ca. 1925. The new Washington Building had its Grand Opening in June of 1925. Construction of the building was begun in 1919 for the Scandinavian American Bank and halted in 1921 when the bank failed. It was completed in 1925 and was, at that time, the second tallest building in the Northwest. The main tenant at its opening was the Brotherhood Cooperative National Bank. The Cooperative Bank was the first of its kind in any Northwest City. Although it was part of the Brotherhood group of banks, strong in the eastern part of the country, the local bank had local supporters, management and share holders, many of them working men. It was approved by both the Federated Improvement Clubs of Tacoma and the labor unions. (TNT 6/30/1925, pg. 14)(WSHS)

Washington Building (Tacoma); Brotherhood Cooperative National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Construction on the Washington Building started in 1919 for the Scandinavian- American Bank, but halted when the bank went bankrupt. The steel framework sat deserted until it was purchased by the Washington-California Co. In 1925, the building was completed. The steel framework was clothed in white terra cotta, which was glazed. It was fireproof. It had 1925 technologically superior Otis elevators, which could take visitors from the bottom to the top in 16 seconds. The building was completed with an investment of 1 1/2 million dollars. (TNT 6/30/1925, pg.1) (WSHS)

Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Looking east on South 11th Street in Downtown Tacoma. Fisher's Department Store on right. Buildings on left, left to right: Rhodes Department Store, Fidelity Building, Washington Building and Tacoma Building. 11th Street Bridge (identified on photo as Lincoln Bridge) in distance. When the bridge was built in 1913, it was christened the Lincoln Bridge in a "name the bridge" contest but the name never stuck. Tacomans just preferred to call it the Eleventh Street Bridge. (filed with Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. Looking east on South 11th Street in Downtown Tacoma. Fisher's Department Store on right. Buildings on left, left to right: Rhodes Department Store, Fidelity Building, Washington Building and Tacoma Building. 11th Street Bridge in distance. (filed under Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. The Lorenz Building, 1552-56 Market St. The Lorenz Building was constructed in 1889 and was designed by architect R. L. Robertson. From 1899- 1914, it was home to the Astor House, also known as the Hiroshimaya Hotel, the first major Japanese Hotel in Tacoma. In the mid 1920's, the building housed the Columbus Hotel and the Tacoma Ju Jitsu School.

Lorenz Building (Tacoma); Columbus Hotel (Tacoma); Tacoma Ju Jitsu School (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. The 17 story Washington Building near completion. The building was officially opened at the end of June, 1925. The ground floor was occupied by the Brotherhood Cooperative Bank, Theodore Knutson's cigar store, Henrietta McNerthney's Purity Pharmacy and the "Orange Bower," the first orange mill in Tacoma. The orange mill's specialty was fresh squeezed orange juice, that you could watch being processed by a machine. (TNT 6/30/1925, pg. 13)(WSHS)

Washington Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. Washington Building as completed. Started 1919 by the Scandinavian-American Bank, unfinished when bank failed. The steel framework was completed by a group established for that purpose, the Washington-California Co. Frederick Webber, Original Architect; Doyle and Merriam, Architects for completion. The Washington Building opened at the end of June in 1925. (WSHS & Argentum)

Washington Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. The Washington Building, 1019 Pacific Ave., under construction. This modern structure was originally designed by Frederick Webber in the style of the Chicago School for the Scandinavian American Bank. Construction began in 1919 and halted when the bank failed. It was completed in 1925 when the Washington-California Co. purchased the steel skeleton and completed the building. At 17 stories, it was the second tallest building in the Northwest. When it opened, it contained 350 office suites, including its main occupant, the Brotherhood Co-Operative National Bank. (WSHS) (TDL 6/28/1925, pg. 2B)

Washington Building (Tacoma); Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This is 11th & Broadway looking south in early 1926. Cars are parked on both sides of the street while streetcars and a small 6th Ave. bus share the road. On the left side of the street is one of the McMillan Bros. drugstores. Besides being a pharmacy, the McMillan Bros. also sold Brunswick and Victor phonographs and Wurlitzer pianos. Among the establishments on the right side of the photograph is the Feist & Bachrach department store (1114-20 Broadway); the site would later become the J.C. Penney Co. department store. Photograph ordered by Foster & Kleiser. TPL-1582; G59.1-033

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroads--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; McMillan Brothers (Tacoma); Feist & Bachrach (Tacoma);

This was busy, bustling Pacific Avenue near South 9th St. in January of 1926. Although there were stately office buildings on Pacific such as the 17-story newly completed Washington Building (center at 1019) and Puget Sound National Bank (1117-19), there were also many smaller establishments packed in as well. The Carlyle Cafeteria (ground floor of the Provident Building), the Thomas Billiard Parlor, Tabell's featuring chili and tamales, the Argonaut Hotel and Western Union were on the left side of Pacific with Dundee Woolen Mills Tailors, Bennett Typewriter Co., Samuelson & Berg's and Washington Hardware among others on the right. It was possible then to book a room, play pool, dine at a variety of restaurants, get a suit tailored, complete banking transactions, pickup tools for the home, and buy a pair of shoes all within a block or two. Streetcars were available for easy transport as an alternative to driving. G61.1-040

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washington Building (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Carlyle Cafeteria (Tacoma); Provident Building (Tacoma); Argonaut Hotel (Tacoma);

This view is of part of the growing 6th Avenue business district at the intersection of Oakes looking east in January of 1926. Streetcar tracks run down the middle of 6th and the 6th Avenue car is in sight. Businesses on the left include the 6th Ave. Furniture Co. in the Masonic Lodge (2609) and the Pollyanna Cafe. On the right are the Piggly Wiggly, Foultz Variety Store, Frederick Dean Drug Co., Prospect Market and the new Sixth Avenue Baptist Church. TPL-1798; G57.1-065 (TNT 1-21-26, p. 15)

Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Sixth Avenue Baptist Church (Tacoma); 6th Ave. Furniture Co. (Tacoma); Pollyanna Cafe (Tacoma); Piggly Wiggly (Tacoma);

View of Saint Helens Avenue between 7th & 9th Sts. on March 4, 1926. Streetcar tracks are visible down Saint Helens. On the left are the Cleveland automobile dealership, Richardson's (734-36 Broadway), the Gilliam & Steven Motor Co. (at 735 Saint Helens, later street renamed Court C), Lindum Hotel (747-49 Saint Helens). Across the street are the Allyn Hotel (726-28 Saint Helens) and the Reliance Electric Fixture Co. (740 Saint Helens). G61.1-168

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Richardson Motor Co. (Tacoma); Gilliam & Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma); Lindum Hotel (Tacoma); Allyn Hotel (Tacoma); Reliance Electric Fixture Co. (Tacoma);

One of downtown Tacoma's prime commercial streets was Broadway. This is Broadway looking north from 11th St. in March of 1926. On the right is the 12-story brick Fidelity Building (949-55 Broadway) with the Bank of California as one of the tenants. The Bank of California would build its own Italian Renaissance building of Wilkeson sandstone and granite at 1011-13 Pacific Avenue in 1928. On the photograph's left is a portion of the Fisher Co. department store (1104 Broadway) and the Rhodes Brothers Department Store at 950 Broadway. G59.1-021

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma);

This is how Broadway looking south from 11th St. appeared in March of 1926. The large building on the right at 1104 Broadway is the Fisher Co. (formerly known as Stone-Fisher until October of 1925), Tacoma's oldest department store. It had been at that location since 1906 although the store had begun operations as Sanford & Stone on Tacoma Avenue in 1889. On the left were the E.R. Parker System (painless dentists) at 1103 1/2 Broadway and the French Drug Co. (1101-03) both in the Warburton Building with the relocated Blue Bird Electrical Shop (1105-07) next door. The main business districts were then still in the downtown Tacoma area where a variety of stores, restaurants and recreation outlets were available to the consumer. City buses had yet to supplant streetcars as a means of mass transit although automobiles were becoming more prevalent. G59.1-032 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 10-11-25, 12-A-article on the Fisher Co.)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; 0; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); E.R. Parker System (Tacoma); French Drug Co. (Tacoma); Blue Bird Electrical Shop (Tacoma); Warburton Building (Tacoma);

Bustling 11th Street street scene. This is a view from the Perkins Building (1101 A Street) on May 29, 1926. Buildings on the left (front to rear) are: the Federal Building (1102 A Street) and the Peoples department store (1101-07 Pacific Ave.) The 17-story, two-winged skyscraper on the right is the Washington Building (1019 Pacific). Looking uphill from the Washington Building are the Rust Building (950 Pacific) and the Fidelity Building (949-55 Broadway). In the distance can be seen the Romanesque Pierce County Courthouse (1012 So. "G"). G57.1-124

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Federal Building (Tacoma); Peoples (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma);

This damaged print is of the Puget Sound National Bank Building (1117-19 Pacific Avenue-formerly the National Realty Bldg.) taken from the 12th St. viewpoint on June 25, 1926. On its right at the corner is the National Bank of Tacoma. Looking northbound, buildings right to left are: the barely visible one-story structure at 1115 Pacific Avenue which had been built as an annex/addition to the National Realty Bldg., then the Bankers Trust building at 1109-13 Pacific, Peoples department store (1101-07 Pacific) with the 17-story Washington Building skyscraper at the far left (1019 Pacific). Flags and bunting decorate both Peoples and the Puget Sound National Bank Bldg. G61.1-043

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); National Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Peoples (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This is Pacific Avenue at South 12th St. looking north as pictured in June of 1926. Prominent downtown buildings right to left are: the National Bank of Tacoma, built in the Italian Renaissance style, at 1123 Pacific Avenue (later site of the Tacoma Art Museum), Puget Sound National Bank Building (1117-19 Pacific), building at 1115 Pacific built as annex to the Puget Sound National bank Bldg. (then called National Realty Bldg.), Bankers Trust Building, Peoples department store and at the far left, the 17-story Washington Building with Brotherhood Bank sign on rooftop. BU-12645

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; National Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma); Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Peoples (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Exterior view of Puget Sound National Bank Building in July of 1926. This block of Pacific Avenue was home to many prominent businesses including (L-R) the Washington Building, Peoples department store, the Bankers Trust Building, building at 1115 Pacific Ave. built as annex/addition to the National Realty Bldg., Puget Sound National Bank Building and the National Bank of Tacoma. When completed in 1910, the 16-story Puget Sound National Bank Building (then called the National Realty Building) was the tallest on the West Coast and the first built on the West Coast to withstand earthquakes. It was also the first in Tacoma to use cantilevered beam construction. Puget Sound Bank purchased the building in 1920. Some 80+ years later, Heritage Bank now occupies the structure. G61.1-041

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); National Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Peoples (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1926. In 1926, this photograph was taken of South 11th Street between Tacoma Ave So. and So. Fawcett. The businesses are, left to right, the Pleasant Corner Candy Store, an upholstery shop, Clinton's Pianos at 506 So. 11th, the Pok-A-Dot-Pup Sandwich Shop and an unidentified storefront. The tall building in the back is 1111 Tacoma Ave. So., at this time occupied by A. Gehri & Co. and Erickson Bro. This building is still across the street from the Tacoma Public Library. However, the top floors have now been removed. (WSHS)

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Clinton's Music House (Tacoma);

ca. 1926. Photomontage of Downtown Tacoma from the City Waterway, ordered by the Chamber of Commerce. Ships and warehouses in foreground, 11th Street bridge at left, major buildings shown in their relative locations. (filed with Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cityscapes--Tacoma--1920-1930; City Waterway (Tacoma);

ca. 1926. Elevated view of downtown Tacoma from the northwest circa 1926. Major buildings around 11th Street and Pacific Avenue are, left to right, Tacoma Building, Washington Building, Puget Sound Bank (National Realty ) Building, and Rust Building. (filed with Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Tacoma Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Puget Sound Bank Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma);

This is how the corner of South 9th & Broadway appeared in February of 1927. The Broadway Theater, 902-14 Broadway, was preparing for its grand opening on February 4th. It had previously been well known as the Tacoma Theater before being purchased for $450,000 in December of 1925, at that time the largest single realty transaction in the city's history. Extensive remodeling, including the loss of the familiar red exterior, cost the new owners another $150,000. There was a huge new sign, 40 feet high, with 3,000 bulbs that was visible for three miles. The theater would retain the "Broadway" name until 1933 when it became the Music Box Theater. Another of Tacoma's landmarks is clearly visible at right rear, the unusually shaped Bostwick Building with the Smith Flower Shop on the lower level. TPL-1602; G59.1-002 (TDL 12-19-25, p. 1-article on sale of theater; TDL 12-1-26, p. 1-article on remodeling; TNT 2-2-27, p. 9-article on signage)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Broadway Theater (Tacoma); Tacoma Theater (Tacoma);

This section of East 25th St. in 1927 contained several businesses located side-by-side. From L-R: Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. (601-605 E. 25th); Olympic Ice Cream Co. (615-617 E. 25th); Olympic Ice Co. (619-623 E. 25th) and the Carman Mfg. Co., a furniture and mattress factory, at 701-723 E. 25th. Several cars, including at least one delivery truck, are parked outside the buildings. G57.2-040; TPL-2405

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. (Tacoma); Olympic Ice Cream Co. (Tacoma); Olympic Ice Co. (Tacoma); Carman Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma);

Bustling Broadway looking south from 9th St. This was a segment of vibrant downtown Tacoma during the summer of 1927. Cars and pedestrians throng Broadway. The area around 9th & Broadway was a mixture of motion picture theaters (Colonial in center, Broadway, Pantages and Rialto not pictured), large department stores (McCormack Brothers, Rhodes Bros.), fraternal organizations (Pythian Temple), variety stores (Kress) and assorted shops. Drivers were still getting used to automatic traffic lights, recently installed in late March, in the downtown area. This may have been "movie season" as banners and flags advertised such luminaries as "Gish," "Chaney," and movies like "Barbed Wire," "Ben Hur," "Annie Laurie," and "Beau Geste." TPL-1880; G59.1-028

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Traffic signs & signals--Tacoma--1920-1930; Stores & shops--Tacoma--1920-1930; Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1920-1930; Banners;

This is another view of Broadway looking south from 9th St. in late summer of 1927. The photo studio has added lines crossing the streetcar tracks to mark where cars were warned to stop to allow pedestrians to cross the street in safety. One of the city's first automated traffic signals is just beyond view in the foreground. The Pantages theater is on the left along with Lou Johnson's ladies clothing store and the Lewis Bros. men's clothing store. On the right are the Colonial theater, Pythian Temple, Kress store and the Rhodes Bros. department store. Broadway, like Pacific Avenue, had many stores and shops nesting cozily side-by-side. Shoppers could catch a convenient streetcar or just walk to the numerous establishments downtown. More and more people, however, were starting to own automobiles and as the above photograph shows, street parking was at a premium. TPL-10041; G59.1-029

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1920-1930; Department stores--Tacoma--1920-1930; Stores & shops--Tacoma--1920-1930; Pythian Temple (Tacoma);

This was 13th & Broadway in downtown Tacoma in 1928. The Merchants Hotel occupied the Durgin Block with Bagley Drugs on the ground floor. The building had been constructed in 1890 and had already undergone alterations. The Mayflower Cafe and Palmer Hotel were close by. Visible in the background is the Luzon Building at 1302-04 Pacific Ave., then occupied by the Wm L. Davis & Sons furniture store. TPL-9721; G59.1-024

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Merchants Hotel (Tacoma); Luzon Building (Tacoma); Bagley Drug Co. (Tacoma); Mayflower Cafe (Tacoma); Palmer Hotel (Tacoma); William L. Davis & Sons (Tacoma);

This photograph from May of 1928 shows the buildings on the east side of St. Helens Avenue from 7th Street looking south. Second in from the corner is the building that was shared by the News Tribune and the Tacoma Daily Ledger from 1918 to 1937. Built in 1910 by Darmer & Cutting for the News Tribune, the Ledger moved into the building when it was bought out by the Tribune in 1918. Both papers published independently from this building until the Daily Ledger went out of business in 1937. The News Tribune kept the name of the Ledger alive in the masthead of its Sunday paper until August of 1979, The Tacoma News Tribune and Sunday Ledger.

This is the east side of Pacific Avenue between S. 10th & 11th St. as viewed on October 2, 1928. The Bank of California (center, at 1011-13 Pacific) would be opening for business in six days. Designed by John Graham and built by the J.E. Bonnell & Son construction firm using Wilkeson sandstone and granite, the Italian Renaissance-styled building had stately Ionic columns. Tacoma's newest bank was flanked by the venerable Dougan Building (1007 Pacific) containing the Hotel Bennett and Western Union and the somewhat newer Dickson Building, home of the Shaw Supply Co. (1015 Pacific). G61.1-018

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Dougan Building (Tacoma); Dickson Building (Tacoma); Shaw Supply Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Hotel Bennett (Tacoma); Western Union Telegraph Co. (Tacoma);

Broadway in downtown Tacoma is festive with decorations as Christmas, 1928, draws near. This is a view of the street looking north from about 12th Street. Fisher's, "Tacoma's Own Store," and the Rhodes Brothers Department Store are on the left; the 12-story Fidelity Building towers over the other buildings on the right. Signs for the Hotels Warburton and Ritz and the McMillan Bros. drugstore can be seen on the right. TPL-1581; G59.1-022

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Hotel Warburton (Tacoma); Hotel Ritz (Tacoma); McMillan Brothers (Tacoma); Christmas decorations;

ca. 1928. Broadway in the late 1920's was already known as the "heart of the shopping and theatrical district." Businesses were crammed cheek by jowl up and down the street. The New York Building at 1117-19 Broadway still listed the Horgan-Parker Department Store's advertisement of "The new daylight department store" even though the store was no longer in existence; Hotels Ritz and Warburton were doors apart; Feltman & Curme sold wonderful $6.50 and $5.50 shoes, and the Blue Mouse theater sold tickets at a mere 25 cents. Kimball's sold guns and sporting goods. The Winthrop Hotel on the right in the distance had opened in 1925. The 12-story Fidelity Building at 949-55 Broadway was also open; it was near the much smaller Hotel Warburton. More people had cars and were using them, as well as public transportation, to visit downtown. (Copy of glass plate negative made on October 3, 1958.) TPL-8477

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Blue Mouse Movie Theatre (Tacoma);