Dignitaries gather for a group portriat prior to the launching of the AMS 115, a 144-foot minesweeper, at Tacoma Boat Building Company. Owners of Tacoma Boat, Arne Strom and Harold Dahl are seen near the right. The sponsor, Winifred (Mrs. Melvin M.) Larsen, secretary to Charles Bevis, Tacoma Boat's manager, is holding a bouquet of roses. Captain Chester J. Chastek, state director of the selective service addressed those attending the launching. Others on the program were Lt. Cmdr. S.E. Anderson, chaplain of the Sand Point Naval Air station, Arne Strom and Capt. Linton Herndon, Navy supervisor of shipbuilding in the Tacoma area. (TNT, 10/5/1952, p.B-3)

Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Larsen, Winifred; Dahl, Haldor; Strom, Arne;

Several men are working with automobile brake shoes at TAM Engineering Corporation.

Machine shops--Tacoma; TAM Engineering Corp. (Tacoma);

A young man is building a cabinet. He has attached an adjustable clamp to hold a board in place while he adds a screw from the other side to hold it. Small amounts of glue have squeezed out where the plywood and milled wood are attached.

Plywood; Woodworking--Tacoma--1950-1960;

In addition to the 20,000 square foot building Columbia Breweries was also adding a 39,000 square foot case-goods warehouse and a new receiving and shipping depot. These additions would make Columbia one of the most modern brewing facilities in the Pacific Northwest; the changes were expected to begin in 1949. View of Heidelberg booth at Tavern Owners' convention; General Beer Distributing Company, Tacoma, with Heidelberg beer and Columbia ale products displayed.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Business enterprises--Tacoma; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays;

The interior Weyerhaeuser's bleached Kraft mill at Longview, Washington, showing overhead duct work and machinery in place. Ordered by Drew Engineering Company, Portland, Oregon, manufacturers of industrial air systems.

Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Longview); Mills--Longview; Lumber industry--Longview; Drew Engineering Co. (Portland); Machinery;

The interior Weyerhaeuser's bleached Kraft mill at Longview, Washington, showing large conduit and a fan, part of the air system in the plant. Ordered by Drew Engineering Company, Portland, Oregon, manufacturers of industrial air systems.

Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Longview); Mills--Longview; Lumber industry--Longview; Drew Engineering Co. (Portland); Machinery; Fans (Machinery);

An elevated view of one of the paper processes at Weyerhaeuser's bleached Kraft mill at Longview, Washington, and a machine manufactured by the Beloit company.

Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Longview); Mills--Longview; Lumber industry--Longview; Machinery;

An operator for Douglas Fir Plywood stamps each sheet of plywood in a stack with "EXT-DFPA" denoting the grade and quality of plywood. The Douglas Fir Plywood Association stood behind the designations they developed to assure quality of the products distributed by their members.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma)--Products; Plywood;

Over fifty salesmen attended the Heidelberg Sales Clinic held at the Columbia Breweries in December, 1952. The men are posed in front of the main entrance to the brewery. Robert S. Jamieson, the company's sales manager, is believed to be the man seated on the extreme right.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Sales personnel--Tacoma; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--People;

A technician examines plywood that has undergone shear testing at the Plywood Research Center. Although nailed down, several segments of plywood have been ripped away from the wall in this September, 1951, photograph. The research laboratory submits plywood to tests of durability and quality assurance in order that the finished product meet their high standards.

Plywood Research Center (Tacoma); Plywood; Product inspection--Tacoma; Testing--Tacoma--1950-1960; Laboratories--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Smoke rises from the blackened ruins of the Tacoma Boat Building Company's boatworks area on August 24, 1951. It was the city's sixth major fire of the year. Damages were estimated at one million dollars by Fire Chief Charles Eisenbacher. All five connecting buildings in the construction yard were consumed by flames. Twelve land companies and the city fireboat helped to finally extinguish the fire. Photograph commissioned by Board of Marine Underwriters of San Francisco. (TNT 8-24-51, p. 1) TPL-9120;

Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fires--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fire fighting--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Clean up goes slowly in the aftermath of the massive Tacoma Boat Building Company boatworks fire of August 24, 1951. Several days after the early morning blaze, photographs of the interior of buildings showed blackened and crumbling fish wells and main engine tanks. No injuries were reported in Tacoma's sixth major fire of the year. Photograph commissioned by Board of Marine Underwriters of San Francisco. (TNT 8-24-51, p. 1) TPL-9054

Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fires--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fire fighting--Tacoma--1950-1960;

View of taping machine manufactured by Globe Machine; photograph ordered by Earl Sutton. Globe Machine Manufacturing Co. were manufacturers of veneer, plywood and woodworking machinery. The company was located at 301 East 11th Street. According to the 1951 City Directory, Calvin D. Bamford was listed as Secretary-Treasurer of the firm. He was listed as president by the time of the 1953 City Directory. The firm was listed in the City Directory from 1929 to 1988.

Machinery industry--Tacoma; Machinery; Equipment; Globe Machine Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Bamford, Calvin D.;

Construction continues on new buildings at the St. Regis Paper Company on Portland Avenue. Still in its early stages in August, 1951, the new buildings have been mapped out with low walls but as the mounds of dirt indicate, no flooring is in place. St. Regis was nearing completion of its eight year expansion plan; this structure is probably the multiwall bag plant which was completed in 1952. Anticipated to add an additional 400 workers to the St. Regis payroll, the new plant, constructed of steel and concrete, would be used for the production of industrial-use bags for cement, fertilizer, and other heavy-duty items. Hooker Electrochemical's tank cars can be seen in the background close to the St. Regis water tower.

Progress photographs; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Factories--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Group portrait of Columbia Breweries' accounting and office staff in 1951. Columbia Breweries was a well established business by the early 1950's; their Tacoma staff alone would have totaled over 350 workers. Names are listed in the newspaper. (TNT, 1/8/1952, p.B-9)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Group portraits--1950-1960; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--People;

Group portrait 32 Columbia Breweries employees from the brewhouse, cellars and wash house posed for their photograph on October 30, 1951. Columbia Breweries had undergone massive expansion in the late 1940's; it would enable them to increase production of their Columbia Ale and Alt Heidelberg brands. Names are listed in the newspaper. (TNT, 1/8/1952, p.B-9)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Group portraits--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--People;

Kegging operations at Columbia Breweries. A Columbia Breweries employee, mallet in hand, stands behind a large black manifold which is part of the kegging process in this October, 1951, photograph. Tanks such as the above would serve as buffers between the flow of beer from filters and to the kegs. Columbia Breweries was well known for their Heidelberg brand of beer and Columbia Ale. (Additional information provided by a reader)

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1950-1960;

An employee of Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation's Seattle plant has his hands on the large valve of a machine in a photograph taken in September, 1951. Another employee in checkered jacket stands by finished steel products. Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel had several facilities in the Seattle area including a rolling mill, nut and bolt department, tank farm and mill depot. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp., San Francisco.

Factories; Steel industry; Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (Seattle);

Conveyor link belt at St. Regis Paper Company. Link Belt Company. Long conveyor containing wood chips.

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Conveying systems--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Columbia Brewing Company, interior of dining room, as pictured on October 29, 1951. Long utilitarian tables, folding metal chairs and checkered linoleum floor. Two vases of flowers help to brighten the room.

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Dining rooms--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Log dump at Wheeler-Osgood Company. The log dump at the Wheeler-Osgood Sash & Door Company on East D Street measured 150 feet by 150 feet. Company buildings are located around the opposite side of the logs with a planked walkway in foreground. Wheeler-Osgood was a door and plywood manufacturer located on the tideflats at 1216 Saint Paul Ave. next to St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. and Wilkeson Fuel Co. It was established in 1889 and closed its doors in 1952. It was destroyed by fire during demolition in 1959. Photograph ordered by Charlie Rembert, 3410 S. Washington Street. TPL-5732

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Logs; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma);

Interior view of Nalley's exhibit at Puyallup Fair. Nalley's had a very large exhibition booth at the Western Washington Fair in Puyallup whose design remained basically the same for several years. In September, 1951, Nalley's Beef Stew was the featured advertised product, "the meatiest stew you ever tasted". Previous years had seen Tang Salad Dressing and Lumberjack Syrup take center stage. Potato chips and cucumber chips were also on display in 1951. On the long balcony above the exhibit booth were cutouts of people holding onto various Nalley products including Shoestring potatoes, Pure Mayonaise, Treasure Pickles and Lumberjack Syrup.

Nalley's, Inc. (Tacoma); Exhibit booths--Puyallup; Western Washington Fair (Puyallup); Fairs--Puyallup--1950-1960; Merchandise displays--Puyallup; Canned foods;

The Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington began operations in their Taylor Way plant in June, 1929. Then known as Tacoma Electrochemical Company, they produced liquid chlorine, caustic soda and sodium hypochlorite for the area's pulp mills. Previously, mills had to import these products from the East. A plentiful supply of low-cost electricity, pure water, moderate climate, and good supply of labor provided incentive for Pennsalt and other chemical plants to locate in Tacoma. View of Pennsalt worker turning bolt with a wrench; photograph was taken in October, 1951.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1950-1960; Machinery; Pipes;