ca. 1880. David S. Lister, Sr. was elected mayor of New Tacoma May 9, 1881. Under a special act of the Legislature, passed November 5, 1881, entitled "An act to confer a City Government upon New Tacoma," the Board of Trustees was merged into the "Common Council," and the President of the Board became the Acting Mayor. Mr. Lister was the owner of an iron foundry located at 17th & Pacific Avenue. This picture is from "History of the Pacific Northwest: Oregon and Washington" compiled and published by the North Pacific History Company, Portland, Oregon, 1889. opp p.600 ALBUM 16

Lister, David S.; Mayors--Tacoma--1880-1890;

ca. 1900. John W. Linck was elected mayor of Tacoma April 7, 1908, defeating Democratic two-term incumbent George P. Wright. Mr. Linck had served with the Union Army in the Civil War and had extensive legal and political experience prior to his arrival in Tacoma in 1898 as a U.S. Treasury agent. After his one term of office expired, he, a former police judge, would hold the office of justice of the peace for several years. ALBUM 16. (G1.1-106)

Linck, John W.; Mayors--Tacoma--1900-1910

ca. 1910. Rhodes Brothers Store, circa 1910; Women's fall fashions in corner window. Henry A. Rhodes opened his grand mercantile establishment, Rhodes Brothers Department Store, at 950 Broadway in 1903. By 1910, business was booming as a result of appeal of current fashions, expert merchandising and advertising. Road signs led travelers to the store from miles around, promising them that "All roads lead to Rhodes." The store employed a professional window decorator and buyers made frequent trips back east to New York for the current fashions. In 1911, three more stories were added to the building, providing a needed expansion. (photograph donated by the Rhodes Reunion Committee)

Department stores--Tacoma; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Women--Clothing & dress--1910-1920;

ca. 1931. The Junior Oddfellows of Tacoma gather in front of a bus that is parked at 602-06 Fawcett Ave. This building was the home to the Oddfellows, the Inaba Gotaro Grocery, and the F & M Transfer Co.

Fraternal lodges--Tacoma--1930-1940

ca. 1880s. View of coal bunkers on Commencement Bay, Tacoma, W. T. Sjostrum Collection

Commencement Bay (Wash.); Ore industry--Tacoma;

Two men believed to be Federal Prohibition agents worked on July 17, 1931, at dismantling the boiler from the still found in the barn at a Graham, Washington, farm. The illegal operation was as modern and complete as a commercial pre-Prohibition distillery. It was estimated to have been built for $50,000, was in clear view of the highway and operated for six months. The owner of the farm, a Pierce County road district employee, maintained that he rented out the barn and was not aware of the illegal activities. In fact, this location was probably chosen in part due to the respectability that the farmer lent to the operation. In an odd twist of fate, the bootleggers were preparing to abandon the still, or dismantle and move it, and were making their last batch when the raid was made. It is estimated that the operators manufactured over a 1/2 million dollars of alcohol before the still was shut down. 52,000 gallons of mash were seized in the raid. (TNT 7/17-19, 1931, pg. 1-various articles)

Prohibition--Graham; Stills (Distilleries); Police raids--Graham;

ca. 1950. Tacoma Fire Department Truck Co. #3. Four unidentified firemen handle cleaning duties with their 65' aerial in this circa 1950 photograph. Truck Co. #13 would move into Station No. 13 in 1959. TAC 086

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fire fighters--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fire stations--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1890. Engine house # 9, Earl G. Jones pictured. Team of horses and other firemen included in this circa 1910 photograph. TPL-2759, TPL-8438 (Original print TPL-1082)

Jones, Earl G.; Fire fighters--Tacoma--1910-1920; Fire stations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Horses--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1889. Tacoma's Fire Station No. 4 was located at 407 E. 26th Street from 1889-1911. In this photograph, a 1889 Silsby 2nd size (700 gpm) rotary pump drawn by three horses and a W.T.Y Schneck hose wagon with two horses are on display in front of the station. The "Our Boys 1887" lettering below the bell tower acknowledged the "Our Boys" volunteer organization. In 1889, H. L. Knoell was listed as Captain in charge of the six-man company; this photograph may have been taken somewhat later as there are now nine firemen present. Engineers made roughly $90 a month with hosemen being paid $70 and drivers $75. The Fire Department Chief was paid approximately $125 monthly. Engine Co. No. 4 was to remain at the 407 E. 26th St. location until June, 1911, when it moved into a new two-story brick station a few blocks away at 224 E. 26th. (100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 18, 20, 52). TPL-393

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire stations--Tacoma--1880-1890; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma; Horses--Tacoma;

ca. 1915. Signage decorate the motorized fleet of the Tacoma Fire Department parked outside Station No. 6. Residents are warned not to issue false alarms and to turn off electrical equipment when not used. Another helpful hint provided by the Fire Department was to clean the moss off roofs before dry weather. Regarding the hazards of smoking: thousands of dollars of damage was caused by a lighted cigarette thrown in a pile of oily rags. The vehicles may have been prepped for use in a parade as several flags are mounted on both front and rear fenders.

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire stations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma; Signs (Notices);

ca. 1917. Although many stations still used horses, this American LaFrance 1000 gpm pumper was motorized. It was parked, driver on board, at Station No. 2. The age of the horse was nearly over for the Tacoma Fire Department; by 1919, the department was completely motorized. (100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washingtonp. 56-57, 59)

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma;

ca. 1910. Horses played an important role in early Tacoma firefighting as this turn-of-the-20th Century photograph illustrates. The firefighting team is in front of Engine House No. 5 which was built in 1890 at 1215 So. I Street. The horses were fed well on oats, bran and carrots; their medical needs were taken care of by a veterinarian and medicines. By the turn of the century, the department had 33 horses working side-by-side with firefighters. This team of horses pictured here in a 1910 sepia photograph may be pulling a 1910 Metropolitan 2nd Size 550 gpm double pump. Tacoma Fire Department Collection. (100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 33)

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire stations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma; Fire fighters--Tacoma--1910-1920; Horses--Tacoma;

ca. 1907. Men and equipment of Fire Station No. 2, ca. 1907. The station was located at 2701 Tacoma Avenue So. and built in mid-1907. A 1889 Hayes 65' aerial was assigned to Truck Co. No. 2 along with a Continental 2nd size steam fire engine, 700 gpm, and a hose wagon No. 2, 1890 California apparatus. The fire station is still in use at the same location in 2004. It is on both the City and National Registries. Photograph from the collection of retired Tacoma Fire Department member, William Turner.

Tacoma Fire Department, Fire Station No. 2 (Tacoma); Fire stations--Tacoma; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma;

ca. 1910. Sepia photograph of 1910 Seagrave Auto-chemical. This appears to be a combination hose and chemical wagon, possibly one of the 80 horsepower units. The wagon is elaborately decorated with painted designs. There is room for two men seated at front, one behind the wheel, and a running board for several others to climb aboard and hang on. This is believed to be a Tacoma Fire Department wagon; lettering on the side indicates " F T D Chemical Engine." No company number is listed.

Fire engines & equipment;

ca. 1906. Copy negative of an early Tacoma Fire Department fire truck, circa 1900.

Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma--1900-1910; Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma);

At around 9 a.m. on Saturday February 23, 1924, an explosion in the Stone-Fisher Co. machine shop or garage at 1115-17 Market Street sparked one of the largest fires that Tacoma had seen in years. Traffic was blocked and electric power was shut off as all of Tacoma's fire companies were called to battle the 3 alarm blaze. The five story brick building was occupied by the Greystone Hotel and a garage, machine shop and warehouse used by owner Stone-Fisher Co. The building was gutted, sustaining over $150,000 in damage and leaving the 60 guests at the hotel homeless. (TNT 2/23/1924, pg. 1) TPL-5510, BU-12618;

Greystone Hotel (Tacoma); Stone-Fisher Co. (Tacoma); Fires--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fire fighting--Tacoma--1920-1930;

House at 3403 No. 18th Street, Tacoma. The home was built in 1926 on a corner lot by James McMullen, builder. Photo taken for R.E. Mahaffey & Co. realtors. Photo used in Tacoma Daily Ledger 06-07-1931 D-1, when the home was for sale.

Houses--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1909. Tobie J. Anderson in coat and hat, gloves in hand, selecting a cigar at the Miners Trading Co. general store in Wilkeson, WA. The shelves and display cases of the store are filled with merchandise, and there is a victrola sitting on the counter. From the collection of N. P. Anderson TPL-9750

Miners Trading Co. (Wilkeson); General stores--Wilkeson--1900-1910; Anderson, Tobie J.;

ca. 1929. Office and officers of the Pacific Match Co. Inc. in 1929. Seated at desk, Osee V. Snyder, president-general manager. Standing, 2nd from left, John O. Pasnick, bookkeeper; 6th from left, Tobi J. Anderson, bookkeeper; 5th from right, Fredrick J. Cronkhite, secretary-treasurer. From the collection of N.P. Anderson.

Match industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Pacific Match Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1905. An unidentified man calmed a rearing horse near the offices of the Commercial Truck Co. in the early 1900's. The Commercial Truck Co. first appeared in the 1903 Tacoma City Directory. S.J. Pollard was listed as president with J.W. Garvin as Secretary-Treasurer and A.W. Tuel as Manager. They listed offices at 717-719 South C and 718-720 Commerce St. (in TPL building index as 717-19 Broadway). The company moved into this building on its completion in 1902. They listed their services as transfer, drayage, piano moving, livery and feed stables. The company sold in 1929 to AA Star Transfer of Aberdeen and became Star Commercial Moving & Storage, a predecessor of today's Star Moving Co. (photograph courtesy of Dan Powell)

Commercial Truck Co. (Tacoma); Moving & storage trade--Tacoma--1900-1910; Horses;

ca. 1910. An unidentified logger stands in front of a logging shed, circa 1913. The shed is labelled "Grays Harbor Logging Co., Camp #2." The Grays Harbor Logging Company was located on the East Fork of the Wishkah River, outside of Aberdeen in Grays Harbor County, where they maintained three logging dams. The head of the company was Calvin Herbert "Bert" Shutt, who drowned in one of his own logging ponds on the river November 18, 1915. The company was in operation from around 1909-1920. By 1913, the company also maintained offices in Aberdeen, located on "Skidroad," near the corner of Hume and F St. The secretary/treasurer of the company was F.E. Burrows. ("They Tried to Cut It All" by Edwin Van Syckle) (photograph courtesy of Dan Powell) TPL-9835

Grays Harbor Logging Co. (Aberdeen); Lumber industry--Grays Harbor;

ca. 1935. Photograph taken of the ruined Tacoma Hotel after the disastrous fire on October 17, 1935. The hotel was totally destroyed by a fire that started out in the north end of the basement in the early morning hours. (photograph courtesy of the Tom Stenger collection)

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

ca. 1887. This street scene of Pacific Avenue looking north from the corner of 11th and Pacific was taken by an unknown photographer in 1887. The brick building at the far left is the Merchant's National Bank Building. Several doors down is the Kaufman & Berliner dry goods store, 948 Pacific. Across the street, at the far right, is Mrs. Mary Fowler's millinery store. The Northern Pacific Headquarters Building is under construction at the far end of the block. The Tacoma Old City Hall will not be built for another four years.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1880-1890; Business districts--Tacoma--1880-1890; Merchant's National Bank (Tacoma); Fowler Millinery (Tacoma)

ca. 1887. Tacoma Street Railway car # 1 as it appeared circa 1887. Behind the street car is a line of Northern Pacific coal cars.

Street railroads--Tacoma--1880-1890; Tacoma Street Railway (Tacoma)

West Side Grocery (now the Tides Tavern), 2925 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor . Docked beside it is the "Florence K," a passenger steamer built in Tacoma by Crawford & Reid in 1903. The "Florence K" would end her service career as a ferry called the "Beeline." Buildings to the right in this undated photograph are part of the Skansie Brothers shipyard. TPL-191, BU-12833 (Doecher Collection DOE- N001)

West Side Grocery (Gig Harbor); Grocery stores--Gig Harbor; Skansie's Shipbuilding Co. (Gig Harbor); Steamboats--Gig Harbor;

ca. 1890. John N. Conna, wealthy real estate agent and head of first Black family in Tacoma. John Newington Conna had accomplished much in his 85 years before his death in Alaska in 1921. Born of a mixed marriage in San Augustine, Texas in 1836, Mr. Conna fought in the Civil War as part of the famed 1st Louisiana Native Guards before migrating north to Hartford, Connecticut and then west to Kansas City, Kansas. In 1883 Mr. Conna journeyed to the "City of Destiny," Tacoma, and became a leading seller of real estate. The father of 14 children, he was married to Mary (Davis) Conna. Mr. and Mrs. Conna would donate to the City of Tacoma some 40 acres of land as a Christmas gift in 1889. He held numerous offices including president of the John Brown Republican Club and president of the Washington State Protective League. He was, in a sense, the titular leader of Tacoma's black community and highly influential in the city's black social and political activities. Mr. Conna was also an attorney authorized to practice before the Treasury Department; Conna family lore suggests that he was also an attorney for railroad magnate James J. Hill. John Conna was appointed as Asst. Sergeant At Arms for the Senate in 1889, Washington's first Territorial Legislature. He was the first black political appointee in the history of Washington Territory. Mr. Conna was also a delegate to the 1896 National Republican Convention. At the age of 64 and not ready for retirement, Mr. Conna traveled to Alaska on the S.S. Seattle with Federal Judge and close friend, James Wickersham. Mr. Conna, like thousands of others, had been attracted by the huge gold rush and opportunities in Alaska. Mrs. Conna and family remained behind while Mr. Conna set up his own real estate, mines and mining property company a few years later. John Conna, age 85, stricken with diabetes, a heart condition, and the loss of a leg, died on October 21, 1921. He is buried in Fairbanks. (Tacoma Morning Globe Annual Review, 1-1-1891; www.historylink.org) (Additional information provided by Douglas Q. Barnett, grandson of John N. Conna)

Conna, John N.; African Americans--Tacoma--1890-1900; Pioneers--Tacoma; Real estate development--Tacoma;

Undated photograph of John J. Lemon on Day Island. (Wheelock - Lemon collection) Mr. Lemon, after whom Lemon's Beach just south of Day Island was named, was a well-known pioneer who had resided here for 25 years. A native of Ohio, he was a retired printer and newspaper publisher. Mr. Lemon was a Civil War veteran who passed away on May 8, 1913, at the age of 70. He was survived by his wife Mary Ann, three daughters and one son. The Anna Lemon Wheelock Branch Library of the Tacoma Public Library system was named in honor of Mr. Lemon's daughter, Anna.

Lemon, John J.; Pioneers;

William L. (Bill) Case showing off his long skis while enjoying some Spring skiing at Cayuse Pass in May of 1938. Cayuse Pass is at the 4,675 foot level on Mount Rainier, at the junction of the Mather Memorial Highway and the road to Ohanapecosh Hot Springs. It was once used in winter months as a ski area. (Photograph courtesy of the William T. Case collection)

Case, William L.; Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940 ; Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Winter sports--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940;

ca. 1935. It's break time outside the floating office of the Foss Launch & Tug Co. at 400 Dock St. On the left is William T. (Bill) Case, company dispatcher, and on the right skipper Thomas Sadler. In November of 1932, the company's original floating office at this location was destroyed in an early morning fire. Due to the quick actions of Mr. Case, the twenty people inside were saved, but the building was a total loss. It was replaced by a floating airplane hangar converted into offices (seen in the background.) The building is emblazoned with the green and white Foss logo with the slogan "Always ready." The second floor window on the left leads to the rooms of company accountant Oscar Iverson. Living quarters for the Case family were also on the second floor. (photograph courtesy of the special collection of William T. Case)

Case, William T.; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma);