollard was listed as president with J.W. Garvin as Secretary-Treasurer and A.W. Tuel as Manager. They listed offices at 717-719 South C and 718-720 Commerce St. (in TPL building index as 717-19 Broadway). The company moved into this building on its completion in 1902. They listed their services as transfer, drayage, piano moving, livery and feed stables. The company sold in 1929 to AA Star Transfer of Aberdeen and became Star Commercial Moving & Storage, a predecessor of today's Star Moving Co. (photograph courtesy of Dan Powell)

Commercial Truck Co. (Tacoma); Moving & storage trade--Tacoma--1900-1910; Horses;

Several days of winter storms in mid-February of 1923 brought 15 - 18 inches of accumulated snow to the streets of downtown Tacoma. Ray C. Smith, proprietor of the pony stables on Puyallup Ave, brought one of his antique cutters out of mothballs and was photographed on South 10th Street with the buildings in the 900 block of Pacific behind him. His well bundled guests enjoying the one horse sleigh ride were D.A. LaJose and Charles McManus. Dexter the horse arched his neck proudly to show off his jingle bell collar. With up to 24 inches of snow on the ground in the outlying areas, schools shut down and street car service was suspended for a time. Buses ran in the more highly populated areas but could only handle a portion of those wishing to ride. Complaints were received by the police department from riders who indicated that some bus drivers were overcharging for the rides, demanding as much as 25 cents for what should have been a nickel ride. (TNT 2-14-1923, p.1, TDL 2-15-1923, p. 1) G66.1-130; TPL-9658

Sleds & sleighs--Tacoma--1920-1930; Horses--Tacoma--1920-1930; Snow--Tacoma; Smith, Ray C.; LaJose, D.A.; McManus, Charles;