Although photographer Marvin Boland's notes stated that this was the United States "Marine" Band posed on the lawn of the Hotel Tacoma on July 24, 1919, it is believed that this was actually the United States Navy Recruiting Band or The Great Lakes Band. They were there to play for the Tacoma Rotary Club for a luncheon held at the ivy-covered south end of the porch. The United States Navy Recruiting Band would perform later that evening in the Stadium Bowl along with Metropolitan Opera's prima donna Marie Rappold. G71.1-034 (TDL 7-24-19, p. 3 (ad); TNT 7-24-19, p. 1-articles on concert)

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Military bands--United States;

An elderly gentleman holds the hand of a little girl as they stood in the gardens of the Tacoma Hotel in August of 1922. A circle of plants is directly behind them. Also shown is the hotel's gazebo which overlooked the city's waterfront. G41.1-008

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Gardens--Tacoma; Gazebos--Tacoma;

ca. 1890. The Tacoma Hotel as it looked circa 1890, before any of the numberous additions had been added to the structure of the building. Tacoma was justly proud of this elegant structure with its beautiful views of Commencement Bay. It had opened in August of 1884. Photo from "Northern Pacific Railroad Scenery" with photos by F. Jay Haynes (F. Jay Haynes Collection)

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1890-1900;

ca. 1935. Photograph taken of the ruined Tacoma Hotel after the disastrous fire on October 17, 1935. The hotel was totally destroyed by a fire that started out in the north end of the basement in the early morning hours. (photograph courtesy of the Tom Stenger collection)

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

ca. 1885. Photograph of "The Tacoma" (Hotel) shortly after it was built - before any of the later additions were added. The massive hotel, focus of much civic pride, opened on August 8, 1884. It had cost more than $250,000 to build, an enormous sum at the time, and was the design of architect Stanford White in 1881 who, according to Murray Morgan's South on the Sound, had been commissioned by the Northern Pacific Railroad and Tacoma Land Co. In subsequent years, several additions and renovations were made to further extend the hotel's reputation as "the finest west of the Mississippi and north of San Francisco." The Tacoma Hotel even boasted of having for a time a tame bear named Jack who spent time in the hotel lobby and was a drinker of beer. The elegant hostelry attracted many prominent visitors who enjoyed breathtaking views and luxurious furnishings. It was destroyed by fire on October 17, 1935 and never rebuilt.

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1880-1890;

ca. 1884. The Tacoma Hotel, 913 A street, with its commanding view of the Tacoma tideflats, was one of the best hotels north of San Francisco. Designed by the famous architect Stanford White, it had its official opening in August of 1884. The scaffolding at the north end of the building suggests that it was still under construction when this photograph was taken. Note the Northern Pacific Railroad tracks crossing the almost completely barren tideflats; mills and manufacturing structures had yet to be fully built. The body of water at the left is the Puyallup River as it flows unfettered into Commencement Bay. The massive Tacoma Hotel was destroyed by fire on October 17, 1935, and was never rebuilt; its annex would be remodeled and called the "new" Tacoma Hotel in January, 1936.

Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

ca. 1934. Two couples enjoy a tender dance within the Tacoma Hotel while a young lady provides the music on a piano in this circa 1934 photograph. Others enjoy dining at small tables placed nearby. The Tacoma Hotel, Tacoma's showpiece, opened in August of 1884 and underwent several renovations before being destroyed by fire in October of 1935. TPL-346

Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Dancers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Pianos;

Dinner held at the Tacoma Hotel on September 7, 1907, in honor of William H. Taft during his visit to Tacoma while he was Secretary of War. 300 prominent members of the Chamber of Commerce and local businessmen accorded Secretary Taft a rousing welcome. Those included Everett G. Griggs, S.A. Perkins, Francis W. Cushman, T.J. Handforth, George F. Wright, Alexander Baillie, Thomas Carstens and Dave Gross among hundreds. This was the second address of the day for Secretary Taft who had arrived in Tacoma after inspection of the maneuver grounds at American Lake. He had praised the site as ideal for a military post with the only drawback being the cost of some of the privately held property. Secretary Taft spoke to a teeming crowd of some 12,000 Tacoma citizens at Wright Park at 5 p.m. that evening prior to the banquet. They had gathered to hear the potential successor to Teddy Roosevelt. Showing that he was held in high esteem by not only the well-to-do but the average working man, an impromptu escort of about 500 men just finished with their daily endeavors marched along the automobile carrying William Taft and his party to Wright Park. 2/3rds of them bore lunch pails and working garb. (TDL 9-7-1907, p. 1-article; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 9-8-1907, p. 1, 23-article)

Banquets--Tacoma--1900-1910; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Taft, William H.; Government officials--United States;