In October of 1941, Charles F.T. (Chen) Rowe stands next to Sanka, one of the horses that he boarded at the Point Defiance Riding Academy stables. Using the old barn and pasture that had been the home for the park's herd of buffalo, the riding academy was founded in 1933. The 50 year old stables were destroyed by fire in August of 1969 and never rebuilt. The 33 year old thoroughbred mare Sanka was a direct descendent of racing legend Man O'War. Sanka raced as a filly on the West Coast before being bought by Rowe at the age of five. The pair spent the next 28 years covering hundreds of miles together on the woody trails of Point Defiance, including remote areas patrolled only Rowe and his horse. Rowe also held a commission with the Pierce County Sheriffs Department. Sanka died of old age in October of 1964 and was laid to rest by her loving owner. (TNT 10/4/1964, pg B-10)

Horses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Point Defiance Riding Academy (Tacoma); Rowe, Charles Frederick Trendall;

ca. 1940. Artichoke plant. Mrs. Reynolds is holding her Boston Bulldog while standing in a garden beside a large artichoke plant in this circa 1940 photograph. Steep shingled roof of house in background.

Dogs; Artichokes;

Rider in mid-leap over obstacle course at the Woodbrook Hunt Club. She is believed to be Iris Bryan, noted equestrienne and future Master of Foxhounds, a position formerly held by her father. Photograph taken as part of a series for the Tacoma Times on November 5, 1939.

Horses--Lakewood--1930-1940; Horseback riding--Lakewood--1930-1940; Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood);

Big Jake, a one-year-old Saint Bernard, was to have been shot in October of 1940. Jake had gotten into a playful tussle with a pet goat and unfortunately killed it. His owner, 84, called the Sheriff's Dept. to have deputies be dispatched to kill Jake as he feared for Jake's future after the owner passed on. Deputies McLean and Bunce arrived at the home only to be met by a gentle Jake who promptly licked their hands. That persuaded the officers to take Jake to the dog pound instead and an alert was put on the air by sportsman Ray Grummel asking for a new home for Jake. Mr. Grummel had found homes for countless dogs in the past. Within a very short time, George Nygren of Spanaway was chosen as Jake's new owner. From left to right in this happy picture are: poundmaster A.T. Sabutis holding Lyle Nygren, Ray Grummel, Deputy Sheriff Frank McLean, George Nygren, city stockman Frank Oathout and Deputy Sheriff Lawrence Bunce. (T.Times 10-31-1940, p. 25)

Dogs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Grummel, Ray; Nygren, George; Nygren, Lyle; McLean, Frank; Sabutis, A.T.; Oathout, Frank; Bunce, Lawrence; Pierce County Sheriffs (Tacoma);

An unidentified rider in a publicity photograph taken for the annual Woodbrook Horse Show, scheduled for November 15 & 16, 1940. The 1940 show would be notable because a Tennessee Walking horse would be shown for the first time in the state of Washington. The rider and horse were photographed in front of the Woodbrook Stables. (T. Times 11/9/1940, pg. 5)

Horses--Lakewood--1940-1950; Horseback riding--Lakewood--1940-1950; Woodbrook Stables (Lakewood); Show horses; Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood);

Edward Warburton, new manager of the Tacoma-Pierce County Humane Society, is standing beside the shelter's new truck with two dogs and a cat, stray pets at the shelter. The Humane Society is holding an open house on May 9, during "Be Kind to Animals Week" for visitors to see how the shelter operates and the many pets that are available for adoption. (T.N.T., 5/6/48, p. 4). TPL-8344

Dogs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cats; Pets; Dogcatching--Tacoma; Animal shelters--Tacoma; Tacoma-Pierce County Humane Society (Tacoma); Warburton, Edward;

Two horses and their riders go for a walk in the pastures of Lakewood Stables. The male rider is on an English-style saddle and wears riding boots and perhaps breeches. His female companion smiles broadly as her horse is abreast of his. This sepia photograph was taken on September 5, 1951; photograph commissioned by Howard Smith, Condon Co.

Horses--Lakewood--1950-1960; Horseback riding--Lakewood--1950-1960; Clothing & dress--Lakewood--1950-1960; Boots;

Dr. Alexander G. Ruthven being initiated as an honorary member of the Pierce county Sheriff's mounted posse at Woodbrook Riding Academy. Dr. Ruthven, President of the University of Michigan, was visiting Tacoma and attending meetings with alumni and conferences regarding the University's program for the development of peace time uses of nuclear power. The educator was a veteran horseman and a Morgan horse enthusiast. (TNT 3/29/1950 pg 3)

Horseback riding--Tacoma--1950-1960; Horses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cowboy hats; Mounted police--Tacoma; Cowboys--Tacoma; Uniforms--Tacoma--1950-1960; Flags--United States; Ruthven, Alexander;

A. Burwood Kennedy (left) on "Jeep" and Cyrus Happy, III, on "Kay Boy" were photographed in October of 1948 while going over the jumps at the Woodbrook Hunt Club in Lakewood. Co-founded in May of 1926 by Thomas H. Bryan and Major J.E. Mathews, the club divides its year between the informality of summer rides, picnics and gymkannas and the winter "drag hunts," where riders stream across the prairies behind the club's hounds. Both Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Happy are wearing traditional riding garb and are riding English saddles. (TNT, 10/24/1948, p.D-1, 6/6/1976 p.D-1)

Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood); Horses--Tacoma; Jumping (Horsemanship)--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1955. A woman in western style riding gear sits astride a horse and is being awarded a ribbon by a woman in formal English hunt attire. Photograph ordered by the Woodbrook Hunt Club. The Woodbrook Hunt Club's 1955 Spring Horse Show was held May 21-22, 1955 in the covered arena at the Woodbrook Stables. It featured exhibitions by the Pierce County Sheriff's Posse, square dancing on horseback by the Lariettes and a style show of what the best dressed horsewoman wears for Western riding, to an English hunt or square dancing. Also featured was competition in different horseback skills and on different breeds of horses. (TNT 5/15/1955, pg. D-1& D-2)

Horses--Lakewood--1950-1960; Horseback riding--Lakewood--1950-1960; Clothing & dress--Lakewood--1950-1960; Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood); Woodbrook Stables (Lakewood);