A display of Tacoma industries and their products is on view in the lobby at the National Bank of Washington for World Trade Week in May of 1950. Model ships built by N.C. Garrison line the upper molding above the teller's cages. Flags from many countries hang across the back of the lobby. The display featured the American Smelting and Refining Co., Carstens Packing Co., General Hardwood Co., General Mills, F.C. Wolf and Son and Wood Coffee Co. (TNT, 5/24/1950, p.26)

Banks--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1940-1950; National Bank of Washington (Tacoma); Lobbies--Tacoma--1940-1950; Model ships; Commerce;

The exterior of the Bank of California building. The Bank of California was formally established in 1864 in San Francisco. As early as that same year the bank had out-of-state activities in Nevada opening the Virginia City agency. The bank expanded by organizing the Mission Bank of San Francisco in 1903 and purchasing the London and San Francisco Bank in 1905. The London and San Franciso Bank had established a Portland branch in 1882, a Tacoma branch in 1889, and a branch in Seattle in 1901. In 1910 the Bank of California was granted a national charter and its oficial name became the Bank of California, National Association. Prior to that time it had operated as a state bank under California banking laws. Thus, at the time of its admittance as a national bank, the Bank of California was already operating in four states: California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. For many years it was the only national bank to operate in more than two states, until banking laws were changed in the 1980's. (Partners in Progress 1865-1950, James J. Hunter)

Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Columns--Tacoma;

Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan, DPFA. Pacific 1st Federal Savings adds a new safe deposit vault during modernization of their facilities. Unprecedented growth of savings and loan associations during the 1950s provided funding for construction and new homes. Many of the new homes were financed through government FHA and VA loans created for veterans of World War II and the Korean War.

Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

National Bank of Washington was located at the heart of downtown Tacoma, at 1123 Pacific Avenue; this building is now used to house the Tacoma Art Museum. The National Bank of Washington Cashier in 1949 was James Byers; the Assistant Cashiers were: Arthur W. James, P. C. Hultman, Blandford W. Marley, Lester W. Nelsen, Harold T. Paulsen, Wilbur F. Rieck, Jerry M. Sandal, Albert L. Taylor, and Sparks O. Washburn; the Pro-Assistant Cashier was Harold R. Carlson. Interior view of bank, two customers are being helped; view of customer files and filing cabinets.

Banks--Tacoma; Customer relations; Banking--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bankers--Tacoma; National Bank of Washington (Tacoma)--People;

Reno Odlin, President of Puget Sound National Bank, and Mrs. Horace Fogg, Tacoma artist, gaze up at his portrait on its presentation to the Lakewood branch of the bank. The life size oil portrait of Odlin's head and shoulders was painted by Mrs. Fogg to be displayed in the lounge of the bank. It is one of a series of portraits of well known Tacomans painted by the artist. Mrs. Fogg studied art in Florence and other European cities and specialized in portraits. She painted only for her pleasure and that of her friends, preferring not to sell her paintings. (TNT 1/9/1955, pg. D-9)

Bankers--Tacoma; Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood); Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Portraits; Fogg, Horace--Family;

Exterior of the new National Bank of Washington building at 54th and Pacific, featuring ceramic tile for Gladding, McBean & Co. The new bank was designed by Lea, Pearson & Richards, Architects. It was of modern design with an exterior of Roman brick and ceramic tile. The north side of the 40 x 100 foot building was almost entirely plate glass and polished aluminum. In keeping with the tide of population out of the city center and into the suburbs, the banks followed the flow and opened branch offices.

National Bank of Washington (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960;

National Bank of Washington, exterior of new industrial branch on the Tideflats. The 15th banking office of National Bank of Wa. opened for business July 1, 1955. It offered, for the first time in the industry, complete banking facilities to the more than 200 industries and their 11,000 employees on the Tideflats. The branch was also convenient by car to Browns Point, Dash Point, Northeast Tacoma, Federal Way, Fife and Milton. It had ample free parking for customers. (TNT 6/29/1955, pg. A-3)

National Bank of Washington (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The Tacoma Savings and Loan Association held their annual Christmas party at the Fircrest Golf Club in 1952. Dorothy Hopping Roberts (third from left), Hazel Schaeffer Hopping and William D. Hopping, Jr. (second from right and extreme right) posed for a casual portrait behind a decorated tree branch. The couple at the extreme left were not identified. Dorothy Hopping Roberts was the daughter of William Hopping, Sr., president of Tacoma Savings & Loan. William D. Hopping, Jr., here with his wife Hazel, was the son of the savings & loan president. (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Roberts, Dorothy Louise Hopping; Hopping, William D.; Hopping, Hazel Schaeffer; Hopping, William D.--Family;

ca. 1956. The grand building at 11th & Pacific was the home of Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association for decades. The Merchants National Bank was the Romanesque structure's first tenant back in 1891. The brick and marble edifice had two entrances, one on 11th and the other on Pacific, to catch traffic on both streets. It would eventually be demolished about 1961 and a new Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association building be constructed on the same site. BU -11,004

Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Pacific First Federal Building (Tacoma);

Bank of California- customer parking and drive up banking window. The Bank of California heavily advertised its convenience features- a free parking lot, drive up teller windows and a rear bank entrance just steps from the parking lot. The drive up windows now had two tellers, making banking quicker and easier. The banking institutions tried to make banking in the downtown area more attractive, as business deserted the downtown area for the suburbs. The fifties saw the beginning of the desertion of downtown Tacoma as a retail area. (TNT 10/11/1953, pg. A-4)

Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parking lots--Tacoma;

ca. 1953. Puget Sound National Bank, Lakewood branch. The main lobby had walnut panelling and included the teller, note and statement units as well as the officers' sections. The lobby was arranged for customer service and convenience. The full basement was an employee only area with a conference room, book vault, employee's lounge with fireplace and a kitchenette. Some of the most modern features in the new bank were the recessed fluorescent illumination and the many outlets for electronic banking machinery. (TNT 10/20/1953, pg. C-9)

Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Banking--Lakewood;

The ladies' lounge in Puget Sound National Bank, Lakewood branch. The ladies' lounge, which opened off the lobby, was fully furnished in an early American motif and accented with its own fireplace. It added a truly elegant touch to the bank. The employees had their own lounge in the basement, also with a fireplace. (TNT 10/20/1953, pg. C-6)

Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Banking--Lakewood;

ca. 1953. Safe deposit vault at Puget Sound National Bank, Lakewood branch. Opening off the main lobby was the safe deposit vault and coupon booths. The bank featured a 950 box safe deposit vault. Other conveniences offered included a drive up teller on the south side of the building. (TNT 10/20/1953, C-6 - C-9)

Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Banking--Lakewood; Vaults (Strong rooms)--Lakewood; Safe-deposit boxes--Lakewood;

Remodeled departments at the Bank of California. This is possibly the employees' cafeteria where a single person is on duty in the clean and sparkling kitchen. A large commercial mixer can be seen to the right, while a woman fills plates with today's special in front of a commercial range. The counter in front has coffee pots on the warming plates as well as coffee cups and prepared food on the self serve shelves.

Banks--Tacoma; Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A long, sweeping semi-circle with matching curves in the terrazzo floor provides a sleek design to the newly remodeled Pierce County Savings & Loan Association. Tellers await customers behind connected rich walnut counters; a multi-panel mural of Mount Rainier graces the wall. Marshall Perrow was the architect of the remodeling project; Kirkebo & Sons, the contractors. The savings and loan held an open house for the public in late March, 1954. Photograph taken for the TNT. (TNT 3-22-54, p. 6, 7)

Pierce County Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Financial facilities--Tacoma; Murals--Tacoma;

Interior of Bank of California building. Built in 1928 of Wilkeson sandstone and granite, the Bank of California building was designed in the Italian Renaissance style with interiors of walnut and Travertine masonry. This elevated view of the bank's lobby highlights the enormous skylight, arched windows, chandeliers and tiled flooring. John Graham was the architect involved in the Bank of California building and J.E. Bonnell & Son, contractors. TPL-8452

Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Chandeliers;

ca. 1956. Artist's rendering of the planned new branch of the National Bank of Washington in Buckley, Wa. Lea, Pearson & Richards, Architects. The design is compact and one story, with lots of floor to ceiling windows to supply natural lighting. Buckley is located 2 1/2 miles south of Enumclaw on the White River. It was originally a saw mill and logging center. The planned location for the bank is the corner of Main and River Ave. It would have a square footage of 4276 sq. feet, cost $75,000 and take approximately four months to complete. It would have six teller windows, safe deposit boxes, a community meeting room and a lounge and kitchen for employees. Carl Nilsen and Son were the contractors. (TNT 7/15/1956, pg. B-5)

National Bank of Washington (Buckley); Banks--Buckley--1950-1960;

Workers examine the excavation site and footings of the permanent home of the Lakewood Puget Sound National Bank in April, 1953. Unlike its predecessor, a 35 X 75 foot plywood structure which took only 10 working days to complete, the new brick colonial would take a more leisurely six months to construct. It would open on October 5, 1953, on Mt. Tacoma Dr. S.W. in the Lakewood Center. By the end of 1953, its deposits would have increased more than one million dollars from the previous year. (Provorse: Banking on Independence, p. 107)

Puget Sound National Bank (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Excavation--Lakewood; Building construction--Lakewood--1950-1960;

National Bank of Washington lobby decorated for the Northwest Territory Centennial Days. Carl L. Phillips, bank president, holds one of the pictures to be displayed. The pictures document Tacoma around 1853. The festivities designed to celebrate the 100 year anniversary included an outdoor drama, a beard growing contest, district street dances & celebrations and a parade. TPL-9204

Banks--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960; National Bank of Washington (Tacoma); Lobbies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Celebrations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Centennial celebrations--Tacoma; Phillips, Carl L.;

Carl L. Phillips, Bank President, and Mayor Harold Tollefson, left, pose with a mannequin depicting banking one hundred years ago in the lobby of the National Bank of Washington. As the city of Tacoma prepared for the week long celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the Northwest Territory, centennial displays went up all over town. Tacoma's main connection with the centennial was that in 1853 Tacoma's DeLin mill shipped the first lumber from Commencement Bay.

Banks--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960; National Bank of Washington (Tacoma); Lobbies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Centennial celebrations--Tacoma;

PLU choir at Bank of California. Customers and employees of Bank of California all enjoyed the musical performance from the Pacific Lutheran University Choir of the West on December 18, 1967. The choir and their audience gathered around the enormous Christmas tree in the lobby of the Italian Renaissance-styled bank building prior to Christmas. It was the sixth annual program of Christmas music direct from the bank's lobby and was broadcast live on KTNT radio. The Choir of the West is led by Maurice Skones, director. Photograph ordered by Bank of California. (TNT ad 12-17-67, A-27)

Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Choirs (Music); Choir of the West (Parkland); Pacific Lutheran University (Parkland)--1960-1970; Christmas trees--Tacoma;

The Tacoma Savings & Loan Association invited local residents to attend an "Open House" on June 28, 1957, celebrating the completion of its new headquarters at 101 So. 9th St., across the street from its former location in the Bowes Building. The new building was a marvel of wall-to-wall insulating plate glass and featured a semi-circular open staircase that reached from the basement to the mezzanine level. The savings & loan also incorporated the "old" into their new headquarters; scenes of Tacoma's past were captured in enlarged photographs and mounted for display. View of visitors admiring a photograph of the horse and trolley days on 11th & Pacific. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Savings & Loan Association.

Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Celebrations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Art exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior- savings & loan building. The sleek new Tacoma Savings & Loan Association building on South 9th and A Street is ready to be opened in late June, 1957. It is directly across the street from its former headquarters in the Bowes Building. The ulta-modern glass-encased building was designed by architects Lea, Pearson & Richards, who were responsible for many notable buildings in Tacoma. The steel framed construction would total 95 feet by 75 feet. View of contrasting "old" and "new" Tacoma Savings & Loan Association bank buildings. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Savings & Loan Association. (TNT 6-27-57, A-6-9)

Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

Rear of Bank of California building. A rear view of the Bank of California building shows Pierce County Federal Savings & Loan to the right and the Hopper-Kelly Co. to the building's left in a photograph taken on September 23, 1957. Rather than having an anonymous facade, the bank had large signage near the rooftop. Although the Hopper-Kelly Co. building may have been remodeled up front, the rear view appears untouched. Photograph ordered by Bank of California.

Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Pierce County Federal Savings & Loan (Tacoma); Hopper Kelly Co. (Tacoma);

Interior of bank taken on January 4, 1964. A typical day at Villa Plaza's National Bank of Washington branch shows customer utilizing drive-up window, customers transacting business at the foreign currency exchange desk and at teller's window, and visiting with bank officials. Metal sculpture of birds hanging from ceiling was done by Tom Hardy of Portland; it was entitled "Flight of Birds" and was made of welded steel with embellished wing tips in gold leaf.

National Bank of Washington (Lakewood); Banks--Lakewood; Banking--Lakewood; Sculpture--Lakewood;

Vault at new Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Assn. building. This photograph, taken before business hours on September 10, 1964, shows the enormous vault door at the new Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Assn. building. The circular door is swung wide open. Past the interior barred steel door are tall cabinets of metal safe deposit boxes.

Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Vaults (Strong rooms)--Tacoma;

Courtyard of new Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Assn. building. This late October, 1964, view of the serene courtyard attached to the Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Assn. was taken from 11th & Commerce St. Benches are placed strategically so that customers, or merely those wanting to take a quiet break, can enjoy the splashing fountain designed by famed artist George Tsutakawa, a University of Washington professor of art. A second-floor patio deck overlooks the courtyard and is decorated with small shrubs. Photograph ordered by Lea, Pearson & Richards, architects.

Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Fountains--Tacoma; Courtyards--Tacoma;

The McKinley Hill Banking Center of National Bank of Washington had been open for six months in August, 1965. It was the bank's 16th office in the Tacoma area and had hosted a "bankwarming" on February 27, 1965. Located at the corner of Harrison St. and McKinley Ave., the contemporary 3700-square foot building was constructed of travertine stone and vertical resawn cedar siding. A large parking lot and drive-up window was built for the convenience of the bank's customers. Local architects Lea, Pearson & Richards designed the building which was built by Levage Construction Co. Richard Blamey, executive officer and Donald Rhodus, assistant cashier, were in charge of the banking center. A 25-foot "money ribbon" was cut at the time of the bank's opening and the money donated to the Tayet School for Handicapped Children. (TNT 2-26-65, p. 11)

National Bank of Washington (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Signs (Notices);

The splashing waters of the George Tsutakawa-designed fountain in the courtyard of the Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association building add to the serenity unexpectedly located in the urban setting of downtown Tacoma. Benches, trees and shrubs were strategically placed so that customers and passersby could enjoy restful moments. On this May 2, 1966, date two flags are prominently displayed above the courtyard: a Washington State flag and the American flag. View was taken from the Commerce St. entrance. Photograph ordered by Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association.

Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Fountains--Tacoma; Courtyards--Tacoma; State flags; Flags--United States;

ca. 1959. Reno Odlin, shown with Puget Sound Bank visitor Mrs. Wesley Clark from Fox Island, and the bank's new leased computer, the IBM 305 RAMAC (Random Access Memory Accounting Computer.) In 1959, Puget Sound Bank became the first bank in Washington and the second on the west coast to use computers. The IBM 305 and, because of the computer's 3,000 heat generating tubes, a new air conditioner were installed in the bank's basement. The computer used punch cards and it was able to process about 70 checks a minute, making it too slow for the larger banks to use. The selection and integration of the computer were the project of Senior Vice president Robert Gordon. The most unique feature of the computer was its magnetic memory file which looked like a vertical stack of 50 large metal disks the size of phonograph records. The disks rotated on a steel axle at a rate of 1,200 revolutions per minute. ("Banking on Independence" Provorse, pg. 110+, TNT 7/9/1959, pg. C-3)

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Computers--1950-1960; Banking--Tacoma--1950-1960; Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Clark, Wesley--Family;