ca. 1942. The Henry Mill & Timber Co. plant was built at this location in 1924. They began operations in July of 1925 as a lumber mill. After a fire in 1942 and with the expanding fronts of World War II, the company began making a name for itself in the "prefabricated" market. They built buildings and hangars for the armed forces that only needed to be reassembled on arrival.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

On Wednesday July 3, 1946, Frank Casey (left), a Tacoma Fabricating Company millworker, found a large military flare which had washed ashore in the Old Town area of Tacoma. Not sure whether it was a flare, or a bomb, Casey called the Tacoma police. Officer Frank Pim (rt) was dispatched to the scene. Later, a demolition team from Ft. Lewis disarmed the flare, which had been removed from the protective casing, held by officer Pim, by children. Had the children pulled the flare's safety pin, they could have been seriously injured. (T. Times, 7/4/46, p. 11).

Police--Tacoma; Signals & signaling--Tacoma; Explosives; Tacoma Fabricating Co. (Tacoma);

Henry Mill shots of hardware and quantity. Henry Mill & Timber Co. was a leader in the pre-fabricated lumber field. Pre-fabricated lumber helped speed the war effort in filling their government orders. Henry Mill also had their products throughout Tacoma housing projects. Exterior view of Henry Mill & Timber Co. plant.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lumberyards--Tacoma; Prefabricated buildings--Tacoma; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Several operations in plant, Tacoma Lumber Fabricating, Mr. Patterson. Young men work alongside older men in creating the structural beams for which Tacoma Lumber Fabricating was well known. The company created prefabricated portions of buildings for an entire prefabricated house as well as curved beams used to roof large buildings. The top floor of their modern office building was the plant loft for giant layout work. They had a complete sawmill and planing mill plant. (T.Times, 1/16/1949, p.18)

Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Several operations in plant, Tacoma Lumber Fabricating, Mr. Patterson. Workmen are dipping completed trusses into a liquid mixture using a pulley system. Stacks of lumber are seen further back in the plant's yard. The company manufactured materials from heavy timbers such as power line cross arms, bridge timbers and roof trusses to little pieces four feet long for refrigerator car rack slabs. (T.Times, 1/16/1949, p.18)

Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Pacific Oerlikon Company, electrical equipment manufacturers. Interior exposure of circuit breaker. Seven breakers being assembled on a bench. Pacific Oerlikon occupied the former site of Henry Mill and Timber Co. It also erected on this site in 1951 a sheet metal, concrete and glass building used for the machine shop and assembly area. Because of the size of the components constructed, the building was designed to provide ample height for assembly. (TNT 9/7/1952, pg. C-15)

Pacific Oerlikon Co. (Tacoma); Machinery; Equipment; Electrical apparatus; Electrical apparatus industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electronic industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Pacific Oerlikon Company, electrical equipment manufacturers. Counter with two shelves in front, shop behind with assorted machinery. The company was an offspring of Oerlikon Engineering of Zurich, Switzerland and was entirely Swiss owned. Dr Hans Schindler was president of the company and Lloyd Morgan was executive vice president and general manager of Pacific Oerlikon. The company was incorporated in August of 1950 and shipped its first products in the spring of 1952. It employed 110 skilled workers in 1952, machine-tool operators and mechanical and electrical engineers, with plans to expand to 500 workers. (TNT 9/7/1952, pg. C-15)

Pacific Oerlikon Co. (Tacoma); Machinery; Equipment; Electrical apparatus; Electrical apparatus industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electronic industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Outdoor exposure of one of the buildings of Pacific Oerlikon plant. The Pacific Oerlikon Co., located at 3001 N Starr, manufactured electric equipment. Lloyd Morgan was listed as manager according to the 1951 and 1953 City Directories.

On the evening of June 15, 1942, the sawmill at the Henry Mill & Timber Co. was fully engulfed in flames. The fire department managed to save the planer plant, warehouse and offices, but the sawmill was a complete loss. The owners swore to rebuild immediately. However, after the fire, the company's business began to consist mostly of prefabricated items for the military. (T. Times 6/16/1942, pg. 1)

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Fires--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Henry Mill, construction of prefabricated trusses. During the war, Henry Mill was active in lumber prefabrication.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trusses--Tacoma; Structural frames--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Henry Mill , box girder at end of new dock. Boards laid out in a diagonal pattern over straight boards, topped by boards going the opposite diagonal. Large nail-shaped spikes are shown near the edges. Large stacks of lumber on a pier, a shed, other buildings and a crane are seen in the background.

Piers & wharves--Tacoma; Girders--Manufacturing; Waterfronts--Tacoma; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Henry Mill was located at the foot of No. Starr St., right at the waterfront. It was on the 28 acre site of the old Tacoma MIll Co. During the war, Henry Mill specialized in prefabricated elements for the military. The company was taken over in 1945 by Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. The photograph shows lots of stored lumber as well as a couple of cranes.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Mills--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Henry Mill and Timber Company. Burner and lumber storage dock along the Tacoma waterfront. Henry Mill began operations at this site in 1925. It was formerly the site of the Old Tacoma Mill Co. TPL-8381

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Mills--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Henry Mill and Timber Company. Lumber storage dock along the Tacoma waterfront. Began operations at this site in 1925.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Mills--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Mill workers and management at Henry Mill & Timber Company, prefabricators of heavy timber structures. The company began in 1925 as a sawmill and started fabricating structures with caisson panels for the first Narrows Bridge. At the beginning of World War II, Henry Mill was filling Army and Navy contracts for cantonments, shipyards and storehouses. They designed and built cargo barges and prefabricated massive navy blimp hangars. The large cranes behind the group are used to unload timber and load finished products onto railroad cars and ship. Each piece of lumber is processed In assembly line precision--the lumber is cut, trimmed, bored and groved, then each finished piece is stenciled (labeled) to fit precisely together on the building site. TPL-6399

Group portraits--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Prefabricated buildings; Hoisting machinery;

Henry Mill, construction of trusses. Henry Mill was located at 3001 No. Starr, the former site of the old Tacoma Mill Co. The mill was operated by John F. Buchanan, pres., and William F. Buchanan, VP. During the second World War, they became active in lumber prefabrication. Large buildings, such as hangars, were prebuilt in pieces and reassembled on arrival at their destination.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trusses--Tacoma; Structural frames--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Switch gear equipment at Pacific Oerlikon Co. The worker appears diminutive next to the huge electronic machinery mounted above his head. Pacific Oerlikon, a subsidiary of Oerlikon Engineering Co. of Switzerland, manufactured large equipment for the power grid. It occupied the site of the former Henry Mill and Timber Co. in a building specially designed to accomodate the sheer height of its products.

Pacific Oerlikon Co. (Tacoma); Machinery; Equipment;

ca. 1955. Pacific Oerlikon Co. An employee works on a precision grinder. Pacific Oerlikon manufactured electrical components, including huge breakers used in the power grid. It occupied the site of the former Henry Mill and Timber Co. Pacific Oerlikon was a subsidiary of Oerlikon Engineering Co. and was entirely Swiss owned.

Pacific Oerlikon Co. (Tacoma); Electrical apparatus; Electrical apparatus industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electronic industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Machinery; Equipment;

Henry Mill in Old Town. A new and very modern mill opened in Old Town on July 20, 1925, located on the waterfront at 3001 North Starr St. Henry Mill & Timber Co. would remain in business there until 1945 when it was taken over by the Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. During WWII, Henry Mill became active in prefabricated structures for the military. They specialized in bridges and hangars. TPL-2048; G36.1-143B

Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Mills--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

A fire on the evening of June 15, 1942 completely destroyed the sawmill at the Henry Mill & Timber Co. Loss exceeded $200,000. The planer plant, warehouse and offices were saved. There were no injuries. (T.Times 6/16/1942, pg. 1)

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Fires--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Henry Mill, construction of prefabricated trusses. Photograph shows piles of timber and a wood form that is being constructed at the Mill, located at the foot of Starr St., near the water. Sperry Mills, located on what is now Schuster Parkway, can be seen in the background. During the war, Henry Mill was active in lumber prefabrication.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trusses--Tacoma; Structural frames--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Mill workers and management at Henry Mill & Timber Company, prefabricators of heavy timber structures. The company began in 1925 as a sawmill, but grew during World War II when they specialized in prefabricated structures. They held Army and Navy contracts for cantonments, storehouses, cargo barges and blimp hangars. In October of 1943, workers were photographed preparing lumber for construction. In assembly line precision--the lumber was cut, trimmed, bored and groved, then each finished piece was stenciled (labeled) to fit precisely together on the building site. TPL-9386

Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Prefabricated buildings;

Henry Mill test assembly of J. O. 240. Henry Mill & Timber Co. is a leader in pre-fabricated lumber materials. They have several Army and Navy job contracts and through their well established assembly line they are able to speed up the needed materials for the war effort. View of assembly line for pre-fabricated lumber orders.

Assembly-line methods--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Henry Mill test assembly of J. O. 240. Henry Mill & Timber Co. is a leader in pre-fabricated lumber materials. They have several Army and Navy job contracts and through their well established assembly line they are able to speed up the needed materials for the war effort. View of nine unidentified men inspecting assembled pre-fabricated lumber order.

Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Henry Mill west end of yard for Condon Co. Henry Mill was busy filling orders for commercial and government contracts. They were a leader in prefabricated materials which allowed for orders to be filled rapidly. Exterior view of Henry Mill & Timber Co. plant and parking lot.

Mills--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Henry Mill pictures for National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Henry Mill & Timber Co. is working on a frame, built out of pre-fabricated lumber products for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. The structure will be used for an airplane hangar and shop. Interior view of plant.

Structural frames--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma);

Douglas Fir Plywood Association, stages of plywood prefabricated panel manufacturing taken at Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Company. The panels were used to build prefabricated houses. Here workmen are placing one of the panels in a steel pressure press. This press is one of six the company owns. The company took over the location of the earlier Henry Mill in 1944. (T.Times, 11/6/1946, p.7)

Plywood; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. (Tacoma);

Douglas Fir Plywood Association, stages of plywood prefabricated panel manufacturing taken at Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Company. A framework for a one of the prefabricated panels is sent through a roller before being placed on a piece of plywood which will be the covering of one side of the panel. The prefabricated panels were manufactured in standard sized for floors, walls, ceilings, partitions, and roofs. They are freely adaptable to contractors' specification for all grades of houses. (T.Times, 11/6/1946, p.7)

Plywood; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. (Tacoma);