Grassi Brothers (Nello and Julio) Radio Program (5th). One man is at the microphone while three others look on. First two men from L-R are not known. The Grassi brothers are on the right in this September, 1943, photograph.

Radio broadcasting--Tacoma--1940-1950; Grassi, Nello; Grassi, Julio;

Grassi Brothers Radio Program. Band and singers on stage at the USO Club at 13th & Pacific. Everyone holds their ears while the male singer struggles for a high note. Banners hung from the microphone name KTBI. KTBI was at 1490 AM on the radio dial and broadcast from the second floor of the Puget Sound Bank Building.

Radio stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Communications; USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Grassi, Nello; Grassi, Julio; Singers;

Woman and girl riding horses in parade event dressed in Spanish style flat brimmed hats with fringed banner overhead. Puget Sound National Bank can be identified in the background.

Exposure of the Tacoma Planning Commission's traffic control display in the lobby of the Puget Sound National Bank. Photograph ordered by the Condon Co. The display shows the Commission's plans for a street program that will provide for a growing Tacoma's traffic needs. The plan is the result of a long range study of Tacoma's future traffic needs completed by the City Planning Commission. Emphasis is placed on the development of a Tacoma- Everett toll road, the forerunner of a freeway system. It is predicted that in the future Tacoma will have several freeways with one way traffic, no left turns, no parking and no commercial traffic. (TNT 7/12/1955, pg. 4)

Presentation drawings; Traffic congestion--Tacoma;

An unidentified employee of the Puget Sound National Bank put the bank's new IBM 1210 Reader Sorter through its paces for (l to r) Robert G. Gordon, Vice President and Cashier, and Harold Stephens, Assistant Vice-President, on January 13, 1961. In 1959 PSNB became the first bank in the State of Washington - and the second on the west coast - to convert to the use of computers. The other banks in the northwest resisted computerization, and attempted to talk PSNB out of taking this radical step, because they felt that banking customers would not accept being numbered. (Banking on Independence; the first century of Puget Sound Bankcorp, c1990)

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

Three employees of Puget Sound National Bank are prepared to put the bank's new IBM 1419 check-sorting machine into operation on September 30, 1963. The main office's basement was fully equipped to handle bank processing matters. Gene Amar, assistant cashier in the electronic department, Mary Lee Fanger and Eleanor Anderson (seated) look at the machine which is capable of sorting and reading 96,000 checks an hour. In 1962 Puget Sound National Bank processed some 10.4 million checks and deposits. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank. (TNT 10-6-63, B-7)

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Machinery; Amar, Gene; Fanger, Mary Lee; Anderson, Eleanor;

It was a brisk 49 degrees in April 1971 when this photograph of the National Realty Building, then Puget Sound National Bank, was taken from a building across the street. The building was sandwiched between Peoples department store and the National Bank of Washington (later home to the Tacoma Art Museum). The landmark structure, with its familiar spire, was at one time the tallest building on the West Coast, and the first built to withstand earthquakes. Puget Sound National Bank, established in 1890, would promote itself as an independent, "hometown" bank. It would merge with Key Bank in 1993. Photograph ordered by De Vac, Minneapolis, MN.

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Peoples (Tacoma);

Circa 1915.

Circa 1915.

Circa 1915.

• The National Realty Building was the tallest building on the west coast when completed in 1910. circa 1912.
• Printed on front: National Realty Bldg, Tacoma, Wash.

Group portrait of the Board of Directors, Tacoma Better Business Bureau, Inc. Local business, civic and military leaders gathered on the second floor of Puget Sound National Bank's main branch on February 24, 1972. Color photograph ordered by the Tacoma Better Business Bureau, Inc.

Tacoma Better Business Bureau, Inc. (Tacoma);

Reno Odlin stands under the 96 foot tall Puget Sound National Bank electric sign which displayed both the temperature and time in this photograph from December 5, 1956. Erected in June, 1953, the double "T" sign was one of the first in the country. Reno Odlin was the long-time president and chief executive officer of the bank. He successfully led Puget Sound National Bank for several decades, positioning it as the "hometown bank" and increasing branches to 33. He retired in 1974, leaving the bank to be led by former son-in-law, Bill Philip, and passed away in 1979. (Provorse: Banking on Independence, p. 130)

Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Bankers--Tacoma; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Clocks & watches;

Erection of new sign. An overhead shot of the new Puget Sound Bank Building sign being erected was taken on June 10, 1953. The bank building was a narrow skyscraper and the exterior sign chosen was also narrow in width. It would be placed between the annex and the main building on Pacific Avenue. A Sunnen Crane is in the process of completing the hoisting. The sign was designed in Spokane by the American Sign Products Co. and delivered to Tacoma via flatbed truck. Photograph ordered by Dutton Hayward, Puget Sound National Bank.

Progress photographs--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Sunnen Auto Freight & Heavy Hauling Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery; American Sign Products Co. (Spokane);

Erection of new sign. Part of the tall vertical Puget Sound National Bank sign has already been erected by a Sunnen Crane prior to the bank's opening hours on June 10, 1953. The main offices of the bank were located on Pacific Avenue. Until the Smith Tower was constructed in Seattle in 1914, the Puget Sound National Bank building was the tallest west of the Missouri River. The bank sign, designed by American Sign Products Co. of Spokane, would be placed between the bank annex and the main building. Photograph ordered by Dutton Hayward, Puget Sound National Bank.

Progress photographs--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Sunnen Auto Freight & Heavy Hauling Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery; American Sign Products Co. (Spokane);

When erected in 1910, Puget Sound National Bank's main branch was the tallest building west of the Missouri River. Later buildings were constructed to rival the bank's height but it remained a focal point on Pacific Avenue. It dwarfed its neighbors, Peoples store and the National Bank of Washington. A large plaque on the side of the building indicates that the bank was established in 1890. Puget Sound Bank was the first to use a T & T sign, clearly visible, which gave the time and temperature to passersby. A "hometown bank," Puget Sound National Bank was absorbed by Key Bank in the early 1990's. Photograph ordered by the Condon Co. TPL-6569

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

Informal portrait of Puget Sound National Bank president Reno Odlin. He led the Tacoma-based bank for 26 years, seeing deposits grow almost 50% between 1950 & 1960, and rewarding shareholders with cash plus stock dividends. He accomplished this growth internally, without buying or merging other banks. In 1964, Puget Sound National Bank was officially designated the largest bank in Tacoma with deposits exceeding $121 million. Mr. Odlin was also for many years president of the Washington State Historical Society. (Provorse: Banking on Independence)

Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Bankers--Tacoma; Banking--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Umbrella display. Puget Sound National Bank vice-presidents Arvie Harris and Vince Carlstrom pose with the bank's umbrella display on April 29, 1963. The accompanying sign states that people could borrow umbrellas when needed on rainy days and return them when the weather became sunny. Customer Ann Ball smiles at the bank officials while trying out a borrowed umbrella. The new free loan service of 36 umbrellas was located at the Main branch's entrance on Pacific Ave. (TNT 5-2-63, A-23)

Umbrellas; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Signs (Notices); Harris, Arvie; Carlstrom, Vincent A.; Ball, Ann;

ca. 1941. Row of teller windows and safe deposit boxes inside lobby of Puget Sound National Bank, 1117-19 Pacific Ave., circa 1941.

Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

This damaged print is of the Puget Sound National Bank Building (1117-19 Pacific Avenue-formerly the National Realty Bldg.) taken from the 12th St. viewpoint on June 25, 1926. On its right at the corner is the National Bank of Tacoma. Looking northbound, buildings right to left are: the barely visible one-story structure at 1115 Pacific Avenue which had been built as an annex/addition to the National Realty Bldg., then the Bankers Trust building at 1109-13 Pacific, Peoples department store (1101-07 Pacific) with the 17-story Washington Building skyscraper at the far left (1019 Pacific). Flags and bunting decorate both Peoples and the Puget Sound National Bank Bldg. G61.1-043

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); National Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Peoples (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Informal portrait of Puget Sound National Bank Chairman of the Board Reno Odlin. Mr. Odlin had been elected president of the American Bankers Association in 1964, the first banker from the Pacific Northwest to win this office in the organization's 90-year history. He had previously served the local and national banking industry in many leadership positions, including the Washington Bankers Assn., the Federal Reserve, and U.S. Treasury. Reno Odlin spent most of 1965 traveling to nearly every state in the union to visit bankers, government and business leaders, in addition to several foreign countries to discuss international issues regarding money. (Provorse: Banking on Independence, p. 120-121)

Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; Bankers--Tacoma;

ca. 1941. Teller windows and Christmas tree in lobby of Puget Sound National Bank for the Christmas season circa 1941. Square columns, open beam ceiling, and what appears to be either granite or marble embellishments.

Banks--Tacoma; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma);

Puget Sound National Bank, vault with open door.

Business Enterprises - Financial Institutions - Banks - Tacoma - Puget Sound National Bank

ca. 1943. Grassi Brothers radio show (6th). Eleven men and two women posed in a tight group circa 1943. The Grassi brothers (Nello and Julio) are the third and sixth men from the left standing. One of the men standing is wearing a police uniform. The Grassi's operated a used car dealership in Tacoma.

Radio stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Communications; Radio broadcasting--Tacoma--1940-1950; Grassi, Nello; Grassi, Julio;

ca. 1941. Detail view of Puget Sound National Bank (National Realty Company) building showing elaborate doorway featuring carved figures. Heath and Twichell, Architects, 1910.

Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business districts--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

Rain Tree. On display in the lobby of the Puget Sound National Bank's main office during the Christmas season of 1969 was the silvery "Rain Tree" created by Ghilarducci Florists. Shimmering strands of white beads dangled from the tree limbs which were also decorated with clusters of balls and velvet bows. Ghilarducci's was a well-known florist with long-term ties to downtown Tacoma. Color photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Christmas decorations; Puget Sound National Bank (Tacoma); Ghilarducci's California Florists (Tacoma);