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.;

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 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;

ca. 1971. 1971 Richards color stock footage. Two youngsters gaze in awe at the replica of the Statue of Liberty welcoming visitors to the Washington State Historical Society museum. The statue was presented to the Society in 1951 by the Mount Rainier Council of Boy Scouts.

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Sculpture--Tacoma;

ca. 1971. 1971 Richards color stock footage. Progress photograph of ongoing construction at the Washington State Historical Building, 315 No. Stadium Way, in 1971. Workers are busy on the addition to the venerable museum. Originally known as the Ferry Museum, it was built in 1911. Tacoma architects Lea, Pearson and Richards designed this $1,000,000+ wing which would include a 300-seat auditorium, new library and permanent gallery featuring Western art. The four-story, 30,000 sq. ft. addition opened on May 4, 1973, although final work would not be completed until about January 1, 1974. (TNT 2-7-71, A-1 - sketch; TNT 4-29-73, Tahoman insert, p. 2-article)

Progress photographs; Building construction--Tacoma--1970-1980; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);

ca. 1971. 1971 Richards color stock footage. Progress photograph of construction occurring at the new wing in Washington State Historical Society building in 1971. A brick edifice is shown in the center of the color photograph; there are at least two arched doorways. Construction began in the spring of 1971 and was expected to take a year. The $1,000,000 addition would include a 300-seat auditorium, new library and a permanent gallery of Western art. (TNT 2-7-71, A-1 sketch)

Progress photographs; Building construction--Tacoma--1970-1980; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); 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);

Exhibit showing transparancies and murals at Ferry Museum, Washington State Historical Society, Mr. Foster. Mr. Chapin D. Foster is putting the final touches on the display of materials depicting the development of Washington State from when the area was known as North Oregon, the Washington Territories and then became a state. (T.Times, 1/23/1949, p.2)

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

Washington State Historical Society is currently displaying an exhibit featuring fourteen dolls made by Ada Bridgman Odenrider. The dolls show a century of fashions, between the period of 1800 and 1900. The dolls are getting ready to go to Santa Ana, California, they have been invited to the Charles W. Bowers Memorial Museum; where only the rarest and most beautiful dolls are invited to participate (T. Times, 3/6/49, p. 24).

Dolls; Collectors--Tacoma; Hobbyists--Tacoma; Exhibitions--Tacoma; Odenrider, Ada Bridgman--Associated objects; Fashion shows--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);

School children from Buckley and Elk Plain visited the Washington State Historical Society museum; they were guided through an imaginary trip across the plains during the time of the late Ezra Meeker. View of Chapin D. Foster (foreground, facing the children), Secretary and Director of the Washington State Historical Society museum, also known as the Ferry Museum, speaking to the visiting students (T.N.T., 4/6/49, p. 9).

School children--Tacoma; School field trips--Tacoma; Art exhibitions--Tacoma; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);

Gov. Arthur B. Langlie speaking at dedication of Liberty Bell replica at Washington State Historical Society in front of a capacity crowd. Sociey Pres.S A. Perkins sits to the governor's left; woman in large hat is Margaret Marshall, descendant of Chief Justice John Marshall. It was at the funeral procession of John Marshall in 1835 that the original Liberty Bell cracked. Identical in design, lettering, and calibration to the original bell, the replica weighs over a ton and stands six feet in height, measuring twelve feet in circumference at the lip and four feet at the crown. (TNT 7-8-50, p. 10; TNT 7-11-50, p. 19)

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

On July 9, 1950 Governor Arthur B Langlie accepted an exact replica of the Liberty Bell in the name of the residents of Washington state. The replica was one of 53 donated by the Copper Industry of America to each state, territory, and the District of Columbia . The bells were made in Annecy, France, and are identical in design, lettering, and calibration to the original Liberty Bell. Left to right: Governor Arthur B. Langlie, Washington State Historical Society President S.A. "Sam" Perkins, Society Director Chapin Foster. (TNT 7-8-50, p. 10; TNT 7-11-50, p. 19)

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

Tacoma Sculpturing Club has helped many homemakers become interested in wood carving as a hobby. The club meets regularly in the Bryant Creative Art Center at Bryant School. During World War II the club members volunteered with the Red Cross arts and crafts unit. The club is showing their work at the Washington State Historical Society museum, formerly known as the Ferry Museum (T.N.T., 5/1/49, p. D-5 & 5/8/49, p. A-13).

Tacoma Sculpturing Club (Tacoma); Wood carvings; Art; Art exhibitions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays;

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;

Posed with an elegent walking stick umbrella, Mrs. Valen Honeywell is wearing a new fall suit provided by Lou Johnson, Inc. Her suit has a definite nipped-in waistline and very slim skirt. Suede pumps and a small velvet hat with veil complete her ensemble. Mrs. Honeywell is the wife of the deputy county prosecuting attorney. Washington State Historical Society Museum is in the background. TNT 9-12-50, p. C-5) TPL-9336

Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1950-1960; Women--Tacoma--1950-1960; Honeywell, Valen--Family;

Two alcoves at Historical Building, McCormick Room, State Historical Society, Mr. Foster. Mr. and Mrs. William L. McCormick gave this alcove display that honors Isaac I. Stevens, the Washington Territory's first governor, and another alcove, honoring Mr. McCormick's father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Laird McCormick, to the State Historical Society. In the center is the desk Isaac I. Stevens used in his office in Olympia made of black walnut. Cases on either side house Stevens' flags, one of which Stevens carried while a general in the northern army in 1865 at the Battle of Chantilly when he lost his life. (TNT, 7/3/1949, p.A-3)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; McCormick, William L.; Gifts;

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);