Modelling the latest in "tin hats" and armbands are Civilian Defense officers, left to right, Joseph Lanser, Frank Evans and George Russell. On Friday, April 17, 1942, Tacoma received its first shipment of steel helmets and armbands for their Air Raid Wardens. The shipment included 250 of each. The "tin hats" were made of steel thick enough to protect the wearer from shrapnel splinters. The trio is posing at the Civilian Defense Volunteer office at the City Hall Annex. (T. Times 4/18/1942, pg. 1)

World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma; Lanser, Joseph; Evans, Frank; Russell, George; Helmets; Flags--United States;

The Public Safety Building on Pacific Avenue was also known as the City Hall Annex. Originally built for Northern Pacific Railroad for use as its headquarters in 1887, the City of Tacoma purchased the building in 1922 . The south wing of the Italianate, stucco-covered stone structure was later rebuilt to house the jail. The Old City Hall was directly across the street on Pacific. View of the Public Safety Building taken on May 9, 1958, indicates that this was Police Headquarters, with separate entrances for the detective division and for traffic violators. With the completion of the County-City Building in 1959, the Public Safety Building was vacated. An art center was proposed to occupy the empty space and in 1962, the Allied Arts Center began a remodeling project. A few years later, the Public Safety Building escaped total demolition, although the jail wing was destroyed, and was placed on historic registries. Photograph ordered by Alan Liddle, architect. TPL-6491. (Tacoma Rediviva, p. 27)

Public Safety Building (Tacoma); City Hall Annex (Tacoma); Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma);

Exterior exposure of Allied Arts Building. Originally the site of the Northern Pacific Railroad headquarters and later purchased by the City of Tacoma for use as an annex and Public Safety Building, the building at 6th and Pacific was empty by 1962 as law enforcement agencies had moved to the new County-City Building on Tacoma Avenue South. Architect Alan Liddle had proposed the transformation of the building into an art center. Allied Arts of Tacoma accepted a 15-year lease from the city and took formal possession of the old Public Safety Building on November 30, 1961. Now called the Allied Arts Center, remodeling commenced in March, 1962, and dedication of the building would follow on June 4, 1962. View of remodeled building; plywood "fins" protruding were painted in bright shades of blue, yellow and off-orange in contrast to the chocolate brown outer walls. The first floor would be the headquarters of the Tacoma Convention Bureau and Housing Information Center. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (TNT 11-30-61, p. 1, TNT 6-3-62, p. 1, TNT 6-5-62, p. 3)

Allied Arts Building (Tacoma); Public Safety Building (Tacoma); City Hall Annex (Tacoma);

ca. 1979. The cupola of the Northern Pacific Headquarters Building, 621 Pacific Ave.

Public Safety Building (Tacoma); Northern Pacific Headquarters Building (Tacoma);

Circa 1913.

Glory Ragland (second from left), a public health service nurse, and Percy Brush, look on as a dentist who preferred to remain anonymous provided free dental work to a young patient at the new free dental clinic in the City Hall Annex, 621 Pacific Ave. Opened January 21, 1924 and organized by the Kiwanis Club with the cooperation of county, professional and fraternal organizations, the clinic provided free dental services Monday and Tuesday from 9 am to 12 noon, with a local dentist on duty to volunteer his services. A room in the annex had been completely furnished and painted white. The Kiwanis and Elks provided the equipment. Percy Brush was president of the Kiwanis and chairman of the committee responsible for the clinic when it was founded. (TDL 3/26/1924, pg. 3) TPL-659; G27.1-118

Ragland, Glory; Brush, Percy; Dentistry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Dental equipment & supplies--1920-1930; Dental hygiene--Tacoma; Health care facilities--Tacoma;

Mayor Cain congratulates A.E. Albrecht on his promising group of thirteen Naval recruits on August 17,1942. Albrecht runs the local recruiting station with the assistance of D.M. Kelley (in uniform at right.) The group is standing on the steps of the City Hall Annex (formerly the Northern Pacific Headquarters Building). The recruits are Harold Robert Gillam, Roland L. LaClair, Charles J. McQueen, William L. Viafore, Peter J. Marzano, Chester M. Christopherson, Milton O. Windh, Ellsworth M. Evje, Bernard W. Erdahl, William J. Green, Gilbert P. Bloom, James B. Atkins Jr. and Varrel L. Smith. (T. Times 8/18/1942 p.3)

Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Albrecht, A.E.; Kelley, D.M.; World War, 1939-1945--Recruiting & enlistment--Tacoma;

Lt. Frances Rich, WAVE and daughter of famed actress Irene Rich, visited Tacoma on April 6, 1943. She is photographed with some Navy men as well as fellow WAVES Lt. Jane Horsfall and Ensign Carol Citron in front of the Navy Recruiting office at the City Hall Annex. Lt. Rich was one of the first 120 women to enter officer's training school at Smith College. She was currently attached to the Postal Commission of the Naval Dept. and touring the country on behalf of V-Mail. While in Tacoma, she was scheduled to attend a Kiwanis meeting, a Junior League meeting and interview prospective WAVES. Born in Spokane, Lt. Rich moved to Hollywood with her mom and was a sculptress before joining the service. (T. Times 4/5/1943, pg. 6)

Rich, Frances; World War, 1939-1945--Recruiting & enlistment--Tacoma;

The art collection of Bruce LeRoy was on display at the Tacoma Art Museum (AKA Allied Arts Center) in July of 1969. Many of the paintings reflected the Pacific Northwest of the past. The primitives in his collection were part of the art museum's Tacoma Centennial Celebration. Mr. LeRoy was associated with the Washington State Historical Society for many years. Photograph ordered by Bruce LeRoy.

Paintings; Tacoma Art Museum (Tacoma); Allied Arts Center (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma; LeRoy, Bruce--Associated objects;

• Mount Rainier looms above the 11th Street Bridge, and the Northern Pacific Headquarters building shows up in shadow in the to the far right. circa 1940.
• Printed on front: Mt. Rainier from Tacoma, Wn

Circa 1907.

Circa 1985.

People are lined up in early February of 1924 to register to vote. State law required that all voters in incorporated cities and towns had to register to vote every two years. February 5th was the last day to register to vote in the city primary to be held on February 26th. The registration office at the City Hall Annex was open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily but Genevieve Martin, city clerk, stated that registration would be extended to midnight on the last day if necessary. 2,460 people lined up to register on February 5th, making it the busiest day for registration that year. The final total of registered voters was 31,686 out of the 40,000 eligible. G42.1-073 (TNT 10-30-23, p. 1-article; TDL 1-7-24, p. 3-article; TDL 2-5-24, p. 1-article; TNT 2-5-24, p. 4; TDL 2-6-24, p. 12)

Voter registration--Tacoma--1920-1930; Queues--Tacoma;

A roll of knotted bed sheets remains dangling from a window at the jail in the Public Safety Building, 621 Pacific Ave., on July 3, 1950. Federal prisoner Stanley P. O'Carter, age 34 of Phoenix, Arizona, made a daring attempt at escape from the multi-floored jail at 3:50 a.m. that morning. Only by chance was he captured as Officers Ed Cutler and Robert Hubert were passing nearby in the darkness at the time Mr. Carter dropped 12 feet onto the ground from the makeshift "ladder." Mr. Carter was one of only three federal prisoners in the government tank and had been alone in his cell for several days. It was believed that tools smuggled to him enabled him to cut a hole through the back of his cell and allowed him access to a small unbarred ventillating window on the north side of the building, immediately above the driveway. No tools were found on the prisoner nor in his cell. Mr. Carter did not resist arrest and was returned to the jail. (TNT 7-4-50, p. 1-article) TPL-6665

Public Safety Building (Tacoma); Prison escapes--Tacoma; Jails--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Lt. Frances Rich posed with fellow WAVES Lt. Jane Horsfall and Ensign Carol Citron at the Naval recruiting office at the City Hall Annex. Lt. Rich was the daughter of actress Irene Rich and one of the first women to enter officer's training at Smith College. She was attached to the Postal Commission of the Naval Department and was in town to extol V-Mail as well as interview prospective WAVES. (T. Times 4/5/1943, pg. 6)

Rich, Frances; World War, 1939-1945--Recruiting & enlistment--Tacoma;

Circa 1910.

Circa 1919.

Circa 1905.