Gracie Fields, English actress, comedienne and music hall performer, appearing for British War Relief, gives the upbeat "Thumbs up!" sign. Miss Fields, wife of actor Monty Banks, was known as the "Toast of the British Empire." She was the world's highest paid actress. Tacoma was the ninth stop of her American and Canadian tour for the benefit of bombed British children. She made one appearance at the Temple Theatre on January 29, 1941, with tickets costing $1.00, $2.50 and $5.00. The performance was sponsored by the Tacoma English Speaking Union. (T. Times, 1-28-41, p. 1)

Fields, Gracie, 1898-1979; Actresses; Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950;

On March 9, 1941, Lt. Jack M. Murphy and his bride were given a strange welcome by the 98th Field Artillery (Pack) Battalion officers at Fort Lewis. Following an old artillery custom of giving a newly wedded couple a ride on a caisson or gun carriage, the officers of the Battalion, lacking such equipment, strapped two wicker chairs to one of the battalion's mules and gave their new officer and his sweetie a bumpy ride around the post. The five battery commanders, on mules, carrying their battery flags preceded the couple. The pair were followed by other officers and some of their wives, also on mules. The end destination was a reception in the couple's honor at the Officers' Club. (T. Times 3/13/1941, pg.1) (not taken at the same event as D10861 images 5 & 9)

Fort Lewis (Wash.); Mules; Murphy, Jack M.; 98th Field Artillery (Pack) Battalion (Ft. Lewis);

Studio portrait of Chauncey L. Griggs

Griggs, Chauncey L., 1909-1989;

Chauncy Griggs in a studio portrait, lighting his pipe.

Griggs, Chauncey L., 1909-1989;

Washington Co-op Farmers Association "Co-op Eggs" streamlined delivery van parked in front of Safeway Store at Puyallup Avenue and Bay Street. Man unloading crates of eggs is believed to be the driver, Harry Stearns.

Grocery stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Poultry industry--Washington--1940-1950; Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma);

Capt. James G. Helmer, Commander of B Company of the 163rd Infantry of the 41st Division, a Montana regiment, poses for the camera on December 11, 1940 while at Camp Murray for military exercises. Capt. Helmer is a full blooded Sioux, by blood descent a chief of the tribe. His ancestors participated in the Custer Massacre at Little Big Horn in 1876. Of the 88 men in Company B, most of which hail from the Fort Peck Indian Agency in Northeast Montana, all but about 10 are Sioux. Three of four officers are Native American and most of the men have retained their Indian names. Capt Helmer enlisted in the company when it reorganized in 1922 and worked his way up through the ranks. The original Company B was also composed mostly of Native Americans and served bravely overseas in World War I. (T.Times 12/11/1940 p.1) TPL-10594

Helmer, James G.; Indians of North America--Sioux tribe; Montana National Guard, 163rd Infantry, Company B--Camp Murray; Ethnic groups--Indians of North America;

An unidentified officer poses with Captain James G. Helmer, right, Commander of Company B, 163rd Infantry, 41st Division. Company B was part of the Montana National Guard and was composed primarily of Sioux Indians from the Fort Peck Indian Agency. Capt. Helmer was himself full blooded Sioux. He enlisted in the company at its reformation in 1922 and worked his way up through the ranks. The 163rd was inducted into national service in September of 1940 and served in the Pacific arena of World War II. They were part of the most decorated Army Division in the Pacific. (T.Times 12/11/1940 p.1)

Helmer, James G.; Indians of North America--Sioux tribe; Montana National Guard, 163rd Infantry, Company B--Camp Murray; Ethnic groups--Indians of North America;

Publicity photograph taken for the Woodbrook Hunt Club Horse Show, scheduled for November 15-16, 1940. Pictured left to right are Lee Doud (on Joe Bingen), Lt. J.J. Mellinger (Commander of the mounted troop, Home Guard), Alta Ryan, Mrs. Arthur Hannum (wife of manager of the stables), Helen Keho, Dr. David M. Landon of Puyallup and Mrs. Joseph Gilpin, president of the Hunt Club, on Flashlight. Pictured station wagon has "Woodbrook Riding Academy, Lak. 2829" painted on rear mounted spare tire cover. License plate reads: "Private Bus,, WA., 1940, 351". Photograph was taken in front of the Woodbrook Stables. (T. Times 11/9/1940, pg. 5)

Horses--Lakewood--1940-1950; Horseback riding--Lakewood--1940-1950; Woodbrook Stables (Lakewood); Show horses; Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood);

Independent Bible Church service held in military style at former Scottish Rite Cathedral. On November 17, 1940, the soldiers from Ft. Lewis, McChord Field and Camp Murray helped conduct the Sunday services. They filled in as the choir and provided the music. (T. Times)

Independent Bible Church (Tacoma);

The regimental color guard for the 163rd Infantry with Company B at present arms. The group in the front is composed of, left to right, Corporal Red Thunder, Sergeant Skarie, Sergeant Hamilton and Corporal Red Elk. Company B hails from the Fort Peck Indian Agency in Northeast Montana and is composed almost solely of Sioux Indians. The original Company B was also formed of Native Americans and fought bravely in World War I before it was disbanded. This group from Montana is at Camp Murray for military exercises. (T. Times 12/11/1940, pg. 1)

Indians of North America--Sioux tribe; Montana National Guard, 163rd Infantry, Company B--Camp Murray; Ethnic groups--Indians of North America;

Mrs. Genevieve Houston tends to the hands of Betty Stell, in the iron lung. The pictured iron lung is one of two presented to the Pierce County Hospital by the local Lumber & Sawmill Workers unions. The new lungs were the first made with a new orthopedic head attachment which allows the patient's arms to be kept in a comfortable position. The improvement had been suggested by local physicians Dr. Burton Brown and Dr. Norman E. Magnussen. The two gift lungs were the first two manufactured with the new design. (T. Times 1/22/1941, pg. 12)

Iron lungs; Lumber & Sawmill Workers Union (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pierce County Hospital (Tacoma); Houston, Genevieve; Stell, Betty;

Members of original Thrift Shop committee at the Junior League Thrift Shop. (T. Times)

Junior League (Tacoma); Clubwomen--Tacoma--1940-1950; Thrift shops--Tacoma; Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Junior League Thrift Shop (Tacoma);

On October 15, 1940, the Ladies' Musical Club held a Golden Jubilee Celebration concert and tea at the Weyerhaeuser Hall at the YWCA. The concert was a reproduction of the first program of the club held on October 28, 1890 in the home of Mrs. C.J. Kershaw. The following tea was served on fifty year old settings and members were requested to dress in Gay Nineties style. Current members plus over 20 charter members attended. The Club was the first music association of its type to form west of Chicago. The first roster of the club represented all of the first families of church, civic, industrial, commercial and financial leaders. Through the years, the organization has brought talented performers to Tacoma and has helped to develop local young musicians. (T.Times 10/4/1940, pg. 3)

Ladies Musical Club (Tacoma); Young Womens Christian Association (Tacoma);

Costume party at the Lakeside Club. It's island madness as a hula girl snuggles with a sailor while a man is cast adrift in a life jacket on the floor at her feet. The party was held at their clubhouse near American Lake.

Lakeside Club (Lakewood);

ca. 1941. This photograph of Lakewood Builders Supply was taken in 1941 for an advertisement in the 1941 Clover Park School yearbook, "Klahowya." Lumber and hardware were available for purchase at the store.

Lakewood Builders Supply (Lakewood);

Arthur B. Langlie, mayor of Seattle and Republican candidate for Governor, speaking at the Wheeler-Osgood Company on the Tacoma tideflats. Langlie had made several speeches in Tacoma on this day in his campaign against Democrat Clarence C. Dill. Dill had defeated incumbent Governor Clarence Martin in the primaries, indicating that Washington was ready for a change. Langlie narrowly defeated Dill in the final election, becoming Governor by a margin of fewer than 6,000 votes.

Langlie, Arthur B., 1900-1966; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Political campaigns;

Beauties participating in the "Poise, Posture and Personality" contest sponsored by the Lincoln High School Music and Physical Education Departments on February 21, 1941 were also trying out for the 10 model roles in the upcoming original musical comedy "Of Men and Models." L to R: Garnet Thompson, Martha Farrell, Betty Snyder, Janet Wolters, Harriet Somervell, Doris Davey, Matilda Drennen, and Lois Dahl. Participating contestants had be to 5'4" or over and wear bathing suits and high heel shoes. The world premier theatrical piece was written by Lincoln students and posed the musical question "What happens when a football team inherits a Fifth Avenue Couture House?" (T. Times, 2/21/1941; picture: 5/8/1941, pg.1)

Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Theatrical Productions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Operas & operettas--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Wedding of Gertrude McCutcheon and William Fry at the Little Church on the Prairie, Lakewood. Building converted from commercial uses to church in 1940. Gertrude McCutcheon, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Parsneau, exchanged vows with William Landis Fry, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey Fry of Oroville, California, in a double-ring ceremony on August 11, 1940. Mrs. Franklyn Coffield Ellis of San Francisco served as her sister's matron of honor. Burritt Anderson was the best man. The bride wore a silk jersey afternoon dress adorned with white orchids and carried a white prayer book. The new Mrs. Fry had graduated from Stadium High School and Racine's Western Institute (Seattle). The groom graduated from the University of California and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. Their first home will be in Oakland. (T. Times 8-12-1940, p. 7)

Little Church on the Prairie (Lakewood); Weddings--Lakewood--1940-1950; Fry, William Landis; McCutcheon, Gertrude--Marriage; Brides--1940-1950; Grooms (Weddings)--1940-1950; Wedding costume--1940-1950;

On February 17,1941, a log from a great fir tree has been delivered to St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. where it has been loaded on the carriage in the mill. The slab cut has been taken off and the saw is going into the log for the second cut. (T. Times 2/26/1941, pg. 13)

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Logs; Saws;

On July 27, 1940, Florence Beryl "Peggy" Mason, 19, is crowned the winner of the Miss Tacoma contest at the Century Ballroom in Fife. 1940 was Tacoma's first official participation in the national beauty pageant "Miss America." Miss Tacoma would win an evening gown and swimsuit and the right to compete in them for the title of Miss Washington, the contest to be held August 17th in the Ballroom. Peggy won over the 29 other candidates for the Miss Tacoma title by a combination of personality, poise and charm. She had graduated from Lincoln High school that spring. The Tacoma native was also the 1939 Snow Queen and Fashion Queen. Her statistics listed her as 5 ' 4 ", 115 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Her hobbies were skiing, swimming, tennis and horseback riding. She would compete against the fairest from 20 other cities for the state title and win, representing Washington at the Miss America contest. (T. Times 7/26/1940, pg.6; 7/29/40, pg 1; 8/19/1940, pg. 1) TPL-9527

Mason, Peggy; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Beauty contests--Tacoma--1940-1950; Century Ballroom (Fife);

J.J. Kaufman, ex-Mayor and newly elected president of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce, with Larry Windsor of Republic, Washington, and his dog Trixie, at the Chamber of Commerce annual achievement dinner. (T. Times)

Mayors - Tacoma - 1939-40 - Joseph J. Kaufman (circa 1884-1965) Animals - Domestic Animals - Dogs

Mayor Harry P. Cain signs his autograph in cement next to his foot and handprints at Tacoma's new Exposition Hall on Bay Street (now Tacoma Soccer Center). The new civic auditorium was dedicated on February 15, 1941, with the Tacoma Better Housing Exposition as the first exhibit. The show had a nine-day run. ALBUM 12.

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979;

Cropped photograph of Mayor Harry P. Cain putting the final touches in his autographed cement square at the dedication of the Tacoma Exposition Hall on February 15, 1941. Same photograph but showing more crowd reaction is D10894, image 1. Mayor Cain placed his hands and feet in the wet cement. ALBUM 12.

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979;

Mayor Harry P. Cain putting handprints in cement at Tacoma's new Exposition Hall on Bay Street (now Tacoma Soccer Center) on February 15, 1941. The mayor appears to have successfully avoided planting his knees at the same time. The city's new civic auditorium hosted the Better Housing Exposition as its first exhibition. ALBUM 12. .

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979;

A Mrs. Golden, part of the "Hormel" team, pays a visit to Mayor Harry P. Cain in March, 1941. The company was running a campaign to promote Spam and Hormel Chili Con Carne whereby roving "Hormel Girls and Men" would stop people at random and pay them either $1 or $2 if they could provide proof of Hormel's products. Mrs. Golden is pictured holding a Chili Con Carne label; it is not known whether the label belonged to Mayor Cain. ALBUM 12.

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979;

Mercury Automobile Contest. The new 1940 Mercury, compliments of Titus Motor Co., is shown at Mount Rainier. Five young women are pictured in front of the new Mercury holding skis and poles. They are, left to right, unidentified girl, Delores Geehan, Wyona Diemer, Patricia Anderson and Joan Bonnell.

Mercury automobile; Mount Rainier National Park (Wash.); Snow; Skiers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Geehan, Delores; Diemer, Wyona; Anderson, Patricia; Bonnell, Joan;

Raymond S. Coon, left, of Wenatchee is being fingerprinted by Cpl. Steve A. Hayes of the Seattle Recruiting office prior to being inducted into the US Army on November 18, 1940. Mr. Coon is in the first group of 29 Selective Service volunteers to be processed in this area. When asked why he volunteered, Mr. Coon replied that he had no job, no debts, no dependents and it just seemed like a good time for his army training. By volunteering, he could select the time rather than waiting for his draft number to be called. (T. Times 11/19/1940, pg. 11)

Military personnel--Tacoma--1940-1950; Coon, Raymond S.; Hayes, Steve A.; World War, 1939-1945--Recruiting & enlistment--Tacoma; Fingerprinting;

Exterior of Miller and Miller labels building at 40th and Pacific Avenue as viewed on July 12, 1940. They were commercial printers who had moved to this location in June of 1938. Miller and Miller had outgrown their quarters on South 10th St., in the shadow of the totem pole, and decided to move to the newer and larger building at 4006 Pacific Avenue. The 50' X 85' brick and concrete structure had skylights and many windows. Miller and Miller was owned by three brothers: Harmon, Russell and Frank Miller and employed 17 workers. Besides the creation, manufacture and printing of labels of all sizes, Miller and Miller also dealt with display banners and counter and window displays. (TNT 6-19-1938, A-12-article)

Miller & Miller, Inc. (Tacoma); Miller & Miller Co. (Tacoma); Printing industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Facades--Tacoma--1940-1950;

This pastoral portrait of Jane (Mrs. Harry Edward) Miller admiring daffodils was taken to help advertise the 1941 Daffodil Ball. Mrs. Miller, chairwoman for the Co-Ed Club's annual Daffodil Ball was photographed while seated on a rustic bench near a bridge over a stream. . The ball was held March 22, 1941 in the Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. The Co-Ed Club annually hosted the opening ball of the Daffodil Festival which was held immediately following the coronation of the Festival Queen. It was the Queen's first royal appearance. (T.Times 3/15/1941, pg. 4; 3/8/1941, pg. 4)

Miller, Jane; Co-Ed Club (Tacoma); Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1941 : Tacoma);

Publicity for the premiere of "Tugboat Annie Sails Again" on October 18, 1940. Lifeboat drill on the Coast Guard cutter Atlanta: left to right: Donald Crisp, Alan Hale, Sr.(seated), Ronald Reagan, Marjorie Rambeau, Hedda Hopper. Actors Crisp and Reagan managed to balance well as the lifeboat was hooked to the top of its davits and then swung back back and forth. Miss Rambeau, who played the title character, appeared a bit concerned while Miss Hopper sported a large grin.

Motion picture premieres--Tacoma--1940-1950; Actors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Reagan, Ronald Wilson, 1911-; Hale, Alan; Rambeau, Marjorie; Crisp, Donald; Hopper, Hedda; Lifeboats--Tacoma;