Atlas Foundry, interior. Pouring of metal is pictured on February 12, 1941.

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

A smudge faced worker takes a lunch break during his shift at the Atlas Foundry. His lunch box and thermos are opened as he eats right beside the machine that he works on. During World War II, Tacoma's defense workers worked long hours and in shifts that ran around the clock. (T.Times 8/27/1941, pg. 23)

Atlas Foundry & Machine Co. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--War work--Tacoma ;

Views of Atlas Foundry and Machine Company looking south from hill above Nalley Valley. [Also dated 08-26-1941]

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

By July of 1941, when this photograph was taken, the sprawling Atlas Foundry had already been located at South 30th and Wilkeson Streets for almost 40 years. Their complex of buildings was located between Center Street (the road showing at the bottom) and South Tacoma Way in the Center Street Industrial District at the east end of "Nalley's Valley". The Atlas Foundry was built right next to the Northern Pacific Rail Road tracks which ran past their north side. The dirt road going up the hill at left-center is Wilkeson Street. [Also dated 08-26-1941]

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

Views of Atlas Foundry and Machine Company. The foundry was established in 1899.

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

Aerial view of Atlas Foundry and Machine Company looking west along railroad tracks and northwest along Center Street. Nalley Valley. [Also dated 08-26-1941]

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

This aerial view of the Atlas Foundry and Machine Company (now Atlas Casting and Technology) at 3012 So. Wilkeson St. dates from July 1941. The Atlas building, near the center, is located between Center Street (at the left) and So. Tacoma Way. I-5 has yet to be built on the ridge of open land at the far right. [Also dated 08-26-1941]

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

This aerial view of the large Atlas Foundry & Machine Co. plant in Nalley Valley and the area south of Center Street was taken in July of 1941. Atlas' address was listed as 3012 South Wilkeson Street which is the street running vertically on the left. The plant lay between South Tacoma Way (top) and Center St. (at photograph's bottom) The Lincoln Heights housing development would be carved out of the mostly wooded area south of the plant. At the top of the photograph is the area which would become the Tacoma Mall. [Also dated 08-26-1941]

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

Long view of the exterior of Pacific Iron and Steel Works at 1602 Canal St. (now Portland Ave.) The company manufactured heavy machinery for logging, hoisting and dredging. The foundry was built in 1914.

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma-- 1940-1950;

Pacific Iron & Steel Works, 1602 Canal St.(now Portland Ave.) The worker appears tiny next to a large piece of machinery in the foundry and the steel manufactured piece that he is working on.

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma-- 1940-1950;

Pacific Iron & Steel Works, 1602 Canal St. (now Portland Ave.) Large machinery designed for working with steel covers the warehouse floor.

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma-- 1940-1950;

Exterior view of Pacific Iron & Steel Works, 1602 Canal St. (now Portland Ave.) Two story warehouse, wood and sheet metal construction with elevated second story. The company manufactured logging and hoisting machines, steel castings and dredging machinery. TPL-2937

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma-- 1940-1950;

Interior of Pacific Iron & Steel Works at 1602 Canal St. (now Portland Ave.) The foundry was built in 1914. The company produced heavy machinery for logging, hoisting, dredging and farming, as well as steel castings. The 1942 City Directory gives the company address as 1602, the pattern shop as 1801 Canal and the plant as 1601 Canal.

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma-- 1940-1950;

Pacific Iron & Steel Works, 1602 Canal St. (now Portland Ave.) Photograph is of large machinery covering the floor of the foundry. The company manufactured steel castings, as well as large machinery for logging, dredging and hoisting.

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma-- 1940-1950;

Pacific Iron & Steel Works, 1602 Canal St. (now Portland Ave.) An employee looks diminutive beside what may be a huge mold for steel castings.The foundry, built in 1914, also manufactured large machinery for logging and hoisting.

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma-- 1940-1950;

Pacific Iron & Steel Works, 1602 Canal St. (now Portland Ave.) An employee turns a wheel operating a large piece of machinery in the foundry.

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma-- 1940-1950;

Foundry operations - Pacific Iron & Steel Works. Pacific Iron & Steel was housed in a two-story wood & sheet metal structure at 1602 Canal St. (now Portland Ave.) The company, founded in 1914, manufactured logging and hoisting machinery, steel castings and dredging machinery. A worker is pictured here on January 10, 1943, turning the wheel which operates the large machine before him.

Pacific Iron & Steel Works (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steel industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Leo Olsen lost the use of his legs to infantile paralysis when he was 9 years old, but he was determined to be part of WWII. Although a tailor by trade, and a pianist, he found work at the Olin Coporation aluminum plant, on the tide flats, running one of the giant cranes that towered over the electric furnaces. This photograph of Mr. Olsen at the controls of his crane was taken in June of 1944 for the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. (T. Times, 6/27/44, p. 2). Tacoma Chamber of Commerce Manpower publicity at Olin Corp.

Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Handicapped persons--Tacoma; Olin Industries, Inc. (Tacoma); Olsen, Leo;

Pictures of assembly line at Nelson Boiler for Pacific Iron & Steel. Nelson Boiler Co. strengthened the company by consolidating with the iron and steel industry. They relocated into expanded facilities in order to fill Navy orders for steel barges. The new facilities enabled the company to keep Navy barges covered during building process. Interior view of covered plant.

Steel industry--Tacoma; Defense industry--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Nelson Boiler Co. (Tacoma);

Pictures of assembly line at Nelson Boiler for Pacific Iron & Steel. Nelson Boiler Co. strengthened the company by consolidating with the iron and steel industry. They relocated into expanded facilities in order to fill Navy orders for steel barges. Interior view of covered plant while laborers are working.

Steel industry--Tacoma; Iron & steel workers--Tacoma; Defense industry--Tacoma; Nelson Boiler Co. (Tacoma);

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;

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 & Machine Company. Cranes and lifts for Broderick & Bascomb wire rope. A crane picks up metal scrap using a large magnetized plate. Atlas Foundry worked on their shop layout to increase efficiency as they prepare for possibly unprecedented large volumes of business this year. The foundry manufactured steel, iron and brass castings. The company was established in 1899 on a ten acre site at 3012 South Wilkeson. They were capable of producing 80,000 pounds of steel per day. (T.Times, 8/28/1946, p.5)

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

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;

Ace Furnace and Steel Company. Exterior of the plant facilities. Ace Furnace and Steel Company manufactured furnaces, steel tanks, gasoline tankers and trailers, prefabricated service stations, and subcontracted on boats including interior work, ventilating ducts, galleys, etc. They also handled sheet metal work and blower and ventilating systems. (T.Times, 9/4/1946)

Ace Furnace & Steel Co. (Tacoma); Heating & ventilation industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950;

From the evidence provided by this photograph, the security guards at the Kaiser aluminum plant on the Tideflats had a pretty easy life in September of 1947. But one has to wonder what the corporate headquarters for Permanente Metals Corporation thought about the security at their Tacoma plant when they saw this carefully posed picture. The Tacoma plant was only one year old, having been taken over by Permanente Metals Corp. from the Olin Corp. in 1946. (Permanente Metals, Mr. Love) TPL-9603

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees; Guards--Tacoma--1940-1950; Private police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gatehouses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Factories--Tacoma--1940-1950; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Permanente Metals, Mr. Love. Olin opened a plant at this location September 1942. In December 1946 the company was sold to Kaiser Aluminum who operated Permanente Metals. The Tacoma plant had its own aluminum reduction plant. Permanente produced "pig" aluminum that was transported to Kaiser plants in Trentwood, near Spokane, to be made into specific grades of aluminum by the addition of other metallic elements such as copper, zinc, silicon, magnesium, manganese, etc. Soda ash from California and alumina from Baton Rough were brought to Tacoma to produce the "pigs". (PMC Annual Report for 1948)

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees; Guards--Tacoma--1940-1950; Private police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gates--Tacoma--1940-1950; Factories--Tacoma--1940-1950; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Shiploading aluminum ingots at Shaffer Terminal #3, Permanente Metals, Pat Love. 4,000 metric tons (8,818,000 pounds) of aluminum, made into "pigs" by Permanente Metals Corporation in Spokane sits in one of the warehouses at Shaffer Terminals, ready to be loaded into an Argentine government freighter, the Palamar. This shipment represents the largest single shipment made by the Kaiser organization to date. As large as it is, this load will only fill one-half of the holds in the ship. (T.Times, 8/28/1947, p.1)

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shipping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shaffer Terminals, Inc. (Tacoma); Loading docks--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Shiploading aluminum ingots at Shaffer Terminal #3, Permanente Metals, Pat Love. "Pigs" of aluminum produced by Permanente Metals Corporation in Spokane are ready to be loaded into an Argentine government freighter, the Palamar, at Shaffer Terminals. (T.Times, 8/28/1947, p.1)

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shipping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shaffer Terminals, Inc. (Tacoma); Loading docks--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Shiploading aluminum ingots at Shaffer Terminal #3, Permanente Metals, Pat Love. An artistic shot of shiploading at Shaffer Terminals, Inc. The men are loading aluminum from Permanente Metals Corporation through the hatch of an Argentine government freighter, the Palamar. (T.Times, 8/28/1947, p.1)

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shipping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shaffer Terminals, Inc. (Tacoma); Loading docks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cargo ships--Argentina; Hoisting machinery;