Twenty-four years and going strong ran the headline in the Tacoma Sunday Ledger on May 12, 1929, referring to this 1905 five-passenger Reo touring car. Although the vehicle was certainly "old enough to vote," it performed well with a full load, pulling up steep Saint Helens Avenue in high gear. Mayor James G. Newbegin (standing left) shook hands with driver George W. Miller, vice-president of Winthrop Motor Co. The Reo's passengers included salesman Oscar Seabloom, Reo truck department assistant manager Jimmy Gilchrist, and salesman Bob Scott. The car had been on display in the showrooms of the Winthrop Motor Co., local Reo distributors, and inspected by many Tacomans who had fond memories of the car. Photograph ordered by Winthrop Motor Co. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 5-12-29, p. 13) G32.1-087

Reo automobile; Newbegin, James G.; Mayors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Miller, George W.; Signs (Notices); Shaking hands--Tacoma; Winthrop Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Standard Fuel Co. recently added the Model A Ford truck and the Ford coupe shown above to their fleet of vehicles. The firm's proprietors, Bernard F. and R.B. Christian, purchased the vehicles from Leonard's, a South Tacoma Ford dealer. Their sister Mary, a bookkeeper for the company, posed between the two Fords on May 17, 1929. She is in the industrial Tideflats around E. 11th St., near Standard Fuel operations. Photograph ordered by Leonard's of South Tacoma, authorized dealers of Ford and Fordson. TPL-2693; G35.1-071 (T.Times, 5-25-29, p. 20)

Ford automobile; Ford trucks; Christian, Mary; Standard Fuel Co. (Tacoma);

Theatrical performers, the Maylon Players, pose with a new Reo Flying Cloud from the Winthrop Motor Co. on June 19, 1929. The car silently appeared on the Heilig Theater stage while the actors were rehearsing and they could not resist remarking about its fine features. They are: Maurice Penborn (on car), Will Maylon at the wheel, Joyce Booth (in car), Margaret Nixon, Paul Bardsley, Caroline Edwards and Arthur Siegrist, seated. G11.1-060 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 9-23-29, 8E)

Reo automobile; Maylon Players (Tacoma); Actors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Winthrop Motor Co. (Tacoma); Penborn, Maurice; Maylon, Will; Booth, Joyce; Nixon, Margaret; Bardsley, Paul; Edwards, Caroline; Siegrist, Arthur;

Storefront window featuring Plymouth accolades. On August 23, 1929, the large glass window of this automobile dealership was plastered with complimentary remarks about the smooth performance of Plymouth cars. The dealership welcomed passersby to stop and read what people had to say about the Chrysler Motors product. Photograph ordered by A. H. McConnell, Plymouth distributor in Tacoma and Pierce County. He also represented the Dodge Bros. line. The Plymouth agency and Dodge Bros. agency were once under the same roof but the Plymouth agency had recently moved to separate quarters adjacent to its former home. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 8-18-29, 4-E-article on Plymouth distributorship)

Plymouth automobile; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1920-1930; Window displays--Tacoma--1920-1930; Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1915. Sepia photograph of a man, possibly J. Frank Hickey, standing next to Tacoma Transit Co. bus parked outside the Donnelly Hotel, 9th & Pacific, ca. 1915. The small bus apparently had a Puyallup-Tacoma route. Tacoma Transit was the first bus line in Tacoma and was started by J. Frank Hickey in 1913. Mr. Hickey would also become the president of the elegant Tacoma Hotel.

Buses--Tacoma; Tacoma Transit Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1930s. Several of the Blue Lines buses that operated from Sumner in the 1930s. The bus company in Sumner, at this time, was owned by Peter Conlon. He sold the business in 1939. The buses are parked in front of the bus depot on Main St. and Ryan Ave. in Sumner. The men in this picture are: (l to r) John Kuss, Bob Parks, unknown, Bill Gill, Cliff Whitcomb, Moe Wilson, Buster Wilson, Gus Bordson, Ben Lemon, Frank Poch, Peter Conlon, and Ray Tuttle. From the collection of Jack Conlon.

Buses--Sumner; Bus drivers--Sumner; Conlon, Peter; Kuss, John; Parks, Bob; Gill, Bill; Whitcomb, Cliff; Wilson, Moe; Wilson, Buster, Bordson, Gus; Lemon, Ben; Poch, Frank; Tuttle, Ray;

Three drivers and four trucks in this undated photograph believed to have been taken post-1925 at the Sumner Garage. The trucks are part of the Conlon Bros. fleet of vehicles. The firm handled long distance moving and appeared based in Sumner. John W. Conlon and his brother Peter also operated the Sumner Tacoma Stage Co. in the 1920's and 1930's. John Conlon would pass away in March of 1935. (Photograph courtesy of the Jack Conlon collection)

Trucks--Sumner; Moving & storage trade--Sumner; Sumner Garage (Sumner);

Edward Cammarano stood next to his 1924 Mac track in this undated photograph. This particular truck handled the Olympia rural route. The Cammarano Brothers were bottlers and also distributors of both carbonated beverages and a variety of beer. They had routes throughout the Tacoma area, up north towards Seattle and south to Olympia. (Photograph courtesy of the William Cammarano Collection) TPL-10412

Cammarano, Edward; Cammarano Bros. (Tacoma); Mac trucks; Trucks--Olympia;

ca. 1947. This 1947 Diamond T was the first pallet loading beverage truck in Washington state. An unidentified Cammarano Brothers employee is pictured above operating a MobilLift forklift with the first load of Rainier Beer being placed into the truck. (Photograph courtesy of the William Cammarano Collection) TPL-10417

Diamond T trucks; Beer--Tacoma; Cammarano Bros. (Tacoma);

ca. 1951. In 1951 five new Dodge soft drink route trucks were parked outside the Cammarano Brothers warehouse at South 23rd & "A" Sts. The trucks advertised Mission Orange sodas. The Cammarano Brothers were distributors of beer and bottlers of carbonated beverages. After many decades in the beverage distribution business, the firm closed in May of 2001. (Photograph courtesy of the William Cammarano Collection) TPL-10421

Cammarano Bros. (Tacoma); Bottling industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Dodge trucks; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Warehouses--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A shining black hearse from the Allen Motor Co. was parked in front of the Mellinger funeral home on April 17, 1931. A black-clad driver is waiting patiently at the wheel of the sleek Studebaker. The C.C. Mellinger Co. colonial-styled mortuary, located at 510 Tacoma Avenue South, was built in 1909 for $65,000 by noted architects Heath & Twichell. The firm was established by Ohio native Charles C. Mellinger who first began on a small scale in Tacoma in 1897. The company grew quickly to become one of the largest in the city. G26.1-135; TPL-1743 Hunt: "Charles C. Mellinger," History of Tacoma, p. 580-582)

C.C. Mellinger Funeral Directors (Tacoma); Morgues & mortuaries--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hearses--Tacoma--1930-1940; Studebaker automobile;

S. Shumate & Sons of Olympia lined up a small fleet of Kenworth trucks plus a trailer while in Tacoma on April 18, 1932. The trucking firm's drivers carried along a small dog as a passenger in truck #4. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Kenworth. G66.2-103

Trucks--1930-1940; S. Shumate & Sons (Olympia); Dogs--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Two trucks are in the process of dumping their loads at the site of the old Kent Airport on July 22, 1969. The land has been fenced off. Railroad tracks were being built at the same time on the same location; see D156483, image 2. Photograph ordered by the Milwaukee Road, Seattle.

Trucks--Kent; Fences--Kent;

Six employees of the New Era Equipment Co. stand along side their Ford and Dodge delivery vans parked outside the firm on April 26, 1969. New Era Equipment Co., 2914 So. Cushman Ave., was a wholesale distributor of laundry and cleaning equipment, including boilers. It was owned by Cleo H. Stephenson, who also owned three locations of New Era Cleaners & Laundry Service. Photograph ordered by the New Era Equipment Co.

Trucks--Tacoma--1960-1970; New Era Equipment Co. (Tacoma); Signs (Notices);

Accident scene. December 17, 1971, view looking toward the Tideflats from Ruston Way. This is the intersection of Ruston Way and North 49th St. There is a stop sign on North 49th as well as railroad crossing signage. Color photograph ordered by Unigard Insurance Co. for case involving insured Steve Liddone.

Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1970-1980; Traffic signs & signals--Tacoma; Railroad crossings--Tacoma;

Fleet of trucks. A fleet of Mack trucks is lined up at Lloyds of Washington on September 23, 1972. All the trucks, except one, are painted lime green with the initials LOW on the grill. Lloyds of Washington was located at 2209 Auburn - Black Diamond Rd. Color photograph ordered by Truckweld Equipment Co.

Trucks--Auburn; Lloyds of Washington (Auburn);

Two Turner Towing trucks are parked on the company's lot in the 2600 block of Pacific Avenue in April of 1970. Both Kenworth trucks have the company logo, a dragon ("drag-in"), painted on the driver's door. One truck is familiarly dubbed "Little Audrey." Photograph ordered by Pacific Northwest Bell, Seattle, for use in a yellow pages ad.

Trucks--Tacoma--1970-1980; Towing--Tacoma; Wreckers (Vehicles)--Tacoma; Turner Towing Co. (Tacoma);

Offices of Mueller-Harkins Buick showing chairs, typewriter, glassed-in offices and advertising banner. The banner reads "When better automobiles are built, Buick will build them." Mueller-Harkins had been located at this address since 1918; they would move in 1948 to 455 St. Helens Ave.

Buick automobile; Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Offices--Tacoma--1930-1940; Mueller-Harkins Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Buck and Company. Several men standing beside a truck parked in front of garage doors at rear of building. View from across large paved parking lot. (T. Times) filed with Argentum

Buck & Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--1930-1940;

ca. 1926. Pair of automobiles, a sedan and a touring car, perhaps Jordans, near a park. For Chamber's Auto Supply House. (filed with Argentum)

Automobiles--1920-1930; Jordan automobiles;

By November of 1935 Tacoma's merchants were demanding that something be done about "parking hogs." Even with diagonal parking there was little room on the streets for shoppers to park their cars. All the available space in front of the stores was being taken by business employees. As the streets like Commerce, in this photograph, became jammed with cars, some merchants started demanding parking meters to force cars off the streets. After years of fighting in city hall, 1,200 meters were installed during the summer of 1941. (For Corky Maybin, T.Times).

Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parking--Tacoma--1930-1940; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Old City Hall (Tacoma);

1939 Studebaker Champion automobile being raffled by Ray C. Roberts V.F.W. Post on back of a flatbed truck. Truck has logo of man riding a bronco on the door. The automobile was raffled off at a VFW benefit ball. For a picture of the car with its winner, Clara Thorsen, see D8931 images 1& 3. (filed with Argentum)

Studebaker automobile; Veterans of Foreign Wars, Ray C. Roberts Post # 969 (Tacoma);

On February 27, 1947, photographs were taken of this wrecked and twisted Medosweet Dairy truck moments after it was hit by a four car southbound train at 10:05 am. The accident took place at a private road crossing 3.5 miles south of the city limits. The truck was carried over 150 feet down the tracks, leaving milk, crunched cartons and broken bottles in its wake. Route supervisor Alex McBeath Jr. was killed in the accident and driver William J. Velacich was seriously injured. (T. Times 2/28/1947, pg. 3- picture, 2/27/47, pg.1)

Wrecks; Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1930-1941; Medosweet Dairies, Inc. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Photographs from auto wreck on Seattle-Tacoma Highway taken on June 11, 1940. This Dodge coupe sustained massive front end damage including broken headlight and smashed fenders and bumper. See D9847, image 1 for view of a different damaged car which was possibly involved in the same accident. Its front end was heavily damaged with broken windshield, running board, tire and hood damage.

Dodge automobile; Traffic accidents--1940-1950;

Automobile hit by train which killed Mrs. Hull of Steilacoom. A small group of men and teenagers stand at the railroad crossing to the wharf and Steilacoom ferry dock where the accident occurred on November 27, 1939. Mrs. William A. Hull, wife of a McNeil Island federal penitentiary guard, died when the vehicle she was driving was struck by a Union Pacific freight train as it crossed the railroad tracks. The 40-year-old woman was thrown clear upon impact. She had been on her way to pick up her husband who was returning to the mainland from the island. Mrs. Hull was thought to have been driving slowly and possibly did not see the train in time. (TNT 11-28-1939, p. 1-article & alt. photograph)

Traffic accidents--Steilacoom; Railroad accidents--Steilacoom; Railroad crossings--Steilacoom; Hull, William A.--Family;

Scene of traffic accident for insurance claim #700648, Allstate Insurance Company. Highway where road Ys into another road. Houses in background. Sign reads : "The Rosebud Groceries & Notions." This scene was photographed on April 24, 1940.

Traffic accidents; Roads;

Two Ford trucks at Coast Sash and Door Company. Three men by Hunter Fuel truck with wooden sides on bed. One man by second truck with truck dolly and other equipment. Hunter Fuel was owned by Merritt J. Hunter and was located at 6202 McKinley Ave. (filed with Argentum)

Ford trucks; Coast Sash & Door Co. (Tacoma); Hunter Fuel (Tacoma);

New Fuel Oil Service Corp. truck in street in front of residence. The driver casually poses with his elbow outside the Mack truck's window. The bright red vehicle would have been visible for quite a distance away. ALBUM 15.

Fuel Oil Service (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fuel trade--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Four men in front of three McKenzie Fuel Company trucks parked in front of two wooden industrial buildings. Photograph ordered by Titus Motor Co. The 1940 City Directory lists the McKenzie Fuel Co. address as Taylor Way at Dolge Mill. The company offered slab and mill wood, hogged fuel, sawdust and stove and diesel oil. (filed with Argentum)

McKenzie Fuel Co. (Tacoma); Fuel trade--Tacoma; Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940;

According to Richards Studio notes: "Tacoma Bread Co. truck which was involved on Mountain Highway accident." Photograph ordered by Charles A. Peterson, lawyer. Delivery truck with Manthou's Kream Krust Bread logo parked in front of three bay garage. Tacoma Bread Co.'s main product appeared to be their Kream Krust Bread. The bakery was located at 2836-38 So. I St. It was owned and operated by the Manthou family. (filed with Argentum)

Tacoma Bread Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950;