Small boat under construction at Babare Mfg. Co. site in August of 1924. The Babare brothers, George & Nick, were pioneer shipbuilders with original plant in Old Town. They had moved their facility to 3517 E. 11th St. along the Hylebos Waterway. G37.1-106

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boats--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Three unidentified employees of Coast Iron & Machine Works pose in the firm's Dock St. plant on September 24, 1924. One man fits neatly inside one of Coast Iron's products. G35.1-087

Coast Iron & Machine Works (Tacoma);

An unidentified employee of Royal Dairy (Royal Ice Cream & Milk Co.), 912-14 A St., is shown on October 4, 1924, washing metal milk cans. The company was well known for its slogan, "It's the Cream," as they sold quality ice cream, milk and cream. All products were manufactured in a sanitary plant in Tacoma, made for and by Tacoma people. G6.1-067

Royal Ice Cream & Milk Co. (Tacoma); Dairying--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On October 4, 1924, an unidentified employee of Royal Dairy (Royal Ice Cream & Milk Co.) examines one of three similar machines at the plant located at 912-14 A St. Royal Ice Cream, run by Bert H. Walker, had been in business since about 1900 and sold ice cream, milk and cream products. This was a locally owned business whose ad in the 1924 City Directory stated that its (cream) was a "quality cream manufactured in a sanitary plant" by "Tacoma people" and "not shipped in from outside sources." Special flavors and designs could be made for all occasions. G6.1-068

Royal Ice Cream & Milk Co. (Tacoma); Dairying--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The SS Bienville. The 445-foot Bienville had been launched at Todd Dry Dock facilities on July 16, 1924, and four months later, was nearly ready to be delivered to her owners in New York. A crane, in the process of lifting, is on the dock next to the ship. The Bienville would conduct short ship trials on November 17th and then be moved to the Port of Tacoma piers on November 19th to load initial cargo after her trial run. Over 2500 tons of goods, including machinery, 2000+ tons of hay and a large number of canned goods, will be stored aboard. The Bienville fell victim to fire in mid-March of 1925 while undergoing repairs in New Orleans and was severely damaged. G49.174 (TNT 11-12-24, p. 1-article; TNT 11-14-24, p. 1-article TNT 3-19-25, p. 1-article on fire; TDL 3-28-25, p. 1-article on fire)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boats--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hoisting machinery;

Serious motion picture production came to Tacoma- Pierce County near the end of 1924. The administration building, in front, and main building of the H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. motion picture studio were nearing completion on December 4, 1924. Located on 5.5 acres at the end of Sixth Avenue near Titlow Beach, the H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc., studio had the northwest's largest floor space without supporting pillars. Construction began in early October, 1924, and was completed in late December of that year at a cost of $50,000. The administration bldg. contained executive offices, a projection room, 15 star dressing rooms and dressing rooms for extras. Furnace rooms were built at each end of the main building to make the stage evenly heated. There were no windows in the main building; the studio decided to make use of artificial lightning when filming inside. An elaborate formal dedication, open to the public, was held on December 14, 1924. (TDL 11-9-24, E-8, 12-14-24, B-1) Boland B11464

H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. (Tacoma); Motion picture studios--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;

H.C. Weaver Productions motion picture studio under construction on December 4, 1924. One car is parked on the grounds of the construction site; studio was located on 5.5 acres near Titlow Beach. The formal dedication of the first motion picture studio in the Northwest was scheduled for December 14th, ten days after this photograph was taken. The $50,000 studio, constructed by the firm of Albertson, Cornell Bros. & Walsh, was not yet completed. Scaffolding is still in place on the walls of the main building which would be built sans windows. The lower structure in front of the main building would be the administration unit, containing executive offices, projection room, dressing rooms for the stars and extras. The studio would be 105 ft by 180 ft with a 52 foot ceiling. It would have the largest floor in the Northwest without supporting pillars. Only two larger floors were available, both in Hollywood. Weaver was one of a handful of independent studios capable of handling all aspects of film production, including developing and titling. The studio closed after only four years of operation in 1928; the building was converted into a dance hall in 1932 but was destroyed by fire on August 24, 1932. (TDL 11-9-24, E-8, 12-14-24, B-1) Boland-B11465, BU-13758, TPL-8181

H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. (Tacoma); Motion picture studios--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. ASARCO smokestack and NP tracks coming out of the Nelson Bennett Tunnel to the west of Point Defiance Park. Photograph was taken circa 1925. BU-13881

ca. 1925. An elevated view of Defiance Lumber Company shows part of the facilities with a ship docked along Commencement Bay. The company was started in 1905 when L.L. Doud and others acquired a quarter of a mile of waterfront along the bay and installed the sawmill. In 1927 L.L. Doud was president of the company, Lee L. Doud served as secretary-treasurer and manager, and Donald H. Doud, sales manager. (TNT 8/10/1927) (filed with Argentum)

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Men unloading lumber from a ship at the Defiance Lumber Co. dock. The men are unloading cut lumber that appears to be almost two feet by two feet, showing why Tacoma was known as the "Lumber Capital of the World." A rolling crane emblazoned with the company's name can be seen in the background. The crane, of a type first built by Star Iron & Steel Co., was capable of lifting 5 tons from the dock to the ship. The Defiance Lumber Co. and mill was built in 1905 and closed in December of 1951, citing a lack of usable wood. (TNT 6/3/1926, pg. 9- different picture, article on cranes) GTPL-013, TPL-9541

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. The Defiance Lumber Company was an export mill. It cut 80,000,000 feet of lumber in 1926 and it was all shipped away to Europe, Asia, Australia, California, South America or the East Coast. The Defiance Mill did nothing but saw wood, and only fir wood. The plant had dry kilns with a capacity of 50,000 feet a day, a completely equipped planing mill and a lath mill adding to the completeness of the plant. (TNT, 8/10/1927) (filed with Argentum)

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Men and women are seated at tables in dappled shade under a canopy of leaves and paper lanterns at Columbia Brewing Company Brew Gardens at the Pacific Northwest Merchants Exposition in Seattle. Mr. C.H. Ball, the Seattle Branch Manager, is standing on the extreme right. Listings in the Seattle City Directories showed entries for Columbia Bottling Company in 1922 and 1923 and Columbia Brewing Company in 1924 and 1926 with C.H. Ball serving as manager. Photograph by Walter P. Miller, commercial photographer in Seattle. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People;

ca. 1925. Copy negative of a photograph of the Henningsen Creamery Co., 1953 So. C St., Tacoma. "Home of Lake Park Butter" The structure was built in 1907 and was designed by Frederick Heath, architect. It was originally occupied by the Lindstrom-Berg Cabinet Works. It was purchased in 1923 by the Henningsen Creamery from the Tacoma Grocery Co. The plant was remodeled at this time. It was the object of a disastrous fire in March of 1926. The structure is now part of the campus of the University of Washington at Tacoma (UWT). TPL-7076

Henningsen Creamery Co. (Tacoma); Dairy products industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Another view of Defiance Lumber Company with smoke jutting from its stack, circa 1925. Commencement Bay furnished the company with its log pond. The logs were dragged up the incline to the great 14-inch band saw which worked at high speed and had a capacity of 150,000 feet in each eight hours. The huge planks were then run over rollers to the re-saws, where slabs and scraps dropped down to a lower level and were carried by chain conveyors into the jaws of a battery of cut-off saws that turn them into firewood. The good lumber passed on out into the yard and was graded and separated into its proper classification. (TNT 8/10/1927) (filed with Argentum)

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Smokestacks--Tacoma;

ca. 1925. A large log is displayed on what appears to be a decorated logging truck in front of the Wood Products Company. The Wood Products Co. of Tacoma was located at 1612 Center St. They were a sash and door company. G.W. Duncan was the president and manager of the company. (WSHS)

Wood Products Co. (Tacoma); Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Market interior featuring dairy case. Milk and cheeses in case, packaged goods on shelves in background. (filed with Argentum)

Dairy products; Milk; Cheese; Grocery stores--1920-1930; Merchandise displays;

Side view of Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Co. locomotive #9505 showing wheels. Photograph was taken on January 23, 1925. G44.1-043

Railroad locomotives; Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Co.;

St. Paul & Tacoma workers stand alongside a 48" x 48" x 70-foot sawn log on February 13, 1925. TPL-3237; G36.1-159

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This was the Olympia plant of Washington Veneer Co., as pictured in April of 1925. The plywood company was less than a year old at the time, having been incorporated in June of 1924. It was located on land leased from the Port of Olympia, about 3/4th of a mile from Olympia's business center, and conveniently located near water and rail transportation. Already on site was a sawmill and retail lumber yard, both to be operated for many years by Washington Veneer. Plywood production began in February of 1925 at a rate of 65,000 feet daily. Among other innovations, manager Ed Westman installed the first belt-free lathe on the Pacific Coast. Marketing of Washington Veneer's panel production was handled primarily through the Wheeler-Osgood Company of Tacoma. A second plywood plant, called Capitol Plywood Co., was built about 1/4th mile from the site of the original plant in 1929. Washington Veneer was acquired several times and finally closed down in the late 1960s. (www.apawood.org) G73.1-011

Washington Veneer Co. (Olympia); Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930;

The ferry "Wollochet" was under construction at the Skansie Shipyard in Gig Harbor early in April of 1925. Her 150 horsepower engine had been placed in late February. The 100-foot diesel ferry would replace the ferry "Transit" early in June, traveling from the 6th Ave. slip at Titlow Beach to points on Wollochet Bay and Fox Island. The Skansie Brothers Shipyard was founded in 1912 by four Yugoslavian Brothers: Pete, Mitchell, Andrew and Joe Skansie. The company was a pioneer in the construction of automobile ferries and diesel engine ferries. (TNT 4/21/1925, pg. 1; TNT 2-28-25, p. 5-article on engine) TPL-693; G37.1-168

Ferries--1920-1930; Skansies Shipbuilding Co. (Gig Harbor); Boat & ship industry--Gig Harbor;

Four unidentified men gaze at a long line of railroad flat cars stacked with mahogany logs on May 1, 1925. The log train was bound for the Buffelen Lumber & Mfg. Co. The logs had arrived at the Port of Tacoma on the "Wheatland Montana" and were a product of the Philippines. The arrival of the logs marked a transition to direct transactions between the overseas grower and a Tacoma manufacturer. Prior to this, mahogany used in fine furniture, cabinets and other uses was brought here in board form. G36.1-030 (TNT 5-4-25, p. 6)

Logs; Railroad cars--Tacoma--1920-1930; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Buchanan Lumber Company crane at 3939 Ruston Way, Tacoma

Industries; Buchanan Lumber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way;

Buchanan Lumber Company crane at 3939 Ruston Way, Tacoma

Industries; Buchanan Lumber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way

Star Iron & Steel White truck at their foundry at 435 E 11th St, Tacoma

Industries; Star Iron & Steel; Trucks; Tideflats;

Railroad tracks within St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. complex, part of series taken for court evidence on July 17, 1925. Assorted buildings in the distance; boards outdoors in the open. G36.1-161

Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

On July 17, 1925, a series of photographs were taken at the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. complex for court evidence. Here three men stand on or near railroad tracks. Logs are stacked nearby. G36.1-162

Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Henry Mill in Old Town. A new and very modern mill opened in Old Town on July 20, 1925, located on the waterfront at 3001 North Starr St. Henry Mill & Timber Co. would remain in business there until 1945 when it was taken over by the Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. During WWII, Henry Mill became active in prefabricated structures for the military. They specialized in bridges and hangars. TPL-2048; G36.1-143B

Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Mills--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The Henry Mill & Timber Co. had just begun operating in late July of 1925, just about two weeks before this photograph of the plant's exterior was taken. The plant took over two years to build due to difficulty in preparing the foundation. Built on the 26-acre waterfront site of the old Tacoma Mill Co., the sawmill was designed to use the most modern equipment. It started with a head saw, edger and trimmer. Finished products could be easily transported via ship or nearby railroad tracks. G36.1-143A (TNT 7-20-25, p. 16-article)

Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Mills--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Mountain Lumber Company crane at 919 E F St, Tacoma

Industries; Mountain Lumber Company; Cranes, Tideflats;

Two men are balanced on extremely long logs in this August 14, 1925, photograph. They are believed to be connected with the Peterman Mfg. Co. who were local door manufacturers. Peterman Manufacturing, according to an advertisement placed in the Tacoma Daily Ledger on April 8, 1925, produced quality fir doors and 3-ply fir veneer panels. TPL-9376; G36.1-066 (TDL 4-8-25, p. 4-ad)

Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;