Peeler log at the plywood plant at Garibaldi, Oregon. Logs used to make plywood are called "peelers," reflecting the production process where a thin layer of wood called a veneer is peeled from the log on a massive lathe. Peeler logs are the best quality logs in the forrest. After the outside bark is removed, the peeler log is rotated in a lathe. The log rotates against a razor sharp knife, peeling a continuous sheet of thin veneer. The veneer is held temporarily in multi-decked storage trays 150 feet long or more. ("The Plywood Age" by Robert M. Cour)

Plywood; Lumber industry--Oregon--1950-1960; Oregon-Washington Plywood Co. (Garibaldi);

Temporary multi-deck storage racks at plywood plant at Garibaldi, Oregon. Note conveyor belt on racks; each rack had a conveyor belt on which the thin veneer from the peelers was laid. Workers would feed veneer onto each shelf. As each rack was filled, it would be shifted so that there was always an empty rack to fill.

Plywood; Lumber industry--Oregon--1950-1960; Oregon-Washington Plywood Co. (Garibaldi, Or.);

Finished plywood goes out for shipment by truck from the plywood plant at Garibaldi, Oregon. All plywood is carefully inspected and graded to national standards, marked as to quality and carefully packaged for shipment. In the fifties, the fir plywood industry ranked among the most important in the Pacific Northwest. In Oregon, Washington and the northern part of California, the Douglas fir grew and provided a livelihood for many thousands. The best of this fir was taken to more than 100 mills in these states and peeled into veneer from which plywood is made. Fir plywood panels were called "America's busiest building material" and business boomed after World War II.

Plywood; Lumber industry--Oregon--1950-1960; Oregon-Washington Plywood Co. (Garibaldi);

Philadelphia Quartz Company, established in 1942, was the only sodium silicate plant in the Tacoma area. Belgian silica sand and California soda ash were chemically combined to obtain the product sold largely in Tacoma but marketed also in other Northwest cities. Silicate of soda, water-glass to farm households, was used in adhesives for the plywood industry and corrugated paper-board for the container industry. Televisions of the time required potassium silicates to produce the phosphor screen in the picture tubes. Philadelphia Quartz was headquartered in Berkeley, California. (TNT, 2/17/1948, p.6-A; 5/17/1954; 5/16/1955)

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Minerals; Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California (Tacoma);

A row of one-story, single-family residences have built of concrete block. The housing development has been cleared of trees and the homes appear to be of similar design. Ordered by the Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Workmen are laying the concrete blocks for the walls of one of the houses in the Briggs Project. A workman in the foreground is loading concrete blocks into a wheelbarrow to deliver to the others that are standing on scaffolding laying the blocks. Ordered by the Holroyd Company, James Holroyd.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building construction--Tacoma; Wheelbarrows;

Ordered by Holroyd Company. A one-story, single-family residence has been built in front of tall fir trees. The front has been faced with clapboards. Concrete blocks can be seen on the exterior wall at the end of the one-car garage which has a folding, metal door. A small bay window is featured along the front of the house.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Ordered by Holroyd Company. A one-story, single-family residence is seen during construction with scaffolding in place from placing the concrete block and constructing the roof. The roof has been covered with tar-paper in preparation to the final roofing material.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Ordered by Holroyd Company. The lower level of this two-story, single-family residence has been built of concrete block on the lower story and clapboards above. The one-car garage extends from the lower level.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Ordered by Holroyd Company. A two-story, single-family residence has been built on a sloping lot with the lower story built of concrete block set into the hill side and a clapboard faced exterior above. A one-car garage extends from the lower level. Landscaping has been begun with a lawn and young tree planted in front.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Ordered by Holroyd Company. A newly completed one-story, single-family residence has been built of concrete block and covered with a smooth surface on the exterior. A one-car garage has been attached at the far end. Two chimneys built of concrete block emerge through the composite roof.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Ordered by Holroyd Company. A two-story, single family residence has been built into a hillside and uses two levels of retaining walls built of concrete block in the front. Poured concrete steps lead to the front entrance on the upper level. Large picture windows are featured on the front of the house which has been designed with a broken line along the facade. A flat roof has been chosen for the modern design. A one-car garage has been included in the lower level.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Ordered by Holroyd Company. A one-story, single family home has been built in the popular rambler style using concrete block. The front of the home shows a U-shaped design with the front entrance in the interior of the U. A portion of the front of the house between the two-car, attached garage and the entry has been faced with brick. The home has been set in front of large fir trees.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Ordered by Holroyd Company. A single-family residence has been built using concrete block. This angle shows the upper level of the two-story home built into a sloping hillside. An automobile can be seen parked in the one-car garage. A glimpse of Puget Sound can be seen on the right.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A single-family residence with an attached garage has been built using concrete block. The chimney, emerging at the junction of the two roof lines, is also built of concrete block. Steps lead up to an entry next to the garage and another more formal entrance is seen to the right. A dog stands behind a wire fence looking out. Ordered by Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A workman smooths the wet concrete between the concrete blocks in a newly laid wall. Ordered by Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Al's Food Center (Al's Food Market) was built with concrete block. Double swinging doors open at the front of the building. Large windows display neon signs for Medosweet Ice Cream and Rainier Beer. Campbell's Tomato Soup is available for 10 cents a can and Nalley's Tang sells for 33 cents. Seed packets are displayed outside on either side of the doors. Ordered by Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960; Al's Food Market (Tacoma);

An automobile service station was built with concrete block. The building has a barrel roof and a canopy extending to cover space for an automobile to park and the gasoline pumps. Two large garage doors can be seen at the far end of the building. Ordered by Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960; Automobile service stations--Tacoma;

An extra-long one-car garage has been added to the lower level of a two story home. The garage was built using concrete block and a chimney also built of concrete block emerges from the roof. The lower floor of the house behind was built of concrete block while the upper floor has been faced with clapboards. A television antenna and brick chimney emerge from the roof of the house. Ordered by Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Witte & O'Flyng have housed their offices on the ground floor of this building while retaining apartments above. The building has been built of concrete block and the ground floor is faced with brick. Ray O'Flyng was president of the building contractors, commercial and residential construction, remodeling, prefabrication, development building and property management company. Walter C. Witte served as secretary-treasurer. Ordered by Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960; Witte & O'Flyng, Inc. (Tacoma);

Ordered by Holroyd Company. The residence of Captain William E. Farrarof the fire department was built in 1946 using concrete block and stucco. Lumber for home construction was scarce during and after the war. The veterans' emergency housing program absorbed all construction materials available for house construction. The one-story, single-family residence was modern in every way. Its design is reminiscent of an art deco style with a large, curved bay window in the front, a curved, glassed-in area off the corner at the far right, and a flat roof. A covering over the porch is supported with two poles. (TNT, 7/14/1946, p.1; 9/9/1951, p.B-14)

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Farrar, William E.--Homes & haunts; Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A workman uses a pipe to spray panels of plywood. The material being sprayed on the panels may make them moisture proof. The panels each have a ledge along the vertical edge to allow them to hang from a horizontal pipe. The workman wears a moisture proof apron and gloves. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Equipment; Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Several open containers have been built using plywood. The narrower ends have been secured with metal rods and nuts to strengthen the joints. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Equipment; Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

A man is using a forklift to move a large number of small pieces of wood into a large vat made of plywood at West Coast Chair. The vat has been made with plywood. A lid to the vat stands open at the back. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Equipment; Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); West Coast Chair, Inc. (Tacoma);

An elevated view of the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corporation facilities, A newly launched tuna clipper is being shoved to the dock by a tug boat where her interior will be finished prior to delivery to her new skipper. TPL-9041

J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960; Waterfronts; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1950-1960;

In 1900 Puget Sound Flouring Company was turning out flour on the waterfront between North 8th and 10th Streets. Later in the century General Mills (Sperry Division) bought up the Puget Sound company and maintained the main mill on the waterfront. A farm service division was located at 5446 South Washington. Here large bags of flour are being loaded onto a ship at the Sperry Ocean Dock. Ordered by General Mills. (TNT, 2/14/1950, p.A-14)

Flour & meal industry--Tacoma; Hoisting machinery; Grain industry--Tacoma; General Mills, Inc., Sperry Division (Tacoma); Sperry Ocean Dock (Tacoma); Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Mechanization could relieve men from heavy labor in the loading dock at the Sperry Mill. One man moves bags of flour from a rotating delivery platform to a wooden pallet. A man with a fork-lift can transport the flour directly to the loading dock at the Sperry Ocean Dock. Ordered by General Mills.

Flour & meal industry--Tacoma; Grain industry--Tacoma; General Mills, Inc., Sperry Division (Tacoma);

A workman is fitting doors into a large cabinet built using plywood. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

This new fishing boat launched by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. has a large dining room with three tables and charis. The windows are covered with draperies and storage has been built in at the far end of the room that could also could be used for recreation. Ordered by Martinac Shipbuilding.

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

The galley aboard a new fishing boat built by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. She is possibly the "Royal Pacific" that was launched at Martinac May 5, 1951. Ordered by Martinac Shipbuilding. The cabinets and tile counters look very like a residential kitchen. (TNT, 5/6/1951, p.B-2; 5/8/1951, p.3) TPL-9042

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Galleys (Ship kitchens)