Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. continued to work on their UNRRA contract. New fishing boats were being built and they were reconditioning fathometers and Northern Dragger winches on other fishing boats. The UNRRA program was intended to help China re-establish their fishing industry. Interior view of plant, laborers can be seen working.

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. had three logging camps located near Tacoma. St. Paul and Tacoma lumber company provides enough lumber and plywood to build 48 homes per day. They were one of the largest lumber companies in the Pacific Northwest. View of cleared land near one of the logging camps.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cutover lands; Logs; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

A. H. Cox & Co. at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. logging operation at Puyallup. St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber has invested extra sums of money on researching preventative measures for protecting forests from fires and wildlife. View of high line duplex skidder and loader. This machine requires a crew of 14 men and has the capacity of 15 cars of logs in an 8 hour period. TPL-6378

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Machinery; Woodcutting--Puyallup; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Northern Pacific Railway was awarded the President's Safety Plaque for 1945 for practicing the virtues of safety. In 1945 the Tacoma Northern Pacific shops only had one accident. View of plaque awarded with H. J. McLain (fifth from left), G. L. Ernstron (fourth from right), C. T. Dewitt (third from left) and J. J. Schmidt on right side (T. Times, 5/9/46, p. 5).

Railroad companies--Tacoma; Railroad shops & yards--Tacoma; Plaques--Tacoma; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Atlas Foundry, crane for Broderick & Bascomb, wire rope. Atlas Foundry and Machine Company supplied castings for firms building new machines which kept the company in touch with the general building up of all industries in the area after the war. (T.Times, 8/28/1946, p.5)

Atlas Foundry & Machine Co. (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Atlas Foundry, crane for Broderick & Bascomb, wire rope. A crane is being used to set a pole alongside a railroad track. Atlas Foundry and Machine Company was engaged at this time in work for plywood, pulp and paper, railroad and other industries. The company reports work was coming in from all over the west coast. This photograph was used in a newspaper article, Tacoma News Tribune, February 14, 1950, about the poles manufactured by Cascade Pole Company, located on Port of Tacoma Road, that were used for telephone and telegraph poles throughout the world. (T.Times, 8/28/1946, p.5)

Atlas Foundry & Machine Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery; Railroad cars--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Martinac Shipbuilding. An 80 foot yacht, nearly completed, inside the ways building. This view of the rear portion of the boat shows the scaffolding around the boat. This boat building company was founded by Joseph M. Martinac in 1935. He had come to the United States from Yugoslavia in 1900. The yacht, being built for Reuben C. Carlson, is expected to be launched within two weeks.

J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Yachts--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A man is marking three large logs with a tool. They are on a raised platform, possibly a railroad car.

Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1946. A section of Douglas Fir tree trunk almost 14 feet in diameter arrives at the Northwest Door Co. plywood plant. Anthony A. "Spike" Maras perches on top of the trunk, which is marked with a white 14 and sits on a logging truck. The "14" is the measurement of the diameter of the tree. On the ground, Fred R. Davis, left, and Percy J. Maras crane their necks to see the top of the trunk. The men are the owners of the Davis & Maras Co., which was hired by Northwest Door to fell the tree. The giant trunk will not be made into plywood, but will be put on display. (identification supplied by Anthony "Spike" Maras)

Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950; Logging trucks--1940-1950; Maras, Anthony A.; Davis, Fred R.; Maras, Percy J.;

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company. Railroad cars have brought logs to the log pond in this August of 1946 photograph. The railroad cars have false bottoms that can be lifted by the crane allowing the logs to plunge into the log pond.

Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery;

A workman at the Northwest Door Company kneels on the top of a huge section of an old growth douglas fir. He is using a long buck saw to slice off a section from the piece of wood. This 12ft 9 inch diameter slice of trunk will be on display at the door company. The tree was cut on the company's holdings west of Packwood.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Logs; Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Kulien & Wollander home in Lakeside project for D.F.P.A. Plywood was used for both interior and exterior residential purposes. It was used for prefabricated housing for war workers. Plywood was known for its strength and flexibility in construction. It was often used for concrete molds. (TNT, 2/1942)

Plywood; Kulien & Wollander Co. (Lakewood); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Houses--1940-1950;

Star Iron and Steel Company, interior of plant showing machinery. The information from the upper right corner is: S328 - 1945; Typical Turret Frame Assembly for 50 Ton Capacity Dry Dock Crane, Star Iron & Steel Co., Tacoma, Wash. The Star Iron and Steel Company manufactured heavy cranes and logging machinery. They made some of the largest and heaviest cranes used by the US navy and industry. (T. Times, 2/26/46)

Star Iron & Steel Co. (Tacoma); Steel industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A wooden boat under construction at Puget Sound Boatbuilding Company. The vessel's hull is shown. The exterior finishing is being completed from the top-down. A workman is shown standing on the upper deck. TPL-8899

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. (Tacoma);

Sperry Flour Co. Sperry Flour Co. has gone through regular expansion in order to remain one of the top three flour mills in Tacoma. Exterior view of plant where flour gets loaded into train cars.

Flour & meal industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; General Mills, Inc., Sperry Division (Tacoma); Railroad freight cars--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Western Boat. Western Boat Building Co. is about to launch a tuna clipper. They have recently completed two, as well as many other ships for the Navy. The company is owned by Martin Petrich Sr. and his three sons. View of gathering prior to boat launching. TPL-8867

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Boat Facilities. A view of the exterior of Tacoma Boat Building Company situated along City Waterway. TPL-6646

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Waterfronts--Tacoma;

Pacific Carbide exterior and interior for record. The Pacific Carbide & Alloys Co. plant used a new system of production that was highly efficient. Interior view of plant.

Coke industry--Tacoma; Pacific Carbide & Alloys Co. (Tacoma);

Interior view of Tacoma plant with General Electric Company machinery.

Machinery;

Exterior view of Western Boat Building Co. plant number two. Martin Petrich, Sr. and others started Western Boat in 1916. By 1944, Petrich's five sons Hervey, Allen, Martin Jr., Jim and Jack were all active in Tacoma's shipbuilding industry. During World War II, many Tacoma shipyards received government contracts to build various vessels for the Army, Navy and Coast Guard which were essential to the war effort. (T. Times, 9/1/44, p. 20).

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Vessels--Tacoma; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Side view of "Hustler"at dock after launching at Western Boat in early June of 1945. Several men are aboard in the stern. The fishing vessel was owned by R. Tom Muchlinski and home port listed as Ketchikan, Alaska. Shortly after being placed in service, the "Hustler" was acquired by the U.S. government.

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Martinac Shipbuilding was founded by Joseph M. Martinac, he established himself as an expert boat builder in Tacoma. Martinac has built minesweepers, purse seiners, sardine and tuna boats, pleasure boats and has converted fishing vessels into Navy patrol boats. View of unidentified launching sponsor and her son standing with unidentified ship crew members.

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Group portraits; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Western Boat Building Co. was a well equipped Tacoma shipyard building vessels for the Army, Navy and Coast Guard. Western Boat was about to launch a YP627, self propelled patrol craft, for the navy, in honor of Navy Day. View of unidentified Navy ship crew, their family members and the launching sponsor, Mrs. Kenneth Jones, in center holding roses (T. Times, 10/30/44, p. 7).

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Government vessels--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Henry Mill shots of hardware and quantity. Henry Mill & Timber Co. was a leader in the pre-fabricated lumber field. Pre-fabricated lumber helped speed the war effort in filling their government orders. Henry Mill also had their products throughout Tacoma housing projects. Exterior view of Henry Mill & Timber Co. plant.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lumberyards--Tacoma; Prefabricated buildings--Tacoma; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Buck & Sons manufactured farm machinery, sold Ford and Ferguson Tractors, repaired tractors and sold tractor tires. Exterior view of their building, Ferguson System tractor sign above entrance, shop windows, garage on left side.

Agricultural machinery & implements--Tacoma; Machinery; Tractors--Tacoma; Storefronts--Tacoma; Buck & Sons Tractor & Implement Co. (Tacoma);

Buck & Sons manufactured farm machinery, sold Ford and Ferguson Tractors, repaired tractors and sold tractor tires. Exterior view of their building, Ferguson System tractor sign above entrance, also visible are Puget Sound Paint and Hardware store and Signal gas station.

Agricultural machinery & implements--Tacoma; Tractors--Tacoma; Gasoline pumps--Tacoma; Storefronts--Tacoma; Buck & Sons Tractor & Implement Co. (Tacoma);

Buck and Sons was holding a tractor and farming equipment demonstration for the local farmers. They were showing their new merchandise and their new and modern facilities. Buck and Sons had modern equipment and supplies to meet a farmer's needs. Interior view of Buck and Sons.

Agricultural machinery & implements--Tacoma; Tractors--Tacoma; Meetings--Tacoma; Buck & Sons Tractor & Implement Co. (Tacoma);

Hooker Electrochemical Co. also had a large plant in Niagara Falls, New York. The company was always expanding and had many smaller plants and offices throughout the United States. Since the end of World War II, they had substantially grown and were looking at the possibility of opening up an office in Vancouver, British Columbia. Exterior view of Hooker-Dextrex solvent plant, where Hooker produced chemicals PCE and TCE from 1947-1973. The water tank (safety first!) is on an adjoining shipyard property. Additional image information provided by patron.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma);

General Mills produced over 12,900 barrels of flour per day, their output had doubled in just five years. They were one of the oldest flour mills in the Pacific Northwest. The Tacoma plant handled most of the international exporting. Interior view of storage building with thousands of sacks of Sperry flour stacked up.

Flour & meal industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Grains--Tacoma; Bags; Food storage buildings--Tacoma; Storage facilities--Tacoma; General Mills, Inc., Sperry Division (Tacoma);

Wilkeson Products interior and exterior of mine. Many mines in Wilkeson, Washington closed in 1938, but then reopened to assist in the production of coke needed for the war effort. Exterior view of Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. mining plant. TPL-6617

Coke industry--Wilkeson; Coal mining--Wilkeson; Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. (Wilkeson);