Circa 1985.

Circa 1913.

Circa 1905.

Circa 1919.

Circa 1910.

Circa 1907.

• Many tall masted ships wait in line on the City Waterway to load with wheat, from what was claimed to be the longest wheat warehouse in the world. "Where the Sails meet the Rails" was one of Tacoma's early slogans touting the great commerce opportunities here. In the background up on the ridge, the Tacoma Hotel, City Hall and the Northern Pacific headquarters are visible. circa 1906.
• Printed on front: Tacoma, Wash. Loading Wheat a the longest Wheat Warehouse in the world.

• 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

ca. 1889. Northern Pacific Headquarters at 621 Pacific Avenue, circa 1889. The railroad had chosen Tacoma as its western terminus in 1873; from that point, the city would grow furiously from a small hamlet to a metropolis of about 30,000 by 1890. Construction of Northern Pacific's stone and brick headquarters with its distinctive tower, located on the bluff overlooking their half-moon railroad yards, began in the summer of 1887 and was completed the following year. Its 53 offices and storerooms and 19 vaults were utilized by the Tacoma Land Company, Weyerhaeuser Company and Northern Pacific. Northern Pacific would sell the building to the City of Tacoma in 1922 as the railroad planned to move its offices to Seattle. Photograph courtesy of the John Ogden Collection. (Tacoma Rediviva, p. 27+) TPL-10172

Northern Pacific Headquarters Building (Tacoma); Northern Pacific Railway Co. (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;

Tacoma's finest, along with their vehicles, stand alertly outside the Public Safety Building/City Hall Annex on August 29, 1953. They were members of the Tacoma Police Department's Motorcycle division. TPL-7118

Police--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Public Safety Building (Tacoma); City Hall Annex (Tacoma); Motorcycles--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exhibit - Tacoma Art Museum. Framed paintings of various sizes are hung on the paneled walls of the Tacoma Art Museum. In April of 1970, an exhibit of Western art was being displayed. Painting to the farthest left is "Taos Girls" by W. Ufer. The "Wild, Wild West" collection was loaned to the art museum by the Santa Fe Railroad. The majestic beauty of the region's natural features and its people were the focus of the many paintings. Photograph ordered by Santa Fe Railway Co. (TNT 4-26-70, D-7 - article)

Tacoma Art Museum (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Paintings;

Exhibit - Tacoma Art Museum. Western art on display at the Tacoma Art Museum in late April of 1970. Each piece of art is labeled with a title and the artist's name. Painting to the far right is labeled "Zuni Pottery Maker;" artist is W.R. Leigh. The Santa Fe Railroad lent their collection of Western art to the Tacoma Art Museum for a short period of time. The "Wild, Wild West" collection was featured through May 3, 1970. Photograph ordered by Santa Fe Railway Co. (TNT 4-26-70, D-7 - article)

Tacoma Art Museum (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Paintings;

In July of 1969 it was possible to travel to the Tacoma Art Museum (AKA Allied Arts Center) to view the art collection of Bruce LeRoy on display. Several paintings are shown above decorating an otherwise plain paneled wall; they appear to be scenes of the early Northwest outdoors. The Tacoma Art Museum were presenting these primitives from Mr. LeRoy's collection and contemporary entries from Northwest artists as part of the Tacoma Centennial Celebration. Photograph ordered by Bruce LeRoy.

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

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;

On June 1, 1969, Mrs. Clarence Martin and Puget Sound National Bank executive Dutton Hayward examined some of the many oil and watercolor entries in the annual county-wide student art show sponsored by the Tacoma Links. Mrs. Martin was the chairman of the show for the Links, a national association of business and professional women. The art show opened on June 1, 1969, and ran until June 27th at the Allied Arts Center. Junior and senior high school students, both private and public, were invited to submit their art. Cash awards were presented by Puget Sound National Bank with the winning work rotating among the ten Puget Sound National Bank branches during July. Photograph ordered by Cole & Weber Advertising, Seattle. (TNT 6-1-69, B-10-article)

Art exhibitions--Tacoma--1960-1970; Paintings; Martin, Clarence--Family; Hayward, Dutton;

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;

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;

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);

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;

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. Trying out the new equipment at the Civilian Defense Volunteer Office at the City Hall Annex are, left to right, Joseph Lanser, Frank Evans and George Russell. The "tin hats" were made of steel thick enough to protect the wearer from shrapnel splinters. (T. Times 4/18/1942, pg. 1)

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

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;

Dwight Howell, behind the wheel of a new Ford convertible from Titus Motor Company, is not receiving a ticket. He has just been honored for being a top student driver. In March of 1941, Ford Motor Co. started the Ford Good Driver League. They worked with police and public safety organizations to encourage traffic safety and good driving habits. This photograph was taken in front of the Public Safety Building at 621 Pacific Avenue. The man at the far left is probably Tacoma Chief of Police Einer Langseth. Howell went on to win the Washington State Finals and represent Washington at the Nationals in August, 1941. The 17 year old Howell graduated from Stadium High School in the Spring of 1941.

Howell, Dwight; Ford automobile; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Law enforcement--Tacoma; Law enforcement officers--Tacoma;

ca. 1979. Roof line of the Northern Pacific Headquarters Building, 621 Pacific Ave.

Public Safety Building (Tacoma);

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

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