A hanging, mobile sign promoting Douglas Fir Plywood. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

A young man is building a cabinet or desk. Legs that look like pipes are sticking straight up as he tightens a screw in one of the supporting members.

Plywood; Woodworking--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Informal office photos of John Philip (Phil) Weyerhaeuser Jr., President of Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, with the oil painting of Frederick Weyerhaeuser, founder of the company. Executive offices of the company were located on the 10th floor of the Tacoma Building, 1017-1021 A St. The company was founded in 1900 with the purchase of 900,000 acres of Washington timberlands from the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. Weyerhaeuser now owns in excess of 1.6 million acres of timberland in Washington, with 4 million acres located elsewhere in the U.S. In 1971, the company moved its corporate headquarters to Federal Way. Phil Weyerhaeuser guided the company from 1933 until his death in 1956 and oversaw its transition from a dealer in timberlands to a manufacturer of forest products and a manager of renewable tree farms. Central to this change was his vision that the only way for a forest products company to operate was to own its own renewable timberlands. ("Phil Weyerhaeuser Lumberman" by Charles E. Twining)

Weyerhaeuser, John Philip; Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company. Photos featuring "quality control" of hemlock at St. Paul. A man in a hard hat operates controls for the lumber processing machinery at St. Paul & Tacoma. He watches the gauge to the right as he moves the controls.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. The word "Moke' " has been carved into a piece of fir plywood. The final swoop of the "M" has been lifted up to give a 3D effect. Moke panels were popular in the 1950s as backdrops in department store window displays and as decorative art in homes. For the same carving illuminated from the back, see image #7. (Additional information provided by a reader)

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A design has been cut into fir plywood with a saw. Dowel rods hold some portions of the design raised from the main board; other portions are bent back from the main design. The end result is a 3D look. A wooden finished knob in the center also lends a dimensional feel.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A design has been cut into fir plywood with a saw. The design is raised in some places and bent the other direction in others. The design has been illuminated from behind, accenting the detail. For the same design without the backlighting, see image #51.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;

Weyerhaeuser Timber Co.; Board of Directors 1955. The board poses at a long table underneath the portrait of founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser. Seated clockwise from the left bottom: O.D. Fisher, C. Davis Weyerhaeuser, Norton Clapp, John Musser, F.K. Weyerhaeuser, Laird Bell, George S. Long, Jr., J.P. Weyerhaeuser, Jr., Edmond Cook, Edmund Hayes, Carleton Blunt, Charles H. Ingram, Henry T. McKnight and F.W. Reimers.

Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Tacoma); Weyerhaeuser, John Philip; Clapp, Norton, 1906-1995;

Wallace E. (W.E.) Difford, managing director, addresses the Douglas Fir Plywood Association's (DFPA) annual meeting. The Golden Jubilee Convention was held in Portland, Oregon, June 19-21, 1955; celebrating 50 years of the plywood industry from its inception in 1905 to 1955. Difford advised the group of the need for research and product improvement to fuel industry growth. He also warned that the future of industry management depended on talented young people being advanced on the career path, not shuttled into dead end jobs. Difford was selected at the meeting as one of the top 3 plywood salesmen in the industry's history. The highlights of the Jubilee were a Broadway type musical pageant, the presentation of Arlene Francis's televised "Home Show" and the unveiling of a giant exposition containing 50 golden ideas designed by 5 nationally leading architects.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland; Plywood; Difford, Wallace E.;

Two blonde models and a casually attired unidentified man pose on the barrier around the Douglas Fir Plywood Association's Plywood Memorial at the Forestry Building in Portland, Oregon. On display is the first plywood panel ever made from Douglas Fir. Early in 1905, Portland was getting ready for a World's Fair as part of the centennial observance of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Portland Manufacturing Co. was asked to prepare an exhibit featuring something new and unusual. N.J. Bailey and Gustav Carlson and a crew of about six men constructed by trial and error the first plywood panels. This was the birth of the plywood industry that became one of the backbones of the economy of the Pacific Northwest. ("The Plywood Age" by Robert M. Cour)

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland--1950-1960;

Circus trucks used to transport the travelling exhibit "Fir Plywood Golden Jubilee Show." Photo series ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. 1955 marked the 50th anniversary of the plywood industry. As part of the year long celebration, the travelling display toured the West Coast regions where plywood was manufactured. The free show included something for everyone. It featured a plywood menagerie, a color movie showing how plywood is manufactured and some new ideas for modern living, "Fifty Golden Ideas" by prominent designers. (TNT 7/19/1955, pg. C-17)

Plywood; Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Cheney Lumber Co. Midget Baseball League. Summer was baseball time and the Metropolitan Parks offered many leagues based on the age of the players. Each team had a commercial sponsor and many of the different age teams bore the name of Tacoma philanthropist and sports enthusiast Ben Cheney. Ben Cheney made it possible for athletes of many different ages to experience the joys of competitive sports.

Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior Cheney Lumber. Neatly stacked piles of logs are separated from sections of plywood by railroad tracks at the Cheney Lumber Co. lumberyard at the Port of Tacoma. The Cheney Lumber Co. was owned and operated by Ben Cheney. Founded in 1936, the company was established originally to manufacture railroad ties. Cheney developed the 8' Cheney Studs which were heavily in demand in the building industry. His logo of a horse was stamped on each stud produced. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Logs; Plywood; Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Interior views of Anacortes hardboard plant. An Anacortes Veneer, Inc., worker appears almost dwarfed by the enormous machinery before him as he inspects gauges in the plywood plant on December 29, 1955. Anacortes Veneer was only the second worker-owned venture in the industry, following the example of Olympia Veneer. More workers would become owners in the near future. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Machinery; Lumber industry--Anacortes; Anacortes Veneer, Inc. (Anacortes); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Interiors hardboard plant in Anacortes. Sheets of veneer are stacked upright at the Anacortes Veneer plant on December 29, 1955. The plywood on carts would then be easily transported via tracks. Anacortes Veneer was the second worker-owned in the lumber industry, after Olympia Veneer in 1927, and after much trial and tribulation, peeled its first log on November 27, 1939. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (Cour: The Plywood Age, p. 123-127)

Plywood; Lumber industry--Anacortes; Anacortes Veneer, Inc. (Anacortes); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Interior views of U.S. Plywood plant. Full sheets of plywood are being roughly sanded at the Seattle plant of U.S. Plywood in early January, 1956. One man carefully turns the wheels controlling the machine as the second man, standing at one end, removes the smoother sheet. See also D95927-3 for additional view. Photograph ordered by U.S. Plywood Corporation.

Plywood; Lumber industry--Seattle--1950-1960; United States Plywood Corp. (Seattle);

Aerial view of the Cheney Lumber Co. at the Port of Tacoma. Lumber is stacked for shipment in the railroad cars at the back of the picture. Log booms float in the water. Ben Cheney started in the lumber business with the production of railroad ties. Soon Cheney was concerned with the waste of the side cut slabs, often 2/3 of the log. His solution was to provide the housing industry with standard 8 ft studding, the same length as railroad ties. Production took off and the new product soon established the standard room height in residential construction in the U.S. by using formerly wasted timber. The 8 ft pieces, formerly known as "shorts" in the lumber trade, were now "Cheney Studs" emblazoned with the logo of a silhouette of a Belgian stud horse Cheney had seen at the Puyallup Fair. ("The Sou'wester" Fall, 2000; Volume xxxv, Number 3) TPL-6329

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lumberyards--Tacoma; Lumber--Tacoma; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960;

In April of 1956, workers at the Cheney Lumber Co. prepared packages of two by four "Cheney Studs" for shipment in the railroad cars behind. In the late 1930's, as timber became more difficult to obtain cheaply, Ben Cheney became concerned over the side-cut slab wastage, often 2/3 of the log, in the production of railroad ties. He came up with the idea of supplying the housing market with standard 8 foot studding, the same length as railroad ties were cut. At that time, ceilings were often 8 1/2 - 12 feet. A skilled marketer, Cheney renamed the "shorts," as these 8 foot pieces had been called, "Cheney Studs." The horse logo was based on a Belgian stud horse he had seen at the Puyallup Fair and the 2x4 ends were painted with bright red wax for instant identification. Cheney is credited with standardizing the room height in US residential construction. ("The Sou'wester" Volume xxxv, Number 3, Fall 2000)

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lumberyards--Tacoma; Lumber--Tacoma; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Cheney Lumber Company's booth at the 1956 Home Show. Each year the Greater Tacoma Home Show filled the College of Puget Sound fieldhouse with company sponsored booths, highlighting topics of interest to home owners. Hung behind this booth is a photo collage of the lumber industry. Below the collage is a model of one of Cheney's lumberyards. (See D99015 image 1 for a closer view of the model.) To the left of the booth is a display of Cheney sponsored sports teams for kids, utilizing photographs and trophies. A young Cheney midget league footballer watches the demonstration. Each year, Ben Cheney sponsored amateur athletic teams; keeping money from being an obstacle between kids and sports. Cheney teams played football, baseball and basketball.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lumberyards--Tacoma; Lumber--Tacoma; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Greater Tacoma Home Show (Tacoma);

ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, sawmill plant at New Westminster, B.C. Alaska Pine had large modern sawmills at the Marpole (Vancouver) and New Westminster Sawmill Divisions. The combined daily capacity of both mills was a million board feet of lumber. This is the paved yard for intermediate lumber storage at Westminster. Some 10,000,000 board feet of material were held here. 49 % of Alaska Pine production consists of Western hemlock, 31% red cedar, 14% Douglas fir and the remainder Sitka spruce, white pine and yellow cypress. The mills produced a variety of products for wholesale markets sold in the U.S. and Canada. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);

ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Marpole Division sawmill plant, Vancouver B.C. A fork lift is being used to lift a large load of lumber. The Canadian mills produced a broad range of commercial lumber products in Douglas fir, balsam fir, western hemlock, Sitka spruce and red cedar. They sold to markets in the United States, Canada and other countries under the brand "A Crown P. " (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);

New construction at the Rayonier and Rayflo plants, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. This is believed to be the chemical cellulose plant of Rayonier's Canadian subsidiary Alaska Pine at Port Alice, British Columbia, near the northwestern end of Vancouver Island. The mill is surrounded by fast growing forests that supply an unending source of raw materials. Nearby Victoria Lake provides a fresh water supply and deep water docking provides an outlet for overseas shipment. The plant was undergoing large scale construction to increase the productivity of the mill. Most of the construction was scheduled to be completed by the third quarter of 1957, at a cost of $14,000,000. (1956 Annual Report, Rayonier Inc.)

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Port Alice B.C.);

ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Rayflo plant at Marpole. Two men stand on the scaffolding erected around the tank being constructed for Alaska Pine's new plant in Vancouver, B.C. The plant will produce rayflo, a chemical manufactured from Hemlock byproducts and used in the production of oil well drilling mud. Alaska Pine was the subsidiary of Rayonier Inc. and one of the largest timber concerns on the west coast. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Chemical industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);

ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. Two hard hatted workers from Rayonier Inc. stand in an old growth forest; seeming tiny next to the huge old trees. The enormous stands of forest in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia seemed unlimited. Although the demand for timber was down, it was at an all time high for chemical cellulose products manufactured from wood. Rayonier had its second best money earning year in company history in 1956, it finished slightly behind 1955. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);

ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. A man maneuvers a large piece of International machinery used to move logs. The machinery is operating in a clear cut and has a trailer arrangement on the back for moving logs and an attachment on the front for pushing the logs. Photographs taken on the timber lands belonging to Rayonier, Inc. Rayonier had a Grays Harbor tree farm totaling over 111,000 acres that had been harvested over 30 years prior and was producing a new crop of timber for the corporate giant.

Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);

ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. Clear cuts can be seen throughout the forrest dotting the hills where the trees have been harvested. These areas would be replanted for future harvests. Rayonier had a Grays Harbor tree farm that totaled over 111,000 acres.

Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);

ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, sawmill plant at New Westminster, B.C. Alaska Pine had large modern sawmills at the Marpole (Vancouver) and New Westminster Sawmill Divisions. The combined daily capacity of both mills was a million board feet of lumber. This is the paved yard for intermediate lumber storage at Westminster. Some 10,000,000 board feet of material were held here. 49 % of Alaska Pine production consists of Western hemlock, 31% red cedar, 14% Douglas fir and the remainder Sitka spruce, white pine and yellow cypress. The mills produced a variety of products for wholesale markets sold in the U.S. and Canada. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);

ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. Two hard hatted workers from Rayonier Inc. stand in an old growth forest; seeming tiny next to the huge old trees. The enormous stands of forest in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia seemed unlimited. Although the demand for timber was down, it was at an all time high for chemical cellulose products manufactured from wood. Rayonier had its second best money earning year in company history in 1956, it finished slightly behind 1955. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);

ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. Two hard hatted workers from Rayonier Inc. stand in an old growth forest. This photograph really shows the size of these enormous trees, the loggers appear tiny next to them. This stand of hemlock is approximately 80 years old. The trees are 110 - 125 feet high and average 24 inches in diameter. This track was recently thinned to promote growth of the best trees. Rayonier and its Canadian subsidiary Alaska Pine produced chemical cellulose, pulp, paper and lumber. They were also experimenting in developing new products called "silvichemicals" from the by products of cellulose manufacture. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);

Logging near Mineral; ordered by Malcolm McGhie. A logging truck heavily loaded with huge tree trunks winds up a hill on a gravel road. Mist shrouds the clear cut area surrounding the road. Mineral is a small logging town on Mineral Lake fourteen miles north of Morton in north central Lewis County. During 1956, this private two lane road was built by St. Regis Paper Co. to replace a 12 mile logging railroad. Roads are now the main artery in the area that supplies the Tacoma mill. (1956 Annual Report, St. Regis Paper Co.) TPL-9428

Lumber industry--Mineral; Logs; Cutover lands--Mineral; Trucks; Woodcutters; Loggers--Mineral; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Firs; Forests--Mineral; Woodcutting--Mineral; St. Regis Paper Co. (Mineral);