Tacoma Art League was presenting the work of Colonel C. Ross Greening at the Washington State Historical Building. Colonel Greening painted his graphic paintings while in a German Prison Camp. Colonel Greening was the inventor of the "10 Cent Bomb Site", this technique was used by Colonel James Doolittle in his Tokyo raid. View of Colonel C. Ross Greening explaining his art work to a member of the Tacoma Art League (T. Times, 1/24/48, p. 5).

Tacoma Art League (Tacoma); Art exhibitions--Tacoma; Art; Painting--Tacoma; Artists--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Veterans; Greening, C. Ross;

Tacoma Sculpturing Club would be exhibiting their work at the Washington State Historical Society museum in May of 1949. The club was celebrating ten years of wood carving sculpture. View of Walter A. and Grace L. Heath; Grace carved a life-size wood bust of her husband, Walter (T.N.T., 5/1/49, p. D-5 & 5/8/49, p. A-13).

Tacoma Sculpturing Club (Tacoma); Sculpture--Tacoma; Wood carving--Tacoma; Art exhibitions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Heath, Walter A.--Family;

The Tacoma Sculpturing Club celebrated their tenth anniversary in May 1949. A celebration exhibit at the Washington State Historical Society museum displayed members' works. Grace L. Heath carved a life-size wood bust of her husband, Walter A. Heath. Grace compares her work with its real life model, husband Walter. (T.N.T., 5/1/49, p. D-5 & 5/8/49, p. A-13).

Tacoma Sculpturing Club (Tacoma); Sculpture--Tacoma; Wood carving--Tacoma; Art exhibitions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Heath, Walter A.--Family;

Chairmen of three DAR chapters at Ferry Museum, Tribune, Mr. H. Three local chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution were planning a Tri-Chapter luncheon for November 22, 1948 at the New Yorker in honor of the state regent, Mrs. Daniel R. Swem of Seattle. Members of the planning committee are seen here with some of the exhibits of the Pioneer Room at the State Historical Society Building. They are, L-R, Lucille R. (Mrs. Darcy M.) Dayton, of the Virginia Dare chapter; Kathryn (Mrs. William G.) Mahncke, of the Elizabeth Forey chapter; and Irene B. (Mrs. Kenneth B.) Knudsen, of the Mary Ball chapter. The Washington State Historical Society was also known as the Ferry Museum. (TNT, 11/21/1948, p.D-1)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Dayton, Lucille R.; Mahncke, Kathryn; Knudsen, Irene B.; National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (Tacoma);

The Washington State Historical Building, originally the Ferry Museum after its founder, Col. Clinton Peyre Ferry, was part of the "Kla-How-Ya" trail dedicated in the spring of 1950. The Trail was a 26 mile sightseeing tour around the Tacoma area, marked by green salmon direction signs. The trail was designed to bring the tourist dollar to Tacoma. The State Historical Museum was the largest in the Northwest and noted for its illuminated photo murals and its northwest pioneer, Indian and Alaskan exhibits, as well as its curios from around the world. The four story building also contained a reference library and art gallery, and had breathtaking views of the Stadium Bowl and the Puget Sound. (TNT 7/16/1950)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);

Publicity photo of window transparencies in the Washington Hall of the Washington State Historical Building celebrating the completion of another unit in the ongoing S.A. Perkins historical photographic mural project. Mr. Perkins, President of the Historical Society, and Chapin Foster, Society Director, pose in front of the large view window overlooking the stadium bowl and the sound. The view is surrounded by a transparency of Mount Baker. Also new to the project were two murals flanking the doorway commemorating transportation in the Northwest, the coming of the Northern Pacific Railroad and the inauguration of air service. (TNT 3/31/1950, pg. 1)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Paintings; Transparencies; Perkins, S.A.; Foster, Chapin D.;

Exhibit showing transparancies and murals at Ferry Museum, Washington State Historical Society, Mr. Foster. The S.A. Perkins project depicted how this part of the Northwest developed first as North Oregon, the Washington Territory and then Washington State. It represented the entire state from Cathlamet to Okanogan, from Grays Harbor to Steptoe Butte. The show opened at the Ferry Museum January 23, 1949, (T.Times, 1/23/1949, p.2)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Paintings; Transparencies;

A young woman poses in the almost completed diorama of an attacking cougar for the Washington State Historical Museum. The cougar's tanned skin covers the body frame of wood, bone and straw. The body is completed with the cougar's actual claws and glass eyes. The body is suspended from the ceiling with wires to hold it in an attacking position. The rocks and bushes complete the natural setting. The young woman poses in place of the cougar's usual prey, the deer.

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Museum artist J.H. Gipple creates a rock for the cougar diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. The rocks are created from papier-mache; paper pulped with glue and formed around a wooden form to simulate a rock. The diorama will show the woodland area that is the cougar's home in the wild. The complex display showing the life or death struggle between a cougar and a white tailed deer took four months to complete.

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.;

In December of 1950, taxidermist J.H. Gipple was busy working on a deer form for a diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. The deer's torso has been created from lightweight wood with the real skull attached to a long metal rod "neck". The deer's real leg bones are attached to the torso with metal attachments. The museum artist is using straw to fill out the body in preparation for covering with the tanned skin. The skin has been treated with chemical preservatives to keep the skin soft and make it last. The deer shown is a three or four year old white tail, with antlers in the "velvet" stage of growth. (TNT 4/8/1951, pg A-4)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.; Deer--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Museum artist J.H. Gipple builds a life like tree for the cougar diorama at the Washington State Historical Society Museum. The purpose of the dioramas is to show the preserved wildlife in its natural habitat. The museum artist not only has to build the animals and cover them with the tanned skin, but also recreate all the natural elements such as rocks and vegetation from materials that will last. The limb of the tree was from where the cougar leapt from to attack a deer. The setting is a reproduction of the Nile Creek vicinity in the Yakima area. The branches and vegetation on the tree were brought from that area and chemically treated to retain their color indefinitely. (TNT 4/8/1951, pg. A-4)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Taxidermy; Dioramas--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gipple, J.H.;

George Ball, age 12, of Redondo Beach, received a $25 check from the Tacoma Society of Architects for submitting the best design for a base of the replica of the Statue of Liberty that was to be erected by the Tacoma area Boy Scouts on the grounds of the Washington State Historical Society. L-R, Nelson J. Morrison, chairman of the architects' selection committee; Chapin D. Foster, director of the State Historical Society; George Ball; Farlin Nye, chairman of the project committee; and Lyle Swedberg, president of the Tacoma Society of Architects. (TNT, 5/20/1951, p.B-1)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Foster, Chapin D.; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Ball, George; Nye, Farlin; Morrison, Nelson J.; Swedberg, Lyle;

A group of 260 school children from the Silverdale School in Kitsap County and Bainbridge Island School visited the Washington State Historical Society in June 1950. Chapin D. Foster (right foreground), Secretary and Director of the Washington State Historical Society museum, was giving a talk on Washington history prior to conducting them through the building. This was the largest school group in the building at one time in 1950. During the school year more than 200 bus loads of pupils totaling more than 6,000 students visited the Historical Society building as part of their study of Washington history. (TNT, 6/4/1950, p.A-4)

School children--Tacoma; School field trips--Tacoma; Art exhibitions--Tacoma; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Foster, Chapin D.;

Dedication of the Liberty Bell replica at the Washington State Historical Society. Governor Arthur B. Langlie, left in photo, with Society Director Chapin Foster on the museum steps. The dedication ceremony took place on Sunday afternoon, July 9, 1950, before a capacity crowd. Governor Langlie accepted the bell from Reno Odlin, who represented the Treasury department. The replica bell had been touring the state for six weeks during the Independence Savings Bond drive before being placed for permanent display at the Washington State Historical Society Museum.

Governors; Langlie, Arthur B., 1900-1966; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma)--Exhibitions & displays; Bells; Foster, Chapin D.;

Chapin Foster and Mr. Eastman stand beside model in Northern Pacific Railway (Railroad) alcove at Washington State Historical Society. Model represents arrival of train at New Tacoma depot with factories, houses, bay in background.

In August of 1935, General James M. Ashton posed at the Ferry Museum, 315 North Stadium Way, with an old cavalry guidon with stars in a circle pattern. The flag was the one presented to Troop "B" by Clinton P. Ferry when the troop served as the guard of honor at the 1889 inaugural ceremonies of Elisha P. Ferry as the first Governor of Washington State. Elisha P. Ferry was Clinton P. Ferry's uncle. General Ashton had served as captain in Troop B nearly 50 years ago. Troop B is actually designated as the Headquarters Troop, 24th Cavalry Division, Washington National Guard and it is the oldest military group in the state. Clinton Ferry's large personal collection of antiques and historic artifacts was housed in the Ferry Museum until the whole collection was donated to the Washington State Historical Society in 1930. (T. Times 9-11-1935, pg. 3)

Ferry Museum (Tacoma); Flags; Washington National Guard, 24th Cavalry Division (Tacoma); Ashton, James M.;

Alfred Lister, on the right, presents W.P. Bonney, left, and the Washington State Historical Society with a table made by his father, J. H. Lister; celebrating the 50 year anniversary of the family's arrival in Tacoma. The inlaid "Lister" table was hand crafted by the elder Lister when he was 70 years old and contains 5209 accurately cut and fitted pieces. Alfred Lister, after a varied career in public service, is now president of Tacoma Savings and Loan. (T. Times 10/13/1934, pg. 9) (filed with Argentum)

Bonney, William P.; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ferry Museum (Tacoma); Antiques; Lister, Alfred;

The Lister table on steps of Ferry Museum. The beautiful inlaid table was made by J. H. Lister in 1900 when he was 70 years old. It contains 5209 individually cut and fitted pieces, 4163 of which are in the top. The table was donated to the Washington State Historical Society by Mr. Lister's son, Alfred, on the 50th anniversary of the immigrant family's arrival in Tacoma. The Listers established Standard Iron Works on East 23rd St. and the sons went on to hold important government and banking positions. (T. Times 10/13/1934, pg. 9)

Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ferry Museum (Tacoma); Antiques;

ca. 1937. The Washington State Historical Building Museum, originally the Ferry Museum, was built in 1911 from a design by George W. Bullard, architect. A third floor was added on in 1937.

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ferry Museum (Tacoma);

Washington State Historical Society building addition. View of entrance facade with construction cranes on roof. Original building by George W. Bullard, Architect; addition by Mock and Morrison, Architects. Original photograph, see D881 image 3 for cropped version. (T. Times).

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ferry Museum (Tacoma);

Among the most cherished possessions of Eliza Ferry Leary was the Bible used to administer the oath of office to her father, Elisha P. Ferry, the first governor of Washington State. After Mrs. Leary died, the Bible was deposited with the Washington State Historical Society. W.P. Bonney sits at Governor Ferry's desk flanked by Ruth and Harold Wheeler. The Wheelers were students in the History department at the College of Puget Sound. The chair in which Mr. Bonney is seated was made in 1854 for Isaac I. Stevens, the first governor of the Washington Territory. (T.Times, 11/11/1937 p. 14)

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Bibles--Tacoma; Bonney, William P.; Wheeler, Harold; Wheeler, Ruth; Stevens, Isaac Ingalls, 1818-1862--Associated objects; Ferry, Elisha P., 1825-1895--Associated objects;

Art gallery in new top floor of Ferry Museum. (T. Times) (filed with Argentum)

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1930-1940; Art; Ferry Museum (Tacoma);

ca. 1937. J.S. Kemp art collection at the Ferry Museum, Washington State Historical Society. Photograph also numbered A7407-1

Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma--1940-1950;

W.P. Bonney, Washington State Historical Society, holds double-barreled shotgun used by Lyman Cutler to kill a British neighbor's pig on San Juan Island, beginning what came to be called the "Pig War." In the 1850's, the San Juan Islands were at the center of a territorial dispute between the US and England. Lyman Cutler, failed Frasier Valley gold prospector, settled on San Juan Island and started a farm next to British citizen John Griffin, who raised livestock. One morning Cutler went out to dig new potatoes for breakfast only to find Griffin's pig happily rooting and chewing them. The angry Cutler grabbed his gun, shot the pig and delivered it to Griffin. Tempers rose, both governments were contacted and soon troops and battleships of both countries were massed for attack. The two governments wisely decided not to battle over such a small matter and presented the argument to the German Kaiser for arbitration. The area was eventually given to the US. (T. Times 10/22/1938, pg. 5)

Bonney, William P.; Guns; Firearms;

ca. 1971. 1971 Richards color stock footage. Two youngsters gaze in awe at the replica of the Statue of Liberty welcoming visitors to the Washington State Historical Society museum. The statue was presented to the Society in 1951 by the Mount Rainier Council of Boy Scouts.

Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Sculpture--Tacoma;

ca. 1971. 1971 Richards color stock footage. Progress photograph of ongoing construction at the Washington State Historical Building, 315 No. Stadium Way, in 1971. Workers are busy on the addition to the venerable museum. Originally known as the Ferry Museum, it was built in 1911. Tacoma architects Lea, Pearson and Richards designed this $1,000,000+ wing which would include a 300-seat auditorium, new library and permanent gallery featuring Western art. The four-story, 30,000 sq. ft. addition opened on May 4, 1973, although final work would not be completed until about January 1, 1974. (TNT 2-7-71, A-1 - sketch; TNT 4-29-73, Tahoman insert, p. 2-article)

Progress photographs; Building construction--Tacoma--1970-1980; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);

ca. 1971. 1971 Richards color stock footage. Progress photograph of construction occurring at the new wing in Washington State Historical Society building in 1971. A brick edifice is shown in the center of the color photograph; there are at least two arched doorways. Construction began in the spring of 1971 and was expected to take a year. The $1,000,000 addition would include a 300-seat auditorium, new library and a permanent gallery of Western art. (TNT 2-7-71, A-1 sketch)

Progress photographs; Building construction--Tacoma--1970-1980; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);