Vaudeville Party at the Top of the Ocean, photograph ordered by Tacoma Actors Guild. Group of men and women seated at tables with Bingo cards. For Tacoma Actors Guild, Frank Murtough.

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Actors Guild (Tacoma); Parties--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Vaudeville Party at Top of the Ocean, photograph ordered by Tacoma Actors Guild. Audience seated at tables around dance floor. Two of the columns in the room have sea shell decorations near top of column. For Tacoma Actors Guild, Frank Murtough.

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Actors Guild (Tacoma); Parties--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Group of six Master Builders at Top of the Ocean restaurant in pleasant conversation on November 29, 1950. They were part of a thriving membership in the Master Builders Association, all of whom prided themselves in providing excellent workmanship to their clientele.

Tacoma Master Builders Association (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma);

Five men stand around a new model Packard Bell television at the Top of the Ocean exhibit. A portrait of founder H.A. Bell smiles down from the wall. The festivities were hosted by Packard Bell to celebrate their 25th year in business. In attendance from the Los Angeles home office were Vice President Joe E. Spain, General Sales Manager Kenneth R. Johnson and Glen C. Tillack, chief field engineer. N. Earl Davisson, PB distributer, was host. The highlight of the evening was the preview of Packard Bell's 1951 "Masterpiece Founders Series." (TNT 2/8/1951, pg. B-6)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Televisions--1950-1960; Packard Bell Co. (Tacoma);

In celebration of their 25th anniversary, radio and television manufacturer Packard Bell hosts their dealers at the Top of the Ocean. N. Earl Davisson, Packard Bell distributer, was the host. The phenomenal growth of the television industry was outlined in a speech by company Vice President Joe E. Spain. In prewar 1940, Packard Bell's total volume of business was $1,600,000. The war brought a shift to military communications manufacturing. Post war business volume was $6,000,000 in 1949 and $18,000,000 in 1950. (TNT 2/8/1951, pg. B-6)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Televisions--1950-1960; Packard Bell Co. (Tacoma);

Women modelling well coifed tresses for the hair style show staged for the Ladies of Lions Visitation luncheon at the Top of the Ocean. The Visitation was an annual event where the Tacoma Ladies hosted other groups from Seattle and the surrounding area.The 1951 affair had a beauty shop theme with ceramic heads topped with spring flowers in their hair for table favors. This photo was also used in an ad by LLoyds Hair Design Studio. The models were coifed by Mr. John, the hair stylist that "makes the most of your beauty," in the newest spring styles, the "Gothic Line." Mr. John also promised to share his secrets of the wimple and the crisping pin. The models, left to right, are Mrs. Marilyn Andrews, Mrs. Joan Scott, Mrs. Erna Harrison and Mrs. Georgia Glenewinkle. (Ad TNT 3/18/1951, pg D-4, story TNT 3/11/1951, pg D-5)

Hairstyles--Tacoma--1950-1960; Evening gowns--Tacoma--1950-1960; Ladies of the Lions Visitation (Tacoma); Scott, Joan; Harrison, Erna; Glenewinkle, Georgia; Andrews, Marilyn;

Exposure of amateur boxing brothers Pat and Mike McMurtry and their family for the Tacoma Athletic Commission boxing awards at the Top of the Ocean. A "no host" dinner was given March 16, 1951 to honor local amateur boxing stars Pat and Mike McMurtry. It was sponsored by TAC which had placed Pat's name on its Hall of Fame plaque in the Club's lounge. Pat won the Northwest Golden Gloves Golden Boy 1951 award as well as the light heavyweight title of that classic in Seattle. He was the winner of the 1951 Tacoma Golden Gloves crown for that division, as well as the Western Canada Diamond Belt Championship in Vancouver, B.C. Mike, the younger brother of Pat, won the Oregon state heavyweight title and the Western Canada Diamond Belt crown. Between them, the brothers scored five title victories during the last Northwest amateur season- a Tacoma record. Burt McMurtrie, newscaster and long time booster of the brothers, was the master of ceremonies. (TNT 3/16/1951, pg. 26)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); McMurtry, Pat; Boxing--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boxers (Sports)--Tacoma--1950-1960; McMurtry, Mike;

Tacoma Athletic Commission's 1950 St. Patrick's Day party at the Top of the Ocean. Patrick Steele is on the left, Mrs. Mary Steele is on the far right. Four hundred members and guests of TAC attended the annual dinner and program on St. Patrick's Day. Diners had a choice of prawns or roast beef, with each plate adorned with two fresh rainbow trout.

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Events--Tacoma--1950-1960; Saint Patrick's Day; Parties--Tacoma--1950-1960; Holidays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hats--1950-1960; Steele, Patrick; Steele, Mary;

Attendees at the Saturday, 3/11/1950, Panhellenic luncheon at the Top of the Ocean. The annual affair recognized the friendship among alumnae of all area sorority groups affiliated with the national Panhellenic congress. The program featured a smorgasbord and a musical program. The decorations, as shown in the picture, were replicas of represented sorority's pins displayed on the back curtain. (TNT 3/8/1950 pg. 37, TNT 3/15/1950 pg. 10-picture and names)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Events--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fraternities & Sororities--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Architect's sketch of design for a Marine Terrace adjacent to the Top of the Ocean restaurant on Ruston Way by Lance, McGuire and Muri, Architects with a cost estimated at $80,000. The plan included a retaining wall surrounding the ship like restaurant that would be 150 feet long extending 70 feet out into Commencement Bay with a 170 foot width. A landing dock would permit sea craft direct access to the club facilities. Within the retaining wall, the space would be filled with dirt and landscaped surrounding a salt water swimming pool. Proposed by the Tacoma Athletic Commission, then owners of the Top of the Ocean, the facility was not built. (TNT 3/26/1950 pg. A-5)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Architectural drawings;

The Normanna Male Chorus performed at the Top of the Ocean, 2217 Ruston Way, on June 2, 1950 for the first annual "Night of the Northern Lights," featuring a genuine Scandinavian smorgasbord, music and dancing. The evening was arranged by the Tacoma Athletic Commission for its members and guests to honor the Scandinavian peoples in Tacoma. The Normanna Male Chorus was one of the oldest vocal groups in the Northwest. Their 30 members were directed by Gunnar Malmin of the Pacific Lutheran College music faculty. (The names of the men pictured are listed in the News Tribune, May 28, 1950 p.B-2.) Ordered by the Tacoma Athletic Commission, Mr. Metcalf. (TNT, 5/28/1950, p.B-2)

Choirs (Music)--1950-1960; Normanna Male Chorus (Tacoma); Singers; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma);

A luncheon meeting at the Top of the Ocean was one of the highlights of the annual convention of the Washington State Council of Administrative Women in Education held in Tacoma April 21 and 22, 1950. Visitors came from each of the five branch organizations within Washington. Ordered by Miss Mildred White, President of the Tacoma branch, a concultant in elementary education for Pierce County schools. Names are listed in the newspaper. (TNT, 4/21/1950, p.C-5; 4/26/1950, p.12)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Hats--1950-1960; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Washington State Council of Administrative Women in Education (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A group of thirteen people from the Federation of Garden Clubs met at the Top of the Ocean. Ordered by Mrs. Fred Gordon.

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Chamber of Commerce entertained the armed forces Friday night of Armed Forces Week at the Top of the Ocean in May of 1950. A Military Ball was to complete the week's festivities on Saturday night and was held at the Elks Ballroom. Ordered by the Tribune, Barbara Dana. (TNT, 5/24/1950, p.11)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Balls (Parties)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Military uniforms; Ball dresses;

The Tacoma Chamber of Commerce entertained the armed forces at the Top of the Ocean on Friday night of Armed Forces Week in Tacoma. Henry O. and Agnes Foss are seen on the left. C. Val and Linda M. Fawcett are on the right. Other entertainment for visiting armed forces personnel included theater tickets and the facilities of the Council of Churches Youth Center, the Armed Service Recreation Center and the Christian Service Man'c Center. The crew from the Canadian destroyer "Athabaskan" and the USN fleet oiler "Platt" were in Tacoma for the week. Ordered by the Tribune, Barbara Dana. (TNT, 5/14/1950, p.D-9; 5/24/1950, p.11)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Balls (Parties)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Military uniforms; Ball dresses; Foss, Henry O., 1891-1986; Foss, Agnes S.; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965--Family; Fawcett, Linda;

Several employees of the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company pose at a retirement dinner held at the Top of the Ocean on August 8, 1950. All the women are wearing large corsages along with their broad smiles.

Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma); Women--Tacoma--1950-1960; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Telephone companies--Tacoma;

Seven well-dressed women pose at the Top of the Ocean on July 15, 1950. This group of ladies belonged to the women's auxiliary of the Order of AHEPA, a fraternal organization which met at the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.

Order of AHEPA (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Employees and guests of the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company enjoy a retirement dinner at the Top of the Ocean on August 8, 1950. Pacific Telephone & Telegraph was located at 757 Fawcett Avenue.

Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma)--Employees; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Telephone companies--Tacoma; Celebrations--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Two water-skiers were just one of the acts that entertained the large crowd that gathered on Commencement Bay at the Tacoma Athletic Club's Water Carnival on August 26, 1950. Spectators watched the activities from both decks of the Top of the Ocean, 2217 Ruston Way. The Ski-Quatic Follies, Seattle, provided the entertainment which included diving, clown jumps, wake jumping and slalom skiing. (TNT 8-25-50, p. 20)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Events--Tacoma--1950-1960; Celebrations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Water skiing--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Tacoma Athletic Commission was hosting the first annual city league dinner and stag party. Frank Gillihan, Tacoma Athletic Commission prexy and evergreen Conference Commissioner of Officials, would be presenting the trophy to the city league baseball champions. Tacoma Athletic Commission officials stated the event was a "strictly stag affair" no women were invited (T.N.T., 8/29/49, p. 8).

Awards; Men--Social life--1940-1950; Baseball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Events--Tacoma--1940-1950; Men--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Athletic clubs--Tacoma; Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma);

Women attending the Northwest Florist Convention were treated to a hat show at the Top of the Ocean. Nearly 50 women pose outside the Top of the Ocean wearing hats decorated with flowers. All appear to be having a wonderful time on this sunny September day in 1949. The Top of the Ocean was destroyed by an arson fire April 3,1977.

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Hats--1940-1950; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fashion shows--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Florist Convention (Tacoma);

Ed "Porky" Oliver, nationally prominent professional golfer, from Seattle's Inglewood Country Club was the guest speaker at the awards presentation banquet being held at the Top of the Ocean by the Tacoma Athletic Commission. View of the golfers that participated in the city amateur and the city women's crown golf tournament (T.N.T., 9/16/49, p. D-2).

Awards; Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Men--Social life--1940-1950; Organizations' facilities--Tacoma; Tournaments--Tacoma; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma);

Jeanne and Jack Walters were honored by the Tacoma Golf Association at the Top of the Ocean on September 15, 1949, as the city's reigning links champions and as the first husband-wife team to win the city amateur and city women's titles. They had won their championships earlier that summer. Besides their handsome trophies, the Walters were presented with a silver table lighter as a gift from the T.G.A. and a pair of table lamps by the Tacoma Athletic Commission. Jack Walters was only 16 and a student at Stadium High School when he won the first of his 17 Northwest Lefthanders championships. He would go on to win the National Association of Left-Handed Golfers Championships twice, first in 1953 at French Lick, Indiana, and seven years later on the Fircrest Golf Club course. (T.N.T., 9/16/49, p. D-2-article; Gallacci, et. al., Playgrounds to the Pros, p. 281-article).

Awards; Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Walters, Jack J.; Walters, Jeanne; Lamps; Organizations' facilities--Tacoma; Tournaments--Tacoma; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Golf Association (Tacoma);

Dinner party at Top of the Ocean, Delta Rho Gamma, c/o Lenora Suesace. Forty members of the Delta Rho Gamma sorority have joined together to celebrate the holidays at the Top of the Ocean. The group was organized for college coeds living off-campus.

Delta Rho Gamma (Parkland); Fraternities & sororities--Parkland--1940-1950; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1940-1950; Universities & colleges--Parkland--1940-1950; Students--Parkland--1940-1950; Group portraits;

Richard Wagner (center) won this handsome turkey at the Pharaoh Club's 5th annual Thanksgiving dance held on Thursday November 24, 1949 at the Top of the Ocean. Holding Mr. Wagner's turkey, while Miss Janet McMath tickles its breast feathers, is Gene Nelson. The Pharaoh Club was a young men's social group organized by a small number of students in 1939; by 1949 the groups membership had grown. Since Mr. Wagner did not win his turkey until Thanksgiving evening, we must assume that he kept it as a pet - at least until Christmas. (TNT 11/13/1949 p.D-4; 11/27/1949 p.D-1)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Nightclubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pharaoh Club (Tacoma); Turkeys; Nelson, Gene; Wagner, Richard; McMath, Janet; Dance parties--Tacoma--1940-1950; Holidays--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Informal square dancing at Tacoma Athletic Commission, Metcalf. Several couples are enjoying being on the dance floor learning square dancing steps. Several others are lined up in the back for refreshments.

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Square dancing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Couples--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Athletic Commission, Square dancing and style show, Elliott Metcalf. Four couples, wearing skirts and shirts of matching fabric, are demonstrating one of the forms of dancing to members of the Tacoma Athletic Commission at the Top of the Ocean as part of the square dance revue. Square dancing fever was catching at this time. (TNT, 12/22/1949, p.20)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Square dancing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Couples--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Square dancing fever was spreading through Tacoma in December of 1949. Members of the Tacoma Athletic Commission put on a dance demonstration at the Top of the Ocean, 2217 Ruston Way, in appropriate dress. They announced that they were sponsoring a city-wide square dance festival to be held in February in the College of Puget Sound (UPS) fieldhouse. Dressed in contrasting blouses topping skirts in a rick-rack pattern - all worn over pantalettes - are: (l to r) Mrs. John Richards, Allyne (Mrs. Kenneth) Hopper, Gail (Mrs. Melvin) McKenney and Mary L. (Mrs. David) Collier. (TNT, 12/22/1949, p.20)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Square dancing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hopper, Allyne; Collier, Mary L.; McKenney, Gail; Costumes--Tacoma; Bloomers;

Interior of bar to show Christmas decorations, Tacoma Athletic Commission, Metcalf. The Tacoma Athletic Commission decorated the back wall of the bar at the Top of the Ocean with a hand-painted sign showing a snowy scene with a comfortable home snuggled up against a woods. The ground slopes down to a bay with ships on the water and a mountainous island in the distance. An artificial showman has taken over the cash register. Artificial icicles hang over the sign and tinsel hangs over the front of the bar.

Restaurants--Tacoma; Athletic clubs--Tacoma; Decorations--Tacoma; Bars--Tacoma; Lounges--Tacoma; Murals--Tacoma; Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Christmas decorations;

Tacoma Athletic Commission, Square dancing and style show, Elliott Metcalf. Bob Starkey was the caller for the square dancing revue put on for the members of the Tacoma Athletic Commission at the Top of the Ocean. Couples are dancing with arms around each other and the men have crossed arms in the middle. Several couples watch from the side lines. (TNT, 12/22/1949, p.20)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Square dancing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Couples--Tacoma--1940-1950;