Fellow shipmates of Machinist Mate Carl Lischke pay tribute to the young sailor on March 19, 1934. His flag-draped casket is surrounded by floral displays. Lischke died on March 17, 1934, while his German warship, Karlsruhe, was docked in Tacoma. He had eaten spoiled fish which had just been delivered to him from Germany. Because the Karlsruhe would not be returning to Germany immediately, it was decided to bury Lischke at Mountain View Memorial Park. He left grieving relatives in his homeland as well as a Frankfort fraulein; Lischke would have been married in June. (T.Times 3-20-34, p. 1)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Coffins; Sailors--German;

Eight thousand miles from his native Germany, Machinist Mate Carl Lischke was laid to rest with full military rites at Mountain View Memorial Park on March 19, 1934. The young sailor from the German cruiser Karlsruhe died from fish poisoning on March 17th, while aboard the ship which had recently docked at Tacoma. It was not possible to send the body back to Germany for burial due to the ship's schedule. Floral displays and an honorary guard surround the casket; German consul from Seattle, Walther Reinhardt (at left), has taken off his hat in silent tribute. The well-attended funeral included detachments from Fort Lewis and Puget Sound Navy Yard, city and county officials, and Lischke's shipmates. (T.Times 3-20-34, p. 1) (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Coffins; Sailors--German; Reinhardt, Walther;

The German cruiser Karlsruhe is taking on fuel from a Foss barge in mid-March, 1934, while at the dock in the waters below City Hall. The Karlsruhe was a sister ship to the Konigsberg; both were Koln class light cruisers. It had a displacement of 6000 tons and was equipped with three triple turrets and 4 triple torpedo tubes. The ship was in port for one week but festivities were delayed due to the death of Machinist Mate Karl Lischke who passed away on March 17, 1934, due to fish poisoning. He was buried with full naval rites at Mountain View Memorial Park in ceremonies attended by many local citizens, American and German military personnel, and city and county officials. The entire crew of the ship stood at attention at deckside when the body was removed while cadets formed an aisle along which Lischke was carried from the ship to the funeral car. Hundreds of spectators lined the 11th St. Bridge to view the procession. The ship would be later opened for visits; more than 4,700 people were welcomed aboard on Sunday afternoon, the 18th, and more were expected the following Wednesday. On April 9, 1940, the German vessel was sunk by the British during the German invasion of Norway. TPL-004 (T.Times, 3-19-34, p. 1; Jane's Fighting Ships, 1941; T. Times 4-10-1940, pg. 1& 12)

Cruisers (Warships)--German; Government vessels--German; Barges--Tacoma;

Six sailors from the German cruiser Karlsruhe stand at attention beside the casket of their fellow shipmate, Machinist Mate Carl Lischke, during ceremonies at Mountain View Memorial Park. The young sailor had died the previous Saturday, March 17th, of fish poisoning. It was necessary to have burial in Tacoma because the Karlsruhe would not be returning to Germany immediately. Representatives from US military, city and county officials, and Lischke's shipmates attended the March 19th funeral, as well as many ordinary citizens. Many floral tributes surround the flag-draped casket; more flowers in the way of petals were scattered on the casket by sailors from all departments on the Karlsruhe as the casket was slowly lowered into the ground. (T.Times 3-20-34, p. 1-article)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Coffins; Sailors--German;

On Wednesday evening December 30, 1925 the crew of the Virginia V helped prevent a major tragedy from occuring in the waters under the 11th Street (Murray Morgan) Bridge. At 7:55 p.m. a municiple streetcar crashed through the steel gate that closed off 11th Street when the bridge was raised. The wooden streetcar broke apart as it plunged toward the water, spilling passengers as it fell. The crew of the Virginia V, docked near the bridge, sped to the rescue, pulling survivors to safety. An undetermined number of passengers were pulled from the water, including four who were injured. The death toll reached five. Pictured (l to r) are David Balduzi, Alfred Jergenson, Capt. Nels G. Christensen (at back), J. Christensen, Joe Brooks, Claude Williams and Al Torgeson. (TNT 12/31/1925, pg. 1) TPL-8547;

Mass transit--Tacoma--1920-1930; Sailors--1920-1930;

On June 15, 1933, the reconditioned frigate USS Constitution was towed into Tacoma and moored at the McCormick Dock; for a week "Old Ironsides" was opened for tours. In the center of the group of men on the dock is a man in uniform, possibly the ship's captain, to his right is Tacoma Mayor Melvin G. Tennent. Immediately to the left of the group of men is a Rockne automobile. The Rockne, produced by the Studebaker Co. of South Bend, Indiana, from 1931-33. was priced to compete with Ford. The brand was named after Knute Rockne, the famous Notre Dame University football coach. Shortly after the new car hit the market, Rockne was killed in an airplane crash. The vehicle never sold well and was eventually pulled from the market. The vehicle has a sign on the side announcing the "Elks Magazine Rockne sponsored by Studebaker, Good Will Tour, Los Angeles to Milwaukee." TPL-9099

Mayors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tennent, Melvin Green; U.S.S. Constitution; Battleships--United States--1790-1800; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1930-1940; Cruisers (Warships)--United States--1790-1800; Studebaker automobile;

ca. 1944. Offices of Foss Launch & Tug Co. on the Middle Waterway and the Foss tugboats docked. In 1943, Foss moved their office building from its longtime location at 400 Dock St. (1902-1943) to this location. Their original building on Dock Street burned to the ground in 1932. It was replaced by an airplane hangar, brought from Seattle and converted to offices. By 1943, the Foss organization had a payroll of around 170 and a fleet of 60 tugs and 120 barges all over the Pacific Ocean. When Foss needed more space, they moved their office building to East F. Street, originally the location of their shipyard. They also brought a 85 x 120 foot warehouse from Seattle and reconstructed it on the site. A new restaurant was also built to serve Foss employees as well as their new neighbors, Peterson Boat Building at 223 E. F & Puget Sound Plywood at 230. All three companies relocated to this location at around the same time. TPL-8669 (T. Times 9/1/1943)

Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats;

ca. 1935. The Justine Foss tugboat. The Justine Foss, named for the youngest daughter of Wedell and Edith Foss, was built in 1930 by the Foss Launch & Tug Co. She was 57 feet in length with a 16 foot beam and an Atlas 200 HP engine. She had an amazing 11 year career with Foss, during which she helped build Oregon's scenic Coast Highway 101, served in California and Alaska and supported the US WWII war effort in the central Pacific. The Justine and Drew Foss, the son of Henry, were working on Wake Island when the Island was captured by the Japanese. Drew Foss was sent to a Japanese prisoner of war camp. The Justine and its crew were forced work on the island for the Japanese until no longer needed. In 1941, the Justine was intentionally sunk in the lagoon and the crew executed. Drew Foss survived the camp to return home. TPL-8670 ( "Foss, Ninety Years of Towboating" Skalley)

Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats--1930-1940;

Sylvia Sass, chairman of the Sister City Committee, is flanked by Tacoma Mayor Harold Tollefson and an unidentified Japanese man on August 29, 1966. It appears that the city was being presented with a scroll of a Japanese bridge. Kokura, Japan, was Tacoma's original sister city; it and four adjacent cities merged into a new municipality called Kitakyushu in 1963.

Sass, Sylvia; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970;

ca. 1977. A large group of visitors from Tacoma's sister city in Japan, Kitakyushu (formerly Kokura) pose with their American hosts in front of the County-City Building. Two of the men are holding keys to the City of Tacoma as presented by government officials. At the far right is George M. Nalley; he served on the City Council in the 1970's. Gordon Johnston, who was Tacoma's mayor from 1970-78, is in the center of the photograph, first row.

Foreign visitors--Japan; Keys (Hardware); Johnston, Gordon N.; Mayors--Tacoma--1970-1980; Nalley, George M.; County-City Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1917. Seated in his Stutz race car #5 is driver Earl Cooper and his mechanic Reeves Dutton. Both men have uniforms with the Stutz brand in front. Earl Cooper won national championships in 1913, 1915 and 1917. A favorite of crowds at the Tacoma Speedway, Mr. Cooper won the 250-mile Montamarathon in both 1913 and 1914 but was thwarted in his attempt to retain the trophy for a third year when he finished second to Grover Ruckstell in 1915. TPL-8827. (Photograph donated by John & Pat Reisinger)

Cooper, Earl; Dutton, Reeves; Automobile racing drivers; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Stutz automobile;

ca. 1930s. This is young Freddie Steele, boxer from Tacoma, who became the middleweight world champion. Believed to have been taken sometime in the 1930s, Mr. Steele appears ready for a trip - carrying hand luggage and garbed in suit, cap and dress shoes. He earned two boxing championships; the United States middleweight crown in July of 1936 with a win over Babe Risko and the National Boxing Association title in January of 1937 by defeating William Jones. He ended his career with an outstanding professional record of 128 wins and only 5 losses. Not yet 30, he became an actor in films, garnering praise in such films as "The Story of G.I. Joe." TPL-4799

Steele, Freddie, 1912-1984; Boxers (Sports)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1930. This is an aerial view of the Fircrest Golf Club course circa 1930. The Fircrest Golf Club was incorporated in May of 1923 and opened for play in late July of 1924. It was designed by noted golf architect, A. Vernon Macan of Victoria, B.C., and situated on 160-acres. Mr. Macan designed golf courses for over 50 years with most of them being in Western Canada and several in the Western part of the United States. The private Fircrest golf course is still operating some 85 years later.

Golf--Fircrest--1930-1940; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Aerial views; Aerial photographs;

Construction of Stadium Bowl. Stadium High School (then called Tacoma High School) looms over the site of the Stadium Bowl under construction in September of 1909. Standing in sharp contrast in the foreground is an unidentified man in overalls holding the reins of his sturdy horse who is harnessed to a sled of some sort. In the pre-tractor, pre-truck days, horses were commonly used to haul materials to and from construction sites. BU-11577, TPL-1541

Stadium High School (Tacoma); Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Construction--Tacoma--1900-1910; Horses--Tacoma--1900-1910;

ca. 1901. Looking up 11th Sreet in the heart of the business section of Tacoma, ca. 1901. Sidewalks are crowded with people. Several pedestrians leisurely cross the street ahead of oncoming streetcars.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1900-1910; Business districts--Tacoma--1900-1910; Pedestrians--Tacoma; Street railroads--Tacoma--1900-1910; Street railroad tracks--Tacoma--1900-1910;

On a warm summer evening, July 14th, 1920, the residents of Trafton Street between 6th Ave and South 8th Street were treated to Tacoma's first Block Party. The party was hosted by the Community Service Club in an effort to end the isolation of city life and help neighbors get to know one another. The area was blocked off and lit by lights provided by the City Light Department. Bunting and flags were hung and oriental lanterns graced the bushes. The asphalt street was treated with cornmeal and boric acid till it shown like a dance floor. Residents and curious neighbors, totaling over 600, turned out for a community sing, street dancing and free popcorn, doughnuts and lemonade. The party was a great success and wound up near midnight as parents carried sleepy children home. The houses shown in the picture are 621, 625, 629 and 631 So. Trafton St. (TDL 7/14/1920, pg. 10; 7/15/20, pg. 1) Boland B3689, BU-12,823, TPL-1649;

Parties--Tacoma--1920-1930; Celebrations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1920-1930; Neighbors; City & town life--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1889. In 1889, if you were able to stand on the roof of the Northern Pacific Headquarters building at 621 Pacific and look south, this is the scene you would take in. Horse drawn carriages and the streetcar stir up dust in the street while pedestrians stroll on wooden sidewalks past shop windows. On the right is the Charles W. Langert Wholesale Liquor and Thompson, Pratt & Co. located in the new structure at 710-712 Pacific Ave. The building had been constructed in 1887 and was designed by the architecture firm of Farrell & Darmer. TPL-379

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1880-1890; Business districts--Tacoma--1880-1890;

ca. 1960. This is a view of South 11th & Tacoma Avenue South circa 1960. Standing on the rooftop of the Tacoma Public Library (1102 Tacoma Avenue South), one can see the Art-Deco styled Medical Arts Building (now Municipal Building) at 747 Market St. and in the distance, glimpses of Commencement Bay. Anton's Restaurant is at the corner of 11th & Tacoma Avenue in the Roberts-Parker Building. The buildings visible on the east side of Tacoma Avenue South have since been torn down and/or remodeled. The old building at 955 Tacoma Avenue South, across the street from Anton's, was demolished and a State Savings & Loan Assn. building erected in 1968. It now houses Pierce County governmental offices. Baldwin & Son Lawn Mower Shop moved to South 12th by 1962. Bushey's Tavern, 939 Tacoma Avenue South, advertised "dancing" as one of their attractions. Across the street, though not visible, is the new County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Avenue South. TPL-2157

Streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1960-1970; Anton's Restaurant (Tacoma); Baldwin & Son Lawn Mower Shop (Tacoma); Bushey's Tavern (Tacoma); Medical Arts Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1930. Theater floodlights, possibly used for special effects during the stage show that often accompanied a new film. The lights are believed to be located at the Broadway Theater, 902-14 Broadway, formerly the Tacoma Theater. TPL-2812

Stage lighting; Theaters--Tacoma; Tacoma Theater (Tacoma); Broadway Theater (Tacoma);

ca. 1930. Tacoma's "Theater Row," circa 1930. The marquees shine bright at three of the city's most popular movie houses, The Rialto, Broadway and Orpheum (now Pantages) Theaters. The Sound Era was just dawning in the 1930's. The Rialto was showing the talkie debut of Leon Erroll, "Only Saps Work." At the Orpheum was a talking remake of "Madonna of the Streets," starring Evelyn Brent. The fare at the Broadway was Raoul Walsh's western "The Big Trail," featuring John Wayne in his first starring role. The Broadway (originally known as the Tacoma Theater and later as the Music Box) burned down in 1963. TPL-1360

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma; Rialto Theatre (Tacoma); Broadway Theater (Tacoma); Orpheum Theater (Tacoma); Marquees--Tacoma;

It started out as a publicity stunt. The Blue Mouse Theater offered $10 to any woman who would sit through a midnight preview, on November 3, 1932, of the creepy horror film "White Zombie," alone, and without screaming. Eighteen year old Marjorie Yonk said she was up to the test. She was whisked by police car, sirens blaring, to Dr. F. J. Hansen's office to determine the strength of her heart, and then to the Blue Mouse. She is pictured here prior to entering the theater. Officers E.J. Schutz, left, and J.F. White escorted her into the blackened theater with their flashlights, seated her, and left her to the mercy of Bela Lugosi starring in the first zombie film. The movie was made in 1932, following Lugosi's phenomenal success as Dracula. It was a low budget film, produced by the Halperin Brothers, set in Haiti and it spawned a new genre of horror characters, zombies, that populate movies even today. (TNT 11/4/1932; pg. 7)

Blue Mouse Movie Theatre (Tacoma); Yonk, Marjorie; Schutz, E.J.; White, J.F.; Publicity;

Framed by the blackness of the movie theater behind her, Marjorie Yonk emerged from a special midnight preview of the horror movie "White Zombie" on November 3, 1932, visibly shaken. The Blue Mouse Theater at 1131-33 Broadway had offered $10 to any woman who would sit through the midnight preview, alone, without screaming. Marjorie took on the challenge and triumphed, but from the look in her eyes, she earned the ten dollars. The 1932 horror classic, starring Bela Lugosi, was the first Hollywood zombie film. (TNT 11/4/1932, pg. 7)

Blue Mouse Movie Theatre (Tacoma); Yonk, Marjorie;