Several buildings in Tacoma were damaged by the earthquake, including: the Pacific First Federal Savings and Loan Association, Tacoma Public Library Carnegie Building, Lowell School, Willard School, Whitman School and Edison School. View of unidentified man examining the damage caused to his home. Photo ordered by Life magazine in New York (Life, 4/25/49, p. 34-35 & T.N.T., 4/13/49, P. 1, 12 & 4/14/49, p. 1-2). TPL-2026,

Houses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building failures--Tacoma; Rescue work--Tacoma; Earthquakes--Tacoma; Disasters--Tacoma; Life (New York, N.Y.);

Helander and Company was a building materials business, specializing in aluminum shingles and they were a "Johns-Manville" approved dealer; the company was owned by William O. Helander. Exterior view of home belonging to Fred L. and Loretta Green, their home is located at 636 South Hawthorne Street in Tacoma; sign on house read "Johns-Manville" Asbestos Shingles, for sidewalls of beauty and durability. TPL-1650

Houses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building materials; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Neighborhoods--Tacoma; Helander & Co. (Tacoma); Green, Fred L.--Homes & haunts;

Helander and Company was a building materials business, specializing in aluminum shingles, they were also the "Johns-Manville" approved dealer; the company was owned by William O. Helander. Exterior view of home that has recently been roofed by Helander and Company; this home belong to Robert L. and Ardys M. Robinson, and it is located at 5219 South Warner Street in South Tacoma.

Houses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Roofs--Tacoma; Building materials; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Neighborhoods--Tacoma; Helander & Co. (Tacoma); Robinson, Robert L.--Homes & haunts;

Aerial view of Mobilgas sign on the Washington Building, Rust Building, and Puget Sound National Bank building in downtown Tacoma. The South 11th Street bridge is on the right side, it connects downtown Tacoma to the Port of Tacoma, over the City Waterway; photo ordered by Columbia Breweries, possibly to display in their newly remodeled buildings.

Business districts--Tacoma; Cityscapes; Aerial photographs; Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Aerial view of Tacoma's downtown business district, Shaffer Terminals, City Waterway, waterfront area and South 11th Street bridge on right side; Market Street on left side, photo is looking south from South 15th Street.

Business districts--Tacoma; Waterfronts; Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cityscapes; Piers & wharves--Tacoma; Cities & towns--Tacoma; Aerial photographs;

Tacoma had two insurance brokers for Fireman's Fund Insurance Company, Mitchell & Erdahl and Busselle & Company. View of Tacoma Avenue South and South 9th Street intersection; Ballou and Wright, a wholesale auto parts store is located on left side, Radio Service Engineers is located on right, Tacoma Public Schools administration building in background; automobiles are parked along Tacoma Avenue. Photo ordered by Firemen's Fund, possibly for a traffic accident. TPL-1672

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business districts--Tacoma; Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Insurance; Insurance companies--Tacoma; City & town life--Tacoma; Firemen's Fund Insurance Co. (Tacoma);

Aerial view of Tacoma's Stadium district; residential areas and a glimpse of surrounding neighborhoods. First Presbyterian Church in center, Stadium High School upper right corner, Wright Park on left side, Temple Theatre and many other businesses located in the Stadium district.

Neighborhoods--Tacoma; Streets--Tacoma; Commercial facilities--Tacoma; City & town life--Tacoma; Cities & towns--Tacoma; Aerial photographs; Aerial views;

Roy Woods (left) and Joe McGovern stand on a platform outside the 17th floor of the Washington Building at 1019 Pacific Ave. in this photograph from September 1948. The Earl Painting Company, owned and managed by Earl Gallmeyer, had been contracted to paint the sashes and frames of the 900 windows in the 237 foot building. (T.Times, 10/11/1948, p.5)

Washington Building (Tacoma); Buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Earl Painting Co. (Tacoma); Painting--Tacoma--1940-1950; Architectural elements--Tacoma; Capitals (Columns)--Tacoma; Cornices--Tacoma; Pilasters--Tacoma; Sash windows--Tacoma;

John J. Hewitt house, Delano and Aldrich with Sutton Whitney and Dugan, Architects; 1925. Lawn furniture in garden outside of house

Dwellings - Houses - Tacoma

ca. 1948. The John J. Hewitt, Sr., home at 616 North "D" St. was designed in 1925 by New York architects Delano and Aldrich with Sutton, Whitney and Dugan serving as associate architects. This exterior view of the house shows extensive shrubbery. Mr. Hewitt was the son of the late Henry Hewitt, Jr., and president of the Hewitt Land Co. Mr. Hewitt would pass away in July of 1950 at age 84.

Hewitt, John J.--Homes & haunts; Houses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hedges (Plants)--Tacoma;

Exterior view of Alfred Nicholas' room at the Butler Hotel, located on 824 A Street. Alfred was the janitor at the Tacoma Army-Navy Club. He suffered a fall from this location. His room appears to be the open window in the center, fire escapes are located on the right side above the metal trash cans.

Housing--Tacoma; Tenement houses--Tacoma; City & town life--Tacoma; Building deterioration--Tacoma; Butler Hotel (Tacoma); Nicholas, Alfred;

Tacoma Transit was about to begin building new facilities, a bus transit center to be located on South Sprague Avenue between South 12th Street and South 15th Street, across from the athletic park. They had also ordered new buses, giving them a 120 unit fleet, Tacoma Transit had an increase in the usage of their transportation. View of intersection at South 26th Street and Pacific Avenue, Tacoma Transit bus in background, photo ordered by Tacoma Transit Company (T.N.T., 1/1/48, p. 1).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Traffic congestion--Tacoma; Buses--Tacoma; Mass transit--Tacoma; Pierce Transit (Tacoma); Tacoma Transit Co. (Tacoma);

Wollander Far-West Homes. A truck is delivering the components of this prefabricated house. The foundation has already been laid and workers are stacking the newly delivered materials in the middle of the subflooring for the new home. Trusses are ready to be unloaded from the truck. They are nearly the first thing off the truck since they will be almost the last thing added to the house.

Wollander Farwest Homes (Tacoma); Housing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Prefabricated houses; Construction--Tacoma--1940-1950;

College of Puget Sound purchased U. S. Army surplus buildings in 1947. These buildings would be used to provide more classrooms, they were assembled, renovated and christened as "South Hall". The student population grew from 250 students to 1900 students, the growth is attributed to post-war growth and expansion. View of Army barracks being assembled (Tamanawas 1948).

Building construction--Tacoma; Residential facilities--Tacoma; Portable buildings--Tacoma; Universities & colleges--Tacoma; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

The W. R. Rust Building was built in 1920 by William R. Rust, the contractor was J. E. Bonnell and Sutton, Whitney and Dugan were the architects; it is twelve stories high. Between 1929 and 1931 the building was known as the Townsend Building. It is now the Seafirst Center in downtown Tacoma. Exterior view of building, Franwell fountain lunch, Virges Drug Company and Lundquist Lilly shops on ground level.

Business districts--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rust Building (Tacoma);

Safeway Stores bought out Totem Food Stores, a Washington owned and operated grocery stores, in 1942. In 1947 Safeway had over sixteen stores throughout the Tacoma area. Harry P. Brown was the district manager of Safeway Stores in Tacoma. Interior view of Safeway Stores Inc. offices in the Rust building.

Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Rust Building (Tacoma); Safeway Stores, Inc. (Tacoma);

Exterior view of Anna D. Miller's home, the grass is neatly mowed, trees and flower beds under the windows give this home a beautiful look. The house is located on the corner of A Street and East George Street. Anna D. Miller was an Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools. The Building Index indicates this home was built in 1908.

Miller, Anna D.--Homes & haunts; Houses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Neighborhoods--Tacoma; Trees--Tacoma;

Residence and grounds at Wayne W. and Bernice Keyes home in the Lakes District. Mr. and Mrs. Keyes sit on a bench in their garden with two of their dogs. Mr. Keyes wears riding breeches. Wayne W. Keyes was an attorney in Tacoma at this time.

Dwellings--Lakewood--1940-1950; Trees--Lakewood--1940-1950; Lawns--Lakewood--1940-1950; Gardens--Lakewood--1940-1950; Keyes, Wayne W.; Keyes, Bernice; Dogs--Lakewood--1940-1950; Keyes Mansion (Lakewood);

Home of Dora B. (Mrs. Percy C.) Smith, Times Society, Mrs. MacDonald. A group of society women gather outside Mrs. Smith's large, two-storied home. The porch has large columns with a balcony over the porch. The exterior of the house is clapboards painted white. The group met to define organization plans for the newly formed auxiliary to the Dixie Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The president of Dixie, Mrs. Edwin Keyes, appointed officers. L-R, seated: Mrs. Richard L. Smith, Vice Chairman; Mrs. Richmond Higy, Chairman; Frances M. (Mrs. Charles Q.) Jackson, Treasurer; standing: Louise M. (Mrs. George C.) Roberts, Secretary, the next three are unnamed, Sarah E. (Mrs. Alfred) Gruetter, Corresponding Secretary (third from right) and the last two are unnamed. (T.Times, 7/26/1947, p.10)

Dwellings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clubwomen--Tacoma--1940-1950; Roberts, Louise M.; Gruetter, Sarah E.; Jackson, Frances M.; United Daughters of the Confederacy (Tacoma); Smith, Dora B.--Homes & haunts;

This house is a Vernacular/Popular style building, this architectural genre can be portrayed in either cottage, contemporary, ranch, shed or split level style. Typical characteristics of this style house include the following features: long horizontal lines, one-story, shallow-pitched roofs and exterior material used is usually wood. View of Contemporary Vernacular/Popular style house built in one day by Wollander Farwest Homes, photo ordered by Willard A. Wollander.

Houses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Chimneys--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Decks (Rooms & spaces)--Tacoma; Windows--Tacoma; Wollander Better Builder Plans (Tacoma); Wollander Farwest Homes (Tacoma);

Hotel Croft and Pacific Avenue for Electrical Products Consolidated. A view north along Pacific Avenue. Walker Brake and Wheel is on the right side of the street with Union Station just beyond. Standard Paper Company is about one-half block ahead on the left. This view of the bustling business district of Tacoma shows automobiles, delivery trucks and city busses. The Hotel Croft is six blocks north on the right hand side. Electrical Products Condolidated were sign manufacturers. TPL-1413; TPL-1450.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Buses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cityscapes;

A row of new houses in a housing development are shown in this February, 1950, photograph. The house in the foreground abuts the sidewalk and has a two-car garage attached at the far end. Large picture windows are covered with venetian blinds on the inside. The roof appears to be covered with cedar shakes. Ordered by Harold O. Buck.

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Housing developments--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interior exposure of a home at 944 So. Mountain View Ave designed and built by Tietz Construction in the Narrowmoor housing addition. The living room wall was all glass for owners to enjoy the view of the Sound. The television console sat against the wall beneath the mirror. Boldly checked wallpaper adorns the walls and ceilings of the room beyond. In 1952, this was the home of George Petrich.

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Interiors--Tacoma--1950-1960; Interior decoration; Furniture--1950-1960; Living rooms--Tacoma--1950-1960; Petrich, George--Homes & haunts;

Before photograph of kitchen at 3716 North 37th Street, owned by Harold Stamey, Stamey Insurance Service, Inc. This view of the kitchen features the sink and counter area between the back door on the right and a breakfast nook on the left. The window above the sink is flanked by tall cabinets. One of the drawers on the lower left is missing and the family have found a use for it stacking items in it. The house was built in 1916 and shows wear and tear.

Kitchens--Tacoma--1950-1960; Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Remodeling--Tacoma--1950-1960; Stamey, Harold--Homes & haunts;

Exterior of ranch style home. Contractors: Witte & O'Flyng, Inc. A housing boom had taken over Tacoma in the 1950s, with the influx of GI home loans. In 1950, 64% of all dwellings in Tacoma were owned by the occupants.

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The home of Lyle and Alva K. Abrahamson at 12321 Interlaaken Blvd. S.W. Mr. Abrahamson was the manager of Foster & Kleiser Co. This larger home features two stories and two fireplaces.

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Abrahamson, Lyle;

Before shot of 5643 So. Birmingham St., home of Harry Good, for Linwood Sales

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Good, Harry--Homes & haunts; Then & now comparisons; Linwood Sales Co. (Tacoma);

Before shot of 3217 E. Grandview Ave, home of R.R. Beaumont, for Linwood Sales Co.

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Then & now comparisons; Linwood Sales Co. (Tacoma); Beaumont, R. R.--Homes & haunts;

Before view of Gilbert A. and Vera Knutsen's home showing the most siding. The one-story, cottage-style home has a side gable roof. Concrete steps lead to a large covered porch with double columns supporting the porch roof. Ordered by Linwood Sales, Mr. Rauscher.

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Linwood Sales Co. (Tacoma); Knutsen, Gilbert A.--Homes & haunts; Linwood Sales Co. (Tacoma);

After view of the exterior of the Beaumont home at 3217 East Grandview. The house was recently covered with new shingles. Ordered by Linwood Sales Company who advertised the "Newest in Wood Siding". The siding, sealed and treated against rot, mildew, and termites, was also waterproofed. The company had "an introductory offer for being the first house in your neighborhood". Compare with photograph D48,732-2. (TNT, 4/2/1950, p.C-14)

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Then & now comparisons; Linwood Sales Co. (Tacoma); Beaumont, R. R.--Homes & haunts;