On March 11, 1939, the Bachelor Club of Tacoma hosted a large ball and style show in the Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. Several guests were photographed seated at a long banquet table watching the fashion show. More guests are seated on a landing above and to the right. (filed with Argentum)

Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Bachelor Club (Tacoma); Fashion shows;

On March 11, 1939, the Bachelor Club of Tacoma hosted a large ball and style show in the Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. Several guests were photographed seated around small round tables at the event. (filed with Argentum)

Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Bachelor Club (Tacoma); Fashion shows;

St. Leo's Basketball Team, 1939 Parochial School League Champions. Nine players in uniform with Knights of Columbus trophy, banner and basketball. On their way to the championship, the team ran up an average of 50 points a game. They played each rival school, Holy Rosary, Visitation, Sacred Heart and St. Patricks, three times and won every time. Team members are, left to right, Bob Hines, Charles Paplow, Jack Hermsen, Larry Rash, Bob Hutt, Orville Zander, James O'Brien, Ted Garitone and Albert Buhr. Ordered by Father Joseph A. Lynch.

St. Leo's Parochial School (Tacoma); Church schools--Tacoma; Basketball--Tacoma; Basketball players--Tacoma;

Interior exposure of James H. Davis, better known as Jimmy, at his desk at his insurance company in office 607 of the Perkins Building. Davis came to Tacoma in 1889, when Washington became a state. He left home in Albany Illinois at the age of 11 to seek his fortune in Louisville, Ky. He signed on as a cabin boy of the "Belle of Memphis," a steamer plying the Mississippi between Louisville and New Orleans. Entreated by the captain to continue his education, he enrolled at the university founded by his grandfather Indiana Asbury University (later renamed Depauw.) He attended until he got restless in his sophomore year and ventured west, to Grenada, Colorado, where he was elected mayor before he was 21. His next bout of restlessness took him as far west as he could go, Tacoma, where he blew into town on March 10, 1889. He started out wiping down street railway cars and ended up as the manager, personally selected by owner Henry Villard. He later focused on insurance and politics, serving as state representative 12 consecutive sessions. (T. Times, 3/13/1939, p. 1).

Davis, James H.; Politicians--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Mrs. Kate Stevens Bates, youngest daughter and only survivor of Washington Territory's first governor, Isaac Stevens, sits at the piano at her home in Olympia on March 14, 1939. She was only a few months old when the family arrived in Olympia. Brother Hazard Stevens built Bates' home. She is the wife of James H.S. Bates. (T. Times 3/14/1939, p. 1)

Governors; Stevens, Isaac Ingalls--Family; Bates, Kate Stevens; Pianos;

Mrs. Kate Stevens Bates, youngest daughter of Washington Territory's first governor, Isaac Stevens, sits in her home in Olympia reading "Readers Digest." Home was built by her brother Hazard Stevens and is filled with antiques, art, and photographs.(T. Times 3/14/1939, p.1)

Governors; Stevens, Isaac Ingalls--Family; Bates, Kate Stevens; Bates, Kate Stevens--Homes & haunts;

Judge James H.S. Bates at home in Olympia. The Judge is seated on antique sofa below a collection of framed art. Judge Bates is the husband of Kate Stevens Bates, the youngest daughter of Washington Territory's first governor Isaac Stevens. (T. Times, 3/14/1939, p. 1)

Judges; Bates, James;

Basketball team on court. Number 12 jumps for basket with ball as player Number 4 blocks shot.

Silver Star mother honored at special ceremony - Mrs. Martin Messinger - woman in chair with star above it, 9 people standing beside chair.

Five women, wearing corsages, are seated at a dining table decorated with a large floral display in the Bonneville Hotel on March 16, 1939. They were attending the Junior Women's Club luncheon that day.

Women--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bonneville Hotel (Tacoma); Junior Womens Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Is the first day of Spring in March of 1939 bringing with its warm breezes a budding romance? Helen ( Mrs. Ward) Alvord, Jr., takes one-year-old daughter Virginia out on her stroller. They meet Charlotte (Mrs. Herbert) Stimpson and son, 10-month-old Gary, who is being pushed in a wicker baby carriage. The two youngsters strike up a conversation with much cooing and gurgling. Is this the start of something big? The two families were neighbors, living in the North 30th and North Monroe neighborhood. (T. Times, 3/21, p. 1).

Alvord, Helen; Alvord, Virginia; Stimpson, Charlotte; Stimpson, Gary; Mothers & children--1930-1940; Baby carriages--1930-1940; Strollers (Baby carriages)--1930-1940; Infants;

Crowds view the crumpled remains of the Boeing Stratoliner, which crashed near Alder, Washington, 30 miles southeast of Tacoma, on March 18, 1939. Close-up of wrecked airplane debris. The experimental craft, costing $500,000, and weighing 20 tons, was designed to revolutionize cross country transportation by air. March 18th was supposed to be uneventful "Test Flight #19," however the aircraft inexplicably crashed, killing the crew of ten. The Air Safety Board in June of 1939 ruled the accident was due to structural failure. The plane went into an inadvertent spin, subsequent to a stall at an altitude of approximately 11,000 feet. The board felt that the failure of the wings and horizontal tail surfaces were due to excessive loads, cause by air pressure. The loads were in excess of what the wings and tail were designed for. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1; 6/2/1939, pg. 2)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

Just the top of the lodge, with its extending waving flag and pole, can be seen above the Spring snow pack at Paradise, Mount Rainier National Park. The occasion of the photograph is "Bremerton Day" at Mount Rainier.

Mount Rainier National Park (Wash.); Snow;

Four women and one man salute the camera from their perch on a long toboggan at "Bremerton Day" at Paradise, Mount Rainier in March of 1939. They are enjoying the deep snow on this early spring day.

Mount Rainier National Park (Wash.); Winter sports; Snow; Sleds & sleighs; Toboggans;

Spring officially arrived in Tacoma at 4:29 a.m. on March 21, 1939 in a dense, pea soup fog. The daybreak and clearing skies brought warmer weather, which brought out the young people of Tacoma eager to embrace the Spring. Launching the arrival of Spring are Sandra Keith, Grace Fullager, Corrine Baker and Jacqueline Fullager, left to right, roller skating down the street just north of Division Avenue. Before roller blades, street skates were metal with leather straps. The metal skates were adjustable to fit one's shoes and were locked on with a skate key. (T. Times, 3/21/1939, p. 1).

Spring--Tacoma; Roller skating--1930-1940; Keith, Sandra; Fullager, Grace; Baker, Corrine; Fullager, Jacqueline; Skaters;

View of cracked fuselage. On March 18, 1939, people living near Alder, 30 miles southeast of Tacoma, looked-up to see this Boeing Stratoliner fall to earth in a fatal tailspin. The four-engine aircraft, designed to revolutionize cross-country transportation, broke apart as it fell and crashed into Nisqually Canyon. All ten men on-board the test flight were killed. The Air Safety Board of the Civil Aeronautics Authority immediately ventured to the scene to investigate the tragedy. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

Stratoliner crash at Alder, Washington, March 18, 1939. Close-up of wrecked airplane debris from the Boeing experimental craft. The ten member crew was killed, possibly instantly, when the 20-ton aircraft plunged two miles into the rural hillside. The crew was composed of experienced test pilots, Boeing employees, and two representatives from the Netherlands. The plane, preparing to be licensed for commercial flying, was to be tested on Monday, March 20, 1939, on a governmental inspection flight. Instead, both wingtips and part of its tail broke off while in the air. The Air Safety Board of the C.A.A. would be investigating the accident which occurred under excellent flying conditions with clear visibility. (T.Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

Stratoliner crash near Alder, March 18, 1939. Four men have the grim task of carrying a body on a stretcher to a road near the wooded accident site. Killed were: test pilots Harlan Hull, Julius Barr, Earl Ferguson and William Doyle; Boeing staff John Kylstra, Harry West, Ralph Cram and Benjamin Pearson, as well as Dutch representatives Peter Guilonard and A.G. Von Baumhauer. Escaping death was Bob Bush, Boeing engineer, who had been scheduled to be on the flight but was left off because there was no more room. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner; Litters;

Boeing Stratoliner crash at Alder, Washington, on March 18, 1939. A large crowd gathered around airplane wreckage manage to get very close to the smashed craft. The experimental craft had its cigar-shaped fuselage cracked wide open in three places. Both of its wingtips and part of the tail had broken off without warning, causing the plane to plunge directly to the hillside two miles below. The tragedy was viewed by many residents of this rural community, far away from normal flight paths. On Sunday, March 19th, crowds driving out to view the sight of this tragedy clogged the Mountain Highway. Parking was not available for a mile in either direction. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

Looking more like a crumpled soda can than an airplane, the experimental "sub-stratosphere" Boeing plane, the "Stratoliner," lies where it crashed on March 18, 1939 in the Nisqually Canyon, 1/4 mile from Alder. In nearly ideal flying conditions, the half million dollar plane, designed to revolutionize cross country flying, took off on its 17th test flight. It carried 10 people; test pilots for Transcontinental and Western Airlines, Boeing test pilots, engineers and executives and 2 representatives of the Royal Dutch Airline. Shortly after 12 noon, the four engine plane, all engines running loudly, took a nose dive and plunged to the hillside about two miles below, wing tips and tail structure breaking off enroute, and killing everyone on board. The tragedy was witnessed from the ground by at least 20 individuals. (T. Times 3/18/1934- 3/30/1934, pg. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

State Patrol officer Joe Sladek's head juts from the wreckage of the experimental aircraft, the Boeing Stratoliner, which crashed near Alder on the afternoon of March 18, 1939, killing everyone on board. The 33 passenger aircraft was intended by Boeing to revolutionize cross country air travel. The plane had already logged in sixteen successful test flights and was to receive government inspection, preparatory to being licensed for commercial travel, in just a few days. However, on routine "Test Flight #19," the plane, all four engines roaring, lost its wingtips and tail section and smashed into the hillside 2 miles below. The accident was witnessed by over 20 rural residents. As word of the accident got out, police were required to keep the crowd back. Even so, spectators managed to carry off several essential pieces of the debris. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner; Sladek, Joe;

Bremerton Day at Paradise, Mount Rainier National Park. Skiers enjoy spring skiing, frolicking in the snow at Paradise.

Mount Rainier National Park (Wash.); Skiers--1930-1940; Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940; Winter sports; Snow;

A gallant young boy wearing knickers and a leather bomber cap helped two young girls skate down the sidewalk in the still chilly spring sunshine in March of 1939. The end of winter and the drier, sunnier days of spring were motivators for the children to come outside and play. The names of the three youngsters were not provided.

Roller skating--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skaters--1930-1940; Spring; Children--Tacoma--1930-1940; Children--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Boeing Stratoliner crash at Alder, Washington, 30 miles southeast of Tacoma, on March 18, 1939. Close-up of wrecked airplane debris. The experimental craft, costing $500,000, and weighing 20 tons, crashed and killed a crew of ten on Saturday afternoon, March 18, 1939. Both wingtips and part of the tail broke off without warning, plunging the aircraft to the hillside two miles below. Flying conditions were excellent and there was clear visibility. The Stratoliner was preparing to be licensed for commercial flying and was scheduled for a governmental inspection flight on March 20, 1939. It had already logged in twenty flight hours. The plane's crew was composed of several experienced Boeing pilots and two Dutch representatives. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

Stratoliner crash at Alder, Washington, March 18, 1939. A large crowd gathered around the wrecked airplane which had unexpectedly broken up and plunged two miles into the rural hillsides near Alder, 30 miles southeast of Tacoma. There were no survivors among the ten member crew. The tragedy would draw people from all over the state, necessitating the deputizing of several local residents to handle crowd control. Despite additional police help, avid souvenir hunters made off with bits of debris from the Boeing craft. The $500,000 airplane weighed twenty tons and its cabin was constructed to carry 33 passengers when completed. It was designed to fly "sub stratosphere," 5-6 miles above earth, in the "no weather" zone. It had already logged in 20 hours of flight time prior to the accident. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

March 18, 1939, Boeing Stratoliner crash at Alder, Washington. Large crowd standing on and around the wrecked airplane. Pierce County Sheriffs and police from surrounding communities had to move the crowd back from the crushed aircraft. 3000 gallons of gasoline had spilled under the plane and the danger of explosion was present. The accident occurred approximately 1:21 p.m. on Saturday, March 18, 1939, when the experimental craft lost its wingtips and part of the tail and plunged into the rural hillsides near Alder. Ten men lost their lives, including two representatives from the Netherlands. The four-engine aircraft was supposed to revolutionize cross-country transportation and had already logged in twenty hours of flight time. (T.Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

View of cracked fuselage. On March 18, 1939, people living near Alder, 30 miles southeast of Tacoma, looked-up to see this Boeing Stratoliner fall to earth in a fatal tailspin. The four-engine aircraft, designed to revolutionize cross-country transportation, broke apart as it fell and crashed into Nisqually Canyon. All ten men on-board the test flight were killed. The Air Safety Board of the Civil Aeronautics Authority immediately ventured to the scene to investigate the tragedy. (T. Times, 3-18-39, p. 1, 3-20-39, p. 1)

Aircraft accidents--Alder--1930-1940; Boeing Stratoliner;

These Washington Elementary School students are enjoying the coming of Spring in March 1939. They are just a hop, skip and jump now from the carefree pleasures of summer. Skipping rope are, left to right, Charlotte Ann Nelson, Beverly Grace Richardson, and Grace Loudin. Neighbor Billy Myers (age 12) sits on his bicycle observing the bouncing girls (T. Times, 3/21/1939, p. 1)

Nelson, Charlotte Ann; Richardson, Beverly Grace; Loudin, Grace; Myers, Billy; Rope skipping; Spring; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Washington School (Tacoma); School children--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The first day of Spring, March 20, 1939, stirred up a wild streak in these youngsters who staged a regular "stick 'em up." Playing their own version of an old Wild West scene were, left to right, an unidentified girl, "Bad Guy" Buster Weed (age 13,) victims Virgil Weed (9,) Leoda Thorsen (4,) Sally Nelson (4,) "co-conspirator" Eugene Nelson (age 8,) and an unidentified girl. The young people were students at Stewart and Horace Mann schools. (T. Times, 3/21/1939, p. 1)

Spring; Weed, Buster; Weed, Virgil; Thorsen, Leoda; Nelson, Eugene; Toy guns; Nelson, Sally;

Spring scenes taken at random. Children playing outside as Spring in 1939 emerges. A little girl pushing a wicker baby doll carriage pauses on her stroll around the block to speak to a young boy in a plaid jacket. Her companion on a tricycle waits patiently for the conversation to conclude. (T. Times, 3/21/1939, p. 1)

Spring; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Children--Tacoma--1930-1940; Baby carriages--1930-1940;