Image title: Costume of a woman Shaman - Clayoquot. The North American Indian, v. 11, p. 54.

Indians of North America--Nootka--1910-1920; Women--Indians of North America; Indians of North America--Portraits;

ca. 1915. At the wheel of the "Great Big Baked Potato Special" is driver Harry O'Brien. The #33 car was entered in both the InterCity 100-mile and Golden Potlatch 200-mile races at the Tacoma Speedway during the 4th of July holiday weekend in 1915. The "Baked Potato" was believed to be a Stutz and the Stutzs and Mercers entries had withdrawn from the InterCity race. The car also did not run in the Potlatch on July 5th as only eight cars started the race. TPL-128

O'Brien, Harry; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920;

ca. 1915. A photographic copy of a customer's photograph showing a large group of approximately 78 people in front of one of the entrances to the Pierce County Courthouse.

Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Courthouses--Tacoma; Architectural elements--Tacoma; Doors & doorways--Tacoma;

Image title: Suqitlaa. The North American Indian, v.11, p. 46.

Indians of North America--Nootka--1910-1920; Men--Indians of North America; Indians of North America--Portraits;

Image title: Sepulture in a post at Yan. The North American Indian, v. 11, p.128.

Indians of North America--Haida--1910-1920; Death and burial--Indians of North America;

ca. 1915. Created from the stump of a massive cedar tree, this bandstand stood in 27-acre Wright Park and was the scene of many civic and formal occasions and celebrations. Two unidentified men are pictured on the bandstand in this circa 1915 photograph. Fire destroyed the bandstand in 1930. (copy of original) Bi-Centennial Project # 75346-11 (www.metroparkstacoma.org-short article)

Wright Park (Tacoma); Parks--Tacoma--1910-1920; Tree stumps--Tacoma; Bandstands--Tacoma;

ca. 1915. "The Famous Tacoma Speedway, Annually the Scene of Exciting Automobile Races" This photograph was believed to have been taken in 1915. The grandstands are full of excited spectators while many others view the action from their parked cars across the way. Winners that year were Grover Ruckstell in the Montamarathon, Eddie Pullen in the Golden Potlatch and three-time winner Jim Parsons in the InterCity 100. TPL-8065

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Grandstands--Lakewood; Sports spectators--Lakewood;

ca. 1915. Veteran driver Barney Oldfield, chewing on his ever-present Havana, at the wheel during the July, 1915 Tacoma Speedway races. He took his first spin around the board track on June 26th, declaring it "a wonder." Mr. Oldfield drove his #1 Peugeot in both the Golden Potlatch 200-mile and Montamarathan 250-mile races. This is the car he bought from Dario Resta who had previously won the Vanderbilt Cup and Grand Prix races in San Francisco as new foreign cars were not available due to the European war. He also brought his special Fiat Cyclone and 300 hp Christie to town to attempt world records; those cars did not compete in the actual races as they did not meet piston displacement rules. Barney Oldfield finished fifth with a time of 3 hours, 17 minutes in the big Montamarathon race on July 4th and third in the Golden Potlatch on the following day. (TDL 6-27-15, p. 20-article; TDL 7-5-15, p. 1-results; TDL 7-6-15, p. 1,2-results; Tacoma Sunday Ledger 7-2-22, C-1-photo) TPL-3162

Oldfield, Barney; Automobile racing drivers; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Cigars;

John Boynton Kaiser, City Librarian, and Susie E. Taylor, a stenographer, sit at a work table in the City Librarian's office in the Tacoma Public Library, 1102 Tacoma Avenue South. As City Librarian, Mr. Kaiser was head of the Tacoma library staff from 1914 to 1924; the Library did not have a director at that time. During that time, for one year he was literary editor of the Tacoma Daily Ledger, signing his work "Diogenes." When the United States entered the first World War, he applied for war service, and served as a librarian at several army bases. He also amassed a large collection of posters, books and pamphlets published during the war. This space is still used for offices by the Library's Northwest Room staff. TPL-2876

Public libraries--Tacoma--1910-1920; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; Librarians; Kaiser, John Boynton; Taylor, Susie;

On April 27, 1915, the Tacoma Publicity Committee sponsored a race from Tacoma to the Mountain, pitting a train against four automobiles. The race was then captured in motion pictures by B.B. Dobbs (bottom right) to be displayed at the 1915 World's Fair in San Francisco. Thousands lined the race course from Tacoma to Ashford, the terminus of the Tacoma Eastern railroad. The train was a Milwaukee Special, handled by Engineer A.W. Bagley and Conductor J.F. Beals. The train arrived five minutes before the leading vehicle, driven by Mrs. O.H. Ridgeway (in car 2) at a blistering speed of 40-50 mph. Engineer Bagley gave the winning sack of $1000 in gold to the lady driver in admiration of her skill at the wheel. Following several minutes after Mrs. Ridgeway were the other three drivers, Van R. Layton, Frank Jacobs and Charles Atherton. (TDL 4/28/1915 p.1)

Races--Tacoma--1910-1920; Racing; Railroad locomotives--1910-1920; Automobiles--1910-1920; Crowds;

This is George Hill and his "mechanician" in car #2, a Stutz, on the Tacoma Speedway wood-based track in 1915. Mr. Hill was one of a trio racing Stutzs including Earl Cooper and Dave Lewis. He had entered both the big 250-mile Montamarathon and 200-mile Golden Potlach races held on July 4-5, 1915. If the #2 car looked familiar, it should have been. It was the old #8 "ghost" Stutz of Earl Cooper's with which he (Mr. Cooper) had won the 1913 Golden Potlatch and the 1913 & 1914 Montamarathon events. Unfortunately, it did not win either race for Mr. Hill. He failed to finish the Montamarathon when his car caught fire and subsequently was too damaged to compete in the Potlatch. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 7-4-15, p. 1-article; TDN 7-5-15, p. 1,2-results)

Hill, George; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Stutz automobile;

Driving Stutz #2 in the 1915 Montamara Festo races was George Hill, accompanied by his unidentified "mechanician." The big race car formerly ran successfully under the number 8 when driven by Earl Cooper. In 1915 Mr. Cooper chose to drive another Stutz which had come in 4th at the Indy 500 and his old #8 "ghost" was re-numbered 2. Mr. Hill was one of 13 drivers in the big Montamarathon event but his car caught fire and he was eliminated from the race. He had also entered his vehicle in the 200-mile Golden Potlatch but was not one of the eight cars who eventually started. TPL-4426 (TDN 7-5-15, p.1,2 -results)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Hill, George; Stutz automobile;

Frank Elliott in his car #5, the "Gordon Special," leads the way during what is probably the InterCity 100-mile race at the Tacoma Speedway held in early July of 1915. He would eventually finish second with a time of 1:20:28, two laps behind three-time winner Jim Parsons of Seattle, shown in the background in the Parsons Special, #22. Twelve cars from the Pacific Northwest had entered the race on July 5th but only six finished. T.F. Barsby came in third in his Velie Special and Earl Staley fourth in his Studebaker. The Mercer and Stutz entries were withdrawn from the InterCity. Mr. Elliott had also submitted entries to the big 250-Montamarathon and the Golden Potlatch 200-mile races. He finished sixth in the Montamarathon won by Grover Ruckstell. Although 21 drivers had entered the Potlatch which was run the day after the Montamarathon and on the same day as the InterCity, only eight were in condition to start with the others too damaged to race. Mr. Elliott's Gordon Special did start but did not win. TPL-1641 (TDN 7-6-15, p. 5-article; TDL 7-6-15, p. 1, 2 -results)

Elliott, Frank; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920;

Jim Parsons and "mechanician" in his #22 Parsons Special on the track at the Tacoma Speedway in July of 1915. Mr. Parsons had entered his race car in all three of the races held over the July 4-5 holiday. In 1914 his car ran under the Frantz label and was accorded the #7. In 1915, his vehicle was entered as the Parsons Special and it wore the #22. No matter what his car number was his record remained impeccable in the InterCity 100-mile race. With an average speed of 79 1/2 mph, he won the race for the third consecutive time and got to keep the trophy. In 1915 the big 250-mile race, the Montamarathon, was run on July 4th and the two other races, the InterCity 100-mile and Golden Potlatch 200-mile, followed on the 5th. This was in reverse order from 1914. TPL-1643 (TDL 7-6-15, p.1-2-results)

Parsons, Jim; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920;

On July 4, 1915, Earl Cooper approaches the checkered flag in his Stutz racing car at the Tacoma Speedway, finishing second in the Montamarathon. The crowd of 20,000 spectators stands and cheers. Cooper had won the 250 mile race in 1913 and 1914 and had hopes of retaining the perpetual trophy for the Montamarathon, second only in importance to Indianapolis's 500. His hopes were dashed by his second place finish at 2: 58: 5. Grover Ruckstell finished first at 2:57. The track's split board planking consisted of 2 x 4 planks which were laid end to end and were a hazard to the car's tires. The race was also marked by the board track's first fatalities. Billy Carlson's Maxwell 17 blew a tire and left the track in the 60th lap, launching both Carlson and his mechanic in the air. The mechanic, Paul Franzen, was killed instantly and Carlson died later that day of injuries. TPL-130, Speedway glass- 040 (Tacoma Tribune 7/5/1915, pg. 1 & 2)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Cooper, Earl;

Earl Cooper in his #8 Stutz motors past the checkered flag on July 4, 1915, at the 250-mile Montamarathon held at the Tacoma Speedway. Thirteen cars had started on the "lattice" track which consisted of 2 x 4 Washington fir planks over which gravel, sand and hot oil were applied. Mr. Cooper had hoped to retain his title in the big race which he had won for two consecutive years but came in a close second to Grover Ruckstell in his red Mercer. Mr. Ruckstell's time was 2:57 which nipped Mr. Cooper's 2:58:5. Although Mr. Cooper's car was numbered 8 which had graced the car previously and was still a Stutz racer, it was not the same car that won him the previous titles. This particular #8 had finished fourth at Indy. Mr. Cooper's old #8 Stutz was re-numbered 2 and driven by George Hill. (TDL 7-5-15, p. 1-article; Tacoma Sunday Ledger 7-4-15, p. 1-article)

Cooper, Earl; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Stutz automobile;

The Mercer racing team had a very successful journey to the Tacoma Speedway in July of 1915 as young Grover Ruckstell won the big 250-mile Montamarathon on the 4th with Eddie Pullen in third place and Mr. Pullen emerging victorious in the 200-mile Golden Potlatch race the following day. Mr. Pullen is shown waving his arm to the thrilled crowd as he prevented the 1913 titleholder, Earl Cooper in his Stutz, from recapturing the title. Mr. Pullen's winning time of 2:21:14 paid off with $1500 and the Golden Potlatch trophy. 1915 also saw the first appearance of veteran driver Barney Oldfield in his Peugeot at the Tacoma Speedway. Mr. Oldfield, who had high praise for the new planked track, came in third in the Potlatch after a disputed finish and fifth in the Montamarathon. (TDL 6-27-15, p. 20-article on Mr. Oldfield; TDL 7-5-15, p.1-results; TDL 7-6-15, p. 1,2-results)

Pullen, Eddie; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Mercer automobile; Grandstands--Lakewood; Sports spectators--Lakewood;

This is believed to be the Velie Special driven by T.F. Barsby who finished third in the July 5, 1915, InterCity 100-mile race at the Tacoma Speedway. The race was won by Jim Parsons of Seattle for the third consecutive year. Frank Elliott in his Gordon Special came in second. Twelve cars were entered but only six finished. TPL-3166 (TDL 7-6-15, p. 1,2 -results)

Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920;

On July 14, 1915, for the brief space of 2 and one half hours, Tacoma played host to the original Liberty Bell, the most famous relic of America's struggle for freedom. The bell was travelling by train from Philadelphia to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, at the request of 500,000 California school kids. Arriving in Tacoma at 4 p.m., the car displaying the Bell was unhooked from its regular transport and pulled by a Tacoma street railway locomotive, at the head of a parade of fraternal and civic organizations, as well as school children, to its reviewing stand in front of the Federal building at 11th & A St. A crowd estimated at 20,000 congregated to see the bell. The bell was photographed enroute to the viewing stand, in front of the Savoy Hotel, 1535 Pacific Ave., in the Sprague Building. (TDL 7/14/1915, pg. 1) TPL-020 (photograph courtesy of Sherrill Erb)

Liberty Bell--Celebrations--1910-1920; Savoy Hotel (Tacoma);

The Liberty Bell came to rest at its reviewing area at the front of the Federal Building at 1102 A St on July 14, 1915. For two and a half hours, it was on display for the citizens of Tacoma. The bell, which rang for the Continental Congress's adoption of the Declaration of Independence, was slowly making its way cross country from Philadelphia to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. Over 20,000 people crowded for a glimpse of the bell while it was in Tacoma. (TDL 7/14/1915, pg. 1) TPL-019 (photograph courtesy of Sherrill Erb)

Liberty Bell--Celebrations--1910-1920;

Brewery Workers Union No. 328 gathered en masse on Pacific Avenue, north of City Hall, on September 6, 1915 to proudly march in the big Labor Day parade. This was the last hurrah for brewery workers before Prohibition began in Washington State in January of 1916. Tacoma had basically shut down with city, county, major businesses and industrial plants closed for the day. Union workers of all sorts - blacksmiths, machinists, boilermakers, cooks, bridge workers, pressmen, painters, carpenters and longshoremen, to name just a few, would be participating in the march that led from Pacific Ave., Broadway and Sixth Ave. to conclude at Wright Park. Thousands of spectators were anticipated. (TDL 9-6-1915)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1910-1920; Labor unions--Tacoma--1910-1920; Brewery Workers Union No. 328 (Tacoma);

ca. 1916. A combination of delivery trucks and horse drawn wagons are shown here with 25 of the brewery's employees. The truck on the right advertises Alt Heidelberg. The man standing by the opening to that truck with the dark beard is Emile Kliese, president, owner and brewmaster of the brewery from its founding in 1900 until 1916. The two wagons have canopies over the drivers seats. Both wagons are loaded with barrels. Copies of old prints ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. Format 2" x 9 1/2"

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Kliese, Emile;

ca. 1916. Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway, Oregon, circa 1916 as photographed by Portland photographers Arthur B. Cross and Edward L. Dimmitt. The men teamed up to form the firm of "Cross & Dimmitt" in 1916. They sold real photo post cards of Portland, Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood off the running boards of their Model T at Crown Point as the Columbia River Highway was under construction. This view of the cascading 611-foot tall Multnomah Falls was one of theirs. Multnomah Falls, about a 30 minute drive east of Portland, remains a spectacular sight year round as it does not dry up during the late summer months. (www.pdxhistory.com/html/post_card_history-article; www.oregon.com/attractions-article)

Waterfalls; Multnomah Falls (Oregon); Scenic overlooks;

ca. 1916. J.E. "Ed" Hahn and Bill Gray (behind steering wheel), foreman and sales manager, respectively, of the Gerlinger Motor Car Co., are seated on a Gersix truck ca. 1916 while a band plays in the rear. The Gerlinger Motor Car Company, 3011 South Fife Street, manufactured 6-cylinder, structural steel trucks in Tacoma beginning in 1915. This particular truck may have been the third truck manufactured by the Tacoma Company. Gerlinger Motor Car Co. eventually became the Kenworth Motor Truck Co., a leading producer of custom trucks. A Kenworth dealership opened in Tacoma in 1929 and both Bill Gray and Ed Hahn worked there for many years. Mr. Gray left in 1940; Mr. Hahn stayed until 1950. Photograph provided by Robert (Bob) Hahn, Ed Hahn's son.

Hahn, J.E.; Gray, Bill; Trucks--Tacoma--1910-1920; Gerlinger Motor Car Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1916. Around 1916, the exhibition prison ship "Success," from Melbourne, Australia, was docked at the Tacoma Municipal Dock Landing and open for tours. Between 1895 and 1942, the ship was seen by millions on three continents. She was also considered a bit of a hoax, since she was exhibited as a convict ship, when in fact she had been used not to transport convicts but as a floating prison. Built in 1840, she was sold to a London company in 1842 and was used to carry emigrants from England to Australia. After being abandoned by her crew in 1852 during the Australian gold rush, she was purchased by the Victorian government to serve as a floating prison. Ordered to be destroyed in 1885, the "Success" escaped this fate, and was purchased by Alexander Phillips who saw her potential as a money making floating museum. She toured Australia, the British Isles (1895-1912) and the U.S. (1912-1943.) After 106 years, she burned to the waterline on Lake Erie on July 4, 1946. (http://home.gci.net; www.nla.gov.au) Ships-071, TPL-1787

Sailing ships--Australia;

ca. 1916. In 1916, Steilacoom School District #1 built a new brick school for $15,000. In the winter of 1916-17, three teachers including the principal Miss Beatrice Blair, and grades 1-8 moved into the new school. The school was built directly in front of the old wooden two-story school originally built in 1892 on land purchased from school board member, E.R. Rogers, on Nisqually Street. The above photograph shows both schools; the old school was sold to a Mr. Gamble for $25. It was torn down in 1917. (History of Pierce County, Washington, Vol. II, p. 39; Town on the Sound, p. 101-105)

Steilacoom School (Steilacoom); Public schools--Steilacoom;