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;

Copy of advertisement for the Condon-Milne, Inc., photographed on December 5, 1924. The ad states that "The Best Food is made still better when you make it into Toast!" Only large lettering is used without any pictures. G32.1-029

Advertisements; Advertising--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Inexperienced safecrackers failed to blow open the massive safe at Bye Thompson Motor Sales, 3320 South G Street, on early Friday morning, December 5, 1924. The thieves abandoned their efforts when the explosives they used broke the windows in front of the safe and threw the office into disarray, but only succeeded in blowing off the combination dial on the safe's door, not in releasing the bars holding the door in place. This was the second time in less than a year that Bye Thompson Motors had been robbed; on December 18, 1923, thieves somehow carried away the company's 1000 pound safe and blew it open several blocks away. That robbery netted the thieves $362. This photograph was taken at the scene of the crime on December 5, 1924. G24.1-056 (TNT 12-5-24, p. 1)

Safes; Robberies--Tacoma; Bye Thompson Motor Sales Co. (Tacoma);

Drama League rehearsals at the Tacoma Theater. "The Torch Bearers" was chosen as the designated 1924 mid-winter play of the Tacoma Drama League. Cast members included Mrs. Llewellyn J.W. Jones, Miss Catherine Hurley and Mrs. Rex Roudebush. "The Torch Bearers" was performed on December 16, 1924. G22.1-011 (TNT 12-6-24, p. 9-article)

Tacoma Drama League (Tacoma); Theatrical productions--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Interior of Port of Tacoma warehouse as viewed on December 18, 1924. Piles of large sacks and lumber on the right; rows of box shooks on the left. TPL-9719; G49.1-178

Warehouses--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Tightly compacted box shooks are amassed in this Port of Tacoma warehouse in December of 1924. Shooks were bundles of parts ready to be put together. G36.1-078

Warehouses--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Seated at the Rialto Theater's baby grand piano on December 19, 1924, was Miss Esther Stayner. Dressed in a lovely sleeveless sequined gown and wearing fashionably bobbed hair, the pianist had her foot on the pedal and hands gently atop the keyboard. Miss Stayner was the organist at the Rialto and a pupil of noted organist Clarence Eddy of Chicago. (TDL 10-31-24, p. 5-article)

Pianists--Tacoma; Pianos; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1920-1930; Stayner, Esther;

Having changed her dress to another stylish outfit, Miss Esther Stayner resumed her performance on the Rialto Theater's baby grand piano on December 19, 1924. A freestanding fringe-topped lamp provided lighting for the pianist. Miss Stayner had been named organist at the Rialto in October of 1924, succeeding Alice Piercy on the Wurlitzer. She had spent the previous three years at the Clemmer Theater in Spokane. G40.1-052A (TDL 10-31-24, p. 5-article; TNT 10-31-24, p. 8-article)

Stayner, Esther; Pianists--Tacoma; Pianos; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lamps;

Dressed in an elegant sequined gown, Miss Esther Stayner is pictured in this late December, 1924 print as she prepares to play the baby grand piano at the Rialto Theater. Miss Stayner had been named organist at the Rialto and had given her first concert on November 1, 1924. She succeeded Alice Piercy in the job. Miss Stayner was photographed on the stage with massive curtains as the backdrop. A framed "window" with accompanying foliage is also part of the decor. She had spent the three previous years at the Clemmer Theater in Spokane. G40.1-052B (TDL 10-31-24, p. 5-article)

Pianists--Tacoma; Pianos; Stayner, Esther; Rialto Theatre (Tacoma); Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Christmas tree at the Carlton Hotel. This tall Christmas tree, heavily draped with tinsel and decorated with glass balls and glimmering chains, stood in the lobby of the Carlton Hotel, 1552 Jefferson Avenue, during the 1924 holiday season. Beneath the tree are small figures of a Santa surrounded by children and animals. G20.1-103

Christmas trees--Tacoma--1920-1930; Carlton Hotel (Tacoma);

A group of 21 Sperry Flour salesmen posed for an outdoor photograph near the end of December, 1924. All were professionally dressed in top coats and hats.

Flour & meal industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Sperry Flour Milling Co. (Tacoma); Sales personnel--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On December 30, 1924, a crowd of last minute "shoppers" filled the office of Pierce County Auditor Freemont Campbell Jr. in a last minute attempt to get their 1925 automobile license applications filed before the January 1 deadline. By the 30th, scarcely half of the county's automobile owners had applied for their new licenses. Tacoma and Pierce County drivers who belonged to the Automobile Club of Western Washington could avoid the lines at the auditor's office in the Pierce County courthouse,1012 South G Street, by going to the automobile club's Tacoma office at 119 South 9th Street. (TNT 1/1/1925, pg. 11) (WSHS- negative A644-0)

Crowds--Tacoma--1920-1930; Pierce County Auditor (Tacoma)--1920-1930; Recording & registration--Pierce County--1920-1930;

ca. 1924. The National Bank of Tacoma. Several men in overcoats gather around the exterior of the National Bank of Tacoma. The National Bank of Tacoma had its main branch at 1123 Pacific and two branches, one on "K" St. and one at 713 So. 38th St. (WSHS- negative A616-0)

National Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1924. Group of young people being served by uniformed woman. (WSHS- negative A631-0)

Students--Tacoma--1920-1930; Servants--Tacoma--1920-1930; Women domestics;

ca. 1924. This wood framed home with deep covered porch was photographed in Tacoma's south end in early summer of 1924. It was located on an elevated corner lot with landscaping yet to be completed. The home was built by the M.W.F. Wallace Co. who may have also been developing the lot next door. This was a modern 5-room bungalow, brand new and ready to be occupied. The home had hardwood floors in the living room, a separate dining room, fireplace, two bedrooms and a 3-piece bath. Neither the sales price nor the actual street location were listed in the advertisement which ran in the News Tribune's May 30, 1924, edition. G29.1-064 (TNT 5-30-24, p.23-ad)

Houses--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1924. West side of Gig Harbor in the 1920s. The Skansie Shipbuilding Co. buildings are in the center of the circa 1924 photograph. The company was formed by four Yugoslavian brothers, Pete, Mitchell, Andrew and Joe Skansie, in 1912. Skansie Shipbuilding was building ferries at the time, having completed the motor ferry "Elk" in 1921 and probably in the process of constructing the ferry "Wollochet" which would be put into service in 1925. TPL-2546

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

ca. 1924. The Rt. Rev. Frederic W. Keator, Bishop of the Episcopal diocese of Olympia from 1902-1924, embracing all the territory of Washington west of the Cascades. Rev. Keator was born October 22, 1855. He was a lawyer in Chicago before he was called to enter the ministry. He served for 22 years in our state, during which time he resided in Tacoma. Aside from his duties as a prelate, he was also active in several civic and social positions. He was president of the Tacoma Public Library Board from 1907-1910 and 1912-1923, as well as serving on the boards of Annie Wright Seminary and Whitman College. He was an honorary chaplin for the Washington State Guard and a dedicated Mason, instrumental in the founding of the Shriners Hospital for Children in Portland. He died January 31, 1924 of heart trouble in a hospital in New Haven, Conn., where he had gone to visit his son. (TNT 2/1/1924, pg. 1)

Keator, Frederic W.; Bishops--Tacoma; Prelates--Tacoma;

ca. 1924. Tacoma Biscuit and Candy Company. Boxes of Skookum, Graham, and Snowflake crackers. The company was located at the corner of East F and 25th. Charles Hotchkiss was the president and J.G. Bassett was the manager. (WSHS)

Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. (Tacoma); Crackers;

ca. 1924. Pierce County pioneer William P. Bonney, and 21 other original subscribers, were honored in 1924 by Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company as part of its 40th anniversary celebration. Bonney had installed one of the first telephones in his Pacific Avenue drugstore when Washington Territory's second telephone exchange opened in Tacoma in 1884.

Robert Bye Thompson and partner Charles Dyer constructed a new building at 3320 So. G Street for their automobile dealership. Bye Thompson Motor Sales carried Ford, Hudson, Essex and Moon automobiles. Central Motors, Commercial Motors and the Allen Motor Co. later occupied the building. It has been home to Cartozian Fine Carpets & Rugs since 1946. Boland, B10272.

ca. 1924. Sutter's Orchestra on a stage, eight men and one woman, with hats off. Dragon or lizard on curtain, cards with oriental letters hanging above, board labeled "Dance Program" with sheet music attached at left, card bearing numeral "7" at right. Same group as A637 image 1. (filed with Argentum)

Sutter's Orchestra (Tacoma); Musicians--Tacoma--1920-1930; Music ensembles--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1924. Sahassa Club. (WSHS)

Sahassa Club (Tacoma);