ca. 1928. Young woman wearing 1920s style flight suit and parachute stands on wing of a bi-plane. She may be practicing for a parachute jump. The plane is sitting on the ground, probably at Tacoma Field. The plane has a winged logo that says, "Bergen Bromley Flying Service." Next to the pilots cockpit, on the side of the plane is the name R. N. Bergen. His partner was Harold Bromley, best remembered for his failed attempts to fly from Tacoma to Tokyo.

Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Bergen Bromley Flying Service (Tacoma);

ca. 1930. Man in suit holding a hat and woman in coat and hat holding a closed umbrella stand at the entrance door to a plane. Man in old style pilots suit and cap crouches next to the plane, sorting what appears to be mail. Word "Pacific" clearly visible on side of plane. The plane is possibly a carrier for Pacific Air Transport, which handled air mail and package delivery from Tacoma in the late 1920's. Man to the right holds what appear to be mail bags.

Airplanes--Tacoma--1920-1930; Mueller-Harkins Airport (Lakewood); Air mail service--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1892. Merchants National Bank building at the corner of South 11th Street and Pacific circa 1892. Cablecar tracks can be seen going up 11th. Built in the heart of the Tacoma financial district, the Merchants National Bank was considered a "modern bank" upon its completion in 1891. The bank had reorganized in 1884 and was led by Walter J. Thompson. He remained its president until May of 1893 when bank failures swept the nation. Although Nelson Bennett, a director of the bank, agreed to assume the presidency and attempted a last minute influx of money to save the bank, the bank failed to open its doors on June 1, 1893. ( Hunt: "The Bank Failures of 1893,"History of Tacoma, Vol. 2, p. 110-115-article)

Merchants National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1890-1900;

ca. 1887. This view of the Tacoma National Bank bldg. in the 900 block of Pacific Avenue was taken circa 1887. The building was constructed at 923 Pacific about 1885 and an addition at 921 Pacific built in 1888. The Tacoma National Bank occupied the first floor of the structure with Drs. Munson and Misner, homeopathic physicians and surgeons, above. Washington Fire Insurance Company may have had offices there as well. J.S. Howell & Son had their real estate office in the building next door, at left. The building on the right contained a U.S. Post Office (113 S. 10th) and what appears to be a photography studio. At the far right edge of the photograph is part of the elegant Tacoma Hotel, 913 A Street. Streets above were rough and unpaved although sidewalks had already been constructed in front of these commercial facilities. (copy of original) Bi-Centennial Project # 75346-48; BU-13076, TPL-3787

Tacoma National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1880-1890; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Post offices--Tacoma;

Undated photograph of cliffs by the Sound, possibly an island. Photograph is also numbered TPL image 7039.

Cliffs--Washington;

ca. 1942. William L. (Bill) Case and friends aboard his pleasure craft, the "Baby Dumpling." The vessel had a mysterious beginning. She is crafted from a 30 foot lifeboat found abandoned in mid Pacific by the Silveray, a British motorship of the Silver-Java-Pacific line, sailing from the Philippine Islands to Puget Sound. In the craft were oars, two casks of fresh water, empty sea biscuit cartons, a cigaret package from Sidney, Australia and several .38 caliber bullet slugs, but no people. The slugs had punctured the air tanks and made several holes in the craft. No name was on the boat and its original owner was unknown. Foss Tug and Launch purchased the boat from the crew and towed it to their repair yard where Bill L. Case converted it to a pleasure craft. (Photograph courtesy of the William T. Case Collection) (lifeboat story T. Times 8/23/1939, pg. 18)

Case, William L.; Sailboats--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Unidentified workers laying concrete at the foot of the first Narrows Bridge. Construction began on the first Narrows Bridge, better known as "Galloping Gertie," in November of 1938 and the bridge was open to the public on July 1, 1940. It collapsed in a fierce windstorm just four months later on November 7, 1940. It took ten years with WWII and lack of materials intervening, before the second Narrows Bridge was dedicated in October of 1950. TAC-326 ; TPL-2757

Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Tacoma); Bridge construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bridges--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1931. Marymac Apartments, 615 So. 7th St., Tacoma. The apartment building was built in 1929 by C. F. Davidson & Co. It was designed by Silas E. Nelson, architect.

Marymac Apartments (Tacoma); Apartment houses--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1900. View of Pierce County Court House from the corner of South 9th Street and Tacoma Avenue South looking southwest. The clock has yet to be installed in the court house tower.

Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Courthouses--Tacoma;

Ca. 1892. View of Tacoma from bluff southeast of the City Waterway (the McKinley Hill area,) circa 1892. The wide street running up and down on the right is East E St. The second street to cross it from the bottom up is East 28th St. The East Congregational Church can be seen at the corner, 423 East 28th St. It was built in 1885 and destroyed by fire in 1927. Behind the steeple and to the left is the bell tower of the Engine House No. 4, 405 East 26th St. The fire station was built in 1887 and was the home of the "Our Boys" Hose Co. #4. To the left of the fire station is the two story Danish Brotherhood Hall, 402-04 East 26th St., built in 1890, sold and converted to apartments around 1902 and demolished around 1970. At the end of East E, the roof of the Northern Pacific roundhouse, 2211 East D St., can be seen. On the other side of the Waterway, some landmarks are, left to right, the Tacoma Grocery Co., F.S. Harmon Furniture, the clock tower of Old City Hall and the old 11th Street Bridge crossing the waterway.

Cityscapes--Tacoma--1890-1900;

ca. 1931. Rhodes Medical Arts Building and Garage, 747 Market, Tacoma. Originally known as the Rhodes Medical Arts Tower, this Art Deco structure was built by the United Rhodes Realty Corp. John Graham, Sr., was the primary architect with the local firm of Heath, Gove & Bell serving as associate architects. The building was dedicated on January 31st, 1931. At 17 stories, it was the tallest building in Tacoma at the time of its construction. It was a full-service medical care building in Tacoma's central business district. An attached garage provided much needed parking. There were two entrances to the Medical Arts Building, one on Market St. and the other on Saint Helens. It was purchased by the City of Tacoma in 1977 for use as government offices and was renamed the Tacoma Municipal Building in 1977. It is currently listed on the Tacoma and national registry of historic structures.

Medical Arts Building (Tacoma); Parking garages--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1936. Steven Motor Co., 738 Broadway, Tacoma Chrysler-Plymouth distributor and Steven Marine Supply at 734 Broadway, circa 1936.

Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Steven Marine Supply (Tacoma);

The Publix Market & Garage building at 1110-16 Pacific Ave. While under construction. This building was later remodeled, in 1965, and became the Bank of Tacoma.

Garages--Tacoma--1930-1940; Publix Market & Garage (Tacoma);

ca. 1952. Work is almost complete on the 1952 Main branch of the Tacoma Public Library. To the left is the Carnegie Library, a Renaissance structure built in 1903 from a design by Jardine, Kent and Jardine and with funds donated by industrialist Andrew Carnegie. To the right is the Main Library, built in 1952 from a design by Silas E. Nelsen. Construction is ongoing on the three floor structure. To the rear of the library soar the memorable spires of the Romanesque Pierce County Courthouse at 1012 So. "G" St. The building was built in 1892 along grandiose lines. It was demolished in 1959 to provide space for a parking lot for the new County City building. To the left of the Courthouse, you can glimpse the Tacoma Vocational School (now Bates), built in 1941 at 1101 Yakima Ave., and the Washington National Guard Armory, built in 1908 at 715 So. 11th St. The large building in the back and to the right of the library is the Central Lutheran Church at 1001 So. "G" St. The church, built in 1889 as the First Presbyterian Church, was demolished to make room for the County City building.

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Central Lutheran Church (Tacoma);

ca. 1938. 1938 Daffodil Festival Queen. 17-year-old Bliss Lundrigan of Puyallup was chosen the 1938 Daffodil Festival Queen. She was accompanied by princesses Bernice Daniel of Tacoma and Agnes Kucemba of Sumner. Miss Lundrigan is shown seated in a chair hidden by a mass of daffodils. A robe of royal purple is fastened at the collar; 1938 was the first year that Royalty wore official robes. A crown of daffodils adorns her dark hair.

Lundrigan, Bliss; Beauty contestants--Puyallup; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Puyallup);

ca. 1899. Engine Co. No. 6 opened on 9th & A Street in 1891. The station also housed Chemical Engine Co. No. 1. The headquarters station cost approximately $24,400. Captain William J. Chisholm led his company of five men; he may have been one of the men standing next to the horse-drawn engines in this sepia photograph. View of flower bedecked wagons and engines outside the two-story brick station; this is probably the 4th of July celebratory parade. (100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 22)

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma; Fire fighters--Tacoma--1890-1900; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1890-1900;

On December 30, 1931 a banquet was held by the Filipino community of Tacoma to pay homage to Dr. Jose Rizal y Mercado, national patriot, hero and martyr. The members of Catholica Fraternitas Philippina met in the St. Leo's High School social hall at 1323 So. Yakima. The program for the evening included an address of welcome by Mariano Doniego, a steel guitar solo by Jose Pamoso, and a violin performance by Phil A. Corpus. (TNT 12/29/1931)

Ethnic groups--Tacoma--1930-1940; Filipinos--Tacoma--1930-1940; Catholica Fraternitas Philippina (Tacoma);

Surrounded by blossoms is the 1941 Daffodil Queen, Pauline Martin. This portrait of the radiant 18-year-old Sumner resident was selected to be on the front page of the News Tribune on March 23, 1941, the night after her coronation. In 1941 the Daffodil Parade and activities fell in late March rather than later in April. Miss Martin and her two attendants, Maxene Maddex of Lincoln High School and Doris Simonsen of Puyallup, would have a busy week ahead of them. Besides riding in the Daffodil Festival Parade of March 29th they were scheduled to start the Daffodil Festival sailing regatta, appear at the opening of the National Flower & Garden Show in Seattle and listen to the University of Washington Band perform at Jason Lee Junior High. (TNT 3-23-41, p. 1)

Martin, Pauline; Beauty contestants--Sumner; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1941 : Sumner); Daffodils;

1958 Daffodil Festival Queen. Gretchen Brockhoff, a Stadium High School senior, became the 1958 Daffodil Festival Queen. She is posed in flowing robes and a bouffant gown. A beribboned bouquet of daffodils is cradled in her arms. The 17-year-old blond, blue-eyed yell queen was the third successive Tacoma representative selected as festival queen, having succeeded Margaret Strachan of Stadium and last year's queen, Janice Methven of Lincoln. She was crowned by Governor Albert D. Rosellini in ceremonies held at Sumner's Spartan Hall on April 7, 1958. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Brockhoff, Sr., had her whole family present that evening; her six-year-old brother Hans, having correctly predicted her victory, fell asleep before and slept through her coronation. (TNT 4-8-58, p. 1, 6)

Brockhoff, Gretchen; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1958 : Tacoma); Daffodils;

1952 Daffodil Festival Queen. More than 2200 people gathered at the Tacoma Armory to view the public coronation of the Daffodil Festival Queen on April 1, 1952. It was the largest crowd recorded at that time for a festival coronation. Eva Beattie, Sumner High School senior, was crowned with a garland of daffodils by Orville L. Brown, festival chairman. She was given keys to the cities of Puyallup, Sumner, Orting and Tacoma by the mayors and representatives of those cities. Queen Eva's coronation officially marked the start of a six-day celebration. (TNT 4-1-52, p. 1; TNT 4-2-52, A-1)

Beattie, Eva; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1952 : Tacoma);

1974 Daffodil Festival Queen. 17-year-old Wilson High School senior Lori Weber became the 1974 Daffodil Festival Queen in impressive ceremonies on April 1,1974, on the campus of Pacific Lutheran University. She was chosen from a field of eighteen princesses. Queen Lori I is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Weber of Fircrest. She is a cheerleader at Wilson and a pianist for the school choir. Miss Weber was crowned by Congressman Floyd Hicks. (TNT 4-2-74, A-1, 3)

Weber, Lori; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1970-1980; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1974 : Tacoma);

1975 Daffodil Festival Queen. Wendy Van Noy posed for her formal portrait as newly chosen Daffodil Festival Queen in April of 1975. Clutching the traditional bouquet of daffodils, she also holds the royal scepter. Upon her wavy hair is the queen's crown made out of old gold. Miss Van Noy, the 17-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Rhine of Tacoma, is a senior at Franklin Pierce High School. An accomplished oboist, she was chosen from a field of eighteen princesses. The 41st queen accepted her crown from professional bowler Earl Anthony on April 7, 1975, at Pacific Lutheran University's Olson Auditorium. She and her court would ride in the Grand Floral Parade on April 12th; Mr. Anthony would be the Grand Marshal of the parade. (TNT 4-8-75, A-1, A-3)

Van Noy, Wendy; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1970-1980; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1975 : Tacoma); Daffodils; Scepters; Crowns;

Undated 1930's photograph of a truck with its bed decorated with bunting and a large "New Deal" sign. Another sign on the truck denotes it as a float sponsored by Rhodes Brothers store. New Deal programs were initiated between 1933 and 1938.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades);

Members of the Polish National Alliance posed at the dedication of St. Joseph's Church, 602 South 34th St., on May 19, 1912. The men all wear ribbons/medals. It is not known whether the large group participated in the parade down Pacific Avenue prior to the church dedication.

St. Joseph's Slovak Catholic Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma--1910-1920; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Polish National Alliance (Tacoma);

The 23rd annual meeting of the Northwest States Baptist Convention and its auxiliaries met in Tacoma in 1933 from August 8 to August 12. This group portrait of members of Bethlehem and Berean Baptist churches was taken at South 18th and I Street near Bethlehem Baptist Church, located at 1723 So. I Street. The Berean congregation's building was the former Southside Improvement Association Hall at 1202 So. 56th Street. Read A3114.

Meetings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Northwest States Baptist Convention (Tacoma);

ca. 1944. Tacoma Central Ward Aaronic Priesthood boys displaying their Standard Quorum Award with Bishop Franklin S. Harris and James Milligan. First boy on left is Robert E. Evans.

Mormon churches--Tacoma; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Tacoma);

ca. 1890. George B. Kandle, Republican, was elected mayor of Tacoma on October 18, 1890. This picture is from William Prosser's "A History of the Puget Sound Country," The Lewis Publishing Company, 1903. opp p.224. George Kandle came to Washington as an infant in 1852. His parents, Henry and Margaret Kandle, had first arrived in Portland in 1851 where their wagon train broke up. Their son grew up on a large farm near Roy and later clerked at a drug store in Steilacoom. The firm of Clendenin & Miller then opened a general store in Old Town in 1872 and placed the future mayor in charge. In December of 1872 George Kandle was elected county auditor and served four terms. He was later a member of the Tacoma city council and in 1889 represented his district in the first legislature of the new state of Washington. While serving as a legislator, he was elected mayor of Tacoma in October of 1890 and remained in that office until 1892. George Kandle was to later serve as county commissioner and as a trustee for Western Washington Hospital (Western State). George B. Kandle died at age 75 in December of 1926. ALBUM 16. (Bonney: History of Pierce County, Washington, III, p. 201-202; Hunt: Tacoma Its History and Its Builders, III, p. 17-19)

Kandle, George B.; Mayors--Tacoma--1890-1900;

ca. 1880. John W. Sprague, elected mayor of Tacoma December 10, 1883. First mayor of the consolidated city. General Sprague received the Medal of Honor for service during the Civil War. He was the first president of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce and was instrumental in starting many of the first businesses in early Tacoma. Photo from Herbert Hunt's "Tacoma, Its History and Its Builders, Volume 1" opp p.190 (Olsen: Tacoma Beginnings, p. 56) ALBUM 16. (Additional information received from a reader)

Sprague, John W.; Mayors--Tacoma--1880-1890

ca. 1900. George P. Wright was elected mayor of Tacoma April 4, 1904, defeating incumbent Louis D. Campbell by a vote of 4,239 to 3,578. The Democratic mayor would go on to re-election in 1906. Mr. Wright was born in Ontario, Canada in 1865. He would have a variety of occupations including teacher, farmer, government employee, merchant, contractor, and real estate and investment operator. Mr. Wright arrived in Walla Walla county about 1889 and moved to Tacoma about seven years later. During Mr. Wright's four years as mayor, his greatest accomplishments may have been the planning, engineering, financing and advocating of municipally owned systems of power and light and water supply. Charles F.A. Mann in his "An anniversary celebration commemorating one hundred years of Tacoma" called Mayor Wright the man who "started Tacoma's public utilities." Two terms of office were enough for Mr. Wright who would later establish Wright Shipyard in WWI. He would pass away in April of 1932 while serving as a Port of Tacoma commissioner and president of Tacoma Grocery Co. This picture is from Herbert Hunt's "Tacoma, Its History and Its Builders, Volume 2" p.517 ALBUM 16. (Mann: An anniversary commemorating one hundred years of Tacoma, p. 31; Hunt: Tacoma Its History and Its Builders, II, p. 202, 516-520)

Wright, George P.; Mayors--Tacoma--1900-1910