Thousands of spectators lined the Lake Washington Ship Channel as the Afifi Temple of Tacoma float was towed by during the Shriners Marine Pageant in Seattle 7/10/1936. A huge barge carrying members of the Afifi Temple Band and a large replica of Mount Rainier is pictured just after it passes the draw of the Montlake Bridge in this night scene.The float, designed by Walt Sutter, featured thousands of gallons of water pouring down from an imitation Narada Falls. It was one of the audience's favorites. (T.Times 7/17/1936, pg. 3)

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Naval parades & ceremonies--Seattle; Parades & processions--Seattle--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Seattle; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

On June 5, 1937, over 1,000 Shriners gathered in Tacoma for a spring reunion. They kicked off the get together with a parade. A long line of Shriners waited behind their drill leader for the parade to begin. Winthrop Hotel and Roxy theater on Broadway are in background.

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Roxy Theatre (Tacoma);

Steilacoom frog farmer Charles Turner holds one of the bullfrogs that he raised to market as the delicacy "frogs' legs" in this photograph from July of 1937. The "Leaping Lena" is stretched out to her full length. Turner gave up his career as a taxi driver in 1936 and dug four frog ponds for his new industry. By July of 1937 he had over 50,000 amphibians that he intended to market when fully grown. It takes about 3 years for the frogs to grow to market size, 30-36 inches. At the time, Turner said that the biggest disadvantage in frog farming is that the males croak a lot in mating season and the neighbors complain about the noise. (T.Times, 7/30/1937, p. 16)

Frogs; Farms--Steilacoom; Meat industry; Turner, Charles;

Margaret "Peggy" Orr, daughter of Dwight and Margaret Orr, recites her prayers on Christmas Eve. The 5-year-old child is wearing her "Dr. Denton" pajamas and kneeling on a foot stool beside her chenille-covered bed. (T. Times, Society, 12/24/1937, p 7).

Girls--Tacoma--1930-1940; Children praying--Tacoma; Sleepwear; Beds; Bedspreads; Orr, Margaret; Orr, Dwight--Family;

Come here big guy and let me help you with that! Tannis Girswaite, 3 1/2, struggles to adjust the overcoat of shopping buddy Wayne Carlsteen, 5, during the United Tacoma Days sale October 7-9, 1937. The second annual sale brought tens of thousands of bargain hunters to downtown Tacoma to get a jump on holiday shopping. (T. Times 10/8/1937, pg 1)

Girswaite, Tannis; Carlsteen, Wayne; Shopping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Children shopping--Tacoma;

Mrs. Don Gordon, formerly Bernita Royse, had been a sales clerk in the stationery department at Rhodes Department Store for 5 years when she was featured in the "Around the Clock" column of the Tacoma Times in January 1936. The bride of two months likened her job as a clerk to sitting in a Parisian cafe watching the world pass by, because sooner or later everyone came to Rhodes. When asked about the changing habits of Tacomans she noted the increasing sales of smoking equipment, such as ash trays, lighters and holders, formerly scandalous items, and the shift away from formalism. The newly wed couple resided at 3502 1/2 McKinley Ave, apartment #2. (T. Times 1/9/1936, pg. 8)

Gordon, Bernita; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma)--Employees; Sales personnel--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Montana Governor Roy E. Ayres, Admiral E.B. Fenner, Oregon Governor Charles D. Martin, Washington Governor Clarence D. Martin and Brigadier General Alfred E. Smith, the base commander, during the Governor's review at Fort Lewis. 14,000 regular army and national guard troops of five northwest states passed in formal review during a three hour military pageant. The governors of Idaho and Wyoming were not expected. Planes from the 91st and 116th observation squadrons buzzed overhead for the thousands of civilian spectators. (T. Times 8-21-37, p. 1, 8-23-37, p. 1) ALBUM 10.

Governors; Ayres, Roy E.; Martin, Charles D.; Admirals--Tacoma; Fenner, Edward B.; Generals; Smith, Alfred E.; Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis; Martin, Clarence D., 1887-1955;

Governor Clarence Martin at Community Achievement Dinner held at the Masonic Temple on December 28, 1937. He is flanked by Congressman John Coffee and Toastmaster Reno Odlin of Puget Sound National Bank. U.S. Senator Homer T. Bone and Tacoma Mayor George Smitley are seated to the far right. A large poster of "Roosevelt, Our President" hangs on the wall. Over a thousand attended the Achievement dinner which was being held for only the second time in the city's history. (T. Times, 12-29-37, p. 1) ALBUM 10.

Governors; Martin, Clarence D., 1887-1955; Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Coffee, John; Bone, Homer Truett, 1883-1970; Smitley, George A., 1872-1956; Banquets--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1937. In 1937, Ed Griffin (left), owner of Griffin Fuel, and an unidentified man were photographed with a pair of English Mastiffs. One of the enormous dogs has its paws on Griffin's shoulders. At this time, Griffin owned the only mastiffs in the Northwest. In September of 1936, his female "Broomcourt Nell" had given birth to 10 puppies. The champion mastiff had been bred with "Roxbury Boy." The result was seven female pups and 3 male.

Griffin, Edwin L., 1908-1955; Dogs;

ca. 1937. Ed Griffin, of Griffin Fuel Co., and his sister-in-law, Bea (Mrs. Frederick) Griffin, admire the English mastiff puppies born in September of 1936. The puppies were sired by Griffin's Champion mastiff "Broomcourt Nell" and "Roxbury Boy." There were originally ten puppies, although there appear to be only 9 in the picture.

Griffin, Edwin L., 1908-1955; Griffin, Bea; Dogs;

Bea (Mrs. Frederick) Griffin has a firm grip on the leash of a nine month old Mastiff "puppy" named Monty, in April of 1938. At left is her sister-in-law Nancy (Mrs. Edwin) Griffin and Nancy's son, Edward ("Ted") Irving Griffin. Edwin and Nancy Griffin breed English Mastiffs. Mr. Griffin is also the owner of Griffin Fuel in Tacoma. (T. Times 04-22-1938, pg. 14) (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Griffin, Nancy; Griffin, Edwin L., 1908-1955--Family; Griffin, Edward Irving; Griffin, Bea; Dogs;

Tacoma Times reporter Carl Hamelin examines Ethiopian war implements from the collection of Tacoma tobacconist Charles H. Manley. Each of the tools took one Ethiopian worker a lifetime to build. Manley acquired the collection 35 years ago. They were left to him by an African explorer named Niblock, who later died of black fever. (T. Times 12/12/1935)

Hamelin, Carl; Arms & armament--Ethiopia; Manley, Charles H.--Associated objects;

On November 18, 1937, Patricia Bush, a nurse at Tacoma General Hospital, was photographed while holding William Henry Hartle, one of the triplets born to Mrs. William (Genevieve) Hartle on Sunday November 14th around midnight. There had only been one other set of triplets born at Tacoma General and that was years before 1937. The first of the triplets, a girl later named Waunita (at right), was born at 11:23 Sunday night and weighed 3 lb. 7 oz. She was followed by two boys, William Henry 4 lb. 7 oz. and Warren Edward (at left) 4 lb 2 oz. The two smallest babies were kept in incubators; William was in a cloth-covered bassinet. All three of the triplets survived. They and their older sister Dorothy were still living in Washington state in August of 2000. (T.Times 11/15/1937 p.1 & 11/18/1937 p.1).

Hartle, William--Family; Triplets; Hartle, William Henry; Hartle, Warren Edward; Hartle, Waunita Marie; Bush, Patricia; Nurses--Tacoma; Incubators;

Anne Rowland, daughter of DeWitt and Anne, lights the holiday candles at her home at 2509 No. Starr opening the 1937 Christmas season. Anne will turn three years old on New Year's Eve. (T.Times, 12/25/1937, p. 8).

Holidays--Tacoma; Girls--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rowland, Anne; Rowland, Dewitt R.--Homes & haunts; Candles;

A.O. Holladay, Bremerton's "oldest newsboy," sold the Townsend Weekly in April of 1936 to R.W. Henry, left, veteran Bremerton resident and ardent member of the local Townsend pension club. Mr. Holladay, 75 years old, each week distributed 150 copies of the Townsend journal throughout the city of Bremerton. He had performed this feat every week since the Townsend Club No. 1 was formed in Bremerton two years prior, never receiving a penny for his work. He was sold on the Townsend Plan, formulated by Dr. Francis Townsend, which called for a $200 a month pension for each retired person over the age of 60. Mr. Holladay came to Bremerton in 1916 and worked at the Navy Yard and as a Teamster. He lived at 1012 4th St. The Townsend Plan never became law, but Social Security was partially based on its tenets. (Bremerton Sun 05/07/1936, pg. 1).

Holladay, A.O.; Henry, R.W.; Activists; Townsend Clubs of America (Tacoma); Newspapers--Bremerton;

Chinese exhibit at Horace Mann school. Three young girls, left to right Betty Bowers, Amy Langlow and Josephine Field, dressed in kimonos are seated in front of a mural of mountain peaks, drawn in the oriental style. Miss Bowers holds a chinese fan, Miss Langlow holds a fisherman's globe and Miss Field holds chinese shoes. Hand-made paper lanterns made by the students hang overhead. The students were learning about China. (T. Times 12/9/1936)

Horace Mann School (Tacoma); Schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; School children--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fans; Bowers, Betty; Langlow, Amy; Field, Josephine;

The Headquarters Troop, 24th Cavalry Division, Washington National Guard sponsors the first horse show of the season on November 29, 1937 at the Armory. Two soldiers watch a white horse perform a trick with a very young rider on the horse's back. Tacoma's famous Cavalry unit was known locally as "Troop B." It was the oldest military organization in the state. (T. Times, 11/30/1937, p. 5).

Horse shows--Tacoma--1930-1940; Show horses; Washington National Guard, 24th Cavalry Division (Tacoma); State Armory (Tacoma); Trick riding;

Mrs. Owen's real estate activities. Woman showing snapdragon flowers to two small children in the front yard of a 1930s minimal colonial-style home. Individuals were not identified in this July of 1937 photograph. Ordered but not published by Tacoma Times. (T. Times).

Houses--1930-1940; Children; Flowers; Women--1930-1940;

ca. 1937. Early vernacular cottage with wood foundation, gable roof and central chimney. Fire hydrant in front of home. Murder story connected with house. No further details, including location, were provided. Photograph was taken circa 1937. (T. Times).

Houses--1930-1940; Fire hydrants;

On June 1, 1937, the Tacoma Times ran a Turner Richards portrait of a mother humming bird feeding her young on the front page of the paper. The mother bird had built her nest in a rosebush in the backyard of Edward Stabbert's home at 886 So. 86th St. The family called the paper when the mother bird went missing. They wanted to know how to feed the orphaned babies. Before they could field all 64 calls that they received, the mother bird returned, 24 hours later and dazed. She finally managed to revive enough to feed the babies herself. (T.Times 6/1/1937, pg. 1)

Hummingbirds; Birds;

On June 1, 1937, the Tacoma Times ran a Turner Richards portrait of a mother humming bird feeding her young on the front page of the paper. The mother bird had built her nest in a rosebush in the backyard of Edward Stabbert's home at 886 So. 86th St. The family called the paper when the mother bird went missing. They wanted to know how to feed the orphaned babies. Before they could field all 64 calls that they received, the mother bird returned, 24 hours later and dazed. She finally managed to revive enough to feed the babies herself. (T.Times 6/1/1937, pg. 1)

Hummingbirds; Birds;

Close up of Lucinda Lea, daughter of architect Charles W. Lea, Jr., age four months. The little girl is awaiting her first New Year's. She is gently resting in a bassinet with finely woven curtains. See D1042-1 for picture of the baby in an elaborate rattan bassinet.

Infants--Tacoma; Children's furniture; Lea, Lucinda;

Three young Japanese women enjoy refreshments and sodas at a Japanese bazaar held in the Fife High School gymnasium. One girl holds what appears to be a sugar coated doughnut. (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940;

Two photographers with a large format box camera photograph a group of people attending a Japanese bazaar held in the Fife High School gymnasium. A banner on the window denotes "Bingo, 5 (cents)". (T. Times).

Japanese Americans--Fife--1930-1940; Bazaars--Fife--1930-1940; Ethnic groups--Fife--1930-1940; Photography--1930-1940;

Mattson kidnapping case. Bluff behind the home of Dr. William Mattson at 4605 No. Verde. On December 27, 1936, a masked gunman abducted ten year old Charles Mattson from his home. It is believed that he carried the boy down this steep cliff to a waiting car on Ruston Way. A ransom of $28,000 was demanded for the boy's safe return. The note was typed in purple ink on a child's typing set. All communications with the kidnapper were to be made through classified ads in the Seattle Times. Newspapers from across the nation publicized every event in the case. Within 48 hours, the Northwest was hit with frigid temperatures and record snowfall. Concern grew for the lightly clad boy who was recovering from a severe cold. The days dragged on as the frantic Mattsons attempted to contact the kidnapper. The body of the boy was found in a snowbank in a wooded area near Everett on January 10, 1937. He had been dead for 5-6 days. His murderer was never found. (T. Times 12/28/1936 - 1/25/1937, pg. 1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Mattson, Charles--Kidnappings;

Charles Mattson kidnapping case. Hillside bluff below the Mattson home; photograph ordered by the Seattle Star. On December 27, 1936, while his parents attended a social function, Charles Mattson was snatched from his home at 4605 No. Verde, in the view of his brother, sister and a family friend, by an armed and masked man who forced his way through a rear door of the house. The masked intruder carried him bodily down the steep cliff behind the Mattson house. At daybreak, the FBI and Tacoma police swarmed the deep gully at the base of Verde Street on Ruston Way, adjacent to the waterfront, looking for clues. (T. Times 12/28/1936- 1/25/1937, pg. 1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Mattson, Charles--Kidnappings;

Mattson kidnapping case. View from Ruston Way of hillside below the Mattson home. Two boys are standing on the edge of the bluff. Photograph ordered by the Seattle Star. On the evening of December 27, 1936 at around 9 p.m., a masked gunman forced his way into the Mattson home at 4605 No. Verde and snatched ten year old Charles Mattson. The intruder carried the 70 pound boy down the steep cliff behind the home, across the railroad tracks and it is believed to a waiting accomplice and get away car on Ruston Way. The boy's battered body was recovered January 10, 1937 near Everett. The demanded $28,000 ransom was never paid and the boy's murderer was never apprehended. (T. Times 12/28/1936 - 1/25/1937, pg. 1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Mattson, Charles--Kidnappings;

Unidentified guests at a tea hosted July 15, 1936 by Kathryn La Gasa in honor of Miss Marian Davis, visiting Tacoma from Chicago. Four young women outside the home of Dr. & Mrs. James La Gasa. Presiding at the tea with Miss La Gasa would be Charlotte Doud. (T. Times 7/11/1936, pg. 9).

La Gasa, James--Homes & haunts; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1930-1940;

On Monday morning August 5, 1935 the Sawmill and Timber Workers' Union strike that had crippled Tacoma's mills for 13 weeks came to an end. Mill workers, like these at the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company returned to work. By a vote of 1,391 to 97 the union's members accepted the offer of the mill owners including a 40 hour week, an 8 hour day, and time and one-half for overtime. (T.Times 8/5/1935, pg. 1)

Labor unions--Tacoma; Lumber & Sawmill Workers Local 2633 (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Strikes--Tacoma--1930-1940; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

This happy group of unidentified lumber mill workers, entering the yards of the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. on August 5, 1935, were returning to work after the settlement of a strike that lasted 13 weeks. Some employees proudly wear their Union buttons on their hats, celebrating their new contract. The agreement called for a 50 cent minimum wage, a 40 hour work week, an 8 hour day, time and 1/2 for overtime, reemployment of striking employees and recognition of the union. The vote on the contract was 1391 to 97. (T. Times 8/5/1935, pg. 1)

Labor unions--Tacoma; Lumber & Sawmill Workers Local 2633 (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Strikes--Tacoma--1930-1940; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);