Gig Harbor's Empress Theater, with its unusual "Moorish" architectural style, opened April 12, 1925, with the silent film "Miss Bluebeard" starring Bebe Daniels and Raymond Griffith. Contractor, and later architect, Gaston Lance designed the building which had a capacity of 450. Renamed the Blue Eagle, the theater closed in 1955, and was demolished a few years later. B12219, BU-10013, TPL-3843

Motion picture theaters--Gig Harbor; Empress Theatre (Gig Harbor);

Tommy's Produce Stand. Tommy's stall , located for several years in the Sanitary Public Market, 1108-14 Market St., sold fresh produce and plants grown locally. Employees of Tommy's posed next to the vegetable-laden tables in April of 1925. G39.1-140; TPL-5698,

Produce stands--Tacoma; Tommy's Produce Stand (Tacoma); Japanese American families--Tacoma; Japanese Americans--Tacoma;

In May of 1925, J.B. Ness posed with his new Overland Blue Bird touring car in front of his Ness Service Station No. 1, 3802 Pacific Ave. He recently purchased the auto from the Raudenbush Motor Co., Overland and Willys-Knight dealers, through their salesman W.A. Court. Mr. Court was pictured here beside an Overland coupe sedan. Mr. Ness tested the power of his new auto up the infamous South K St. hill climb from Center Street. Mr. Ness also operated a second service station at South 60th St. & Union Ave. (TDL 5/17/1925, pg. G-3)

Ness Service Station No. 1 (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Overland automobile;

Automobile dealers of the 1920s built palaces of prestige to showcase their latest models. Architect C.F. W. Lundberg designed the Mutual Motors Building for pioneer Tacoma automobile dealer Edward P. Leonard. The Lincoln dealership opened in June 1925. Later, a giant milk bottle was installed on the building's roof to identify it as the Olympic Dairy Products plant. As of 2000, Washington Tent & Awning, Inc. occupies this building on Martin Luther King Way. B12455, BU-10023, TPL-5683

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Mutual Motors (Tacoma); Building construction;

Over 300 telephones scheduled to be installed at the new Hotel Winthrop posed around the two person switchboard. A desk telephone will stand on a table in each guest room. The Winthrop is the first hotel in Tacoma to have this type of instrument furnished throughout. The installation will require over 71 miles of lines, running through a 2 ft x 4 ft shaft extending perpendicularly from the basement to the private branch switchboard on the roof garden floor. These phones will bring the total number of phones in Tacoma to over 23,000. TPL-460 (TNT 5/16/1925, pg 3) print filed under A 1003

Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Telephones--1920-1930; Telephone switchboards;

Genevieve Brophy (left) and Anna Fuchs, employees of the main central office of the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co., sit at the new Hotel Winthrop switchboard surrounded by 300 desk telephones. After the telephones and switchboard were installed, the Hotel Winthrop became the first Tacoma hotel to have a telephone in every room. The switchboard was located on the roof garden floor of the hotel in a private room set apart from public view. It was staffed by four young women and chief operator Mrs. Johanna Hicks, who maintained the hotel's service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (TNT 5/16/1925, pg 3) negative A1001-0, TPL-9971

Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Telephones--1920-1930; Telephone switchboards; Brophy, Genevieve; Fuchs, Anna;

Genevieve Brophy (left) and Anna Fuchs, employees of the main central office of the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co., show off the new switchboard at the Hotel Winthrop. They are surrounded by a few of the 300 telephones being installed at the Winthrop. When the installation was complete, the Winthrop became the first Tacoma hotel to have a telephone in every room. The switchboard was located on the roof garden floor of the hotel in a private room set apart from public view. (TNT 5/16/1925, pg 3) (WSHS, also Argentum)

Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Telephones--1920-1930; Telephone switchboards; Brophy, Genevieve; Fuchs, Anna;

In June of 1925, Mike Marush posed in front of his store, the Marush Fish Co., with the King Salmon believed to be the largest ever caught in local waters on hook and line. The huge fish, weighing in at 47 lbs. dressed, was caught by G.C. Crawford of Gig Harbor at a point known as the "mouth of Gig Harbor," not far from the Narrows. The salmon fought for an hour, almost capsizing the boat. TNT 6/23/1925, pg. 16 (BU12230, Boland #B12818)

Marush, Mike; Marush Fish & Oyster Co. (Tacoma); Salmon; Seafood stores--Tacoma;

Pacific Tel & Tel Co. at 1101 Fawcett Ave., interior. A long row of women are seated before their switchboards in this June of 1925 photograph while the women standing behind them are perhaps giving instruction. Telephone operators for decades were primarily women. (scan from negative, no print on file) TPL-10529

Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma)--Employees; Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma); Telephone operators--Tacoma--1920-1930; Telephone companies--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On June 22, 1925, Hazel Green, right, and Arline Abel posed boldly in front of the Rialto Theater, clutching pipes in their mouths. They were demonstrating the newest fad, how young ladies were discarding their cigarettes in favor of pipes. The women were performers in the Ziegfeld Follies "Phantograph" advertised on the sign boards. The Follies novelty act preceded the movie and starred six beautiful bathing beauties, a comedian and a German police dog in a live action skit. Each audience member was given an early form of 3-D glasses that brought them up close and personal with the action. Viewers ducked falling ladders and water from the garden hose, screaming and laughing. The act was followed by the feature film "If I Marry Again." (TNT 6/24/1925, pg. 6- picture; TDL 6/21/1925, pg. H-3) g65.1-086 BU-11,224 (filed)

Rialto Theatre (Tacoma); Motion picture theaters--Tacoma; Vaudeville shows; Green, Hazel; Abel, Arline;

From July 26-30, 1925, the Washington State College extension service offered their second annual vacation camp to Western Washington farm women. The camp was held at Lincoln High School. Fifty farm women, representing different home economics or community organizations, learned about home management, nutrition and sewing. One of the favorite classes was this one, demonstrating the making of children's hats. (WSHS) (TNT 7/28/1925, pg. 1)

Millinery; Hats;

This group portrait was taken in August of 1925 of the annual National Bank of Tacoma picnic at DeKoven Inn in Lakewood. DeKoven Inn was located on the east side of Lake Steilacoom, about 30 minutes from Tacoma. The photograph is of a large group of people seated at three picnic tables placed among fir trees, with a house, tent, outbuilding, and water tower in background. The Inn itself, which was formerly a boys' school, burned down on August 2, 1925. The dance and banquet hall was saved and became the new center of operation, catering primarily to day parties. Much of the land previously occupied by the Inn was subdivided and sold as lots for summer homes. (WSHS) (TNT 8/13/1925, pg. 23)

DeKoven Inn (Lakewood); Picnics--Lakewood--1920-1930; National Bank of Tacoma--People;

National Bank of Tacoma Annual Picnic at De Koven Inn. DeKoven Inn was located on the east side of Lake Steilacoom. Many people at picnic tables. The Inn itself burned down August 2, 1925; the dance and banquet hall was saved and became the new Inn. The family owned operation was downsized and much of their property on the Lake was subdivided and sold as residential. (filed with Argentum) (TNT 8/13/1925, pg. 23)

DeKoven Inn (Lakewood); Picnics--Lakewood--1920-1930; National Bank of Tacoma--People;

The John Ford western, "The Iron Horse." was showing at the Rialto Theatre in August of 1925. To help promote the movie, which took four years to make, the theater arranged for this Union Pacific "locomotive" to appear in Tacoma with 84-year-old famed Indian scout and interpreter Col. Alfred L. Chapman and his Chippewa wife, Princess Naggousaqua. Col. Chapman was present when the last spike was driven connecting the Central Pacific and Union Pacific lines. He also was instrumental in securing the services of some 800 Native Americans for the film and aided in the direction of an important movie scene. The "Iron Horse" dealt with the trials and tribulations of construction of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railways to the west. It starred George O'Brien and Madge Bellamy and could be seen for a mere 50 cents for adults and a dime for children. (T.Times 8-17-25, p. 1)

Rialto Theatre (Tacoma); Publicity photographs; Chapman, Alfred L.; Princess Naggousaqua;

ca. 1926. Interior of cafe. Eating bar along right side, small tables on left, built in stools at both. Menu boards over kitchen area. For B. Wingard and Sons, manufacturers of butcher supplies. (filed with Argentum)

Diners (Restaurants)--1920-1930; B. Wingard and Sons (Tacoma);

ca. 1926. Stone Fisher Company department store window featuring the "Big 3" electric washing machines with tanks "insulated to keep water hot". Exhibit includes wringer washing machine, galvanized wash tubs, a mangle, and wooden clothes dryer. (Filed with Argentum)

Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); Department stores--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washing machines--1920-1930;

ca. 1926. Interior of Grocery Store. Fresh meat cases, scale, beverage case, packaged foods on shelves. Sign on wall: "Cash - Please Do Not Ask For Credit." (filed with Argentum)

Grocery stores--1920-1930;

ca. 1926. Grocery Store interior. Canned, bottled and packaged foods on shelves, bulk food case, coffee grinder, scale, cash register. (filed with Argentum)

Grocery stores--1920-1930;

ca. 1926. Hollywood Market and Grocery, circa 1926. The market was located on a rural route on Lincoln Ave. Small stucco building with crenelated cornice on corner lot. Auburn Ice Cream signboard on sidewalk. (filed with Argentum)

Grocery stores--1920-1930; Hollywood Market (Tacoma);

ca. 1926. Exterior of Hill Shoe Shop storefront, 781 Broadway, at the Winthrop Hotel. The store was owned by Edwin F. Hill. Pairs of shoes on stands of varying heights decorate the two large display windows. (WSHS) BU-12146

Hill Shoe Shop (Tacoma); Shoes;

ca. 1926. Winthrop Hotel, circa 1926, sitting room of the Presidential Suite. Building design by W.L. Stoddard with Roland Borhek as associated architect, 1925. In 1922, a group of concerned citizens got together to raise funds and make plans for a grand hotel for Tacoma. The Winthrop was built at a cost of over two million dollars and had its Grand Opening on May 16, 1925. The Presidential Suite, with the pictured 18 x30 foot living, or sitting, room was the most elaborate accommodation at the hotel. (filed with Argentum)

Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1926. Unidentified restaurant interior, same location as A1298 image 1. Table with cloths, booths with small wall sconces. (filed with Argentum)

Restaurants--1920-1930;

ca. 1926. An unidentified building with a man standing on the porch. Ordered by Tacoma Gas and Fuel Company. The company, among other duties, installed meters on new construction. (filed with Argentum)

Tacoma Gas & Fuel Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1926. Interior of Tacoma Gas and Fuel Company office. Man at desk covered with certificates, perhaps stock certificates. Woman emptying canvas bag of mail onto desk. (filed with Argentum)

Tacoma Gas & Fuel Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1926. Automobile involved in accident in front of Western Auto Supply Company circa 1926. Large crowd gathered at scene. An overturned vehicle is pictured on the left, while a damaged vehicle is pictured to the right. Western Auto Supply opened a store in the Cornell House in 1922. (filed with Argentum)

Western Auto Supply Co. (Tacoma); Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1920-1930; Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1926. Wilkeson Service Station interior showing Western Dri-Kure Vulcanizing Manufacturing tire machine. Should be A1815-1.

Wilkeson Garage & Service Station (Tacoma); Tires; Tire industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1926. Interior of unidentified butcher shop. (WSHS)

Butcher shops--1920-1930; Meat cutting--1920-1930;

ca. 1926. Interior of unidentified Butcher shop. (WSHS)

Butcher shops--1920-1930; Meat cutting; Meat;

ca. 1926. Meat Market interior. Fresh meat case, scale, flowers on counter, "(Red) Rock Cheese - You'll Like Red Rock" sign on wall. (filed with Argentum)

Butcher shops--1920-1930; Meat cutting; Meat;

ca. 1926. Emil Ziegler and W.I. Nolting, Proprietors, Stall 16, Crystal Market. Meat Market. For Neils Hansen Manufacturing Company. (filed with Argentum)

Butcher shops--1920-1930; Meat; Markets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Crystal Palace Market (Tacoma);