ca. 1950. Exposure of truck at Walker Chevrolet with two men in suits by door. Sign on side says "Don Rohan - fine beverages - Schlitz."

Chevrolet automobile; Rohan, Don--Associated objects; Alcoholic beverages;

ca. 1950. Two men, one in suit, one in casual dress, standing by door of delivery van. "Don Rohan - Fine Beverages - Schlitz." A Chevrolet van, with signs advertising Schlitz beer and brewer's agent, Don Rohan, is parked in front of a grove of trees. The man in the light colored suit is leaning against the vehicle with his elbow propped inside the open window. The man in the hat has one hand behind his back and the other hand placed on the van's door.

Chevrolet automobile; Rohan, Don--Associated objects; Alcoholic beverages;

Launching of M.V. Golden Glow at Peterson Boat Building Company. Three men and woman with bouquet and ceremonial champagne bottle. Ordered by George Peterson, general manager.

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960; Peterson Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Launching of M.V. Golden Glow at Peterson Boat Building Company. Ship inside wooden building. Ordered by George Peterson, general manager.

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960; Peterson Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Plane crash, Mt. Rainier Ordnance Depot, photo ordered by Sandegren of the Tacoma Times. Two Army Air Force flyers were killed when the F-82 twin-engine fighter plane they were flying crashed and burned in the storage area of the Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot at Fort Lewis on February 23, 1949. Air Force officers are seen examining the debris for clues to the cause of the crash. One engine had "conked out" before the plane hit the ground. Tracer bullets and 50-caliber machine gun ammunition exploded at intervals as fire fighters attempted to check the fiercely burning plane. (T.Times, 2/24/1949, p.1) TPL-10357

Airplanes--Lakewood--1940-1950; Aircraft accidents--Lakewood--1940-1950; Fort Lewis (Wash.);

Richards Commercial Photo Service was one of the leaders in the photography industry in Tacoma; they offered their professional services for social events, weddings, industrial, studio and any other type of photography desired. March 1949 view of "Richards.... Tacoma's Society Photographers" automobile with two beautiful young women posing for their "Society" photos; photograph possibly used for advertising.

Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Socialites--Tacoma; Photography--Tacoma; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Photography industry--Tacoma; Photographers--Tacoma; Photographic studios--Tacoma; Richards Commercial Photo Service (Tacoma);

Birchfield Boiler company were builders of the famous "Birchfield Boiler", they also specialized in building tanks, hot water heaters, pipes, stacks and various types of vessels. Birchfield Boiler, Inc. was located on 2503 East 11th Street in Tacoma's tideflats area; the plant was on the Port Industrial Waterway, now known as the Blair Waterway. View of Birchfield Boiler built "Situk", a 48 foot by 16 foot by 28 inch power scow built for Libby McNeill and Libby.

Barges--Tacoma; Construction industry--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma);

William Skansie (far left) and the crew of the Skansie's Shipbuilding Company stand in front of a 59-foot fishing boat that was completed in April of 1949. The yet un-named seiner was the first fishing boat to be built at the Skansie shipyard in Gig Harbor since 1930. John Cosulich (sixth from the left) had been foreman at the Skansie plant for 37 years. This Skansie fishing boat was designed by J. A. Martinolich of San Francisco, California. Skansie's Shipbuilding Company was owned and operated by William Skansie and Mitchell Skansie Jr. (T.N.T., 4/18/49, p. 14). TPL-8339

Fishing boats--Gig Harbor--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Gig Harbor; Launchings--Gig Harbor--1940-1950; Skansie's Shipbuilding Co. (Gig Harbor); Cosulich, John--Family; Skansie, William;

Tacoma Yacht Club was sponsoring the Daffodil Yacht Races on the Daffodil Festival weekend. The first leg of the race was from Old Tacoma to Port Piers on Commencement Bay, then back to the starting point. A total of 11 entries participated in the Class A race, and 4 entries raced in Class B. All sailors celebrated after the races in the Captain's Lounge of the Tacoma Yacht Club (T.N.T., 4/11/49, p. 16).

Yacht racing--Tacoma; Yachts--Tacoma; Sailboat racing--Tacoma; Sailboats--Tacoma; Events--Tacoma; Tacoma Yacht Club (Tacoma);

West Coast Grocery had just recently moved into their new offices on East D Street. Mutual Fruit Company was a subsidiary of West Coast Grocery. Exterior view of West Coast Grocery Company's AMOCAT, Mutual Fruit Company and Olympia Beer trucks, photo ordered by Condon Company, an advertising company T. Times, 2/26/47, p. 12-B).

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Food industry--Tacoma; West Coast Grocery Co. (Tacoma); Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950; Storehouses--Tacoma;

J. M. Martinac was founded in 1924, they had a large site where they had ship building operations, marine repair shop and a marine railway. They built fishing boats and work boats. Their advertisements said "A Martinac-Built boat is your guarantee of complete satisfaction". View of "Oregon", a 55 foot tuna clipper. TPL-8921

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Deep Sea 140 foot long range trawler, it will be able to prepare King crabs and fish from the water to the consumer. The vessel will have the machinery needed to sort and clean the crab, steam cook, wash with fresh water, weigh and freeze and package in aluminum foil. "Deep Sea" was the first Pacific-built fishing and processing vessel of her type, the boat was built for Deep Sea Trawlers, Inc. (Pacific Fisherman, July 1947, p. 40-41).

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma);

Peterson Boat Building. Three men inspect some of the machinery in the hold of a boat. Two of the housings are named "Baker". Baker manufactured refrigeration systems for fishing boats. TPL-8930

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Engines; Engine rooms--Tacoma; Peterson Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Exp of truck loaded with lumber at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company. The driver has his door open and is seen through the open window. The truck is loaded with plywood. The grill on the Mack truck is elaborate, the fenders curved up over the front tires and the headlights sit above the curved metal next to the hood.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Plywood; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A photograph is taken on September 5, 1942 of the Buick Eight ambulance, purchased for the American Red Cross with the proceeds of the "Victory Varieties," parked at 11th and Yakima. Three men watch as Marjorie Cain, wife of Mayor Harry Cain, hands key to to Jessie (Mrs. Clinton) Reynolds of the Red Cross Motor Corps. The three men are, left to right, Al Copp, Irving Thomas and Ed Michlitsch. The $1600 vehicle was purchased with only a portion of the Varieties $6,000 in ticket sales. Funds also went to the purchase of blood plasma and blood donation equipment, first aid equipment and the Tacoma Public School immunization program. Armory and Pierce County Courthouse in background. (TNT 9/5/1942, pg. 1- picture, T. Times 9/5/1942, pg. 3)

Ambulances--1940-1950; American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); Cain, Marjorie Dils, 1908-1994; Reynolds, Jessie; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The keys to the $1,600 Buick Eight ambulance, purchased for the Red Cross Motor Corps with proceeds of the "Victory Varieties" show, were presented by show director Al Copp to Mrs. Clinton S. (Jessie) Reynolds of the Motor Corps in September of 1942. Mrs Marjorie Cain, the show's producer and wife of the mayor, is looking on. The other men attending the ceremony are business manager Irving Thomas and Ed Michlitsch of the Tacoma Central Labor Council. The "Victory Varieties" was a Red Cross benefit show given several weeks earlier in the Temple Theater. Ticket sales raised over $6,000. The proceeds were also used to purchase blood plasma and equipment, first aid equipment, and assist the Tacoma Public Schools immunization program. The ambulance was to remain permanently in the hands of the local motor corps to be used to transport materials and people for the Red Cross and Civilian Defense work. Armory and Pierce County Courthouse in background. (T. Times 9/5/1942, pg. 3; TNT 9/5/1942, pg. 1)

Ambulances--1940-1950; American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); Cain, Marjorie Dils, 1908-1994; Reynolds, Jessie; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; State Armory (Tacoma);

On May 7, 1943, Tacoma's Fireboat #1 took part in a drill with the Coast Guard, demonstrating the city's ability to fight a waterfront fire. The city's fire boat and five Coast Guard fire fighting barges went through their paces, shooting 50 streams of water high into the air. (T. Times 5/8/1943, pg. 3)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

In May of 1943, Tacoma Fireboat #1 was used to patrol Tacoma's 36 miles of marine shoreline. Tacoma's first fireboat, it was launched in 1929 and served for 53 years, putting out waterfront fires and responding to emergencies such as sinking vessels and water rescues. During the war years, the city fire department and the Coast Guard patrolled waterfront businesses looking for fire hazards and awarding Waterfront Defense "Good Housekeeping" pennants. Fireboat #1 was retired from service in 1982 and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1989. She is displayed in a permanent dry berth at Marine Park off Ruston Way. The long, low and narrow riveted steel hulled vessel is 96.6 feet in length and could reach speeds of up to 15 knots. She is one of 10 vessels constructed as fireboats greater than 50 years of age left in the US. Of the five 1920's fireboats, she is the least modified and has not undergone extensive modernization. (T.Times, 5/10/43, p.14; National Park Service website under Maritime Heritage Program) TPL-8671

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950;

City Firemen and their Fireboat #1, pictured, cooperated with the Coast Guard in an exercise on May 7, 1943 demonstrating their ability to cope with waterfront fires. The fireboat and the Coast Guard's five fire barges drilled off Old Town Dock, pumping a combined 23,700 gallons of water a minute. The drill also called attention to the last few days of the Tacoma Waterfront Defense Committee's clean up drive. (T.Times, 5/10/43, p. 14)

Fireboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

In February of 1943, the Tacoma Transit Co. parked one of its buses in front of the Modern Auto Works at 1401-09 A St. for a photo opportunity. The photo was used in a February 25 advertisement in the Tacoma Times asking people to use the rear door of the bus for exiting, leaving the front entrance for loading.. (T Times 2/25/43 Pg. 25)

Mass transit--Tacoma; Buses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Transit Co. (Tacoma);

New crash car at Police Garage, Times, Paul Lantz. The City of Tacoma Police Department purchased a new accident prevention car which was placed in service September 17, 1947, by Safety Commissioner, Robert S. Temme. Sgt. Bob Marshall shows the batteries for the electric flares that are part of the special equipment on the car. Other special equipment included: a first aid kit, drawing board, steel measuring line and a $300 camera and loud speaker. Dammeier Printing (811 Pacific Ave.) and Hotel Olympus (815 Pacific Ave.) can be seen further down the street. (T.Times, 9/17/1947, p.1)

Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Temme, Robert S.; Marshall, Bob;

New crash car at the Police Garage. The Tacoma Police Department had just received its new accident prevention car. Known as a "crash car" in most cities where they had already been used successfully, the car and driver will visit the scene of all accidents and make a detailed investigation. L-R, Patrolman Emil Smith (who has been assigned to duty in the crash car), Sergeant Bob Marshall and Safety Commissioner Robert S. Temme. Photo taken for Paul Lantz for the Tacoma Times. (T.Times, 9/17/1947, p.1) TPL-2516

Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Temme, Robert S.; Marshall, Bob; Smith, Emil; Tacoma Police Department Garage (Tacoma);

Model Saree Scott, dressed in black with a pillbox-styled hat, enjoys a bottle of Coca-Cola while standing next to a Chevrolet delivery truck in October of 1947. The smiling Coca-Cola delivery man standing in the back of the truck was not identified. The Coca-Cola Chevrolet truck had a famous valve-in-head truck engine. The new modern "Advance Design" truck had stronger frames to carry greater loads at a greater distance for a longer time. The longer wheelbases also provided better load distribution. Photo ordered by South Tacoma Motor Co. TPL-10574

Chevrolet trucks; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Coca-Cola Bottling Co. (Tacoma); Carbonated beverages; Bottles; Scott, Saree; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hats--1940-1950; Fashion models--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The Rudder Club was planning autumn activities for members and their guests in October of 1947. They had recently hosted a hat show, were in the process of planning bridge games and a member ferry party. View of Rudder Club members aboard the "Lincoln" ferry, band members can be seen on upper level.

Ferries--Tacoma; Marine terminals--Tacoma; Celebrations--Tacoma; Rudder Club, Inc. (Tacoma);

Feminine personnel on evening cruise on Mr. Cummings boat, Wheeler Osgood. The women wave and bask in the warm summer evening while they speed across the water in the 36 foot wooden yacht, the "Challenger". The Challenger was built by Fred Cummings and Charles Brooks of the Sound Boating Company. She had 115 hp twin engines and cruised at 20 mph. The Challenger was launched 4 weeks earlier and was docked at Old Tacoma Boat Mart. The women were embarked for Cross' Landing on Vashon Island this evening. (T.Times, 8/18/1947, p.3)

Yachts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bodies of water--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parties--Tacoma--1940-1950; Recreation--Tacoma--1940-1950; Challenger;

The Commercial Distributing Company at 301 E. 25th St. specialized in hauling heavy machinery, houses, boats, steel and iron between Tacoma and Seattle. The firm was founded in 1928 and was owned and operated by Joe Sunnen. The firm had a staff of twenty five men. Commercial had recently purchased four new Diamond T truck tractors from Winthrop Motors, these four new trucks joined a fleet of thirty six other pieces of equipment. Exterior view of plant and six trucks (T. Times, 10/27/47, p. 2). TPL-10054

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shipping--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Commercial Distributing Co. (Tacoma); Diamond T trucks;

Coca-Cola Company in Tacoma had just purchased a new Chevrolet truck with new "Advance Design" features from South Tacoma Motor Company. The new modern truck had an "Advance Design" streamlined body, cab, fenders and hood. Chevrolet had increased the load space, which made it more efficient for commercial uses. View of Coca-Cola vending machines being delivered, possibly to a college dormitory. Photo ordered by South Tacoma Motor Co.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Vending machines--Tacoma; Coca Cola Bottling Co. (Tacoma); South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma); Chevrolet trucks;

Griffin Fuel Company was started by Fred Griffin more than fifty years ago. Today the company's President and General Manager is Edwin Griffin, Fred's son. Griffin delivered stove, diesel and burner fuel oils, stoker coals, wood and sawdust. Griffin Fuel had the largest and most modern fleet of delivery trucks in the Northwest, prompt and dependable fuel delivery was assured. View of delivery trucks at the Griffin Fuel garage.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Garages--Tacoma; Fuel trade--Tacoma; Fuel--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Griffin Fuel Co. (Tacoma);

Times. The Gretna Victory, the Northwest Christmas ship, docked in Tacoma briefly for loading the contributions from Tacomans to the suffering peoples of Germany and Austria. The ship was filled with contributions from four northwestern states and Alaska including food, clothing and messages of hope for Europe. The Young Men's Business Council planned a gala welcome and farewell for the ship's officers and crew. Captain H.C. Gibbs is seen here seated with a smiling woman on his lap and his chief officer, L. Warren is standing in the back accepting a hug from another smiling woman. The two women and other man were not identified. (TNT, 1/31/1948, p.1)

Cargo ships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Relief ships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Assistance--Tacoma; Clothing relief--Tacoma--1940-1950; Food relief--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gibbs, H.C.; Warren, L.;

Times. The Gretna Victory, designated the Northwest Christmas Ship for the duration of its current relief mission, docked in Tacoma before 7 p.m. January 30, 1948, and left shortly after midnight. The 10,000-ton vessel was carrying food and clothing donations from four northwest states and Alaska and would complete its loading of relief supplies at Portland over the next two days. The ship was expected to dock in Bremen, Germany, about March l. (TNT, 1/31/1948, p.1)

Cargo ships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Relief ships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Assistance--Tacoma; Clothing relief--Tacoma--1940-1950; Food relief--Tacoma--1940-1950; Marine terminals--Tacoma--1940-1950; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1940-1950;