On August 17, 1918, Mrs. M. Ristig was photographed while repairing tires at the M.K. Martin Company, 750 Broadway. She was one of thousands of women worldwide, as the photo's headline in the Tacoma Daily Ledger stated, "Taking the Places of Those Over There." World War I, 1914-1918, proved to be a turning point for women's employment. With the men away at war, women were called upon to fill non traditional jobs, providing them the opportunity to prove that women could fill jobs outside the office or the home. The women performed admirably in many jobs previously denied to them, many of them physically demanding or dangerous. As Mrs. Ristig's employer, Mr. Martin, stated "She can do every bit as much work as a man and do it just as well." TPL-1656, Boland B1306 (TDL 8/25/1918, pg. C-1)
Tires; Women--Working class--1910-1920; M.K. Martin Co. (Tacoma); World War, 1914-1918--Women--Tacoma;
Camp Lewis' 44th Infantry was noted for its fine athletes. Their tug-of-war team, under the direction of athletic officer Capt. Booth, had defeated teams from the Navy, Marines and the Bremerton Naval Shipyard in recent contests. In August of 1918 the 44th Infantry tug-of-war team posed with one of their many trophies. The shiny trophy is displayed on a large, thick coil of rope. Camp Lewis was host to a big track and field meet August 21-22nd, 1918. Although tug-of-war was be one of the events in competition, the outcome was not published in the News Tribune. The 44th Infantry was, however, the top point holder at the end of the meet with 59 points overall. (TNT 8-6-18, p. 11-article; TNT 8-22-18, p. 11-article) G69.1-156
Officers Training School Banquet at Commercial Club. The young officers may have been celebrating the conclusion of their training at this banquet held in August of 1918 at the Tacoma Commercial Club. 243 had graduated from the 4th officers training camp on August 24th at Camp Lewis. The officers had come from nearly every western state, with California having the largest number of graduates. G70.1-011 (TNT 8-24-18, p. 3-article)
Banquets--Tacoma--1910-1920; Military officers--Tacoma--1910-1920;
Actress, singer and lecturer Mona Darkfeather made a special appearance at the Liberty Theater, 906-08 Pacific Avenue, during the week beginning on August 31, 1918. Advertised as an "Indian Princess," she was actually born Josephine Workman in California and due to her dark, exotic look, became an actress specializing in Native American roles. A small article in the September 5th Tacoma Daily Ledger stated that she had come from one of the oldest and best families in California. It indicated that her father was the owner of the first bank in Los Angeles and her grandfather owned Alcatraz Island. The Princess was said to be one of five heirs to the city of Puenta, California, a matter then being contested. Her name is misspelled as "Mono" Darkfeather on the large sign advertising a special movie feature, "Eyes of the World." Princess Mona, in her "rattlesnake" dress, appeared after each showing of "Eyes of the World" to sing and give advice to all girls with ambition to enter show business. G64.1-130 (TNT 8-31-18, p. 7-ad; TDL 9-5-18, p. 7-article)
Darkfeather, Mona; Costumes; Actresses; Singers; Liberty Theater (Tacoma); Signs (Notices);
Princess Mona Darkfeather appeared in person on stage at the Liberty Theater, 906-08 Pacific Avenue, for several days beginning August 31, 1918. Photographed in front of the theater dressed in an "authentic" Indian costume, Princess Darkfeather was born Josephine Workman in southern California. She became a screen actress after answering an advertisement, placed by movie producer Thomas Ince, calling for exotic looking girls to play "Indian maidens". She became a popular star in both one-reel Western melodramas and feature films often featured astride her famous pinto pony Comanche. Princess Mona spent several days in Tacoma in 1918, appearing after each showing of "Eyes of the World." She sang and gave lectures to aspiring young actresses. The woman to the right was not identified. (entertainment.msn.com & www.homesteadmuseum.org; TNT 8-31-18, p. 7-Ad; TDL 9-5-18, p. 7-article) G64.1-025, TPL-8837
Darkfeather, Mona; Indians of North America--Tacoma; Singers; Liberty Theater (Tacoma);
Employees of Star Iron Works posed aboard their patriotic "float" for the 1918 Labor Day Parade. The float was stopped just south of the Union Station at 1717 Pacific Avenue. They were part of the nearly 20,000 representatives of organized labor who marched in the largest Labor Day parade the city of Tacoma had seen to that date. There were eight large divisions of labor, 12 bands including two from Camp Lewis, floats and pretty girls on display. Working men and women, from boiler makers to cigar makers to cooks, all marched in countless lines during the hour-long parade which ended at Wright Park. Industries were booming during the war years as noted by the increase of shipworkers marching in the parade - 4,700 compared to the 47 the year before. G38.1-041 (TDL 9-2-18, p. 1-article; TDL 9-3-18, p. 1-article; TNT 9-2-18, p. 1-article)
Star Iron & Steel Co. (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1910-1920; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1910-1920;
This truck, adorned with large American flags, was believed to have participated in the 1918 Labor Day parade that swung through Tacoma's downtown streets on September 2nd. It carried an unidentified well-dressed man holding what may have been sheets of paper containing stamps. Signs urged people to buy US savings stamps to support the war. 18,000 workmen carried American flags, allied banners and union banners in what organizers believed was the largest Labor Day parade to date. (TDL 9-2-18, p. 1-article; TDL 9-3-18, p. 1-article)
Boy Scouts salute. Organized labor flexed its muscles as nearly 20,000 marchers participated in Tacoma's Labor Day parade on September 2, 1918. These young boys pictured above had plenty of opportunity to salute the American flag as nearly every group carried the Stars and Stripes. Every trade was represented in the parade including ironworkers, boilermakers, machinists and shipyard workers. Twelve bands and occasional floats were interspersed among the double lines of marchers. (TNT 9-2-18, p. 1) Boland B1324 TPL-9632 (photograph was marred with black marks)
Parked in front of the Nereides Baths at Point Defiance Park in early September of 1918 was a Western Logging Company truck with a long pipe as cargo. The Nereides Baths opened in 1906 on a bluff above the boathouse. It had been designed by prominent Tacoma architect Frederick Heath and was constructed of logs, resembling a Swiss chalet. The pavilion had an indoor heated saltwater pool, the first indoor swimming pool in Tacoma. Swimmers rented gray cotton suits to frolic in the 80 degree water. The gray suits were required because the owners feared that colors would run and dye the water. "Admission to spectators" was listed as 10 cents in 1918. The baths were demolished in 1932. (thenewstribune.com, metroparkstacoma.org) G41.1-040, TPL-2799
Nereides Baths (Tacoma); Point Defiance Park (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1910-1920; Pipes (Conduits)--Tacoma; Western Logging Co.;
Switchboard operator at Camp Lewis photographed in September of 1918. The operator, taking messages, sits at a desk in front of a small switchboard. She listens to callers over a set of headphones fitted across her head on a band and speaks through a speaking tube that juts out from a band extended from her neck to her chest. In the background is a poster promoting the sale of war bonds. Camp Lewis was erected on 70,000 acres given by Pierce County to the government in 1916 for mobilization of troops in World War I. After the war was over, the camp was dismantled. In 1927, Fort Lewis was constructed on the same site. Boland B1330
Telephone operators--Tacoma--1910-1920; Telephone switchboards--1910-1920; Camp Lewis (Wash.);
ca. 1919. Montage of newspaper clippings regarding the 1919 Tacoma Speedway races from the Seattle Sunday Times, Tacoma Sunday Ledger, Tacoma Times and Oregon Sunday Journal. July 4, 1919, saw five of the nation's top drivers compete at the Tacoma Speedway for a one-day-only, three-big-races extravaganza of racing. The appearance of flying ace and speed pilot Eddie Rickenbacker who refereed, plus Dario Resta, Eddie Hearne, Louis Chevrolet, Ralph Mulford and Cliff Durant, all helped to attract the Speedway's largest crowd to that date of nearly 40,000 people. The Frontenacs driven by Ralph Mulford and Louis "Grandpa" Chevrolet took first place in all three races. (TNT 7-5-19, p. 1,13-results)
ca. 1919. Knights of Columbus /Camp Lewis. The Knights of Columbus are a Catholic fraternal benefits organization that was incorporated in 1882. They had been involved in providing both spiritual and physical assistance to servicemen and women since before the Great War. This photograph, taken in the spring of 1919, shows a mixture of soldiers and civilian members at Camp Lewis. It may have been taken for the February 28, 1919, visit of Supreme Knight, James A. Flaherty. G70.1-003 (www.kofc.org- information on organization; TDL 2-26-19-, p. 2-article on Supreme Knight)
Knights of Columbus (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Camp Lewis (Wash.);
ca. 1919. This photo, taken in April or May of 1919, shows the "Fort Jackson," the smaller ship in the center of the photograph, being launched at Todd Shipyards. Visiting dignitaries stand on the podium which is draped with striped bunting. G37.1-173, TPL-1435
Launchings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Todd Dry Dock & Construction Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;
ca. 1919. Smiling Ralph Mulford, early race car driver, was not smiling in 1911 when many felt that he won the first Indianapolis 500 by a lap instead of credited winner Ray Harroun. Mulford still managed to garner enough points to become the 1911 National Driving Champion, a feat that he repeated seven years later in 1918. In 1919, he won Tacoma Speedway's 40 mile race with a time of 24:02 and 100.2 mph, outracing Frontenac teammate Louis Chevrolet and Cliff Durant. Returning in 1920 for the 225 mile Tacoma Classic, he finished second in his Monroe racing car, numbered "3." Ralph Mulford retired from speed racing after 1922 but continued to compete in hill climbs. At one time, he held the record for climbing both Mount Washington and Pikes Peak. Mulford lived to a ripe old age, a rare feat for the early drivers; born in 1884, he died October 23, 1973. (www.hickoksports.com; TNT 7-3-19, p. 1; 6/29/1920) G52.1-027, Speedway 096, BOLAND-B2010
ca. 1919. Tacoma architect C. Frank Mahon drew this delineation of Holy Rosary Church before construction began on the Catholic church in 1920. Located at 520 South 30th Street, its Gothic steeple has long been a Tacoma landmark. Mahon's architectural work for the Catholic Diocese included many schools and churches in Tacoma in addition to Marymount Boys School in Spanaway and St. Martin's College in Lacey. (B2308)
Holy Rosary Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma; Architectural drawings;
ca. 1919. Lindberg Grocery Co. delivery van circa 1919. The Lindberg Grocery Co. were wholesale distributors of "DelMonte," "Stadium," and "Linco" brands as well as cigars and candy. Their delivery van, parked along an unidentified street, had protective canvas over the sides and rear and the driver's cab was encased in tarp as well. Lindberg Grocery, owned and operated by Gustaf Lindberg, had been in Tacoma since about 1892. According to the 1920 City directory, the grocery store was located at South 23rd and "C" Streets and also imported Scandinavian specialties to serve the area's large Scandinavian population. TPL-1680; G34.1-141
ca. 1919. Farmers, fruit growers and breeders of the Puyallup valley held an enthusiastic meeting on June 2, 1900, and formed the Valley Fair Association. Members changed the name to the Western Washington Fair Association on January 13, 1913. The purpose of the fair was to promote agricultural, horticultural, dairying, stock-raising and manufacturing industries of the valley. In this 1919 photograph, people in the small hamlets of Dieringer, Rhodes Lake, Connell's Prairie, and Milton exhibit their wares at the fair. Boland #B2321,
Fairs; Western Washington Fair (Puyallup); Exhibitions; Home food processing; Sewing--Puyallup; Art exhibitions;
ca. 1919. Columbia Breweries. The early day bottling machine was a tedious, hand-operated contraption. A production of 500,000 bottles per year was regarded as somewhat stupendous. Wide belts connected with drive shafts located at the ceiling level operate these early assembly-line machines. Ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (TNT, 1/7/1952) (This was a copy print made by the Richards Studio of a Marvin D. Boland photograph #B4392). TPL-9628. Previously cataloged as WO58568-2.
Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Machinery; Assembly-line methods--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Bottles;
ca. 1919. Driver Louis Chevrolet and his "mechanician" aboard his Frontenac race car circa 1919. The car is parked on a brick roadway. Louis Chevrolet, affectionately known as "Grandpa" due to his senior status in the racing world, would come to Tacoma to compete in the special five-car, one-day-only set of three races at the Tacoma Speedway on July 4th of 1919. Well known racers Dario Resta, Eddie Hearne, Cliff Durant, Ralph Mulford and Louis Chevrolet were in the mix for the $15,000 purse and championship points. The Frontenacs driven by Ralph Mulford and Mr. Chevrolet took first place in all three races, the 40, 60 and 80 mile events. Louis Chevrolet won the 60 and 80 mile races with average mph of 98.5 and 97.2 respectively. TPL-102; G51.1-124
Chevrolet, Louis; Frontenac automobile; Automobile racing drivers;
The Columbia Brewing Company was started in 1900 by three men with a capitalization of $50,000. William Kiltz was sales manager and Emile Kliese was owner, president and brewmaster. Their facilities, typical of the era, were primitive, but they were determined to make the finest beer possible. During the early stages of beer making malted barley was milled and the malt grain was mixed with pure water in a large wooden tub called a "mash tun". This "malt mash" was stired by hand with a long wooden paddle and then channeled or piped into large copper brew kettles where the "wort" was boiled with hops. This view shows the laboratory and mixing room in the bottling department of Columbia Brewing Company. The brewery was located in a newly built facility at 2120-32 South C Street. Copy ordered by Columbia Breweries, Inc., in 1951. (This was a copy print made by the Richards Studio of a Marvin D. Boland photograph #B4391) Another copy of this photograph was ordered under number C87485-42. TPL-7956. Previously cataloged as WO58568-1.
Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People;
The early racking room at Columbia Brewing Company, where draft beer was barreled, was a matter of wooden barrels, cumbersome hand maneuvering methods and inexact controls. A thick layer of frost can be seen on the pipes above the workmen's heads. They are wearing heavy clothes to work in the chilled cellars. Ordered by Columbia Breweries in 1951. (TNT, 1/7/1952) (This was a copy print made by the Richards Studio of a Marvin D. Boland photograph #B4394). Previously cataloged as WO58568-3.
Brewing industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Barrels--Tacoma; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People;
ca. 1919. Park Lodge School's "Primary Grade" in 1919; copy of Cooke photograph made in April of 1923. Park Lodge School was located in Lakewood at 10020 Gravelly Lake Dr. S.W. These youngsters may have been in the kindergarten or first grade. TPL-4410
Park Lodge School (Lakewood); Public schools--Lakewood--1920-1930; School children--Lakewood--1920-1930;
Dr. Ivan P. Balabanoff stands next to the ambulance he donated to the Tacoma Dept. of Health & Sanitation in early 1919. The vehicle is parked outside the Elks Temple, 565 Broadway. Dr. Balabanoff made the presentation to the City in honor of his late wife, Dr. Margaret L. Carsley Balabanoff. A plaque is displayed on the vehicle next to the door with his wife's name and the year 1918. The presentation of the ambulance was made under the condition that the City must keep the vehicle in first-class condition and if the City ceased to use it, a donation of $1000 must be made to the Children's Home or other Tacoma charitable institution. Originally from Bulgaria, Dr. Ivan P. Balabanoff practiced in the Tacoma area for over 30 years. Mrs. Balabanoff was also a well-known and long-practicing physician. The completely equipped Ford ambulance was attached to the City Contagious Hospital. The ambulance body was designed by a local firm - the Acme Body Works. (SEE: TDL 2/2/1919 p.C8) TPL-740; G27.1-123
Tacoma Street Scene. This is Tacoma Avenue North at 2nd looking north. This photograph was taken in February of 1919 and shows bare trees and wide empty streets. There are only two cars in view and both appear to be parked. Houses in view are large and there is a four-story apartment building on the right. G62.1-070; TPL-858 (print is speckled)
Exterior 1919 view of Babare Brothers Shipyards. The plant, located on five acres in Old Town, was one of Tacoma's pioneer shipbuilding facilities. The Babare Brothers consisted of George and Nick Babare, whose Croatian-born father Stephen was a master shipbuilder. Employing some 300 workers in 1918, the plant was busy building large wooden steamers for the government. The yard contained two building slips, each served by gantry cranes, a modern sawmill and in-demand machine shop. Prior to the Babare Brothers entry into government work, they built cannery tenders and purse seine boats for fishermen and canneries in Oregon, Washington and Alaska. They were prepared to return to this type of work after the government's demand for ships decreased. On November 30, 1919, the Tacoma Daily Ledger reported that the Babare Brothers had obtained a site along the Hylebos Waterway. (Pacific Marine Review, August, 1918, p. 90-article) G37.1-180
The dining room staff at Todd Shipyards on the tideflats posed for a group portrait in February of 1919 in front of what is believed to be the shipyard's dining hall. The unidentified woman in dark dress and white collar in back row may be the supervisor. The massive $1,000,000 shipbuilding plant, covering a 30-block area located around 100 Alexander Avenue, required many workers in all categories. Known formally as the Todd Dry Dock & Construction Corp., the shipyard provided a company hotel with room for over 600 men, a large dining facility, and began building modest homes for sale to shipyard employees in 1919. G33.1-132
Todd Dry Dock & Construction Corp. (Tacoma); Employee eating facilities--Tacoma; Restaurant workers--Tacoma--1910-1920;
Candy shop at the Donnelly Hotel. Customers browsing in the candy shop at the Donnelly Hotel in 1919 had their choice of good chocolates, reading material, and a place to rest weary feet. Small tables with "ice cream parlor" chairs were placed close to racks of magazines such as "Sunset," "Photoplay," "Collier's" and "Modern Priscilla." A fine candy selection of Oriole, Mars, Imperial's and Sweet's could be purchased. John Donnelly had leased the Fife Hotel and transformed it into the Donnelly Hotel in 1898. The hotel would be demolished 27 years later to make way for the Motoramp Garage. G56.1-046
Hotel Donnelly (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1910-1920; Confectioneries--Tacoma--1910-1920;
This is a view of the Provident Block from March of 1919. It was located on Pacific Avenue between South 9th and South 10th Streets. The six-story Provident Building (later renamed Security Building before reverting back to the Provident name in 2006) is in the center of this slice of Tacoma's business district. It is surrounded by smaller establishments including several restaurants, Thomas Billiards, and Bloom & Alexander Money & Loan. The Olympus Hotel is one block up the street on the far left. Of special note is the entrance to a "Ladies Only" comfort station in the middle of 10th Street right outside of Washington Dye Works. The actual bathroom was located under the street; it was the only public restroom for women downtown at that time. TPL-2499 ; G61.1-012
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1910-1920; Business districts--Tacoma--1910-1920; Provident Building (Tacoma); Olympus Hotel (Tacoma); Billboards--Tacoma--1910-1920;
March, 1919, large Foster & Kleiser billboard advertising the Liberty Theatre. The Liberty was located at 9th & Pacific in downtown Tacoma where patrons could view first-run Fox feature films. Formerly the site of the Princess Theater, the Liberty celebrated its grand opening on February 27, 1915. Moviegoers could be assured of "always a good show" at the Liberty Theatre.
Interior of a section of the Tacoma Smelter taken in March of 1919. This was the copper refinery. Copper anodes from the smelter were inserted between copper cathodes in a copper-sulfuric acid bath. Copper was transferred from the anode to the cathode. The two raised frameworks in the photograph's middle were stands for "slapping copper starter sheets" before they were inserted into the bath as cathodes. The American Smelting & Refining Co., better known by its acronym, ASARCO, was a major employer in Ruston for nearly a hundred years. G32.1-023 (Additional information provided by a reader)
American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smelters--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma;
