Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington: yard employees' Christmas party. Employees chat over bowls of soup, paper cups of coffee and long loaves of French bread. The Pennsalt plant manufactured caustic chemicals used in paper, pulp and plywood manufacturing. It was one of the largest plants in the Tacoma Tideflats industrial area.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma)--Employees; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Factories--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington; yard employees' Christmas party. Pennsalt president and general manager Fred C. Shanaman, in center, enjoys a bowl of soup with employees. Pennsalt, at 40 acres on the Hylebos Waterway, was one of the largest plants in the Tideflats industrial area. Materials were brought into the plant by ship and rail. The company was also the major user of Tacoma power & water.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma)--Employees; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Factories--Tacoma--1950-1960; Shanaman, Frederick Charles, 1901-1982;

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington: yard employees' Christmas party. Employees sit at long tables arranged between what appear to be containers of the company's chemicals. Employees eat a holiday meal of soup, bread and coffee poured from a large urn into paper cups.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma)--Employees; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Factories--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Old City Hall. Built in 1892, this Renaissance style structure served as the seat of Tacoma's government for 70 years. It was abandoned for 15 years and just saved from the wrecking ball in 1974 and added to the National Register. The building was restored and now houses offices.

Old City Hall (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma;

Although it was nearing Christmas, 1954, this daffodil field appears to be in full bloom. A man can be spotted among the rows of flowers with a large barrel in his hands. He may be spreading nutrients onto the blossoms. The car parked on the edge of the photograph may be his; there is a coat hanging on the open driver's door. Daffodils were grown as crops in this part of the state and were much in demand, especially for parades and festivities. Photograph taken on behalf of the Richards Studio.

Daffodils; Croplands;

Dressed sides of beef hanging from hooks in a cold storage locker at Carstens Packing Co. Photograph taken in conjunction with Carsten's Open House, celebrating their 50th anniversary in the meat packing business. In 1903, Seattle butcher and German immigrant Thomas Carstens bought 12 deserted acres on the Tideflats, the former home of the old Pacific Meat Company's plant, and began setting up what would become the largest meat packing plant on the Pacific Coast. The company eventually branched out into three processing plants: Tacoma, Seattle & Spokane. It was a huge operation that raised its own livestock, slaughtered and processed it and sold it in their own retail outlets. The company founder died in 1931 and his sons, Thomas and Philip, took over the business until they sold it in 1954 to Hy-Grade Food Products Corp. of Detroit. Hy-Grade closed the plant in 1990, citing it as out dated and not complying with EPA standards. TPL-8123

Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma); Meat industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior of Livermore Co. The Livermore Co., located at 2407 Sixth Avenue, were electrical contractors who specialized in Berko Heating units. The Berko Electric units provided glass panel radiant heat year round. The streamlined modern heating maintained even, constant heat. Livermore's also sold Coolerator electric appliances, which included refrigerators, freezers and ranges. Thomas Livermore owned and operated the business bearing his name. View of exterior of Livermore Co. building with neon signage; Palmer Radio & TV Service is brick building to its right.

Livermore Co. (Tacoma); Heating & ventilation industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960;

An enormous steel tank rests on its side as it is hauled by a Sunnen heavy hauling truck to St. Regis on December 14, 1954. Star Iron & Steel Co., Inc., steel fabricators, manufactured the tank. Star Iron had been located at 435 E. 11th in the Tideflats since 1918; it was owned by Roy N. Allen, president with Edward N. Allen as vice president and E. Leo Curry as secretary. Besides tanks, the company also manufactured heavy cranes and logging machinery.

Storage tanks--Tacoma; Star Iron & Steel Co. (Tacoma); Steel industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Sunnen Auto Freight & Heavy Hauling Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Bill Knabel, the owner of Knabel Sign & Display Service at 3502 South 54th Street, was photographed in December of 1954 while applying the final brush strokes to a plywood angel. The angel was part of a large Nativity scene that he had been working on in his shop. He had already finished a figure of Mary holding the baby Jesus and a shepherd boy. The Douglas Fir Plywood Association encouraged consumers to create both religious and secular lawn and rooftop displays using plywood and easy-to-follow instructions and printed patterns. (Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.)

Creches (Nativity scenes); Christmas decorations; Plywood; Knabel, William U.; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Interior of Livermore residence. Thomas Livermore, owner of the Livermore Co., electrical contractors, resided at 1623 South Grant Avenue along with his wife, Helen. His living room was an attractive blend of contemporary and period styles, consisting of a television set, comfortable stuffed furniture, embroidered footstool, antique lamps. The room appears to be heated by glass paneled radiant heat, a clean and safe alternative to coal, oil, or gas, and a product sold by Livermore's company. Photograph ordered by Livermore Co.

Livermore, Thomas--Homes & haunts; Living rooms--Tacoma--1950-1960; Televisions--1950-1960;

Exterior Livermore residence. Electrical contractor Thomas Livermore and wife Helen resided in this brick Tudor home at 1623 South Grant Avenue. The home had a steeply pitched gabled roof with large chimney and bay window. Small shrubs and trees were planted close to the home. Livermore owned the Livermore Co., located on Sixth Avenue, which highly advertised Berko electric heat, a radiant heating system. Photograph ordered by Livermore Co.

Livermore, Thomas--Homes & haunts; Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Livermore Co. (Tacoma);

Seattle businessman Cliff Warling (left) presented Lincoln football players Duane Lowell (center) and Jack Walters the trophy bearing his name at the Lincoln High School football banquet held at the Top of the Ocean on December 8, 1954. The trophy was given each year to the team selected as the best high school football team in the state by a poll of the Associated Press sportswriters in Washington. This was the second time that Lincoln had received this honor in the award's eight years. They also won the Class A trophy in 1948. Norm Mayer was the coach in both 1948 and '54. Lowell played left end and Walters left guard as starters for the Lincoln team. Both players were named to the All-City team in a poll of head coaches; Lowell and Walters were also team co-captains. Photograph ordered by Lincolnian yearbook. (TNT 12-1-54, C-9; TNT 12-5-54, C-18; 1955 Lincolnian yearbook) TPL-9113

Awards; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Football players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Warling, Cliff; Lowell, Duane; Walters, Jack;

Coach Norm Mayer of Lincoln High School and Cliff Warling display the Cliff Warling trophy plaque awarded to the Class "A" State Champion football team on December 8, 1954. Previous recipient had been Olympia High School in 1953. In 1954, Lincoln High School of Tacoma was voted #1 in their division by the 29 state sportswriters and broadcasters. They won the award over Aberdeen High School. Photograph ordered by the Lincolnian yearbook. (TNT 12-1-54, C-9)

Awards; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Mayer, Norm; Warling, Cliff;

Members of the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association display Lynden Broadbreast Turkeys during their luncheon at the Masonic Temple's Fellowship Hall on December 8, 1954. The Lynden firm is part of the Cooperative and provided ready to roast turkeys. This group is standing in front of a large poster demonstrating how the Co-op's eggs "go to market"; egg production was just one of the many enterprises they supported. 1600 Co-op members from District #6 attended the annual meeting and dined on turkey. At the meeting, Roy McChord was congratulated as the new manager of the Tacoma Station, replacing Dale Smith, who assumed management duties at the Co-op's credit division in Seattle. (TNT 12-12-54, F-8)

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Turkeys; Posters;

Hundreds fill the Masonic Temple's Fellowship Hall on December 8, 1954, at the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association's luncheon and meeting. The group had begun decades ago as an egg and poultry cooperative but had expanded into the feed and grain business. Farmers found that they were able to get better prices and new markets for their products if they participated in a cooperative.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Masonic Temple (Tacoma);

Members of the Tacoma Post #1, Amvets, present a flag to accompany their donated flagpole to Mountain View Sanatorium officials on December 7, 1954. Shown holding the folded flag are county commissioner Fritz Geiger and Howard Lincoln, chairman of the board of trustees for the sanatorium. Also present were H.R. Kester, state service director for Amvets, Harry Sprinker (in glasses), county commissioner, and John Bennett, Commander Tacoma Post #1 Amvets. (TNT 12-10-54, B-5)

Amvets Club (Tacoma); Patriotic societies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Flags--United States; Geiger, Fritz; Lincoln, Howard A.; Kester, H. R.; Sprinker, Harry H., 1896-1991; Bennett, John;

Workers at the Buffelen company appear to be in the process of stacking doors in a December 7, 1954, photograph. There are already two tall towers of doors against the wall. Two men are lifting a door while the third waits to toss it on top of the pile. Photograph ordered by the Condon Co., an advertising agency.

Buffelen Lumber & Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Doors & doorways--Tacoma--1950-1960; Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

A Buffelen employee concentrates as he applies pressure to a louvered door on December 7, 1954. The door is made to allow air to circulate; it may be designed for a closet or a pantry. There appears to be three doors stacked one on top of another as the worker completes his tasks. Photograph ordered by Condon Co., an advertising agency.

Buffelen Lumber & Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Doors & doorways--Tacoma--1950-1960; Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Interior of National Auto Parts store. National Auto Parts was the headquarters for General Motors parts which would include original components for Chevrolets, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, Buicks, GMCs and Cadillacs. According to the 1954 City Directory, they claimed to have the largest stock of original parts in Tacoma. They were also a dealer in Delco batteries, advertised as the nation's #1 battery. View of interior of National Auto Parts showing an array of batteries and various automotive parts and tools. There were three store locations in Pierce County, including one on Pacific Avenue, one on South Tacoma Way, and the third in Fife. William C. Johnston was listed as president/manager with Merle C. Johnston as secretary/treasurer.

National Auto Parts, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

The splendid chandeliers and sconces of the Winthrop Hotel provided an elegant setting for the Capital District, Washington Federation of Garden Clubs' show on December 6, 1954. A Christmas motif was evident; the majority of arrangements on display were small tabletop decorations. A few tall firs were added to complete the tableau. This may have been an annual event sponsored by the federation.

Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs (Tacoma); Flower shows--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

A member of the Afifi Temple leads the color guard into the College of Puget Sound Fieldhouse on December 4, 1954, in the impressive grand entry ceremony. Behind the color guard march the Afifi Band led by a baton wielding drum major. The band is flanked by two sections of Shriners dressed in full regalia. 5000 Shriners wearing traditional red fezzes attended initiation and ceremonial meetings, including a special ceremony to honor Floyd C. Kinnear's 25 year span as recorder for the Afifi Temple. Eleven ceremonial units, such as the Afifi Temple Band, Afifi Temple Oriental Band, Gizeh Temple Patrol and Grays Harbor Shrine Club Patrol, participated in the weekend's events. (TNT 12-3-54, p. 1)

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Afifi Temple (Tacoma); Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Rites & ceremonies--Tacoma; Flags; Memorial Field House (Tacoma);

A packed house is on hand to view the Shriners from Afifi Temple in the College of Puget Sound Fieldhouse on December 4, 1954. Potentate John H. Galbraith, Jr., and his staff are to the foreground; long rows of Shriners wearing Masonic regalia extend to the fieldhouse doors. This was the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Tacoma's grand entry ceremony. 5000 Shriners from around the Northwest converged upon Tacoma to attend the semi-annual ceremonial and initiation of new members. In addition, Floyd C. Kinnear, recorder for Afifi Temple for the past twenty five years, was honored in special ceremonies. (TNT 12-3-54, p. 1)

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Afifi Temple (Tacoma); Uniforms; Rites & ceremonies--Tacoma; Memorial Field House (Tacoma);

Newly elected officers for 1955 of the Tacoma Master Builders Association pose at the Tacoma Athletic Commission's headquarters on December 3, 1954. Art Manley, president, is shown pounding his beribboned gavel, the Master Builders hammer. Smiling broadly with Manley are Bob Good and Walter Witte. Also enjoying the camaraderie are (standing) Ralph Peltier, Howard Wilson, Gordon Korsmo, and Del Belfoy. Sepia photograph ordered by Tacoma Master Builders Association. (TNT 12-8-54, C-5)

Tacoma Master Builders Association (Tacoma);

A view of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge from homes in the Narrowmoor housing addition. Narrowmoor was an upscale addition west of Jackson, with view lots of the Narrows and the Olympic Mountains. TPL-9640

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Housing developments--Tacoma--1950-1960; Real estate development--Tacoma; Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Tacoma);

Nativity scene at Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church. The marker on the side of the church is dated 1953 as the church was dedicated on October 11, 1953. The Wise men and shepherds approach across the lawn to the Baby lying in the manger. The church is of a simple Roman brick design with a vestibule and a steeple. It was designed by architects Mock & Morrison.

Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church (Fircrest); Creches (Nativity scenes)--Fircrest;

Olympic Mountain scenes from the 6th Ave. area. Ordered by Richards studio, photographed by Bill H. As the area around the Tacoma side of the Narrows bridge settled, contractors scrambled to build on view lots. The lots offered beautiful views of the Narrows, mountains and bridge.

Puget Sound (Wash.); Olympic Mountains (Wash.);

A portion of the Narrowmoor addition, an upscale housing addition west of Jackson Ave. with views of the Narrows and the Olympic Mountains.

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Olympic Mountains (Wash.); Housing developments--Tacoma--1950-1960; Real estate development--Tacoma;

Copy of customer print. A country scene featuring a cabin and perhaps a garage swathed in snow was chosen for Christmas cards by Dr. H.C. Nickelsen of Binyon Optometrists. The log cabin has a rustic appearance as it nestles under the tall firs. Any roads appear to be completely covered by a thick layer of snow. Date of original print is unknown; copy of print was made on December 10, 1954.

Log cabins; Snow;

In December of 1954, Santa and his sleigh taking a spin on a lighted ferris wheel were the highlight of the holiday decorations at the B&I located at 8012 South Tacoma Way. The B&I was opened in 1946 by Leo Bradshaw and his partner Earl (E.L.) Irwin; the initials of their last names were the origin of the store's name. The B&I became famous for its lavish decorations and noteworthy publicity stunts. It was a small store that dealt primarily in surplus war goods. After Irwin took sole possession of the store, he advertised heavily and increased the store's size and the goods available, earning it the title "The Biggest Little Store in the World."

B&I Circus Store (Tacoma); Advertising--Tacoma--1950-1960; Christmas--Tacoma; Christmas decorations; Ferris wheels--Tacoma;

Ranch style home at the intersection of Fairview Dr. and Hegra Rd. in Narrowmoor, 7525 Hegra Rd., backed by the Narrows portion of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. One half of the home and the garage are faced in brick, the other half of the house is rough hewn wood. Mailboxes stand sentinel near the street.This was the home of Thomas & Katherine Anderson. Mr. Anderson owned Concrete Engineering Co. and Tacoma Construction and Engineering Co. Undoubtedly, the rear of the home has a fabulous view of the Sound and the mountains.

Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Olympic Mountains (Wash.); Anderson, Thomas--Homes & haunts;