ca. 1928. The Perkins building. The Perkins building was constructed in 1906 and named after its builder, Sydney Albert Perkins. It was designed by Russell & Babcock, Architects. At the time it was built, it was the first fireproof building and the tallest structure (at eight floors) in Tacoma. It housed the Tacoma Daily Ledger and the Daily News and it was the first home to the University of Washington, Tacoma. (WSHS- negative A655-0)

Street scene showing snow and slush on South 9th Street looking up from Pacific on an early day in February of 1929. Main building shown in photograph is the Motoramp Garage (745 Commerce Street) on right.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Motoramp Garage (Tacoma); Snow--Tacoma;

January and February of 1929 brought severe winter weather to Tacoma with heavy snow and temperatures that dropped into the teens. Snow and slush piled up in the gutters of downtown Tacoma. This early February street scene shows Saint Helens Avenue looking north from So. 7th. Buildings shown include: the Tacoma Radiator & Fender Works, 615 Saint Helens Ave.; the George W. Hess Auto Surgeon, 617 Saint Helens Ave.; and the Webster Apartments, 629 Saint Helens Ave.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Tacoma Radiator & Fender Works (Tacoma); George W. Hess Auto Surgeon (Tacoma); Webster Apartments (Tacoma); Snow--Tacoma;

Travel was hard going as this street scene from February of 1929 shows snow and slush on 11th Street, looking up 11th from Commerce. Buildings in view include French Drug Co. (1101 Broadway) and Fisher's Department Store (1104 Broadway). The harsh weather did not deter pedestrians and some sturdy vehicles.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; French Drug Co. (Tacoma); Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Snow--Tacoma;

Street scene in March of 1929; view of buildings on east side of Broadway looking south on Broadway from the corner of 9th & Broadway. The Pantages Theater at far left has electric signage " Pantages Vaudeville & Pictures." Buildings include: the previously mentioned Pantages Theater (901 Broadway) on left, Illington Hotel (911 1/2 Broadway) a few buildings down, and the Broadway Theater (902-914 Broadway) on the right. The Broadway was known as the Tacoma Theater prior to 1927. It burned in 1963.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Pantages Theater (Tacoma); Illington Hotel (Tacoma); Broadway Theater (Tacoma);

This is a March of 1929 street scene looking down 11th street toward the Eleventh Street (now Murray Morgan) Bridge. Buildings on left side of the photograph are the Rust Building (950 Pacific Ave.) and the Washington Building (1019 Pacific Ave.). On the right is a sign for Manning's Market and another sign for Merrick & Race Jewelers.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Rust Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma);

1929 street scene view looking down 9th street (toward the east) taken for the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. The marquee for the Broadway Theater (902-14 Broadway) is to the right. The Hotel Winthrop (773 Broadway) is on the left. The Tacoma Theater closed down for a remodel and reopened in 1927 as the Broadway Theater. In 1933, under new management, it became the Music Box. It was destroyed by fire in April of 1963.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Theaters--Tacoma; Broadway Theater (Tacoma);

1929 street scene looking up 11th street from the Eleventh Street Bridge. Buildings in photograph include the Federal Building (1102 A St.), and the Kaufman-Leonard Furniture Co. (105-11 So. 11th St.) Streetcar tracks can be seen in the street in the foreground with the streetcar cable above.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Federal Building (Tacoma); Kaufman-Leonard Furniture Co. (Tacoma); Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This is a slice of Pacific Avenue south from 7th St. as it appeared on March 11, 1929. Among the many businesses on the near right are the Ajax Electric Co., the Keystone Hotel and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Across the streetcar tracks on the left are the Olympus Hotel, Provident Building, and Brotherhood Bank in the Washington Building. Photograph ordered by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. TPL-2745; G61.1-026;

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (Tacoma); Olympus Hotel (Tacoma); Keystone Hotel (Tacoma); Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This view of the buildings on the west side of Broadway in downtown Tacoma looking north from South 11th Street dates from October 1929. The buildings include: S. H. Kress & Company (934-36 Broadway), which opened at this address in 1925; Burnett Brothers jewelry store (932 Broadway), with its well known street clock; the Pythian Temple (924-26 Broadway); and the Colonial Theater (916-18 Broadway). At the far north end of the street in this photograph (far right) is the wedge-shaped Bostwick Block building.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; S.H. Kress & Co. (Tacoma); Pythian Temple (Tacoma); Colonial Theater (Tacoma); Burnett Brothers Jewelry (Tacoma); Bostwick Building (Tacoma);

This is how Market St. near So. 9th looking south appeared in November of 1929. Goodwin's Garage, an unidentified building undergoing work, a smaller two-story unit and the Singer Sewing Co. warehouse are on the left; the Azure Pool at 748 Market St. is on the right. G60.1-140

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Goodwin's Garage (Tacoma); Singer Sewing Machine Co. (Tacoma); Azure Pool (Tacoma);

ca. 1929. Conjunction of Pacific Ave., and Commerce, Jefferson and South 17th Streets circa 1929. At the far left edge is the Carlton Hotel, 1552 Jefferson Ave. The building at 1701 Commerce St. (near lower center) was built on the site of the old Northern Pacific Railroad passenger station, dubbed "Villard Depot," which was subsequently moved across the street and demolished in 1909. The Teamsters & Chauffers Hiring Hall occupied the 1701 Commerce St. address from 1928-1977. In the 1500 block of Pacific Ave. (center) are the Hotel Croft and other businesses. Puget Sound National Bank's familiar spire is in the center background.

ca. 1929. Street scene showing east side of Pacific Ave. looking south from 10th Street. Buildings shown include (left to right) First Mutual Savings Bank of Tacoma (1005 Pacific Ave.), Western Union Telegraph Co.& Lindsay Hotel (1007 Pacific Ave.), Bank of California (1011-13 Pacific Ave.), Feeney's Cafe (1017), Washington Building (1019), Peoples Store (1101-07), Bankers Trust Building (1109-13) and Puget Sound Bank (1117-19.) This circa 1929 photograph was one of a series of downtown shots taken on behalf of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; First Mutual Savings Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma); Western Union Telegraph Co. (Tacoma); Lindsay Hotel (Tacoma); Bank of California National Association (Tacoma);

One of Tacoma's busier intersections in 1931 was North 1st St. and Tacoma Avenue North. The San Clare Cafe (at left) featured everything from cigars to candy and Medosweet ice cream. Further down Tacoma Avenue North was the Supreme Cleaners & Dyers. Across the street was the Davis & Hollingsworth retail furniture concern at 20 Tacoma Avenue North. The First Presbyterian Church, a beautiful example of Romanesque architecture, rises high above the street at 20 Tacoma Avenue South. TPL-1605; G62.1-064

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; San Clare Cafe (Tacoma); Supreme Cleaners & Dyers (Tacoma); Davis & Hollingsworth (Tacoma); First Presbyterian Church (Tacoma);

Cars and trucks line both sides of the 1300 block of Broadway in this photograph from July of 1931. All the buildings on the west side of the street including the Goodwill Store at 1320 Broadway, the Hotel Victoria at 1316 1/2 and the Brenden Hotel at 304 South 13th Street have been demolished. This whole block is currently occupied by the Sheraton Hotel, 1320 Broadway, which opened in 1984. Photograph taken for W.H. Opie & Co. Bowen # 310-266

ca. 1935. General view of the Rust Building at 11th and Pacific Avenue. Sandstone clad steel framed 12 story business block for William R. Rust by Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, Architects, 1920. (Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma);

Tacoma Safety Council Safety Show parade on Ninth Street. Pedestrians and automobiles on street with view of buildings from Commerce to A Streets. Motoramp Garage on left. McCormack's Hats neon sign on right. Decorative metal canopy covers sidewalk.

Business districts--Tacoma--1930-1940; Motoramp Garage (Tacoma);

ca. 1937. Exterior elevation of the Rust Building, a multi-story office building, at So. 11th Street and Pacific Avenue. The Rust Building is named for its builder William R. Rust. It was designed by the architectural firm of Sutton, Whitney and Dugan. The twelve story building opened in 1920. Since 1986, it has been known as the Seafirst Center. For Johnson-Cox, printers, for school annuals. (Image also numbered 8A3 image 2 in Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1937. Full view of the Rust Building on 11th Street between Commerce and Pacific Avenue. Sandstone clad steel frame 12-story business block for William R. Rust by Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, Architects, 1920. It was known as the Townsend building from 1929- 1931. It was remodeled by Seafirst bank in 1986 and renamed the Seafirst Center.

Business districts--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1937. Corner view of Rust Building showing Bone-Dry Shoe Store. Banners in windows for Removal Sale, "Forced to vacate, all prices reduced."

Business districts--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma); Bone Dry Shoe Store (Tacoma); Shoe stores--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1937. View of Bone Dry Shoe Company location in Rust Building. "Forced to Vacate - Removal Sale" signs on transoms. Ordered for designer to illustrate proposed alterations for Lundquist-Lilly Company.

Office buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma); Bone Dry Shoe Store (Tacoma); Shoe stores--Tacoma--1930-1940;

View up Saint Helens Avenue from about Market Street. Tacoma News Tribune building in right foreground, Webster Apartments beyond. Allen Motor Company, Studebaker garage a block up on left, Walker Apartments beyond that. (filed with Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1930-1940; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Walker Apartments (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940;

View of downtown Tacoma taken from rooftop of building. Businesses along Saint Helens Avenue showing the Medical Arts Building (left at 747 Market), Allen Motor Company Studebaker, and the Walker Apartments. (filed with Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1930-1940; Medical Arts Building (Tacoma); Walker Apartments (Tacoma); Allen Motor Co. (Tacoma);

View of Puyallup Avenue at Bay Street. Puyallup River Bridge with traffic. Resurfacing of Puyallup Avenue was the first of the new series of P.W.A. (Public Works Administration) contracts in Tacoma and first completed at a cost of $54,710. (T. Times, 10/20 p. 4,10/21 p. 20).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bridges--Tacoma; Puyallup Avenue Bridge (Tacoma); Depressions--1929; Public Works Administration (Tacoma);

This was how Puyallup Avenue appeared on October 20, 1938, looking east along the newly resurfaced street from Pacific Avenue to Bay Street and the bridge to the Seattle Highway. A stretch of 2601 feet of road, from East "G" Street to Pacific Avenue, was all new, including sidewalks, curbs and street surface. To construct the level 100- feet-wide road, the old asphalt was broken up and new concrete laid up to 20 inches thick. It was the first of the new series of Public Works Administration (PWA) contracts to be finalized and the first finished. The job took 60 days from start to finish and a ceremony was scheduled for October 21st to mark the record time. The newly surfaced road would bring traffic from the Seattle Highway directly into the downtown Tacoma shopping district. Standard Service Station and Firestone Store on left, OK Bakery and McKenzie Drug on right. (T. Times, 10/20/1938, p. 4).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bridges--Tacoma; Puyallup Avenue Bridge (Tacoma); Depressions--1929; Public Works Administration (Tacoma);

In 1938, buses replaced streetcars in Tacoma and major thoroughfares were repaved in concrete. Contractor Ray A. Moisio's crew resurfaced Puyallup Avenue from Pacific Avenue to East G Street in 60 days. Concrete, up to 20 inches thick, paved a level, 100-feet-wide and 2,601-feet-long section including sidewalks. The $54,710 contract, funded by the Public Works Administration, extended to the Seattle Highway and stimulated business in the downtown district. (T. Times, 10/20/1938, p. 4).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bridges--Tacoma; Puyallup Avenue Bridge (Tacoma); Depressions--1929; Public Works Administration (Tacoma);

Puyallup Avenue and Pacific Avenue intersection with Standard service station on left and MacKenzie Drug on right. To construct a level 100- feet-wide and 2,601 feet long road, old asphalt was broken up and new concrete laid up to 20 inches thick on Puyallup Ave.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Standard Service Station (Tacoma); Vehicles--Tacoma; MacKenzie's Pharmacy (Tacoma);

View in October of 1938 of the newly resurfaced Puyallup Avenue, looking east from Pacific Avenue. In 1938, Tacoma also retired her streetcars and replaced them with modern busses. A recently completed PWA contract called for the resurfacing of Puyallup Ave. from E. "G" St. to Pacific Ave. The contract, valued at $54, 710 called for the replacement of of sidewalk, curbs and street surface. (T.Times, 10/20/1938, p. 4)

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bridges--Tacoma; Puyallup Avenue Bridge (Tacoma); Depressions--1929; Public Works Administration (Tacoma);

Puyallup Avenue at Bay Street. Puyallup River Bridge with traffic. Contractor Ray A. Moisio completed Puyallup Avenue resurfacing in 60 days. The 2,601-feet-long street was 100 feet wide and up to 20 inches thick. (T. Times, p. 4, 10/21 p. 20).

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bridges--Tacoma; Puyallup Avenue Bridge (Tacoma); Depressions--1929; Public Works Administration (Tacoma);

Puyallup and Pacific Avenues intersection. Repaving Puyallup Avenue in asphalt concrete, a Public Works Administration project, brought traffic from the Seattle Highway to Pacific Ave. and into the downtown Tacoma business core.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bridges--Tacoma; Puyallup Avenue Bridge (Tacoma); Depressions--1929; Public Works Administration (Tacoma);