Annual meeting of the American Legion, Edward B. Rhodes Post's Last Man Club, Hotel Winthrop, on December 3, 1941. Three empty chairs are draped with American flags and 19 men sit and stand by them. The draped chairs are in honor of Club members who have died. The Club was organized December 5, 1938 by World War I veterans who were past Commanders of the Post. A bottle of 1917 Hennessey Five Star cognac was set aside for the last surviving member to drink a toast to his comrades. The first to die was Tacoma Mayor Dr. John Siegle on April 13, 1939. The sole survivor was Capt. Chester Chastek. By February of 1992, he had outlived all his fellow club members. He died February 23, 1997 at the age of 97.

American Legion Club (Tacoma); Patriotic societies--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Flags--United States; Last Man Club (Tacoma);

Three Tacoma chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution (the Mary Ball, Virginia Dare and Elizabeth Forey) enjoyed a delicious luncheon in the Hotel Winthrop's Crystal Ballroom when they honored Washington State Regent, Mrs. Starr Sherman of Walla Walla, on October 27, 1941. Seated above were Mrs. C.C. Mellinger, Mary Ball chapter regent, Mrs. Sherman, and Margaret Long, Elizabeth Forey chapter regent with the others in the photograph not identified. Mrs. Sherman was making an official visit to Tacoma and would later pay similar visits to Grays Harbor and Chehalis as well as northern chapters around the Sound. (T.Times 10-28-1941, p. 9-article only; T.Times 10-30-1941, p. 19-alt. photograph)

Daughters of the American Revolution (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Melllinger, C.C.--Family; Sherman, Starr--Family; Long, Margaret;

Wauna Club dance on Roof Garden at Hotel Winthrop. The elegantly dressed Jessie and Walter J. Frankland and Dr. and Mrs. James Gourley practice a step or two before leaving the lounge for the dance floor on April 22, 1939. Mr. Frankland was listed in the 1939 City Directory as a department manager for Rainier National Park Co. (T. Times, 4/29/1939, p. 6).

Wauna Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Couples--Tacoma--1930-1940; Frankland, Walter J.; Gourley, James;

April, 1939, Wauna Club dance on Roof Garden at Hotel Winthrop. Two couples converse in the lounge near a large console radio. Frank R. Griffiths offers Archie Kimball a Camel cigarette. Wives Tim Kimball and Norma Griffiths look on. Mr. Griffiths was listed in the 1939 City Directory as the secretary/treasurer of the Rainier National Park Co. (T. Times, 4/29/1939, p. 7).

Wauna Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Griffiths, Frank R.; Griffiths, Norma; Kimball, Archie; Kimball, Tim; Cigarettes;

New officers of Order of Runeberg, Wedgewood Room. The western district Order of Runeberg held their biennial convention in Tacoma in August, 1950. Newly elected officers pose smilingly in the Hotel Winthrop's Wedgewood Room. There were 75 official delegates to the convention and 118 visitors, with over 60 from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Eureka. The Order of Runeberg is named for Johan Ludvig Runeberg, a noted Finnish poet. His poems and essays, based on Swedish culture, have been compared with Goethe and Shakespeare. (TNT 8-11-50, p. 5, 8-15-50, p. 14, TNT 8-16-50, p. 6)

Order of Runeberg (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1950-1960;

More than 600 members of the Washington State Junior Chamber of Commerce attended the state convention held in Tacoma at the Winthrop Hotel. The Junior Chamber of Commerce would be electing new officers for this year; and they designated Spokane as next year's site for the state convention. The convention consisted of several meetings and programs and would wrap up with a Saturday night banquet at the Top of the Ocean restaurant. View of members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce at the Winthrop Hotel (T.N.T., 4/23/49, p. 1).

Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Conference rooms--Tacoma; Hotels--Tacoma; Business people--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Junior Chamber of Commerce (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Clinton S. Reynolds (left), new president of Tacoma Chamber of Commerce, presents outgoing president Charles M. Fogg (center) with a framed check for $1.00, his salary for his tenure as 1954 Chamber President. Looking on at the right is Tom Collins, Kansas City banker and humorist and featured speaker for the event. The presentation was the highlight of the 70th annual Chamber dinner in the Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. A standing room only crowd of 435 attended the event. (TNT 1/20/1955, pg. 1 & A-5)

Tacoma Chamber of Commerce (Tacoma); Fogg, Charles M.; Checks; Collins, Tom; Reynolds, Clinton S.;

The Washington Federation of State Employees, AFL-CIO, held their 16th annual convention at the Winthrop Hotel on May 18, 1957. Members listened to speakers discussing pertinent issues of adequate wages, a state merit system, and how a state employees union meets the problems of a changing administration. View of speaker and extended microphone at podium; there is a large circular logo "American Federation State County Municipal Employees AFL-CIO" on the back of the podium. A can of Walla Walla green peas is next to a pitcher of water. Photograph ordered by Washington Federation of State Employees. (TNT 5-18-57, p. 4)

Washington Federation of State Employees (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

Ribbon cutting. Snipping a ribbon believed to be decorated with stamps was a gentleman dressed in turn-of-the-century clothing in celebration of Tacoma's centennial week. Assisting him is a woman in that era's full length skirts, long shawl and bonnet. The Tacoma Stamp Club was meeting at the Winthrop Hotel on Memorial Day weekend; a banquet would be held there the following evening. Photograph ordered by the Tacoma Stamp Club.

Tacoma Stamp Club (Tacoma); Dedications--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Shriners' Ball and banquet at the Winthrop Hotel on June 5, 1937. Two photographers, one a Shriner, taking photographs of couples on the dance floor.

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Balls (Parties)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

On June 5, 1937, as a function of the Shrine spring reunion in Tacoma, the Afifi Temple held a Ball and banquet at the Winthrop Hotel. Shriners and their wives were the guests. Here the photographer was setting up camera to take photographs of people in the receiving line.

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

On June 5, 1937, over 1,000 Shriners gathered in Tacoma for a spring reunion. They kicked off the get together with a parade. A long line of Shriners waited behind their drill leader for the parade to begin. Winthrop Hotel and Roxy theater on Broadway are in background.

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Roxy Theatre (Tacoma);

Junior Women's Club Hobby Show at the Winthrop Hotel. Club members inspected the merchandise on display which included neckties, vases, woven fabrics and a basket. They were there to attend the annual dinner and hobby show of the club which was held in the hotel's Crystal Ballroom on April 12, 1940. From left to right are: Sally Sicade, Mrs. William Bottcher, Mrs. Philip Farmer, Mrs. Plummer York, Mrs. H.E. Craven and Mrs. Marion Edwards. (T.Times 4-20-40, p. 4)

Junior Women's Club (Tacoma); Women--Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hobbyists--Tacoma; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sicade, Sally; Bottcher, William--Family; Farmer, Philip--Family; York, Plummer--Family; Craven, Helen; Edwards, Marion--Family

Cooks and Waiters Union, Local 61, Cabaret Ball at Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. (filed with Argentum)

Labor unions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cooks, Waiters, Waitresses & Bartenders Union Local No. 61 (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Co-Ed Club dance at Hotel Winthrop. Two young couples pause in the hotel lounge to converse on April 21, 1939. Seated in a wicker chair is Bette Yancey. Next to her is Myron Johnson. Virginia Welker and John Piper are standing on the right. Club members and guests danced the night away in the hotel's Crystal Ballroom. (T. Times, 4/29/1939, p. 7)

Co-Ed Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Yancey, Bette; Johnson, Myron; Welker, Virginia; Piper, John;

1939 Co-Ed Dance at Winthrop Hotel. Two couples wait on sidewalk for another couple arriving by Red Top Taxi for the Co-Ed Club dance. Two women are wearing fur coats--one a jacket, the other full-length. Gardenias are a favorite, worn as corsages and in hair. (T. Times, 4/29, p.6)

Co-Ed Club (Tacoma); Couples--Tacoma--1930-1940; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1930-1940; Taxicabs--Tacoma;

Four young ladies smilingly gaze over their shoulders at the camera prior to entering the Club of Hearts yearly formal ball held at the Winthrop Hotel on December 26, 1938. From left to right are: Helen Feek, Lorraine Ronquist, Sheryl Nyman and Marcelle Patrick. This is the same image as D7769, image 5, only cropped.

Club of Hearts (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Balls (Parties)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Feek, Helen; Ronquist, Lorraine; Nyman, Sheryl; Patrick, Marcelle; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Club of Hearts annual yuletide dance. Three unidentified couples gather in front of a Christmas tree at the Winthrop Hotel for one of the most popular affairs of the season.. (T. Times, 12/31/1938, p. 4)

Club of Hearts (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Christmas trees; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940;

November, 1938, College of Puget Sound Sigma Mu Chi fraternity and Kappa Sigma Theta sorority formal dance at the Hotel Winthrop. Merritt Nelson, Florence McLean, Betty Noble, and Weymar Rosso converse during intermission. This was the first joint dance given by a sorority and a fraternity located at the College of Puget Sound and the first formal dance held in several years. (T. Times, 12-3-38, p. 9)

Fraternities & sororities--Tacoma--1930-1940; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1930-1940; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Sigma Mu Chi Chapter (Tacoma); Kappa Sigma Theta (Tacoma); Balls (Parties)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Last Man Club, American Legion, November 30, 1946. Eighteen men stand behind six empty chairs draped with American flags during their annual meeting held at the Hotel Winthrop. The Last Man Club was formed by World War I veterans who were also past Commanders of the Edward B. Rhodes Post of the American Legion in December of 1938. A bottle of 1917 cognac was reserved for the sole survivor to drink a toast to his fallen fellow members.

American Legion Club (Tacoma); Patriotic societies--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Flags--United States; Last Man Club (Tacoma);

The beaming lass pictured is Lynn Green, the 1954 Sweetheart of Sigma Chi, Delta Phi Chapter. She has recently been selected over four other contestants to rule as Sweetheart at the Sigma Chi dance in the Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. Lynn Green from Redmond was a sophomore at the College of Puget Sound. She was working toward degrees in sociology and education. She belonged to the Chi Omega sorority and Spurs. (TNT 3/7/1954, pg. D-4)

Sigma Chi (Tacoma); Fraternities & sororities--Tacoma--1950-1960; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Green, Lynn;

Dance hosted by the Spinster Club at the Winthrop Hotel. Margaret Franich poses with her date on the right in this photograph dated May 30, 1939.

Spinster Club (Tacoma); Franich, Margaret; Couples--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Pacific Coast Fire Chiefs Convention. Men with flag on roof of Winthrop Hotel, Washington Building in background. Photograph taken on July 23, 1940.

Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Coast Association of Fire Chiefs (Tacoma); Flags--United States; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

The fourth annual meeting of the American Legion's Last Man Club was held at the Winthrop Hotel in December, 1941. Sixteen men pose with three flag draped chairs. The draped chairs are in honor of the Club members who have died, past Commanders E.A. Rich, Dr. J.C. Siegle (first to die on 4/13/39) and George A. Allen. The Club was organized on 12/5/38 by WWl veterans who had also served as Commanders of the Edward B. Rhodes Post of the American Legion. As each Commander stepped down from office, he was invited to join if he was a WWI veteran. A bottle of cognac, autographed by all members, was set aside for the last surviving member to drink a toast to his comrades. The Last Man was Capt. Chester Chastek. He became the sole survivor on February 16, 1992 after the death of Paul O. Brown. He retrieved the bottle of cognac after its 54 years of repose in a Puget Sound Bank safe deposit box but did not drink it. He had never had a drink in his long life and refused to break his record. (T.Times 12-2-41-article)

American Legion Club (Tacoma); Patriotic societies--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Flags--United States; Last Man Club (Tacoma);

Five leaders of the junior department of the Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs who attended the State convention pose for their group portrait at the Winthrop Hotel. They are, L-R, Mrs. Edward C. Francisco of Pomeroy; Mrs. Norman E. Robbins of Kennewick; Mrs. Lloyd Mitchell of Kelso; Mrs. Malcolm Mays of Yakima; and Mrs. Milton Sutton of Seattle. The junior day session of the Washington State Federation of Women's clubs was June 12, 1951. The theme for junior day was "Juniors Rise to Achievement through Friendship and Unity". Ordered by Mrs. Peter Berone. (TNT, 6/14/1951, p.9)

Junior Women's Club (Tacoma); Women--Clubs--Tacoma; Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Stamp Club met for a banquet in the Winthrop Hotel's Bayview room on May 31, 1969. A scroll was displayed, believed to be signed by charter members of the club, as well as a book entitled " A History of Stamp Taxes and a Catalogue of Revenue Stamps of the Phillipines" by Arnold Warren. Photograph ordered by the Tacoma Stamp Club.

Tacoma Stamp Club (Tacoma); Scrolls (Visual works); Books;

One of the most anticipated social events for the younger set in 1938 was the "Club of Hearts" yearly formal ball held in the Winthrop Hotel's Crystal Ballroom on December 26, 1938. Helen Feek, Lorraine Ronquist, Sheryl Nyman, and Marcelle Patrick smilingly glance back over their shoulders to have their picture taken. The young ladies are all wearing lovely evening gowns and corsages. (T. Times, 12/31/1938, p. 4).)

Club of Hearts (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Balls (Parties)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Feek, Helen; Ronquist, Lorraine; Nyman, Sheryl; Patrick, Marcelle; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The Crystal Ballroom at the Hotel Winthrop was the site of the November 25, 1938, College of Puget Sound Sigma Mu Chi fraternity and Kappa Sigma Theta sorority formal dance. One couple sitting on edge of table catch-up on events with another couple who is just arriving. Streamline formals seem to have been popular that year as well as marcelled hairdos. (T. Times, 12-3-38, p. 9).

Fraternities & sororities--Tacoma--1930-1940; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1930-1940; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Sigma Mu Chi Chapter (Tacoma); Kappa Sigma Theta (Tacoma); Balls (Parties)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Wauna Club dance on the Roof Garden at the Hotel Winthrop. Several people stand under a rainbow arch. The women are holding gifts of pottery. Woman in striped skirt is Mrs. Carroll C. Carlson. (T. Times, 4/29/1939, p. 7)

Wauna Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Wauna Club dance in the Roof Garden at Hotel Winthrop. Mr. and Mrs. Walter J. Frankland and Dr. and Mrs. James Gourley engage in pleasant conversation in the lounge on April 22, 1939. The formal affair called for tuxedos and gowns. (T. Times, 4-29-39, p. 7).

Wauna Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Couples--Tacoma--1930-1940; Frankland, Walter J.; Gourley, James;