On the morning of June 7, 1926, Tacoma saw a change in city government from "business as usual." The March 1926 election had brought defeat to all City Council incumbents up for re-election. Photographer Chapin Bowen captured the moment as the old Council stepped out and the new took their seats for their first meeting. Pictured around the table, left to right, are Jesse W. Silver- Public Works, newly elected A.S. Walters - Finance, newly elected Mayor Melvin G. Tennent, Ira Davisson- Light & Water and newly elected H. Dyer Dyment- Public Safety. Seated to the right is City Clerk Genevieve Martin. (TNT 6-7-26, p. 1-photograph is flipped in newspaper) Bowen 26375, TPL-9549

Early in January of 1926, Tacoma voters were flooding into the Registrar's office on the third floor of City Hall to qualify to vote in the upcoming city primary and general elections. The throng included three new voters, pictured center of the counter. The trio was composed of Ingeborg Ekberg, Alice Raymond and Vera Landers, all students at the College of Puget Sound and all having just turned 21. According to city clerk Genevieve Martin almost 9,000 voters had registered in the first five days for the elections, which included another run for the Mayor's office by four time incumbent Angelo Vance Fawcett. TPL-3209 (TNT 1/11/1926, pg. 17- cropped picture, TNT 1/9/26, pg. 14-article on registration)

In the depths of the Great Depression, about 1,000 men and women waged a peaceful orderly march on City Hall in late February of 1931 to focus attention on immediate unemployment relief. Members of the Unemployed Council, the Trade Unity League and the Communist Party requested: 1) unemployment insurance at $15 per week with $5 extra per dependent; 2) an immediate relief fund of $1 million generated by reducing city officials' salaries; 3) non-ejection of unemployed not able to pay house rent; 4) free use of civic auditoriums for meetings of the unemployed and 5) full payment of war bonus. Mayor M.G. Tennent met with twelve chosen marchers to express his and the city council's concern but stated that their powers were limited. He did state that a $41,000 Sheridan Avenue project was approved that morning so that more men could be employed through city construction. After listening to a program of addresses by their leaders, the large crowd dispersed after about three hours. (TDL 2/26/1931, p.4-article). Bowen 03-914.

Asa E. Troyer's neighbor, R. H. Frogner used a 6% DDT solution and a spray gun to get to this yellow jacket nest, that was on his property at Caledonia Beach. This beehive probably housed 1,000 busy wasps; after he stripped off the outer mud protective wall, a pagoda-like construction is visible, hundreds of cells for eggs, food and shelter can be seen. View of Asa E. Troyer, Tacoma City Treasurer, holding up half of a yellow jacket nest (T. Times, 12/19/48, p. 5).

Wasps' nests--Tacoma; Wasps; Poisons; Pest control--Tacoma; Municipal officials--Tacoma; Troyer, Asa E.; Old City Hall (Tacoma);

ca. 1971. 1971 Richards color stock footage. Bell tower of Old City Hall. Designed in the style of "fifteenth-century Italian town hall architecture," the six-story building was constructed in 1892. It became "Old" City Hall upon the opening of the County-City Building in 1959. Saved from demolition, it was restored as a shopping center with grand opening in 1974. In 1980 it was converted into an office building. The 32-square foot tower had its bell chimes restored in late 1993. The Old City Hall is on the City, State, and National Registry. TPL-9206

Clock towers--Tacoma; Old City Hall (Tacoma);

Mrs. Sigrid Holmberg, Mrs. Claude Purvis, and Mrs. Lee C. Garrison of Tacoma's Delphinum Garden Club shared smiles with master clock expert E.F. Farrens (right) and his assistant, Joe Mertz, as they held two of the old clock hands from the Old City Hall clock tower, 625 Commerce Street in May of 1962. The Delphinium Garden Club was working with Mr. Farrens to restore the tower clock, which had fallen into disrepair since 1959 when the city offices left the building for the new County-City Building on Tacoma Avenue South. New cedar clock hands were to be made by the city's woodworking shop. There had been talk about razing the dilapidated Italian Renaissance building, built of yellow brick; it managed to escape the wrecking ball and was added to the National Registry in 1974. Photograph ordered by Delphinium Garden Club. (TNT 5-22-62, p. 1, 5-27-62, p. 1) TPL-9181

Delphinium Garden Club (Tacoma); Clock towers--Tacoma; Old City Hall (Tacoma); Holmberg, Sigrid; Mertz, Joe; Farrens, E.F.;

Members of the Delphinium Garden Club examine the hands of the old clock at (Old) City Hall on May 26, 1962. Mrs. Sigrid Holmberg, Mrs. Claude Purvis, and Mrs. Lee C. Garrison are assisted by Joe Mertz and E.F. Farrens, master clock expert from Portland. Mr. Farrens is donating weekends to repair the clock along with his assistant, Mr. Mertz. The chimes and tower clock had stopped for three years and recently were re-started. The clock was reportedly "keeping beautiful time," although it may have been hard for a layman to detect since the hands were removed. A new set of hands would be made by the city's woodworking shop. The Delphinium Garden Club was financing restoration of the timepiece. View of Old City Hall with bell tower that rises five stories above main floors. Government offices had been moved three years before to the new County-City Building on Tacoma Avenue South. Photograph ordered by Delphinium Garden Club. (TNT 5-22-62, p. 1, 5-27-62, p. 1)

Delphinium Garden Club (Tacoma); Clock towers--Tacoma; Old City Hall (Tacoma); Mertz, Joe; Holmberg, Sigrid; Farrens, E.F.;

Mayor John Anderson, in his office at (Old) City Hall, admires a bouquet of rhododendrons held by Mrs. John Skupens of the Washington Rhododendron Society. Mrs. Skupens had called on the mayor to invite him to the upcoming 9th annual Tacoma Rhododendron Show. The two day show would take place at the Oakland Community Center with free admission. Publicity photo for Tacoma Rhododendron Society. (TNT 5-9-57, C-6) ALBUM 14

Mayors--Tacoma--1950-1960; Anderson, John H.; Rhododendrons; Skupens, John--Family;

Old City Hall. Built in 1892, this Renaissance style structure served as the seat of Tacoma's government for 70 years. It was abandoned for 15 years and just saved from the wrecking ball in 1974 and added to the National Register. The building was restored and now houses offices.

Old City Hall (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma;

ca. 1979. Old City Hall. Designed in the style of "fifteenth-century Italian town hall architecture," the six-story building was constructed in 1892. It became "Old" City Hall upon the opening of the County-City Building in 1959. Saved from demolition, it was restored as a shopping center with grand opening in 1974. In 1980 it was converted into an office building. The 32-square foot tower had its bell chimes restored in late 1993. The Old City Hall is on the City, State, and National Registry.

Old City Hall (Tacoma);

On October 29, 1924, a group of city and railroad officials met in Mayor A.V. Fawcett's office in (Old) City Hall, 625 Commerce St., to sign Belt Line contracts. The municipal carline was now the industrial belt line, effective November 1st. Mayor Fawcett is seated at far left; also seated are City Attorney E.K. Murray and chairman Ernest Dolge of the traffic bureau. Among others present was the mayor's son, and future mayor, Val Fawcett, second man standing in rear at left. The sole woman in the group is city clerk, Genevieve Martin. (other officials are listed in the Tacoma Daily Ledger article, 10-30-24, p. 4) TPL-10461

Mayors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fawcett, Angelo Vance; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Municipal officials--Tacoma--1920-1930; Contracts; Martin, Genevieve; Dolge, Ernest; Murray, E.K.;

Prohibition actually began early in Washington state where saloons were ordered to close at midnight on December 31, 1915. However, alcohol was soon readily available as enterprising entrepreneurs produced "moonshine" from homemade distilleries, "stills," like the one pictured at (Old) City Hall in August of 1920. A long tube comes to a narrow point, allowing the liquor to drip conveniently into a bottle. (TDL 8/15/1920, pg B-5) G24.1-076

Prohibition--Tacoma; Stills (Distilleries);

At midnight on January 16, 1920, the United States went "dry." Overnight, breweries and distilleries closed their doors as the 18th Amendment made the manufacture, sale or transport of alcohol illegal. America was thirsty and enterprising individuals stepped forward to fill the void with alcohol made from home made distilleries, or "stills." Many of these apparatus, such as the one pictured at (Old) City Hall, were confiscated in Pierce County. (TDL 8/15/1920, pg B-5) G24.1-077

Prohibition--Tacoma; Stills (Distilleries);

On February 2, 1924, 15 year old singer Marino Sensi, of 4534 South Adams, presented a concert at City Hall for Mayor Angelo Vance Fawcett (seated), city councilmen, employees and visitors. The South Tacoma boy, who had lived here for the last nine years, performed selections designed to illustrate his powerful bass range, rare in a young boy. The bass performs in the lowest vocal range of the human voice. Friends of the young singer were trying to raise money to purchase a piano for his use. Mayor Fawcett and attorney S.A. Gagliardi were pleased to make the first, and generous, contributions. This was not the first time young Sensi had sung for a mayor; he had performed for San Francisco Mayor Rolph the previous year. (TNT 2-2-24, p. 7-article; TNT 2/6/1924, pg. 9) G1.1-066 ALBUM 16

Sensi, Marino; Singers--Tacoma--1920-1930; Mayors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fawcett, Angelo Vance;

New floors at City Hall. The flooring in this January 13, 1925, photograph appears to be hardwood. City Hall in 1925 was still at 625 Commerce St., situated in a six-story building designed in the Italian Renaissance style. G67.1-011

Old City Hall (Tacoma); Floors--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The Young Men's Republican Club presented a framed and colored portrait of President Calvin Coolidge to Tacoma's City Council on April 20, 1927. The photograph would join the likenesses of Presidents (Teddy) Roosevelt, Wilson, and Harding in the council chambers. Mayor Melvin G. Tennent accepted, on behalf of the council, the portrait from Al Ray, president of the Young Men's Republican Club. L-R are: Mayor Tennent (hand on photograph); Commissioners Ira S. Davisson, Dyer Dyment, Jesse Silver, Acting commissioner Asa Troyer, and Al Ray. G23.1-007 (TDL 4-21-27, p. 3)

Portrait photographs; Gifts; Tennent, Melvin Green; Mayors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Davisson, Ira; Dyment, Dyer; Silver, Jesse; Troyer, Asa E.; Ray, Al; Municipal government--Tacoma--1920-1930;

City Refuse Department office in Tacoma's Old City Hall. Three women and three men are working in the office. Flowers decorate the office desks, and a calander from the Tacoma Savings & Loan Association hangs on the back wall. The "Spanish steps", next to the Elks Building, can be seen through the window.

City Refuse Department (Tacoma); Refuse disposal--Tacoma--1930-1940

Mayor John W. Linck was photographed at his desk in the mayor's office in Old City Hall in June of 1909. As Mayor of Tacoma he was invited to the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition held on the campus of the University of Washington that year. He had won election to the mayor's office in April of 1908, defeating Democratic incumbent George P. Wright. Prior to serving as the city's mayor, he had extensive legal and political experience in the Midwest. John Linck served one term as mayor after which he spent several years as a justice of the peace.

Linck, John W.; Mayors--Tacoma--1900-1910; Old City Hall (Tacoma);

ca. 1893. Tacoma Public Library on 5th floor of Old City Hall. The three statues in the large room were purchased by City Librarian William Curtis Taylor and donated to the library. Mr. Taylor had decorated the library with several busts and frames paid for by himself. The library had previously been located in the Ball Block, 919-21 Broadway, before its move to Old City Hall, 625 Commerce St., in 1893. Mr. Taylor had been the librarian since 1892 and was appointed by Mayor Huson as City Librarian in 1894 when the library came under the control of the City of Tacoma. (Tacoma Daily Ledger, 4-22-1896-article)

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1890-1900; Old City Hall (Tacoma); Statues--Tacoma--1890-1900;

ca. 1893. Tacoma Public Library on 5th floor of Old City Hall. The Tacoma Public Library moved to more spacious quarters on the fifth floor of (Old) City Hall, 625 Commerce St., in 1893. There was room for 20,000 volumes although the library at that time contained only a fraction of that amount, about 1000. Tall ceilings and large rooms that were tastefully decorated, including a cheerful room set aside as a women's reading space, provided patrons with a comfortable library atmosphere. Bookcases were mostly placed against the walls leaving a clear space for reading tables and display cases. Among the many paintings and wall decor at the library was an oil painting of City Librarian William Curtis Taylor who was its first librarian. It is pictured above at left center. Over 1300 people checked out books regularly out of a total of 1434 members. Membership had increased by 1100 during the year. (TDL 5-3-1893-article)

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1890-1900; Bookcases--Tacoma; Books; Showcases;

Bob Hager (fourth from left) received a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the Tacoma School Patrol for the past twenty years of service, the certificate was presented by AAA of Washington. More than 10,000 boys have served Tacoma schools through all types of weather. The Tacoma School Patrol had also sworn in an additional 150 officers earlier in the day. The uniformed officer at the far right is Don Davies. He was the coordinator of the School Safety Patrol while assigned to Tacom's Youth Guidance Division. (T. Times, 2/6/49, p. 28).

Awards; Rites & ceremonies--Tacoma; Guards--Tacoma; Tacoma City Hall (Tacoma); Tacoma School Patrol (Tacoma);Hager, Bob;

Norman J. Maddex, a city light department wire man, is "re-lamping" the tower on Tacoma's Old City Hall, 625 Commerce St., in this photograph from November 1935. Sitting in a boatswain's chair, just a board slung in the loops of a bowline knot, he works at replacing burned out light bulbs and repairing defective wiring. The tower had 750 bulbs along the cornice rims, down the tower corners, and around the clock dial. (T. Times 11-15-1935 p.3)

City Hall (Tacoma); Maddex, Norman J.;

Norman J. Maddex, City Light department wireman, suspended by cables to work on relamping the (Old) City Hall tower clock. "Relamping" is the term used for replacing the burned out light globes and defective wiring. He is dangling in a boatswain's chair, a board slung in the loops of a bowline knot. In addition to his precarious perch, the men handling the cables above him had to be careful of loose tiles that could send them hurtling to the street below. The work had been delayed for some time as financially hard pressed city departments argued about whose budget the job should be charged to. (T. Times 11-15-1935, pg. 3)

City Hall (Tacoma); Maddex, Norman J.;

Tacoma City Council at (Old) City Hall. Mayor George Smitley at right center, by window. Portrait of Mayor A.V. Fawcett on wall, now hangs in Rare Book Room of Tacoma Public Library. (T.Times)

Mayors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Smitley, George A., 1872-1956;

Mayor George A. Smitley buying a Forget-Me-Not or "Buddy Poppy" from a volunteer worker representing the Disabled American Veterans at his office in (Old) City Hall. He is in the process of handing over a check as a donation to Viola Wilson. Miss Wilson is the daughter of Virgil Wilson, state commander of disabled veterans, and the youngest member of the women's auxiliary here. The proceeds of the two-day sale will go to rehabiliation efforts of the veterans' organizations. Sepia photograph taken on September 25, 1935. ALBUM 11. (T. Times, 9-26-35, p. 5)

Mayors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Smitley, George A., 1872-1956; Fund raising--Tacoma--1930-1940; Patriotic societies--Tacoma; Veterans' organizations--Tacoma; Wilson, Viola;

Girl representing the Disabled American Veterans pins a Forget-Me-Not or "Buddy Poppy" on Mayor George A. Smitley at his office in (Old) City Hall. Miss Viola Wilson is holding a handful of paper poppies as she fastens the Forget-Me-Not to Mr. Smitley's lapel. Mr. Smitley helped to kick off the annual Forget-Me-Not sale by purchasing the first flower from Miss Wilson, who is the daughter of state disabled veterans commander Virgil Wilson. It was noted in the Tacoma Times article attached to the sepia September 25, 1935, photograph, that Mr. Wilson was seriously ill in a Seattle hospital suffering from the effects of wounds received in the war. ALBUM 11. (T. Times, 9-26-35, p. 5)

Mayors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Smitley, George A., 1872-1956; Fund raising--Tacoma--1930-1940; Patriotic societies--Tacoma; Veterans' organizations--Tacoma; Wilson, Viola;

Mayor George Smitley (R) shakes hands with El Haren, newspaper astrologer, during his visit to Tacoma. El Haren's column was carried by the Tacoma Times for a limited time; the Times ran this photo on May 12, 1937. Free daily advice was dispensed by America's "most celebrated astrologer" with replies printed in the Times. For $1.00 and a 6 cent self-addressed stamped envelope, El Haren provided a complete astrological reading and answered three questions free. If the reader chose to save money, he/she would be entitled to one free question using the Times coupon. The newspaper was apparently swamped with thousands of requests during the astrologer's short stay here. Samples of questions and El Haren's answers can be found in the Tacoma Times issues of May 11, 12, 14 and 17, 1937. (T.Times 5-10-37, p. 7, 5-11-37, p. 8, 5-12-37, p. 4, 5-14-37, p. 16, 5-17-37, p. 4) ALBUM 11.

Mayors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Smitley, George A., 1872-1956; Haren, El; Astrology--Tacoma;