Exterior of supermarket. It appears that the Food King supermarket was the latest occupant at (then) 1202 South "K" Street in 1957. It had previously been the site of the West End Hotel & Saloon, K St. Public Market, and Hogan's. Built by contractor Claude Purvis, it was designed by architect Lyle Swedberg. Taken on a rainy evening, lights from the closed store reflect on the wet streets. Food King followed the new trend in shopping with multiple floor to ceiling windows and bright lighting. A neon crown stands atop of the flat roof of the brick building. According to the 1957 City Directory, Walter Hogan was listed as owner of three Food King stores in the Tacoma area. The "K" Street Food King was managed by Gene Sweet. Photograph ordered by Birkenwald, Inc. TPL-3797 (TNT 1-15-57, A-6,7, 10)
Food King (Tacoma); Supermarkets--Tacoma; Grocery stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960;
ca. 1957. Exterior of Heidelberg brewery. Smoke billows from Heidelberg's chimneys in a 1957 photograph. Formerly Columbia Breweries, the business had been located in Tacoma since 1900. Heidelberg continued Columbia's line of popular beers and ales and employed about 350 local residents. In 1959, the brewery was sold to Carling Brewing Co. who maintained the plant until 1979 when it closed permanently. Photograph ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Co.
Approximately 1000 Northern Pacific Railroad Veterans were treated to a scrumptious banquet at the Masonic Temple on June 29, 1957, during the group's 33rd annual convention. There is a large banner welcoming the 1957 Veterans posted on pillars. Special Pullmans and coaches left St. Paul on June 25th to bring members from Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Washington to the two-day convention. There are approximately 3500 members of the Veterans group, consisting of employees and former employees with a minimum of 30 years of service. Dean Eastman of Seattle, Northern Pacific vice-president, was scheduled to speak at the banquet. Photograph ordered by Northern Pacific Railway. (TNT 6-19-57, C-9)
A Pettibone Cary-Lift does its job effectively in grabbing and carrying individual logs to be stacked in piles. These large logs were harvested from forests near North Bend. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie.
Piles of logs are scattered around a logging camp at the foothills of a forest near North Bend. Moving and lifting equipment are motionless in this August 12, 1957, photograph. The tall pole with intricate wiring spraying from its top is used to lift and maneuver logs. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie.
A gully is carved out of the North Bend countryside and filled nearly to capacity with timber in an August 12, 1957, photograph. Two men can barely be spotted surveying the logs. The massive logs appear to be piled several times the height of the men. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie.
Additional view of men surveying mass of logs. Two men in hard hats examine the enormous amount of harvested timber on August 12, 1957. These logs were cut from forests near North Bend. The logs are of varying sizes; all dwarf the men. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie.
The George R. Marvin Co. was a steel fabrication plant located on Taylor Way in the Tideflats. Besides manufacturing cranes and other hoists, they also were involved in fabricated steel products. A model in an October 4, 1957, photograph is examining a piece of machinery manufactured by the Marvin Co. The exact use of the product is not known; it does appear to be solidly constructed and capable of containing either solids or liquids. What appears to be an Air Force fuel tank is in the background of the photograph. Photograph ordered by the George R. Marvin Co.
George R. Marvin Co. (Tacoma); Steel industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Exterior - Airco. A modern one-story concrete and brick building housed the Air Reduction Pacific Co., commonly known as Airco, in the 1950's. Located on Ross Way, close to E. 11th St., Airco were oxygen manufacturers and sellers of welding supplies. View of building facade shows large picture windows through which displays of welding masks and other products can be spotted. A customer is standing at the counter being assisted by an Airco employee. Airco, along with the Ohio Chemical Pacific Co. and the Pure Carbonic Co., were divisions of Air Reduction Co., Inc. Photograph ordered by Air Reduction Pacific Co.
Air Reduction Pacific Co. (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Air Reduction Pacific Co., managed by Edward J. White, were oxygen manufacturers. Known as "Airco", they had an office in Tacoma close to E. 11th Street at 2235 Ross Way. It appears that they also had offices in Seattle. View of two delivery trucks packed with storage tanks, possibly full of oxygen, argon or helium, parked in front of Tacoma facilities. One truck is labeled with a Tacoma address, the other with Seattle. Photograph ordered by Air Reduction Pacific Co.
Air Reduction Pacific Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Interior of Airco store. An Airco employee assists a customer, who has laid his hat on the counter, with a purchase on November 30, 1957. The Air Reduction Pacific Co., also known as Airco, were oxygen manufacturers with facilities both in Seattle and Tacoma. Besides selling oxygen, argon and helium, the company also sold welding products, including safety equipment such as hard hats and protective goggles. Photograph ordered by Air Reduction Pacific Co.
A view across the Tideflats and adjacent pond shows the expanded Kaiser Aluminum plant in November, 1957. Built originally for Olin Corporation in 1942, and purchased by Kaiser four years later, heavy demand for aluminum products post-war made expansion of the plant necessary. Kaiser spent nearly three million dollars in 1952 to improve their Tacoma plant facilities which led to a large increase in aluminum production. Photograph ordered by Kaiser Aluminum.
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Storage tanks at Kaiser Aluminum are massive in nature; they dwarf the Canadian National Railroad boxcars that are motionless in front of them. Olin Corporation Aluminum Plant was the first occupant of the 3400 Taylor Way site; it was sold to Kaiser Aluminum in late 1946. Kaiser spent nearly three million dollars in 1952 to expand its plant, thereby increasing aluminum production accordingly. Easy access to rail transportation made delivery of its product fast and efficient. Photograph ordered by Kaiser Aluminum.
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Storage tanks--Tacoma; Railroad freight cars--Canada;
An employee of Ace Furnace & Steel Co. leans one arm against a massive steel jet propulsion fuel storage tank on company property on August 5, 1958. He appears diminutive when contrasted with the 10.6 foot diameter tank. The gas tank measures 77.5 feet in length. Ace Furnace produced steel storage tanks for oil, gasoline and water, stacks, marquees, canopies, steel heating and ventilation systems, boilers, furnaces, and marine sheet metal. The company's major output now are tanks of all sizes, approximately 400-800 tanks per month. The huge tanks pictured above were just built for McChord Air Force Base. It is estimated that these were the largest shop fabricated steel tanks ever built in Tacoma. The Northern Pacific cars in the background would make transportation of these heavy steel products easier and more efficient. Photograph ordered by Ace Furnace & Steel Co. (TNT 9-1-58, C-7)
The figure of a logger is starkly outlined in black as he descends a spar pole. His steel tipped shoes assist in keeping himself steady. The belt circling the pole is used to keep him from falling. The spar pole has multiple cables that are used for yarding logs from surrounding strands of trees. This photograph was taken on September 12, 1958, in Port McNeil, British Columbia. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie, industrial consultant.
Improved machinery helped workers in more efficient harvesting of designated logs. Cable lines attached to the rear of a bulldozer haul away two smaller logs. Another log waits its turn to be removed. The bulldozer would also serve as an earth remover to clear paths in the forest. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie, industrial consultant. TPL-9429
Washington Cooperative Farmers Association's Feed Mill. The Co-op spent a million dollars in the late 1940's to construct the modern feed mill pictured above. The feed mill would utilize the most modern techniques to blend and weigh its grains. In addition, a bulk feed unit was constructed where the feed could be funneled directly into waiting delivery trucks or rail cars. The Washington Co-op had been serving the Tacoma area since 1920. Its feed mill manufactured much of the formula feeds used by Western Washington members. As the Co-op continued to grow, new additions were made to improve efficiency including eight huge tanks added to the bulk feed loading-out line to increase storage by 50%. A completely new overhead conveying system was added to speed the handling from the mill to the truck. It made it possible to convey two different products simultaneously and increased the loading capacity from 40 to 100 tons per hour. (TNT 9-1-58, C-2)
Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Food storage buildings--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;
ca. 1959. The St. Regis Paper Co. kraft pulp and paper mill and multiwall bag plant at Tacoma, Washington. The plant was a major producing unit serving the western states. Late in 1959, construction was started to expand the pulp mill and install a second machine which would produce kraft paper and board, more than doubling the output of the mill. The new kraft paper and paper board machine was 130 feet wide and 630 feet long. It would require 150 additional employees at a payroll of 3/4 million dollars. Additions were being made to the steam and recovery plants, pulp mill (left) and to the paper mill (right.) (St. Regis Paper Co. Annual Report- 1959; TNT 11/5/1959, pg. 1)
Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Mills--Tacoma; Logs; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960;
Railroad tank car being loaded at Hooker Chemicals. The sign cautions "Danger, Caustic." Hooker Electrochemical was a large producer of chlorine and caustic soda, supplying the Pacific Northwest's pulp and paper industry. According to the tank's markings, it hold 8031 gallons of caustic soda.
Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad tank cars--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Railroad tank car being loaded with caustic soda at Hooker Chemicals. Hooker Electrochemical was a large producer of chlorine and caustic soda, supplying the Pacific Northwest's pulp and paper industry.
Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad tank cars--Tacoma--1950-1960;
ca. 1959. Harmon Manufacturing Co. of Tacoma built classroom furniture as well as that for the home. The company was located at 1938 Pacific Ave. This studio set displays cabinets for the modern classroom or school library. Shown are the Teachers Storage Cabinet, Wall Cabinets, Counter Storage Cabinet, Tote Tray Cabinet, Drawer Storage Cabinet and magazine display and storage.
ca. 1959. Harmon Manufacturing Co. of Tacoma, in business here since 1909, built classroom furniture as well as that for the home. The company was located at 1938 Pacific Ave.This studio setup is of portable lab equipment, the answer for a school that is pressed for space. The teacher model illustrates chemical formulas on a rolling blackboard, while she rests a glass of soda on the ledge at the top. The blackboard also appears to slide open, to access storage space inside. Beside her is a portable lab table with a faucet and small sink and bunsen burner on top. There is plenty of storage space inside the cabinet for chemicals.
ca. 1959. Harmon Manufacturing Co. of Tacoma built classroom furniture as well as that for the home. The company was located at 1938 Pacific Ave. This studio setup is of cabinets for the classroom. Show are the Paper Storage Cabinet, Movable Drawer Storage and a bookshelf.
ca. 1959. Cement bags being produced in St. Regis's multi-wall bag plant in Tacoma. The bags are for Dacotah Portland Cement, produced by the South Dakota Cement plant in Rapid City, SD.
St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Mills--Tacoma--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;
