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;

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);

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;

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);

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);

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 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;

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);

Banquet at Winthrop Hotel, honoring National Commander for the Amvets. Left to right view, Adeline Pozega, Second Vice-Commander of the Parkland Amvets Post No. 3, Frank E. Dixon, First Vice-Commander of the Department of Washington Amvets, unidentified woman, and Edgar C. Corry, National Commander for the Amvets. Commander Corry was the guest of honor at the banquet (T. Times, 5/12/48, p. 3).

Patriotic societies--Tacoma; Banquets--Tacoma; Banquet halls--Tacoma; Couples--Tacoma; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Amvets Club (Tacoma);

In 1948, three women Amvets members discuss world events over drinks and cigarettes. They were with a group of one hundred and thirty Amvets attending a banquet at the Winthrop Hotel. The guest of honor was National Commander Edgar C. Corry who spoke on the topic "Peace Through National Preparedness." (T. Times, 5/12/48, p. 3).

Patriotic societies--Tacoma; Banquets--Tacoma; Banquet halls--Tacoma; Smoking--Tacoma; Cigarettes; Matches; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Amvets Club (Tacoma);

In January of 1949, Tacoma's "March of Dimes" campaign was beginning their annual solicitation for funds for the nationwide fight against infantile paralysis. View of Tacoma Fire Department's new 100 foot ladder giving access to the Winthrop Hotel's seventh floor, where Scotty Miles, member of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, will accept one of the first donations for the "March of Dimes" campaign (T. Times, 1/15/49, p. 1).

Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950; Poliomyelitis--Prevention; National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (Tacoma); March of Dimes (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma);

Wauna Club dance on Roof Garden at Hotel Winthrop; event was held on April 22, 1939. Four women are holding gifts, pottery water pitchers. L-R are Mrs. Allan M. Hudson, Mrs. F.R. Griffiths, Mrs. Tim Kimball, Mr. and Mrs. James Healy, Mrs. Carroll C. Carlson and Elmer G. Hagen. (T. Times, 4-29-39, p. 7).

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

Pacific Coast Fire Chiefs Convention. Man in driver's seat of fire engine parked by Winthrop Hotel. The Pacific Coast Fire Chiefs Convention was held in Tacoma during late July of 1940 with chiefs visiting from Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Idaho and other western states. The unidentified gentleman behind the wheel of the fire engine may have been one of the many firemen in attendance.

Pacific Coast Association of Fire Chiefs (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

The Pacific Coast Fire Chiefs Convention was held in late July of 1940. The roof of the Winthrop Hotel was a favorite spot for photographing large groups as the downtown skyline made a memorable view. Men on roof of Winthrop Hotel, city and port in background.

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

Over 100 firemen posed for a formal group photograph on the roof of the Hotel Winthrop in late July of 1940. From July 31 through August 3rd the 47th annual convention of the Pacific Coast Association of Fire Chiefs was held in Tacoma. Emory N. Whitacker, Tacoma Fire Chief, was convention host to chiefs from Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Idaho and other western states. With wives, guests, and concessionaires, the convention was expected to bring some 1,500 visitors to Tacoma. The Murray Morgan Bridge (11th St. Bridge), the City Waterway (now the Foss Waterway), and several of the prominent buildings on A Street including the Tacoma Building and the Perkins Building can be seen in the background.

Pacific Coast Association of Fire Chiefs (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Cityscapes; 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma); City Waterway (Tacoma); Tacoma Building (Tacoma); Perkins Building (Tacoma);

Two couples at the Co-Ed Club dance. Fritz Haines, Roberta Cohoon, and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Miller pose in formal wear at the April 21, 1939, Co-Ed Club dance. Behind them is a large emblem hung by wires. The event was held in the Crystal Ballroom of the Hotel Winthrop. (T.Times, 4-29-39, p. 7)

Co-Ed Club (Tacoma); Balls (Parties)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Haines, Fritz; Cohoon, Roberta; Miller, Harry;

Wauna Club dance at Winthrop Hotel. Enjoying the "Hia-Wauna" party on January 27, 1940 were Mr. and Mrs. Harold Johnson and Mr. and Mrs. Herman Brandes. The couples are dressed in formal attire for this special evening. (T.Times 2-3-1940, p. 4)

Wauna Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Men--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Johnson, Harold; Johnson, Harold--Family; Brandes, Herman; Brandes, Herman--Family;

From November 17-23, 1941, communities across America celebrated the second annual National Art Week. The Tacoma Art Association observed the celebration by sponsoring an exhibit of local artists at the former location of the Helen Davis dress shop in the Hotel Winthrop. An unidentified clubwoman was photographed opening the door to the exhibit, which featured a variety of art including water colors, oils, charcoal, pastels, wood carvings, photography and handicrafts. Local artists were able to enter their works free of charge, and the public was invited to view the show for free and purchase the works of the artists. (T. Times 11/14/1941, pg. 19; 11/18/41, pg. 8; 11/19/41, pg. 18- all story only)

Tacoma Art Association (Tacoma); Art exhibitions--Tacoma;

American Institute of Architects, Southwest Washington Chapter, in the Wedgewood Room at the Winthrop Hotel. Most Tacoma and Seattle architects are pictured here, some with spouses. In the foreground of the picture, left to right, are Si Nelson, Percy Ball, Rod O'Hiser, Marshall Perrow, James Wilson and future mayor Gordon Johnston. Seated on the right side of the room, directly under the palm tree wall decoration are Hubert and Betty Bisson. Mr. Bisson was an architect, and later associate, for the well-known Tacoma firm of Lea, Pearson & Richards. Mr. Bisson worked for them for over 20 years until his death in 1971. He designed many of Tacoma's banks and schools for the firm. (for more detailed name information, please see name chart accompanying picture in Richards files) (Additional information provided by a reader)

American Institute of Architects, Southwest Washington Chapter (Tacoma); Architects; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Bisson, Hubert; Bisson, Betty; Johnston, Gordon N.; Nelson, Silas E.; Ball, Percy G.; O'Hiser, Rod; Perrow, Marshall; Wilson, James;

Posed on the rooftop of the Winthrop Hotel with the towering Medical Arts Building prominently in the background are officers of the Department of Washington and Alaska, of the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-65. They were holding their 57th annual convention at the Winthrop from June 7-10, 1970. Believed to be in attendance was Mrs. Fayette Bell of Los Angeles, the organization's national president. Also believed to be pictured above was Mrs. John McDougall of Seattle, department president who presided over the convention's meetings. Among activities held during the convention was a memory banquet where a scholarship would be awarded to a college student who was a descendant of a Civil War veteran. Photograph ordered by the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War,1861-65. (TNT 5-24-70, E-6 article)

Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-65; Meetings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Medical Arts Building (Tacoma);

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);

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;

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);

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

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;