On November 3, 1932, eighteen year old Marjorie Yonk was having her heart examined by Dr. F. J. Hansen to see if it was strong enough to view the 1932 horror classic "White Zombie." The Blue Mouse Theater had offered $10 to any woman who could sit through a midnight preview of the creepy Bela Lugosi film, alone and without screaming. Spunky Marjorie took them up on the bet. "White Zombie" was the first horror film featuring voodoo and its power over the undead. It was a low budget film, hoping to cash in on Lugosi's recent triumph as Dracula, and it was produced by the Halperin Brothers. (TNT 11/4/1932; pg. 7)

Blue Mouse Movie Theatre (Tacoma); Yonk, Marjorie; Hansen, F.J.;

The entire front of the Community Theatre, 5441 South "M" St., was heavily damaged by explosives in the early morning hours of Sunday, October 5, 1930. 3-5 sticks of dynamite were shoved through the bars of the ticket office window. Parts of the ticket booth were blown across the street and door castings, drapes, plaster and glass blown inward as far as the stage. A loudspeaker and projection machine were also damaged. The bombing caused damage to stores across the street with multiple shattered windows and buildings and houses in nearby blocks were shaken with minor damage. This was one of two bombings of neighborhood theaters that morning. At 3:00 a.m., roughly 55 minutes after the Community Theater's bombing, the Sunset Theater at Sixth & Prospect had a stick of dynamite or small bomb explode on its roof. It blew a hole two feet in diameter in the roof but little other damage. Guards were placed at all 11 smaller theaters in Tacoma after hours. Police Chief M.D. Guy indicated that these may have been outside efforts to discredit the Tacoma Motion Picture Operators Union who was involved in a dispute with theater management. On October 6, 1930, another attack against a theater was reported, this time in Portland, when a rear wall was dynamited at the Granada Theater but with no damage. (TDL 10-6-1930, p. 1-article)

Community Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bombings--Tacoma; Explosions--Tacoma; Crimes--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1930. The Community Theatre, 5441 South "M" St., joined the ranks of local movie houses showing "talkies" with the musical "Rio Rita" starring Bebe Daniels and John Boles on January 29, 1930. The theater used the "Perfectone" sound system, considered the latest in sound projection at the time. The Community, under the management of J.R. Porter, redecorated with new hangings for the proper absorption of sound. Large crowds caused a run of five days, a longer than normal stay for smaller theaters. (TDL 2-2-30, B-6-article on sound system)

Community Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1930-1940;

W. S. Perutz, resident manager for West Coast Theaters, and Sam Allen, president of the Allen Lubricating Co., are shown outside the Rialto Theater following a downtown parade with General Gasoline trucks and cars owned by General Service Station owners. Signs on the vehicles and the letters on the marquee indicate that the Rialto is playing the 1927 smash hit "Wings," starring Clara Bow. Four model aluminum airplanes, similar to those in the motion picture, were being given away by the Daily Ledger and Sam Allen for the best 50 word essays on the motion picture. "Wings" was the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, and the only silent film to ever do so. In addition to Bow, it starred Charles (Buddy) Rogers and Richard Arlen doing their own stunt flying. A young Gary Cooper also appeared in a small role. The film was a drama about two WW I aviators, with Bow thrown in as a love interest, that showed the tragedies of war. It is still considered one of the finest silent films ever made. Screenwriter John Monk Saunders was a graduate of the University of Washington. The Broadway Theater can be seen in the background, playing the "Cardboard Lover" and the "Violin Idea." TPL-647; BU-11240 (Tacoma Daily Ledger 10/29/1928, pg. 3)

Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Motion pictures; Rialto Theatre (Tacoma);

ca. 1886. Tacoma Wheelmen's Club

ca. 1962. Sixth Ave - Stevens Street bus picking up riders in front of the Woolworth building on Broadway in Tacoma, circa 1962.

Buses--Tacoma--1960-1970; Mass transit--Tacoma--1960-1970;

ca. 1921. View on Pacific Ave. Streetcar #200, in front, bound for Spanaway, taking on passengers. Streetcar in back has Portland Ave. as destination. Early automobile beside has dealer plates for 1921. The Public Safety Building, originally the Northern Pacific Headquarters at 621 Pacific Ave., is in the distance left. TPL-196, TPL-011

Street railroads--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tracks--Tacoma; Tacoma Railway & Power Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1893. An early streetcar, #27 operated by the Tacoma Railway and Motor Co., was photographed around 1893 posed next to a treeless Wright Park. The car was part of the 6th Ave. streetcar line which ended in Glendale. Glendale was a residential development located near 6th & Proctor. Tacoma was booming; and as residential areas were developed far from the city core, available transportation was a major selling point. Several small streetcar lines were started, but by 1898 all of the smaller lines were bankrupt. By 1899, they were consolidated into the Tacoma Railway and Power Co. Wright Park was born when twenty acres of land were generously donated by Charles Wright to the city of Tacoma in 1886 for the purpose of creating an intercity park. The land was cleared of trees and undergrowth as the park was being designed. Later 350 trees were planted in the park. TPL-9714

Tacoma Railway & Motor Co. (Tacoma); Wright Park (Tacoma); Mass transit--Tacoma--1890-1900; Street railroads--Tacoma--1890-1900;

In early July 1917, the Tacoma Rail & Power Company (TR&P) fired seven employees that they accused of union organizing. Within days the Amalgamated Association of Street & Electric Railway Employees of America signed up the remaining workers; and when the company refused to re-hire the fired workers, the newly organized workers shut down the TR&P streetcars. Although there were some acts of sabotage, as shown in this photograph, the strike was generally peaceful - and supported by most Tacomans. Although the company hired replacement workers, they could not break the strike. On August 2 an agreement was reached between the company and the union. The fired employees were reinstated, the strikebreakers were deported, grievance procedures were established, and the questions of wages and working conditions were submitted to arbitration. (Tacoma Tribune 7/16/1917-8/2/1917, pg. 1) TPL-9555

Mass transit--Tacoma--1910-1920; Electric railroads--1910-1920; Street railroad strikes--Tacoma--1910-1920;

The #66 streetcar, full of passengers, was hitched up to two "nags" and driven up Pacific Avenue on June 9, 1938 at noon to plug the huge "Last Ride" celebration planned for June 11th. Tacoma's last streetcar had been taken out of service in April of 1938; the cars replaced with city buses. The June celebration, hosted by the Young Men's Business Club, marked the passing of Tacoma's street cars. Twenty five cars were auctioned off by the Tacoma Railway & Power Co. to civic organizations to decorate for the big street car parade. The parade was followed by a Gay 90's dance at the Hotel Winthrop. The last car to leave the rails at midnight, #66, was burned at a public bonfire at the Bay Street yards. During the parade and as a promotion, #66 was rigged as a horse car and driven by Tacoma Mayor John Siegle. TPL-5833 (T. Times 6/1/1938, pg. 5-article; 6/8/38, pg. 2-article)

Mass transit--Tacoma--1930-1940; Cable railroads--Tacoma; Street railroads--Tacoma--1930-1940; Horses--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Contract bridge expert Ely Culbertson visited the Tacoma Bridge Club on May 1, 1936, at the Winthrop Hotel. Mr. Culbertson is standing directly in front of the hanging framed picture. He was nearly 45 at the time and had been a key figure in the international popularization of contract bridge in the 1920s and 1930s. Photographer Chapin Bowen was present during this visit; he is standing far left. TPL-6687

Culbertson, Ely; Tacoma Bridge Club (Tacoma); Bowen, Chapin; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Guests--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Governor Dan Evans spoke to an attentive crowd including labor and civic leaders at the dedication of the new Labor Center, 950 Fawcett Avenue, on March 10, 1972. He told the several hundreds gathered that the new center is "headquarters for a dynamic and thoughtful labor community." Among those in attendance in the front row are Catherine Egan and Joe Stortini. Seated at the table is L.H. Pedersen, Secretary/Treasurer of the Central Labor Council who was presented with a portrait of himself in recognition of his efforts in bringing the three-story new structure into existence. (TNT 3-11-72, p. 1)

Evans, Daniel J., 1925-; Governors; Public speaking--Tacoma--1970-1980; Pedersen, L.H.; Stortini, Joe; Egan, Catherine; Building dedications--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Cowboy, actor, broadcast commentator, humorist and writer Will Rogers (far left) poses with legendary sled dog breeder Leonard Seppala, aviators Wiley Post and Joe Crosson, just before takeoff in Fairbanks, Alaska, on the last leg of his fatal flight. His small plane crashed due to engine failure near Barrow, Alaska, on August 15, 1935, and both he and pilot Post were killed. Joe Crosson had the sad duty of returning the bodies of Rogers and Post from Alaska by air. The nation mourned their deaths and Rogers, a Oklahoma native, was honored by his state in many ways, including statues, schools (13 public schools were named after him), airport and roadway as well as by California in the form of parks, highways and even a submarine. Will Rogers had visited the Tacoma area several times in the past and had developed friendships with Ray Gamble and Henry Sicade. TPL-5448 (www.willrogers.com) (image is stained at bottom and right edge)

Rogers, Will; Post, Wiley; Seppala, Leonard; Crosson, Joe; Airplanes--Alaska; Airplane propellers; Air pilots;

Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes was honeymooning with wife Jane in August of 1938 when he was shown the site of the proposed Narrows Bridge. Congressman John M. Coffee is believed to be pointing out the vast waters to be spanned. Harold Ickes served as Secretary of the Interior for 13 years, from 1933-46, and was responsible for implementing much of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal." (TNT 8-27-38, p. 1-article; en.wikipedia.org-article)

Ickes, Harold L.; Cabinet officers--United States; Ickes, Harold L.--Family; Guests--Tacoma--1940-1950; Coffee, John;

Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes gestures to diners attending the sold-out Elks Club banquet on September 5, 1941 where Secretary Ickes was the principal speaker. He had been vacationing with his wife on the Olympic Peninsula before arriving in Tacoma on Friday, the 5th. Secretary Ickes spoke on the subject of "Public Power and National Defense" before a crowd of 562. His speech was carried nationwide for the benefit of those unable to attend. Harold Ickes was to serve 13 years as Secretary of the Interior, most of which was during the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration. While Secretary, he also served as director of the Public Works Administration. (T.Times, 9-4-41, p. 1-article)

Ickes, Harold L.; Cabinet officers--United States; Guests--Tacoma--1940-1950; Banquets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Public speaking--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Harold L. Ickes, Secretary of the Interior under presidents Roosevelt and Truman, listens as others discuss matters possibly pertaining to the proposed Narrows Bridge. The group is standing in front of one of the Tacoma Public Utility's electrical towers on August 26, 1938. Secretary Ickes (in dark suit and striped tie with both hands in pockets) is flanked by Thad Stevenson, secretary/manager of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce and (right) Congressman John M. Coffee. Next to Congressman Coffee are Lacey V. Murrow, state director of highways and Harold Allen, past president of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. The men standing in the rear are unidentified (left) and M.J. McCaslin of the Young Men's Business Club. (TNT 8-27-38, p. 1-article)

Ickes, Harold L.; Cabinet officers--United States; Guests--Tacoma--1940-1950; Towers; Coffee, John; Stevenson, Thad; Murrow, Lacey V.; Allen, Harold A.; McCaslin, M.J.;

ca. 1940. A traveler, apparently from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, poses in downtown Tacoma near the Peerless Grill, 916-20 Pacific Ave., circa 1940. A small sign is attached to his military bag - "From Phila.Pa. Around the World America First." The "America First" portion of the sign may refer to the then growing anti-war pressure group that sought to prevent the United States' entry into the Second World War. The smiling man is wearing Calvary boots, doughboy hat and coat probably dating back to WWI. TPL-6632

Guests--Tacoma--1940-1950; Men--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Signs (Notices);

The Liberty Bell came to rest at its reviewing area at the front of the Federal Building at 1102 A St on July 14, 1915. For two and a half hours, it was on display for the citizens of Tacoma. The bell, which rang for the Continental Congress's adoption of the Declaration of Independence, was slowly making its way cross country from Philadelphia to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. Over 20,000 people crowded for a glimpse of the bell while it was in Tacoma. (TDL 7/14/1915, pg. 1) TPL-019 (photograph courtesy of Sherrill Erb)

Liberty Bell--Celebrations--1910-1920;

On July 14, 1915, for the brief space of 2 and one half hours, Tacoma played host to the original Liberty Bell, the most famous relic of America's struggle for freedom. The bell was travelling by train from Philadelphia to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, at the request of 500,000 California school kids. Arriving in Tacoma at 4 p.m., the car displaying the Bell was unhooked from its regular transport and pulled by a Tacoma street railway locomotive, at the head of a parade of fraternal and civic organizations, as well as school children, to its reviewing stand in front of the Federal building at 11th & A St. A crowd estimated at 20,000 congregated to see the bell. The bell was photographed enroute to the viewing stand, in front of the Savoy Hotel, 1535 Pacific Ave., in the Sprague Building. (TDL 7/14/1915, pg. 1) TPL-020 (photograph courtesy of Sherrill Erb)

Liberty Bell--Celebrations--1910-1920; Savoy Hotel (Tacoma);

ca. 1927. Famous aviator and polar explorer Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd visited Tacoma circa 1927. He is pictured here in the center of the photograph, wearing a belted double breasted coat and holding a book. Mayor Melvin G. Tennent is third from the left, next to Admiral Byrd. Gus Ledbetter is on the far right. This photograph is believed to have been taken in early February of 1927 when (then) Lt. Commander Byrd was in town to deliver a speech.

Byrd, Richard E., 1888-1957; Guests--Tacoma--1920-1930; Tennent, Melvin Green; Mayors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Ledbetter, Gus;

Lt. Commander (later Rear Admiral) Richard E. Byrd is pictured with one hand resting on the hood of a gleaming Franklin automobile in February of 1927. Gus Ledbetter is on the extreme right of the photograph.

Byrd, Richard E., 1888-1957; Guests--Tacoma--1920-1930; Ledbetter, Gus; Franklin automobile;

On February 8, 1927 heavyweight champion James J. "Gene" Tunney reached down from the "gunner's seat" of a military biplane to shake the hand of Washington Governor Roland H. Hartley when his plane landed at Camp Lewis. Mr. Tunney, who was traveling from Seattle to Olympia, flew to the army base before continuing on to the capital by car to speak before the state legislature about a proposed boxing commission bill. His pilot was Maj. Jack Fancher (standing in plane) of Spokane, commander of the 116th Observation Squadron, Washington National Guard. Mr. Tunney had flown once before, just before his title fight with Jack Dempsey, and had sworn never to fly again because of air sickness. He relented in order to speak in Olympia. He pronounced the flight to Tacoma "fine" and returned to Seattle the same way. (TNT 2/8/1927 p.1) BGN 614

Tunney, Gene, 1898-1978; Boxers (Sports)--1920-1930; Hartley, Roland H.; Governors--Washington (State); Fancher, Jack; Airplanes--1920-1930;

ca. 1967. Actor Darren McGavin accepts the key to the City of Tacoma from Mayor Harold Tollefson circa 1967. As a teenager, Mr. McGavin resided for several years at the Jessie Dyslin Boys Ranch. He paid a special visit to Tacoma in 1967 for the opening of the Value Village thrift store in South Tacoma; clothing would be collected and sold to the store for the benefit of the Dyslin Ranch. Mr. McGavin flew in several items belonging to movie star friends to aid in the store's opening.

McGavin, Darren; Actors; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985;

Norwegian Crown Prince Olav (later Olav V) and his wife, Princess Martha, are pictured on the stairs of "The Gray Church," in May of 1939. The brick and stone building was more formally known as Trinity Lutheran Church, just off the campus of Pacific Lutheran College. A special chapel assembly was held in which PLC's Choir of the West performed. The heir to the throne of Norway also visited Fort Lewis and Mount Rainier and was present at several fetes in his honor.

Olav V, 1903-1991; Rulers--Norway; Visits of state--Tacoma--1930-1940; Martha, Crown Princess of Norway; Trinity Lutheran Church (Parkland);

Crown Princess Martha of Norway on the campus of Pacific Lutheran College in May of 1939. She and her husband, the future Olav V, made a brief visit to the Tacoma area to the delight of the large Scandinavian population. Her escort in the above photograph was not identified. The Tacoma Times noted that public school children lined the streets of Parkland with flowers in their hands and sang the first stanza of the Norwegian national anthem. (T.Times, 5-24-39, p. 1, 24-article)

Martha, Crown Princess of Norway; Foreign visitors--Norway; Visits of state--Tacoma--1930-1940;