Mayor Ben Hanson welcomes Brazilian labor leaders to Tacoma on July 31, 1961, with a firm handshake and the key to the city. Ten labor leaders were visiting Tacoma for one week to learn about collective bargaining and union contracts. While in Tacoma, the visitors talked to labor, city and school officials and toured industrial plants and civic installations. Mayor Hanson had been elected mayor by the city council in 1958 and then elected by the people of Tacoma in a charter change. ALBUM 16. (TNT 7-31-61, p. 1-article)
Harold Moss (center) raised his hand as he, along with Gerald Maule and Philip Schroeder, took the oath of office on October 13, 1970. Mr. Moss was appointed to the Tacoma City Council in the wake of political upheaval when five councilmen were ousted by recall. He was the first black to serve on the city council and would run successfully in 1971 to serve until 1973. Mr. Moss would be appointed again to the council in 1987 and was re-elected in 1988 and 1992. He became to city's first black mayor in 1994 after the sudden death of newly-elected mayor Jack Hyde. In 1996 he became the first black to sit on the Pierce County Council. The News Tribune notes that Mr. Moss was "perhaps best known for his even handedness and accessibility" while on the city council. ALBUM 16. (TNT 3-18-96, B-2)
Moss, Harold; City council members--Tacoma--1970-1980; Oaths--Tacoma; Maule, Gerald; Schroeder, Philip;
The "Jackie" Kennedy look was in vogue when these Miss Tacoma contestants posed at the County-City Building on April 23, 1963. Gale Yuckert (second from right) went on to become Miss Tacoma of 1963. The contest has been held sporadically since the 1920s. Trueblood #862.
Albert Lawrence Rasmussen was elected mayor of Tacoma in 1967. This photograph was taken in the Mayor's office on Naturalization Day, September 9, 1969. Trueblood #1870 ALBUM 16.
Rasmussen, Albert Lawrence; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970
Three young men from Kitakyushu University, the sister university of the University of Puget Sound, receive keys to the City of Tacoma from Mayor Ben Hanson on November 8, 1961. Hiromi Yokota, Shinichi Tanaka and Kazama Tsunomachi were paying a two-week visit to Tacoma. When they departed on November 16, the visitors were presented with Douglas Fir seedlings as a "living reminder" of the Pacific Northwest. TRUEBLOOD 593 (see G51.1-025 for additional photograph of visitors)
Mayor Harold Tollefson posed with about 50 beauty queens and various police units on May 15, 1962, in front of what is believed the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Avenue South. Although this particular photograph apparently did not appear in the local newspaper, it may have been taken in conjunction with the Century 21 Exposition, better known as the Seattle World's Fair, which was already in progress. TRUEBLOOD 682
Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1960-1970;
Mayor Ben Hanson gestures as his visitor, L. Shukin of Turkey, watches on the grass outside the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Avenue South, on July 10, 1961. The mayor may have been pointing toward the old Central School building further up the street. TRUEBLOOD 524
Arrival of Japanese governor and wife at County-City Building. Motohiko Kanai and his wife in conversation with Washington State Governor Albert D. Rosellini and a state trooper in front of the County-City Building on April 22, 1964. They had just arrived via Lincoln Continental. Kanai, governor of Washington's sister prefecture, Hyogo, met with city, county and port officials at a brief reception in Mayor Harold Tollefson's office. Prior to their departure for Olympia, the Kanais were presented the key to the City of Tacoma and a framed picture of Tacoma's port. (TNT 4-22-64, C-16)
Kanai, Motohiko; Kanai, Motohiko--Family; Governors; Rosellini, Albert D.; Guests--Tacoma; Lincoln automobile;
Mayor Harold Tollefson bows his head while shaking the hand of Mrs. Motohiko Kanai on April 22, 1964, outside the County-City Building. Her husband, the Japanese governor of Washington's sister prefecture, Hyogo, and Washington governor Albert Rosellini both smile. She is wearing an exquisite silk kimono while also carrying a modern handbag. Governor Kanai was presented with a key to the city by Mayor Tollefson. (TNT 4-22-64, C-16)
Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Rosellini, Albert D.; Governors; Kanai, Motohiko; Kanai, Motohiko--Family;
Kokura, Japan, one of Tacoma's sister cities, sent a miniature Shinto shrine to the City of Tacoma in 1961 as a token of their friendship. Toyosuke Nogami, a resident of Kokura, was commissioned to hand-carve the shrine; he journeyed to the Japan Alps to select the best Japanese cypress for the job. When it arrived, the shrine was put on display in the "solarium" adjacent to the second floor lobby of the County-City Building. The elaborately carved shrine also included a gate and two lantern posts which were damaged slightly during shipping. A terrace behind the Washington State Historical Society museum on Stadium Way was chosen as the permanent site of the shrine. It was dedicated there in May, 1962. Pictured above with the Shinto shrine are Sylvia Sass (kneeling, center left) and Thomas Takemura (kneeling, center right) of the Sister City Committee.
Mayor Harold Tollefson exchanged smiles with Julie Reihm in March of 1965, as she was made an honorary citizen of Tacoma. Ms. Reihm, 20, had just presented the mayor with a proclamation making him an honorary citizen of Disneyland. She was a special Disneyland Ambassador who was touring the country to publicize the amusement park's 10th anniversary. Ms. Reihm also made Mayor Tollefson an honorary member of the Anaheim City Council and bestowed upon him a free one-year pass to Disneyland and an official Disneyland color book. In return, the mayor made Ms. Reihm an honorary Tacoma citizen. G67.1-154 (TNT 3-24-65, A-10-article & alternate photograph)
Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tollefson, Harold M., 1908-1985; Reihm, Julie; Guests--Tacoma--1960-1970;
ca. 1959. Frank Stojack served as Pierce County Sheriff from 1958 to 1962. The Lincoln High School graduate played pro-football for the NFL's Brooklyn Dodgers in 1936 before launching an immensely successful wrestling career. Fans voted him the "King of Wrestling" in 1953. Stojack was elected to the Tacoma City Council the same year, running as the "Champion of Fair Play". He duties after being elected sheriff in 1958 included moving the department into the new County-City Building, seen in the background shortly after its completion in 1959. The Tacoma Boys Clubs received over $300,000 from the estate of Frank Stojack after his death in 1987.
On January 12, 1965, Tacoma police counted coins from five confiscated slot machines on a makeshift table in the basement of the County City Building. According to a News Tribune article the following day, Detective Ritchie Mace, City Prosecutor Jack Majeres and Captain John Gookins tallied the coins from slot machines seized in a September 15, 1964, raid on Tacoma barber George Parrott's residence. The slots had been opened and smashed by police per court order. The two 25 cent slots, one nickel slot, and two penny slots had coins totaling $117.33. (TNT 1-13-65, A-3)
An unidentified Tacoma police officer uses a hand sledge to smash the inner workings of a slot machine on January 12, 1965, one of five confiscated slots demolished in the basement of the County City Building per court order. The exposed reels show the familiar fruit symbols of cherries, plums and oranges. The non-uniformed man in the photograph has his hand on a 25 cent "Club Chief" slot; that machine has a jackpot of $25. The quarter, nickel and penny slots yielded a total of $117.33. Former owner George Parrott, a Tacoma barber, paid a $100 city fine in addition to a federal gambling tax of more than $1,000. He did, however, get back the $117.33 in coins which were turned over to his attorney, Martin Potter, for return to Mr. Parrott. (TNT 1-13-65, A-3-article & alt. photo)
Slot machines--Tacoma; Gambling--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Police--Tacoma--1960-1970; Hammers;
Although mailed in 1993, this postcard was published in 1959. Both the old Pierce County Courthouse and the new County-City Building are shown here, with the Armory visible to the far left. circa 1959.
Mayor A.L. "Slim" Rasmussen presents a service award and service pin to an unidentified city employee in March of 1969. Mr. Rasmussen was in his final year as Tacoma's mayor. He would later return to the Washington State Legislature, this time to the Senate, and serve several terms. Trueblood # 1801 ALBUM 16.
Rasmussen, Albert Lawrence; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Awards;
ca. 1977. A large group of visitors from Tacoma's sister city in Japan, Kitakyushu (formerly Kokura) pose with their American hosts in front of the County-City Building. Two of the men are holding keys to the City of Tacoma as presented by government officials. At the far right is George M. Nalley; he served on the City Council in the 1970's. Gordon Johnston, who was Tacoma's mayor from 1970-78, is in the center of the photograph, first row.
Foreign visitors--Japan; Keys (Hardware); Johnston, Gordon N.; Mayors--Tacoma--1970-1980; Nalley, George M.; County-City Building (Tacoma);
Martin Luther King Memorial March. On April 7, 1968 Tacoma motorcycle police, their vehicles parked in the middle of Tacoma Avenue South, stood and listened to speakers outside the County-City Building speak passionately about the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday April 7th was a national day of mourning for Dr. King who had been shot just three days before. Over a thousand people, many bearing signs, had marched from St. John Baptist Church to the County-City Building, blocks away, in a show of unity and great sadness. TAC 377.3
Commemorations--Tacoma--1960-1970; Crowds--Tacoma--1960-1970; County-City Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Motorcycles--Tacoma--1960-1970;
Plywood barricade around construction area for the new County-City building. After much discussion and delay, a site was finally decided on for the new building. Although approved by voters Nov. 4, 1952, construction did not begin until July 25, 1956. Before construction comes demolition. Homes and offices shown here will soon be torn down to make way for the new modern office building. Coast Contractors will demolish the approximately 4 square blocks of buildings for the low bid of $48, 448. A $7,000 board fence will be erected around the site, excluding the Court House and two buildings to be used an annexes.The old County Court House will remain standing and in use until the new building is built and then be torn down to make room for the parking lot. The fence is 2800 ft long and made of 2x4 and plywood and must remain up for 2 years fencing the site. A crew of 30 men will be hired for the demolition. Walter McHugh, head of Coast Construction, estimates the actual demolition cost to be closer to $70,000, the difference and profit to be made from salvage that will be sold on the spot. (TNT 3/20/1955, pg. A-18) TPL-8168
On July 26, 1972, an unidentified employee of the Pierce County Data Center was pictured surveying a monitor with keyboard at the data processing office located in the County-City Building. A row of RCA 70/442 Magnetic Tape units are lined up on the wall next to the man. Photograph ordered by Moore Business Forms.
Office workers--Tacoma--1970-1980; Pierce County Data Center (Tacoma); Computers;
An unidentified female employee of the Pierce County Data Center was photographed on July 26, 1972, at the controls of a RCA 70/97 Console. The data processing center was located on the seventh floor of the County-City Building. Photograph ordered by Moore Business Forms.
Office workers--Tacoma--1970-1980; Pierce County Data Center (Tacoma);
1971 Richards color stock footage. August of 1971 view of the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Ave. So. A snippet of Central School is on the right center edge. The aluminum and glass 12-story County-City Building was dedicated on April 10, 1959. Most of the luscious green lawn has since been eliminated as the additions were made to the complex.
Tacoma Mayor A.L. "Slim" Rasmussen (center) signed an official proclamation declaring October 11-18, 1969 "Scandinavian Days" in Tacoma. Photographed with the mayor were: (l to r) Mrs. Arvilla Dabroe, publicity chairman for the event; Hartley Kantor, promotion chairman for the Downtown Tacoma Association; Dennis Rowley, co-chairman of the event and Mrs. A. Victor Johnson, chairman of the Leif Erikson Memorial Committee. (Photograph ordered by the Downtown Tacoma Association.) (TNT 10-5-69, A-19) ALBUM 14.
Rasmussen, Albert Lawrence; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Dabroe, Arvilla; Johnson, A. Victor--Family; Kantor, Hartley; Rowley, Dennis; Proclamations;
Mayor A.L. "Slim" Rasmussen affixes his signature to a document proclaiming October 11-18, 1969, as "Scandinavian Days." Displaying examples of Scandinavian handicrafts are Mrs. Arvilla Dabroe, publicity chair (L) and Mrs. A. Victor Johnson (R), chairman of the Leif Erikson Memorial Committee. Hartley Kantor, promotion chairman of the Tacoma Downtown Association and Dennis Rowley, co-chairman of the "Scandinavian Days" event, are also pictured above. Scandinavian handicrafts, heirlooms and artifacts will be on display in downtown stores' windows during this time. Photograph ordered by the Downtown Tacoma Association. (TNT 10-5-69, A-19)
Rasmussen, Albert Lawrence; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Dabroe, Arvilla; Johnson, A. Victor--Family; Kantor, Hartley; Rowley, Dennis; Proclamations;
October 4, 1969, aerial view of County-City Building, location of city, county, police and court systems. This view captures the rear portion of the County-City Building and shows the large parking lot available. Somewhat resembling an airplane with extended wings, the County-City Building was formally dedicated in April of 1959. It occupied land between So. 9th & So. 11th Street on Tacoma Ave. So. The old Gothic-styled Pierce County Courthouse had been demolished and services transferred to the new building; parking for the County-City Building would take its place. Although the County-City Building was only ten years old in 1969, it was already bursting at its seams. Supporters had proposed to the City Council in late September, 1969, that an $8 million dollar bond issue for a new 5-story wing be considered. The courts needed more space so that trials could proceed without delays. Horace J. Whitacre of Whitacre Engineers gave a detailed projection of the County-City Building's future space needs. Photograph ordered by Whitacre Engineers. (TNT 9-23-69 , p. 10- article)
Aerial views; County-City Building (Tacoma); Parking lots--Tacoma--1960-1970;
County-City Building. Close-up view of the County-City Building with two its wings - law enforcement on the left and courts on the right with the 12-story central structure between. Also in this October 4, 1969, aerial view is the Washington National Guard Armory in the photograph's foreground. The brick edifice was dedicated on the first day in January, 1909, and remodeled several times since then. Located in the 700 block of So. 11th St., it was across the street from the L.H. Bates Vocational-Technical Institute (formerly Tacoma Vocational). Photograph ordered by Whitacre Engineers.
Aerial views; County-City Building (Tacoma); State Armory (Tacoma); Commercial streets--Tacoma--1960-1970;
County-City Building. Aerial view looking south on Tacoma Ave. So. with close-up of side and rear of County-City Building, its large parking lot, and Tacoma Public Library across the street. The County-City Building had been completed in 1959 to replace the venerable Old City Hall, 625 Commerce St. Ten years later it housed both city and county offices, including the health department, auditor, assessor, sheriff and city police, city council & mayor, county commissioners and courts. The future would see many of these departments move to separate buildings including the Municipal Building (formerly the Medical Arts Building), Pierce County Annex and the new Tacoma Police Department's complex on Pine St. Photograph ordered by Whitacre Engineers.
Aerial views; County-City Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1960-1970; Parking lots--Tacoma--1960-1970; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1960-1970;
