For their plant safety campaign, Kaiser Aluminum used this young unidentified bikini clad model to demonstrate the correct way to use a gas hole bar in December of 1955. Besides her swimsuit she wore fireproof covers over her shoes, thick gloves, safety glasses and a hard hat. Six metal poles labeled "pot rake, puddle rake, pot skimmer, smasher, stud straightener, gas hole bar" are on a cart behind her. A simplified painting of Kaiser's industrial facility on the tideflats, complete with Mt. Rainier, served as a backdrop. Photograph ordered by Kaiser Aluminum.
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Equipment; Fashion models--Tacoma--1950-1960;
A swimsuit model may be demonstrating proper lifting techniques for Kaiser Aluminum's December, 1955, safety programs. She is in a squatting position attempting to pick up a hundred pound bag of Kaiser chemicals bagged in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Although she is not wearing much clothing, she does protect her hands and eyes with the proper safety equipment. Photograph ordered by Kaiser Aluminum.
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fashion models--Tacoma--1950-1960;
A Hooker Electrochemical Co. employee carefully monitors the gauges that demonstrate the company's automatic bleach liquor system on November 30, 1955. Hooker may have set up this equipment for a show of some kind. The apparatus is safely protected from the elements by a prefabricated patio cover. Photograph ordered by Hooker Electrochemical.
Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Machinery; Signs (Notices);
Laying of first keel at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Seattle Mayor Arthur Langlie, center (later Governor), kneels down to help with equipment. Governor Clarence Martin is standing above him and Tacoma Mayor J. J. Kaufman, with hardhat on left, are among those in the forefront of this March 5, 1940 photograph. (T. Times)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Langlie, Arthur B., 1900-1966; Mayors--Seattle; Martin, Clarence D., 1887-1955; Governors; Kaufman, Joseph J.; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Laying of first keel at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Governor Clarence Martin, center, Seattle Mayor Arthur Langlie, 2nd from right, and Tacoma Mayor J. J. Kaufman, far right, with other dignitaries attended the March 5, 1940 event. (T. Times)
Kaiser Aluminum manufactured chemical products as well as aluminum and steel. In this November 18, 1955, photograph, a fashion model is shown raking Calcined Alumina with a long metal apparatus. Kaiser used models for their safety programs, possibly to ensure that employees would be paying attention to the warnings and instructions. This model, although wearing a regulation hard hat and sturdy boots, is dressed simply in a colorful two-piece swimsuit. Photograph ordered by Kaiser Aluminum. TPL-9097
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Fashion models--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Arms akimbo, this barefoot model stretches on tiptoes during a November 18, 1955, Kaiser Aluminum photo shoot. Kaiser employed models for their safety programs. This young model is only wearing a brief swimsuit although she is wearing a regulation Kaiser hard hat. Photograph ordered by Kaiser Aluminum.
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Fashion models--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Kaiser Aluminum used models to demonstrate safety programs. The model pictured in this November 18, 1955, photograph is wearing a hard hat but otherwise is barefoot and dressed only in a two-piece bathing suit. She is grasping a long metal apparatus which may have been used as a raking tool. Photograph ordered by Kaiser Aluminum.
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Fashion models--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. Building under construction on the old Todd Shipyards site in Tacoma's industrial Tideflats area. Photograph taken on January 31, 1940. (T. Times)
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Progress photographs; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma;
Launching of the MSO 505 at Tacoma Boat Building. Photo ordered by the Industrial Development Service. Grain elevators in the background. The Navy's newest minesweeper, the 171 foot MSO 505, was launched Saturday August 6, 1955 at Tacoma Boatbuilding. Mrs. C. E. Trescott was the sponsor and Miss Irene Trescott was the attendant. They were introduced by Capt. James R. Davis, USN. The 13th Naval District band played. (TNT 8/8/1955, pg. 9)
Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
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.
The launching of the USS Pledge, MSO 492, at J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding. The minesweeper was the ninth of its class to be launched. M.S. Erdahl, Port Commissioner, was the Master of Ceremonies. Mrs. Theodore Ultsch did the christening assisted by Miss Janet Bruder, as the flower girl. The featured speaker was Rear Admiral Smoot, commander of the mineforce of the US Pacific Fleet. The launching was held in conjunction with the commissioning of the USS Conquest, Hull #488. (TNT 7/21/1955, pg. D-10
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)
A model of a plywood mill, part of the travelling exhibition "Fir Plywood Golden Jubilee Show." 1955 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of the first plywood panel. As part of the celebration, a mobile exhibit toured the West Coast regions where plywood is manufactured. This model recreation of a plywood mill was part of the show. In the model, cutting and barking of the log is shown as well as the peeling of the log. The wood is cut into lengths and placed in the drying racks to dry. In the rear, the lengths are having glue applied in preparation to being laid in plys to form the multi-layer plywood. The panels are then heated to form a solid bond.
Acceptance trials for the minesweeper U.S.S. Conquest, hull #488, built by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding began in late June of 1955. After successfully completing its preliminary acceptance trials, Martinac delivered the AM type minesweeper to the Tacoma Naval Station and it was commission on July 20th. As the first 172 foot minesweeper of the "88 Class" to reach trials, the trials were attended by several high ranking officials. The Conquest was one of the first ships involved in the Vietnam war; it swept the Saigon River and helped to establish control in the "Tonkin Gulf". Twenty-five years later, in 1987, it was sent to the Persian Gulf where it helped to clear mines that were threatening oil tankers. (TNT 7/3/1955, pg. B-8)
Acceptance trials of the minesweeper U.S.S. Conquest, hull #488, built by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding. Several high ranking Navy officials were present for the test. The Conquest is the first of the 171 ft. minesweepers of the "88 Class" to reach trials. After successfully completing the trials, the ship will be delivered to the Tacoma Naval Station, the 5th AM type minesweeper to be delivered. The USS Pledge (AM 492) will be launched July 20, 1955, the 9th and last under the current contract. (TNT 7/3/1955, pg. B-8)
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. One of the highlights was the unveiling of an exposition. This appears to be the wives of delegates posing at the entrance of the exhibit hall.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland; Plywood;
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.;
The Douglas Fir Plywood Association's (DFPA) annual meeting in 1955. The Golden Jubilee Convention was held in Portland, Oregon, celebrating 50 years of the plywood industry from its inception in 1905 to 1955. Over 12,000 plywood manufacturers and distributers attended the meeting. One of the highlights was the unveiling of the Plywood Memorial at the Forestry building in Portland. The Memorial was designed around the original sheet of plywood manufactured in 1905 for display at the Lewis and Clark International Exposition in Portland.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland; Plywood;
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;
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. It was produced by the Portland Manufacturing Company for display at the Lewis and Clark International Exposition in Portland in 1905. Its production marked the birth of an industry that fueled the economy and development of the Pacific Northwest. The unveiling of the memorial was one of the highlights of the DFPA's Golden Jubilee, June 19-21, 1955, held in Portland.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland--1950-1960;
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. At Kaiser's Tacoma reduction plant, ore is carefully analyzed. Dick Hildebrandt, plant chemist, performs an analysis of petroleum pitch, used in the production of carbon anodes for the electrolytic aluminum reduction process. One of the plant's largest regional purchases in 1954 was $214,000 worth of petroleum pitch. (TNT 5/16/1955, pg. 11)
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hildebrandt, Dick;
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. Pig aluminum, stacked and banded, is being loaded onto railroad cars for transportation to Kaiser's Trentwood, Wa. rolling mill to be made into a finished product. The Tacoma plant was an aluminum reduction facility. It produced the pig aluminum from treated ore. Each "pig" weighs 50 pounds and contains higher that 99% pure aluminum. The plant capacity in 1953 was 64 1/2 million pounds a year. (TNT 9/5/1955, pg. C-8)
Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;
The platform is set up for the ceremonies attending the launch of the M.S.A. #491 (U.S.S. Persistent) at the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. The ship poised on the ways rises above the bunting draped speakers' platform. Capt. Vernon B. Cole will be the principal speaker at the launch. Mrs. Dorothy Erdahl will be the sponsor and Sharon McCoy will be the flower girl. The Persistent is the eighth of nine 171 foot minesweepers to be launched by Martinac. Four of the ships have already been delivered. The keel of the Persistent was laid in June of 1954. (TNT 4/17/1955, pg. B-7)
The M.S.A. #491, a 171 foot minesweeper, was scheduled to be launched from the Bayview Shipyard, at the north end of East F St., on April 24, 1955 by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Co. It is the eighth of nine contracted 171 foot minesweepers to be launched. It will be named the U.S.S. Persistent. The keel was laid for the ship in June of 1954. (TNT 4/127/1955, pg. B-7)
Dorothy (Mrs. M. Stanley) Erdahl serves as sponsor for the launching of the U.S.S. Persistent (A.M. #491) minesweeper, constructed by the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. M. Stanley Erdahl was the current Port Commissioner and an ex-Navy officer who took the first YMS type minesweeper out of the Martinac yard in WWII. She would be assisted at the launching of the 171 ft. minesweeper by Sharon McCoy, daughter of Ed McCoy- Sumner High School's Director of Athletics, who would serve as flower girl. (TNT 4/17/1955, pg. B-7)
Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. In this photograph, a piece of 3D woodworking has been backlighted. The result looks almost like neon.
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;
Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A man poses with decorative woodwork pieces cut from fir plywood. The wood has been cut in intricate patterns with a skill saw. Dowel rods have then been inserted to hold some of the pieces out from the main piece, giving the design a 3D look.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;
