Several interiors and exteriors of stores in Fircrest, Lakewood Log, Charlie Mann. Interior of Paul L. Mickens' Fircrest Pharmacy featuring a fountain, cosmetics, vitamins, shaving needs, tooth pastes and other sundries. Sparklet syphons are featured in the foreground. A clock hangs on the wall at the rear of the store.
Boat show at Hotel Winthrop, Hotel Winthrop, Mr. Boyd. A boat show, sponsored by the Tacoma Yacht Club, was held in the lobby of the Hotel Winthrop August 17 - 22, 1948. Mayor C. Val Fawcett is seen to the right of the helm with several other men at the boat show. (T.Times, 8/9/1948, p.2)
Shots of faulty valve in tank car, National Soap Company. A man has climbed a ladder to be able to get a view of the interior of this railroad tank car. The tank car has been moved to a siding track in front of a brick warehouse. A shovel and two large buckets are standing by the tank car, possibly used to catch the soap from the leaking valve and clean up spillage.
National Soap Co. (Tacoma); Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950; Railroad tank cars--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ladders; Warehouses--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Shots of faulty valve in tank car, National Soap Company. An interior view of railroad tank car number LBRX 201 with a faulty valve showing the valve, a ladder into the car, and a rag. The rim of the upper entry into the tank car is visible on the left side. National Soap Company had offices in Tacoma at 357 South 25th Street.
National Soap Co. (Tacoma); Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950; Railroad tank cars--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ladders;
Associated Oil Service Stations. Eldred J. Omundson and Paul L. Crosby operated the Associated station at 3102 South 12th Street. The station features the "Flying A" neon sign over its distinctive concentric rings on top of the station. The station featured Aero batteries and Federal tires. A sign affixed to a light pole in the parking area reminds customers of the Community Chest drive. The lot is fenced and two automobiles are parked near the station. TPL-1886
Associated Oil Service Stations (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Omundson & Crosby Gas Station (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Electric signs--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Several shots of concrete blocks, Holroyd Company, Jim Holroyd. A construction worker is taking away a jack that had been used to support the roof of this concrete block structure until it was stable by itself.
Several shots of concrete blocks, Holroyd Company, Jim Holroyd. Men are building a wall near the water's edge using cement blocks. They are working from scaffolding and they have their building materials stacked on a second set of scaffolding behind them. A wheelbarrow has been used to mix cement below the work area and piles of cement sit on boards near the workers ready to lay another row of cement clocks.
Building front, Mondau's Tug Boat Tavern, Louie Mondau. Located in one of the brick buildings along Pacific Avenue, this view of Mondau's Tug Boat Restaurant and Tavern shows the entrance to the restaurant and on the left, the entrance to the James Hotel, above. Neon signs outline the letters and the tug boat that are part of the restaurant's sign, connected to their marquee. Louie Mondau was the owner of the restaurant and tavern. Warwick's Saloon had been at this location from 1893 until 1916.
Telephone Company Garage, Pacific T&T, Mr. A. Hill. Shelves contain some of the equipment needed to install new telephones and a bin sits next to a workbench labled for empty telephone set cartons. Pacific Telephone and Telegraph advertised that they had been putting in telephones almost three times as fast as ever before in the west and was serving an all time high number of phones. (TNT, 9/28/1948, p.2)
Olga Maijala (later Massie), a Griffin Fuel Company office worker, is busy filing customer account information into a new lockable file cabinet in December of 1948. The cabinet was purchased from the local distributer of cabinets and safes manufactured by Diebold, Incorporated. In the pre-computer, pre-"paperless" age roll-top cabinets like this were used to keep accounts in order and under lock and key. Besides the main lock on the rolling top, each separate drawer had its own lock. Griffin Fuel was a major local fuel delivery company in business since 1889. Photo ordered by Diebold, Inc. (Additional identification provided by a reader)
Motors Insurance Co., several different views at Mueller-Harkins Motor Company, Mr. Mueller. Two men stand at the Insurance Department service window. An employee explains the plan to a customer wearing a three-piece tweed suit.
Mueller-Harkins Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Insurance;
Tacoma Auto Sales, new 1949 Pontiacs, Mr. Bryson Gardner. Tacoma Auto Sales Company, Pontiac and Cadillac dealers, general view of showroom with customers admiring the 1949 Pontiacs. Tacoma Auto Sales advertised "Stream-Sweep fenders, automatic driving ease, and straight-eight or V-6 engines". (TNT, 2/13/1949, p.B-2)
Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pontiac automobile; Tacoma Auto Sales Co. (Tacoma);
Industrial edition, Banks, Times, Buzz. A view of the exterior of the Bank of California built in 1928 of Wilkeson sandstone and granite. The four ionic columns, which cost $3,500 each to build, stretch three stories up the front of the building. There were numerous banks and savings and loans with their headquarters in Tacoma at this time and they played an important role in the development of industry and the construction of buildings and homes in the area. (T.Times, 2/25/1949, p.12)
Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Columns--Tacoma; Business districts--Tacoma;
Ted Grunden, Tacoma's singing barber, locks the door of his barber shop in the Olympus Hotel with the tools of his trade held under his arm. After working 19 years at the same spot he relocated to the Riviera Barber Shop down the street at 908 Pacific Avenue. The Olympus Hotel was expanding their present tavern into a cocktail lounge. Ted Gunden had been the unofficial barber for the Tacoma Times employees for many of those 19 years. Taken for Prescott, Tacoma Times. (T.Times, 2/27/1949, p.36) TLP-6386
Olympus Hotel (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gunden, Ted; Barbers--Tacoma; Barbershops--Tacoma;
Rebuilding Ford engine at Titus Motor, Times, Buzz. A man is operating one of the machines at Titus Manufacturing Company. During the past summer at least four motors a day were reconditioned at the facility. (T.Times, 2/20/1949, p.3)
Machinery at Northwest Door Company, American Marietta Co., Henry Presessor. Large bags of dry, powdered adhesives are placed near a mixer at Northwest Door Company. The bag in the foreground is being moved by an overhead carrier. The glues used in the manufacture of plywood gave it strength and, as non-soluble glues were developed, plywood became weatherproof.
Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Machinery; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Plywood; Glue;
Crowd at Selden's Rug Show, Selden's, Mrs. Selden. A crowd of people stand outside at night looking in through Selden's showroom windows at the rug show. The company's neon sign spells the name of Selden's.
Selden's, Inc. (Tacoma); Rugs; Electric signs--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Tacoma Drug Company, interior and exterior of new offices, Tacoma Drug Co., Fred Osmers. The wholesale drug company had completed a new warehouse and offices on the Tacoma tideflats and were now stocking the 60,000 square feet of warehousing. The modern facilities were well lit. On the right can be seen their system for moving goods from the back of the warehouse in large tubs on a counter made of continuous rollers. Empty tubs could be returned to the back of the warehouse using an overhead conveyor.
Tacoma Drug Co. (Tacoma); Medicines; Warehouses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Big Six Service was owned by M. A. Martin, they were located at 3826 Sixth Avenue. Big Six offered their customers a full service gas station with a repair shop, fuel oil, battery and tire service, radios and electrical appliances. Exterior view of Big Six Service station, photo ordered by West Marquis Incorporated, an advertising agency based out of Seattle. The man in the hat is reported to be Malvin Andreas Martin. TPL-9267
Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Gasoline--Tacoma--1940-1950; Signs (Notices); Big Six Service (Tacoma); West Marquis, Inc. (Seattle);
The students of Arlington Elementary School were invited to the Music Box Theatre to watch Walt Disney's "So Dear to My Heart" in technicolor on March 2, 1949. The movie poster reads "A Dilly-Dilly Delight;" Burl Ives, Beulah Bondi, Harry Carey, Bobby Driscoll and Luana Patten star in the movie. Exterior view of the Music Box Theatre, Arlington's 2nd and 3rd grade students are standing with their teacher, holding a sign that lists their names.
Motion picture theaters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Motion pictures; Motion picture posters; School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Teachers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Motion picture audiences--Tacoma; Arlington School (Tacoma); Music Box Theatre (Tacoma);
Puget Sound Furniture Company was celebrating the grand re-opening of their furniture store in March of 1949. Ben Slotnick, owner, had planned a $100,000 remodeling and expansion project; the business had been at this location for 25 years. Interior view of the newly remodeled Puget Sound Furniture Company; showroom is fully stocked with everything customers may need for their homes (T. Times, 3/31/49, p. 4, 5).
MGM's "Command Decision" featuring Clark Gable, Walter Pidgeon, Van Johnson, Brian Donlevy, Charles Bickford, John Hodiak and Edward Arnold was playing at Tacoma's Music Box Theatre. A "Technicolor" cartoon, "The Cat Who Hated People" was the movie extra being featured. View of window display of jewelry and movie poster at The Diamond Shop on Broadway promoting the movie for the Music Box.
Exterior view of the American Building Maintenance Company; it was the largest janitorial contractors, janitor service, window cleaning, floor waxing and wall cleaning business. Scaffolding is set up on exterior of building, possibly for remodeling, the business is located next to Puget Sound Auto Electric Company; both businesses were located on South 7th Street and Pacific Avenue. Photo ordered by Universal Scaffold and Contractors Supply Company.
Scaffolding--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Street lights--Tacoma; Universal Scaffold & Contractors Supply (Tacoma); American Building Maintenance Co. (Tacoma);
Interior and exterior view of new store, Ghilarducci's, Elbert Baker. A view of the interior of Ghilarducci's new florist shop showing the business office and cash register. A counter is located on the left where customers can make out cards to go with their flowers. The company advertised that they had three telephones to accept orders. The office has a file cabinet and safe against the far wall.
Repair shop machinery and equipment for factory representative, Sanford Nash. Specialized machinery for testing automobile performance has been placed up on a ramp where the rear wheels rest against a spinning column. Neon signs hang from the ceiling for "Engine" and "Motor Tune Up".
Sanford-Nash, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1940-1950; Electric signs--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Tacoma's Rudder Club offered their members a number of social activities throughout the year. Hat and style shows, stag and doe parties, children's events, dinner and cocktails at the club's facilities, and many other functions for their members and guests. Interior view of private dining room at the club's facilities, located at 735 Commerce Street; a lovely table is set with five unidentified waitresses ready to serve at the private party.
Several homes under construction, Briggs Construction Co., Mr. Spillman. H.A. Briggs was president of Briggs Construction Company, Jack N. Briggs was vice president and Mrs. Ruth D. Briggs was secretary-treasurer. Their offices were at 1107 A Street. This view shows a new neighborhood of one-story, single family homes built to meet the expanding housing market. Briggs Construction Company was considered on the the Northwest's most progressive firms. They held open an open house for prospective buyers on August 7, 1949, at recently completed units in the Parkland and Fairmount Additions in Tacoma. (TNT, 8/7/1949, p.A-12)
Briggs Construction Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building construction--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Several homes under construction, Briggs Construction Co., Mr. Spillman. A residential street with a row of newly constructed one-story, single family homes is shown. The front yards have new lawns started but few other plants. Two girls are having fun skating on the smooth sidewalk. The Briggs Construction Company had completed 64 homes in the Fairmount Park Addition and 38 in the Parkland Addition. These homes provided every convenience and were conventionally built with concrete foundations, 2'x8" Douglas Fir flooring joists, oak flooring, pitched roofs with 210 pound thick butt asphalt shingles. (TNT, 8/7/1949, p.A-13)
Briggs Construction Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Roller skating--Tacoma--1940-1950; Children playing outdoors--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Thorsen's Service Station was an official distributor of Standard Oil Company gasoline. View of garage interior, tires on top shelf (left side), advertisements featuring "RPM" lubrication and oil products and "Filko" automotive replacement parts, and grease rack in center.
Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Thorsen's Service Station (Tacoma);
Photograph taken in November of 1947 of the Captain's Quarters at the Tacoma Athletic Commission's Club, located on the upper level of the Top of the Ocean, 2217 Ruston Way. Top of the Ocean housed Tacoma Athletic Commission, which retained its own private Club on the top level. The lower portions of the facility were open to the public. Organizations could also rent the facilities for parties. A cocktail area in the TAC Club is pictured; with a small dance floor, cocktail tables and comfortable chairs, a full bar and slot machines against the back wall. Photo ordered by Condon Advertising. (T. Times, 11/28/47, p. 5).
Dance floors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma);
