The days when fresh bread had to be wrapped by hand were apparently gone by the 1950's. Continental Baking Co. used modern equipment to efficiently wrap the multitude of baked goods it produced daily. Loaves of bread enter a wrapping machine and emerge on a roller completely wrapped in the familiar polka dotted Wonder Bread design. View of wrapping machines taken on August 27, 1958; one man is placing wrapped loaves of bread onto racks. There are several racks completely filled with Wonder Bread while others wait on a table to be shelved. Photograph ordered by Continental Baking Co.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baking--Tacoma; Bread; Machinery;

Continental scenes. Since 1928 Continental Baking Co., bakers of Wonder Bread and Hostess Cakes, have been baking Wonder Bread products at their bakery at 701 S. Sprague Ave. Continental has been producing Tacoma products for Tacoma residents in one of the most modern bakeries in the Northwest. There is an oven with a capacity of over 3,500 loaves per hour, a new proof box and other equipment to give the plant a capacity of 90,000 loaves a day. Employees number 95, with an annual payroll of nearly a million dollars. The bakery operates 45 vehicles, distributing as far south as Olympia, Centralia and Chehalis. (TNT 09-01-1961 B5)

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baking--Tacoma; Bread--Tacoma;

The Continental Baking Company, makers of Wonder Bread, would be celebrating its 30th anniversary with a series of photographs taken by the Richards Studio showing a typical day at Continental. Here an employee, wearing a Hostess Cake cap, is measuring bread dough prior to baking. He is using a Toledo Speedweigh scale for precise weight. Once weighed, the bread dough would be placed in separate trays in preparation for baking. The bakery would be holding an open house in early September, 1958, to allow the public to see the new addition built to their Sprague Ave. property. Photograph ordered by Continental Baking Co.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bread--Tacoma; Baking--Tacoma; Scales;

This newly built two-story brick home was constructed in the Sylvan Park neighborhood near Lakewood by Home Construction Co. The home had four bedrooms, a music room and a television room. The kitchen was decorated in knotty pine and bronze hardware. This particular residence was part of the 1958 Tour of Homes sponsored by the Tacoma Master Builders Association. Sylvan Park was a newer upscale housing subdivision of large homes on large lots. Two girls enjoy reading on the concrete patio in the backyard of their Sylvia Blvd. home. Bright light trim focused attention of the patio doors, shutters, and balcony while the cast rock exterior provided a solid, stately appearance. The home seems to have been nestled among tall trees. Photograph ordered by Home Construction Co. (TNT 9-5-58, C-2)

Houses--Lakewood--1950-1960; Neighborhoods--Lakewood--1950-1960;

The kitchen in this newly built home on Sylvia Blvd. presents a homey, rustic feeling with its knotty pine cupboards and wood-crossed windows in addition to the "brick" counter tile. The wood is decorated with bronze hardware. The floor is covered with a small checkered linoleum. Ceramic figurines decorate countertops and shelves. Designers in the 1950's continued to use a round motif in kitchens with curved counters and exposed shelving. Appliances, including the Hotpoint built-in stove and oven, may have used natural gas. For a look at the Sylvan Park's home exterior, see A116379-4. This home was one of the 33 on display at the 1958 Tour of Homes sponsored by the Tacoma Master Builders Association. Photograph ordered by Home Construction Co. (TNT 9-5-58, C-2)

Kitchens--Lakewood--1950-1960;

General view of Temple Motor Company, Studebaker and Mercedes-Benz dealers. Studebaker Golden Hawk or Gran Turismo and pickup in showroom, SL-type Benz convertible exiting garage. Neon signs in windows and on building facade. After years at their 201 Saint Helens Ave. address, Temple Motors made the move to Broadway in 1958. They were the authorized factory dealers of Studebakers, Packards, and Mercedes-Benz and offered friendly service and complete repair facilities, including body and fender work. This picture was taken on August 29, 1958, near the 7th St. side. Photograph ordered by Temple Motors.

Temple Motors, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1950-1960; Studebaker automobile; Studebaker trucks; Convertible automobiles--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960;

An unusual concrete roof, resembling a wave, highlights the new office building owned by Lundberg Concrete Pipe Co. Carports and storage units were located under the small building. The new modern building was designed by architect Robert Billsbrough Price. It measured 23 x 30 feet and was made of reinforced concrete, painted gold and white with black columns. Lundberg Concrete Pipe had recently consolidated its operations at the newly expanded plant at Center & Cedar Strs.; large pipe sections are visible in the August 30, 1958, photograph's background. The company was owned by the Lundberg family with Oscar N. Lundberg as president. Photograph ordered by Lone Star Cement Co. (TNT 9-1-58, C-8)

Office buildings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lundberg Concrete Pipe Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Pipes (Conduits)--Tacoma;

This was how the Montello Block at 202 St. Helens Avenue appeared in September of 1958. It was kitty-corner to the Temple Theater. The Montello Block dates back to 1890 when builders H.S. Huson and Nicholas Lawson constructed the Montello Hotel on this property. Fire broke out in 1899, necessitating rebuilding and remodeling. It has since been occupied by a series of businesses. In 1958, the Tarry Tavern, owned by Wilbur Nash and Grayson McCain, was listed at that corner. The other units in the building were apartments. The building was destroyed by arson in November of 1997 and subsequently demolished. Next door was Temple Motors' used car division. Currently it is occupied by Doyle's Public House. Photograph ordered by National Mortgage, Inc.

Tarry Tavern (Tacoma); Temple Motors, Inc. (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Men cling gingerly at the top of the steel transmission tower under construction while a mobile crane lifts another piece of the tower in a September 3, 1958, photograph. Key Construction Co. was in the process of building this transmission tower at the site of the Priest Rapids Dam. The dam was located in Grant County and completed in 1959. It was on the Columbia River, sixty miles from Richland. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation.

Steel; Towers; Hoisting machinery;

Modest altar - St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. The new church had an enormous sanctuary; this September 8, 1958, photograph has been identified by a reader as in all likelihood the chapel in the convent. There were several pews and a wood-based altar. Vertical shutters were slightly opened, allowing light from the stained glass windows to enter. Photograph ordered by St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma--1950-1960; Pews--Tacoma; Altars--Tacoma;

Interior and exterior exposures of St. Charles Borromeo Church and buildings were taken on September 8, 1958. This view has been identified by a reader as the front hall/entryway of St. Charles Borromeo School. There is a large statue of St. Joseph holding a small child on the left. Trophy and display cases now flank the statue today. Over 200 children, up to the sixth grade, were enrolled in the new school taught by Franciscan sisters.The church sanctuary, school, parish hall, gym, convent and rectory may have been completed in 1958. The church building was finished in 1969. Photograph ordered by St. Charles Borromeo Church. (TNT 9-20-58, p. 4) (Additional information provided by a reader)

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma; Sculpture--Tacoma;

Sanctuary at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. A new parish was formed to serve the people of the city's west end and bridge area; St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church had its first buildings completed in 1958. It was dedicated that year by the Archbishop of Seattle. View of large, wood-enhanced sanctuary shows arched beams, rows of pews and two statues of Mary and the Sacred Heart flanking the altar. Archibishop of Seattle, Thomas A. Connolly, dedicated the rectory, school, and convent on September 21, 1958. The school gym was used as the church at this time since the church was not yet finished. Photograph ordered by St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. (TNT 9-20-58, p. 4)

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church (Tacoma); Catholic churches--Tacoma--1950-1960; Pews--Tacoma; Altars--Tacoma; Sculpture--Tacoma;

The National Factory Distributors building, located at Puyallup & E. "D" Sts., was for sale in September, 1958. View of rear of building was taken from the E. "D" angle on September 10, 1958, on behalf of the Salvation Army. The large wooden building had a basement, dormers, and hipped roof. In checking the 1959 City Directory, the building was listed as vacant; in 1960, Durobilt Furniture had moved in.

National Factory Distributors (Tacoma);

The National Factory Distributors building at 323 Puyallup Avenue was for sale in late 1958. It was located next door to the Paramount Electric Co. and a short distance from the Salvation Army. View of National Factory shows arched doorways, dormers, and large picture windows. A man is shown leaning against the street light close to the mail box in front of the store. The building was still vacant according to the 1959 City Directory; however, it did list an occupant in the 1960 directory, the Durobilt Furniture & Upholstery Co. Photograph ordered by Salvation Army.

National Factory Distributors (Tacoma);

View of Richard Kimball residence on Waller Rd. The new home of Richard Kimball was built by the Jardeen Bros. It had a modified Early American style, with a faintly rustic appearance to blend in with the large, wooded lot. The house was constructed basically of wood with brick borders and white trim around the windows and door. Adzed beams, turned posts and antiqued four-panel doors as well as knotty pine kitchen and utility cabinets were specifically mentioned in a News Tribune ad. There seems to have been a one-car garage, perhaps attached, for this home. The builders decided to hold a one-day only open house the day before the new owners took possession. Photograph ordered by the Jardeen Bros. (TNT 9-14-58, p. A-17)

Houses--Puyallup--1950-1960; Kimball, Richard--Homes & haunts;

Four musicians, ordered by Joe Burgi. Four musicians, listed in Richards Studio records as Agnes Moser, Mike Schuler, Joe Moser and Joe Burgi (far left), appear prepared to perform in a September 2, 1958, photograph. The group consisted of two accordionists, a woodwind player, and a pianist. Their dark vests appear to be decorated in colorful floral embroidery.

Musicians--Tacoma; Musical ensembles--Tacoma; Wind instruments; Accordions; Pianos;

In September of 1958, Day Ward (kneeling) and an unidentified man examined the huge Univac system installed in the Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan building at 1102-04 Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma. Mr. Ward became vice president of the savings & loan association and worked for them for 27 years prior to his passing in 1980. "Univac" stood for Universal Automatic Computer. It was the first commercial computer built in the United States as well as the first computer designed for business use. The first sales in about 1951 were to governmental agencies, such as the Census Bureau, and private companies such as the A.C. Nielsen Co., and Prudential Insurance. General Electric Appliance Division purchased the first Univac using business applications to calculate payroll in 1954. By 1958 when this photo was taken, Univac had become slightly more common in the American workplace. Photograph ordered by Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Assn. (Computer Science Club > csclub.@cs.ucdavis.edu; TNT 5-18-80, A-6-obit. of Mr. Ward) (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Computers; Banking--Tacoma; Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Ward, Day;

Ten new hangars had been recently built at the South Tacoma Airport. These "T" shaped hangars would house five planes to a side. Here a man in a checkered shirt clings to the windshield of a small craft while another man is in the process of opening the hangar. These hangars were constructed out of plywood. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Plywood; Hangars--Tacoma; Airplanes--Tacoma;

A Beachcraft T-34, owned by the McChord Flying Club, is being wheeled into a T-shaped hangar at the South Tacoma Airport on September 9, 1958. An unidentified man in a checkered shirt and cap is maneuvering the airplane by a wing while Frank Bly is pushing with his hands on the propeller. Another parked aircraft can be glimpsed in the adjacent hangar space. Mr. Bly would build a hangar at the South Tacoma Airport in the late '50s. He would use the hanger to restore and keep his 1931 Stinson W. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (Additional information provided by readers)

Airplanes--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hangars--Tacoma; Bly, Frank; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

A new building was under construction at the large Pederson Fryer Farms complex at 2901 East 72nd when this aerial photograph was taken on September 7, 1958. The automatic poultry processing equipment at Pederson's had the capacity to dress and package 2,500 chickens per hour. At that time, Pederson's employed 88 people. The family personally supervised the raising of special hybrids and controlled their feeding and housing. By the 1990s they were Washington State's largest producer of poultry with 450 employees. After 48 years in the poultry business, Pederson Farms declared bankruptcy in 1996; they were bought out by Foster Farms of Modesto, California in 1997. Photograph ordered by Pederson Fryer Farms.

Aerial photographs; Pederson Fryer Farms (Tacoma);

Aerial photographs taken on September 9, 1958, show the nearly completed County-City Building on Tacoma Avenue South. The parking lot and landscaping still need to be done. The old Courthouse to the rear of the new building would be the last to be demolished. The land there, too, would become necessary parking. The State Armory, directly behind the Courthouse at 715 South 11th St., still remains. The Tacoma Public Library can be seen to the new County-City Building's right, at 1102 Tacoma Avenue South. Other prominent features include the Schoenfeld's furniture store and Union Station on Pacific Avenue and a portion of the City (now Thea Foss) Waterway. This view, looking southeast, was very similar to A116584-2. Hazy smoke or clouds nearly obliterate Mount Rainier in the distance as well as parts of the industrial Tideflats.

Aerial photographs; Aerial views; County-City Building (Tacoma); Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); State Armory (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Streets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Aerial photographs taken on September 9, 1958, show the nearly completed County-City Building on Tacoma Avenue South. The parking lot and landscaping still need to be done. The old Courthouse to the rear of the new building would be the last to be demolished. The land there, too, would become necessary parking. The Tacoma Public Library can be seen to the new building's right. Other prominent features include the Schoenfeld's furniture store and Union Station on Pacific Avenue and a portion of the City (now Thea Foss) Waterway. This aerial view was taken looking southeast toward the industrial Tideflats and a hazy Mount Rainier.

Aerial photographs; County-City Building (Tacoma); Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); City Waterway (Tacoma); Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

When erected in 1910, Puget Sound National Bank's main branch was the tallest building west of the Missouri River. Later buildings were constructed to rival the bank's height but it remained a focal point on Pacific Avenue. It dwarfed its neighbors, Peoples store and the National Bank of Washington. A large plaque on the side of the building indicates that the bank was established in 1890. Puget Sound Bank was the first to use a T & T sign, clearly visible, which gave the time and temperature to passersby. A "hometown bank," Puget Sound National Bank was absorbed by Key Bank in the early 1990's. Photograph ordered by the Condon Co. TPL-6569

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

The Tenkai Maru, a boat with Japanese registry, is docked at Port Alice, British Columbia. The Japanese flag is flying on deck. Forklifts carrying wrapped packages move closer to the ship in preparation to load them aboard. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie, industrial consultant.

Ships--Japanese; Flags;

The figure of a logger is starkly outlined in black as he descends a spar pole. His steel tipped shoes assist in keeping himself steady. The belt circling the pole is used to keep him from falling. The spar pole has multiple cables that are used for yarding logs from surrounding strands of trees. This photograph was taken on September 12, 1958, in Port McNeil, British Columbia. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie, industrial consultant.

Loggers; Lumber industry--Canada;

ca. 1926. A new 1926 Moon Jubilee 6-60 grinds up the steep So. K Street hill, showing off the strength of the new automobile. The Moon Jubilee was created to celebrate 20 years of automobile manufacturing by the Moon Motor Co. (1905-1929) of St. Louis, Mo. The vehicle, which sold for under $1,000, had European styling with a Continental motor. The local agent for Moon cars was the Bye Thompson Motor Sales Co., 3320 So. G St. The So. K St. hill, heading north from Center St., was often used to test the prowess of new cars. This portion of the road closed around 1960. A residence and the spire of Holy Rosary church can be seen in the background. (filed under Argentum)

Automobiles--1920-1930; Bye Thompson Motor Sales Co. (Tacoma); Moon automobiles; Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Dirt roads--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Tacoma American Automobile Association's Bob Hager officiates at Ford Good Driver League Contest. Automobile appears to be a 1942 Mercury.

Mayor Harry Cain and Tacoma AAA head Bob Hager in front of AAA office at Winthrop Hotel during Ford Good Driver League Contest. Automobile is a 1942 Mercury.

Mayors - Tacoma - 1940-46 - US Senators - Washington State - 1947-53 - Harry P. Cain (1906-79)

ca. 1926. Men gather along the side of the road to cheer on the 1926 Moon Jubilee 6-60 as it powers its way up the So. K St. hill. The Moon Jubilee was manufactured in 1926 to celebrate 20 years of car manufacturing by the Moon Motor Co. of St. Louis, Mo. The automobile, according to advertising at the time, featured European styling adapted to American driving needs and sold for under $1,000. The dealer for the automobile in Tacoma was the Bye Thompson Motor Co., R. Bye Thompson president, at 3320 So. G St. The So. K St. Hill climb started at Center St. and headed north. It was closed around 1960. (filed under Argentum)

Automobiles--1920-1930; Bye Thompson Motor Sales Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Moon automobiles; Dirt roads--Tacoma--1920-1930;

College of Puget Sound Ministery School Group on steps of A.H. Jones Hall.

Education - Colleges and Universtities - Tacoma - University of Puget Sound (College of Puget Sound)