In July of 1943, with our country at war and an army to feed, bringing in the crops became a patriotic duty. Most men were either in the service or working in the defense industry; therefore, the job of harvesting fell to women and youth. Especially targeted as a work force were youth organizations and the schools. Here, women and students work side by side in a Puyallup Valley spinach field. Wooden crates are placed in the field and Richards Studio's wood paneled station wagon is parked in the distance. Adults were also urged to join the youths in the harvest of valley peas and berries whose peak was to be reached soon. 1,200 kids had already been enrolled in Pierce County's harvest army through the Tacoma Agricultural Manpower Committee of the Chamber of Commerce. 7,000-10,000 adult workers were needed the first two weeks in July. Bus transportation would be provided by the Chamber of Commerce. (T.Times 7-2-43, p. 16-article on harvesting)

Agricultural laborers; World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Croplands--Puyallup Valley;

Interior of the remodeled Great Northern Railroad Ticket Office in November of 1942. Pictured are the long, curved ticket counter with the agents' desks lying beyond. Three large landscape paintings decorate the walls. The office was located in the Drury building. It was part of "Transportation Row," 112-18 So. 9th St., which housed the ticket offices of all area railroads.

Railroad companies--Tacoma; Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960; Ticket offices; Great Northern Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Early in 1943, scaffolding still surrounds the dry dock and ways built at 223 East F St. for Peterson Boat Building. The small shipyard was founded by father and son partners George and John Peterson. They remained at this site until it burned to the ground in 1969. TPL-9442

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Charts; Peterson Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Buffelen Lumber and Manufacturing Company.

Buffelen Lumber & Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Although the Marvin Marine Repair Company primarily worked on repairing fishing boats, in 1944 they had a contract with the U.S. government to modify a number of barges for sea duty. Consisting of three properties under the management of George R. Marvin, Marvin Marine Repair's number one plant was at 5620 Marine View Drive.

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Barges--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Marvin Marine Repair Co. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Boat Facilities. Interior of Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. plant. Laborer working in plant. TPL-6653

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

Tacoma Boat Facilities. Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. boat interior. TPL-8863

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

By 1943, Seattle Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. was building more carriers than any other U. S. shipyard. They also had the only shipyard instruction classes. The yard induction school was the first of its kind in the Northwest, and several Tacoma-area women were enrolled in the classes. View of seven unidentified women who were students at Seattle Tacoma Yard Induction School. TPL-9954

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women--Education--Tacoma; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Wilkeson Products interior and exterior of mine. Interior view of Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. mine with three coal miners, identified as Gene West, John Streepy and Jim "Corkie" Kelly (from left), all wearing their mining gear. According to an article by Bill Kombol, "When Coal Was King," the Wilkeson Products mine failed to accomplish its goal of substantially helping the war effort as the mine produced less than 1% of Washington coal production during the World War ll years. The mine had opened with funding from the U.S. government's Defense Plant Corporation but would permanently close eight months after this March, 1944 photograph. TPL-6619

Coke industry--Wilkeson; Coal mining--Wilkeson; Coal miners--Wilkeson; Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. (Wilkeson); World War, 1939-1945, Economic & industrial aspects --Wilkeson; West, Gene; Streepy, John; Kelly, Jim;

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);

Wilkeson Products interior and exterior of mine. In 1888 Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. began producing the best grade of coke available in the West. Wilkeson Co. mine employed 200 employees, they lived with their families in Wilkeson, Washington, a small mining town in eastern Pierce County. View of buildings at Wilkeson. TPL-6393

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

Pacific Boat. The hull of a new motor/pleasure boat is laid out on supports in the boat building facility. The new aluminum boats were to be the "Ford" of the boat industry. Bob Breskovich indicated he planned to produce 1,000 or more of these in 1948. Several models were planned running from the simple fisherman's model, consisting of two seats converting into a double bunk, a canopy and an open back, to a deluxe model with an all enclosed cabin. (TNT, 12/10/1947)

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

Special order for special edition, Studio, by Tacoma Times, George Beckingham. Two men are reviewing the quality of the ground material being loaded onto a railroad freight car at the General Mills-Sperry plant. The mill produced all white flours, whole wheat, pancake and cake flours, cereals and mixed feed.

Railroad freight cars--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma; Railroad companies--Tacoma--1940-1950; Southern Pacific Lines (Tacoma); General Mills, Inc., Sperry Division (Tacoma);

Tomato packing machine, machine for making card board containers, Mutual Fruit Company, Union Pacific Freight Terminal, Les Crawford. One man watches to be sure the tomatoes are properly fed into the packing machine and another man watches to be sure they are wrapped correctly coming out of the machine before packing the cartons into wooden crates.

Mutual Fruit Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Packaging; Machinery; Conveying systems--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fruit--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tomatoes--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fruit industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

View of sand blasting and re-painting of boat "Eileen", work is being done by Machinists Incorporated, a repair shop from Seattle, Washington, the job is being done at Tacoma Boat Building facilities. The workman is painting the side of the boat, he is using a paint sprayer and wearing a face mask. The boat is expected to be completed in a few days, photo ordered by Machinists Inc. TPL-8956

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boats & boating; Fishing boats--Tacoma; Maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Sand blast; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Machinists, Inc. (Seattle);

Johnnie B a recently launched purse seiner, built by Pacific Boat Building Company. Pacific Boat was owned by John B. Breskovich, he was also Vice-President of Puget Sound Boat Building Corporation. Pacific Boat Building plant and facilities were located at 759 Port of Tacoma Road. View of two people waving from "Johnnie B" fishing boat (Steve Mullan on right). TPL-10567

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

General Mills supervisors, Mr. Meinecke, Sperry Flour Division. Eight men from the Sperry Flour plant in their work clothes and one men in a business suit in this photograph taken on May 3, 1948. All but one of them wears a hat. At the far left is John W. Geddis. Mr. Geddis was a management trainee in 1948 which involved rotating through various training and supervisory assignments. He later became head of all General Mills Production and Distribution west of the Rocky Mountains. (Additional identification & information provided by a reader)

General Mills, Inc., Sperry Division (Tacoma); Flour & meal industry--Tacoma; Mills--Tacoma; Employees--Tacoma--1940-1950; Geddis, John W.;

The Bechtel Corporation from California was the company working on the General Mills Sperry Division flour mills expansion project. The project was approved in 1947 and was expected to be completed in 1948. Exterior view of Sperry plant, Bechtel sign advertising their services is on top of office building. The safety signs indicates building construction is in progress.

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Construction industry--Tacoma; Engineering--Tacoma; Remodeling--Tacoma; General Mills, Inc., Sperry Division (Tacoma); Bechtel Corp. (Tacoma);

Wheeler Osgood was a leader in the lumber industry, they manufactured doors and plywood panels. The company has been doing business in Tacoma for many years, they are one of the oldest businesses in Tacoma. In 1947 Wheeler Osgood was considering expanding their facilities, no changes had yet started, although the exterior of plant had been painted in October of 1947. Exterior view of Wheeler Osgood Company facilities.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Plywood; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma);

Publicity shots at Permanente Metals, Bill Gorman. One of Permanente's employees sits at his desk checking lists of figures and order forms. A map of the United States hangs on the wall behind him. Clip boards of additional data also hang on the wall along with schedules. A telephone sits to his right on the desk. The man is wearing a sports jacket, a sweater vest and a tie. He also wears a large ring on his left hand. A pencil protrudes from his jacket pocket. TPL-4555

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Employees--Tacoma--1940-1950; Paperwork; Maps; Telephones;

Publicity shots at Permanente Metals, Bill Gorman. A view of one of the switchboard operators at the Permanente plant in Tacoma and the switchboard panel. She is wearing a headset to enable her to use both hands when operating the cords on the switchboard. A telephone dial is seen beyond her right arm and other office machinery is in the background. The young woman is wearing a two piece suit, a white blouse and a plaid scarf. Permanente acknowledged the high value of each employee in their annual reports. TPL-4555

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Telephone switchboards--Tacoma--1940-1950; Telephone operators--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Northern Pacific Railway's new freight station and office building was constructed using brick building materials. The building provided modern office space and efficient freight handling facilities. The office portion is 70 feet by 57 feet, and the freight station is 55 feet by 250 feet. The new facilities include parking space and pavement along Puyallup Avenue, this will be used exclusively by the freight station.

Railroad companies--Tacoma; Railroad stations--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shipping--Tacoma; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Leon Titus was allowed to ride in the cab of a 122 foot long locomotive, this train makes the Seattle--Tacoma--Portland run daily. Leon would get to ride to Seattle and back to Tacoma. Mr. Titus has been a longtime enthusiast about railroading. View of Leon Titus dressed in his train-wear, he is standing with the Union Pacific train conductor (T.N.T., 5/9/48, p. A-13). TPL-9868

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroads--Tacoma; Businessmen--Tacoma; Railroad companies--Tacoma; Union Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma); Union Station (Tacoma); Titus, Leon E.;

The freight train is said to have moved forward before the track switch was completed, the train then "cornered" the engine, and the caboose crushed into the left side of the cab, pinning Sigvard Hill and killing him instantly. The railroad company plans to have a complete investigation. View of steaming wreckage and overturned cars near East 11th St. and Milwaukee Way. (T. Times, 10/16/47, p. 1).

Railroads--Tacoma; Railroad tracks--Tacoma; Railroad accidents--Tacoma; Railroad cars--Tacoma; Disasters--Tacoma; Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma);

Fern Hill's kindergarten and first grade classes were receiving a tour of the Northern Pacific's roundhouse, inspecting rail equipment and would get to ride aboard a Union Pacific train in November of 1947. In appreciation for the field trip the school children presented the railroad companies with a train frieze from their art class. View of Fern Hill's school children, teachers, volunteers and train staff at the Northern Pacific Roundhouse near East D St. and So. 23rd St. (T.Times, 11/14/47, p. 1, 17).

Railroads--Tacoma; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; School excursions--Tacoma; Railroad roundhouses--Tacoma; Union Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma); Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Fern Hill School (Tacoma);

Sun Traveler is 121 feet long, 18 feet deep, has a 27 foot beam, 600 horsepower Washington Diesel engine and 3 General Motors diesel auxiliary engines, full speed is at 12 knots. This wood all-brine super tuna clipper was built by Puget Sound Boat Building. "Sun Traveler" is owned by Captain Ralph McCabe and the Sun Harbor Packing Company, both from San Diego, California. The vessel sets sail for San Diego this week (Pacific Fisherman, 1947 Yearbook Number, 1/25/48, p. 300; T.Times, 2/25/1949, p.16). TPL-8939

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

ca. 1947. Plywood testing, ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. The plywood industry was one of the most rigorously self regulated businesses in America. Its own labs were constantly testing its product, plywood, for new uses and limitations. All of the testing, promotion and self regulation were performed under the banner of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Here plywood is being tested at extremely high temperatures, also under what appears to be a weight. Wires lead from sensors to meters being monitored by the tester.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Plywood; Experiments; Product inspection;

New store building, Industrial Equipment Company, Harry Andrews. This photograph was used in a newspaper advertisement inviting people to attend a Rototiller demonstration held at the newly opened Tacoma Industrial Equipment Company on January 24, 1948. It was located one-half mile east of Fife on the Tacoma-Seattle Highway. Free coffee and chicken sandwiches were served and guests were invited to guess how many minutes the rototiller would run on one gallon of gas. First prize was $150 credit on the purchase of a rototiller. (T.Times, 1/23/1948, p.12)

Industrial Equipment Co. (Tacoma); Agricultural machinery & implements--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stores & shops--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lease & rental services--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Boat. A view of the interior of the "Defiance" showing the engine room from the engineer's workbench located on a stepped bow tank. Included in the view are the three diesel auxiliaries, fresh water still, two ammonia compressors with control panel and distribution headers, snychronizing switchboard, power panel and motor starters topped off with a 600 h.p. heavy duty diesel propulsion engine weighing 40 tons. To the far left side is a compressor which supplied refrigeration for the freezer sections of the hold. Tacoma Boat announced their 16-year record in February 1948 as: 104 new commercial vessels of wood and steel; and, 1,073 commercial vessels rebuilt, modernized, converted or repaired. (T.Times, 2/26/1948, p.43; Tacoma Boatbuilding Co., Inc. Catalog, 9/1/1953) TPL-8947

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

Tacoma Boat, the "Defiance". During its water trials the Definace, a 106 foot steel tuna seiner, shows her grace and power with a 600 hp Washington main engine. The Defiance has three decks with the pilot house on the second deck. She was built for Ted Luchich, et al. (Pacific Fisherman Yearbook 1948, p. 197) TPL-8943

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