ca. 1940. Mayor Harry P. Cain with personal secretary Pearl Rehbock at his office in (Old) City Hall. A Washington Association of Cities publication is on his desk blotter, City of Atlanta Traffic Study in his "IN" box. Mrs. Rehbock appears to be taking the mayor's dictation in this ca. 1940 photograph. ALBUM 12.

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Rehbock, Pearl; Office workers--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1940. Mayor Harry P. Cain with personal secretary Pearl Rehbock at his office in (Old) City Hall about 1940. She appears to be taking dictation. There is a copy of a Washington Association of Cities publication on his desk blotter and a City of Atlanta Traffic Study in his "IN" box. By the 1942 City Directory, Mrs. Rehbock of the Steilacoom Lake area, was listed as the office manager of the USO-YMCA. ALBUM 12.

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Rehbock, Pearl; Office workers--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Mayor Val Fawcett gives a warm welcome to Al Thrall (L) and Richard Williams visiting (Old) City Hall in the spring of 1947. Quick thinking on the part of the two 17-year-olds during the March 29th Daffodil Parade prevented injury and disruption of the annual event. Richard Williams, driving a float with Al Thrall assisting, warned the packed crowds and managed to stop his runaway float when its brakes failed. (T.Times 4-1-47, p. 7) ALBUM 14.

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Shaking hands--Tacoma; Teenagers; Thrall, Al; Williams, Richard;

Mayor C. V. "Val" Fawcett was visited in his office at (old) City Hall by three young women from Olympia dressed as cowgirls. The young women were graduates of the Class of 1947 and had recently won a popularity contest in Olympa. They called on Mayor Fawcett to invite all Tacoma and vicinity residents to Olympia's grand 4th of July show. L-R, Ruth Stubbs, Mayor Fawcett, Martha Strange and Audrey Strandness. (T.Times, 6/13/1947, p.4) ALBUM 14.

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Stubbs, Ruth; Strange, Martha; Strandness, Audrey;

ca. 1941. Mayor Harry P.Cain, seated at desk, speaks with a group of intently listening men in his office at (Old) City Hall. Bob O'Neil, Public Utilities Commissioner, is seated to Cain's left.

Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; O'Neil, Robert D.; Municipal officials--Tacoma--1940-1950;

• Printed on back: Looking out from the Bell Tower of Old City Hall, you see the Commencement Bay Grainery. Trains arrive daily from the Mid-West loaded with grain that is then shipped to Asia.
• Picture Tacoma Artist's Postcard Project; Photography by Sharon Styler

On Saturday, December 19, 1936, boys from the Order of De Molay took over Tacoma's city government for the day. This annual event was intended to teach the organization's members about the inner workings of government. The young government officials were, left to right, George Helmer-Safety Commissioner, Harry Mitchell- finance, Les Miller- City Controller, Sid Castle- Mayor, Bob Metz-Works Commissioner and Glen Wallace- Utilities Chief. The Order of DeMolay was sponsored by the Freemasons. (T.Times 12/19/1936, pg. 1)

Teenagers--1930-1940; Order of DeMolay (Tacoma); Municipal government--Tacoma--1930-1940; Helmer, George; Mitchell, Harry; Miller, Les; Castle, Sid; Metz, Bob; Wallace, Glen;

Tacoma City Hall

Tacoma City Hall

Circa 1920.

Circa 1985.

Circa 1978.

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 sits prominently above the downtown business district. The 11th Street Bridge, now the Murray Morgan, is just to the left of the Old City Hall. circa 1930.
• Printed on front: Mt. Tacoma and part of city, Tacoma, Wash.

• Mount Rainier sits prominently above the downtown business district. The 11th Street Bridge, now the Murray Morgan, is just to the left of the Old City Hall. circa 1930.
• Printed on front: Mt. Tacoma, From Tacoma, Wn.

• Built in 1892 at 625 Commerce, this became the Old City Hall when the County-City Building opened in 1959. This building is on the City, State and National Historic Registries. circa 1905.
• Printed on front: City Hall. Tacoma, Wash.

• Built in 1892, this became the Old City Hall when the County-City Building opened in 1959. This building is on the City, State and National Historic Registries.
• Printed on front: City Hall & Grounds, TACOMA, Wash.

ca. 1934. Portrait of Mayor George A. Smitley in his office at (Old) City Hall. In this 1934 sepia photograph, Mr. Smitley is wearing a three-piece suit; he has one hand resting on the mayor's desk. Having held no previous political office, he succeeded two-term mayor Melvin G. Tennent. A former salesman, furniture company manager and Elks Club secretary/manager, and well known in Tacoma, Mr. Smitley was mayor for one four-year term. He was married in 1930 to Mrs. W.C. (Isabel) Bowen. ALBUM 11.

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

ca. 1934. Portrait of Tacoma Mayor George A. Smitley in his office at (Old) City Hall. Sepia photograph was taken during his first, and only, term of office. 62 years old at the time of the photograph, Mr. Smitley had vowed not to run again, believing that one term was sufficient. His aim, according to a speech to the Democratic Club in March, 1934, was to increase payrolls in Tacoma, by developing industry. Mr. Smitley passed away in 1956 at the age of 84. ALBUM 11.

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

ca. 1934. Portrait of Tacoma Mayor George A. Smitley in his office at (Old) City Hall. Mr. Smitley succeeded two-time mayor, Melvin G. Tennent, as the city's chief executive. Formerly a traveling salesman, furniture company manager and Elks secretary/manager, Mr. Smitley won election in March, 1934, despite never holding a political office. During his administration, Franklin Roosevelt visited Tacoma on a brief stopover and Fort Nisqually's reconstruction efforts took place. ALBUM 11.

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

ca. 1934. Sepia portrait of Tacoma Mayor George A. Smitley at (Old) City Hall. A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Mr. Smitley was a traveling salesman for the Majestic Manufacturing Co. for twelve years. He came to Tacoma in 1905 and worked for the C.E. Horton Furniture Co. for nine years. While in Tacoma, Mr. Smitley joined the Elks Club, eventually becoming the secretary and manager. His association with many civic and social groups, including the Elks, Masons, Lions, Tacoma Gun Club and Shriners, may have assisted him when he made a successful bid in 1934 for the mayor's seat. He had held no previous political office prior to becoming mayor. During his tenure as mayor, Fort Nisqually Reconstruction was officially dedicated and President Roosevelt whistlestopped in Tacoma. ALBUM 11, ALBUM 16.

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

On August 28, 1947 C.V. Fawcett, the current Mayor of Tacoma and the reigning Pacific Coast Mayors' Salmon Derby champion, squeezed in a few extra minutes of practice for the upcoming competition in his City Hall office. The mayor had barely a moment to spare as the derby was scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 30th in Ilwaco. Dressed in fisherman's waders and a warm plaid jacket, Mr. Fawcett was photographed diligently studying the book "Salmon Fishing on Puget Sound" while dangling his (unbaited) hook over a metal bucket. He hoped to repeat his triumph of the previous year when he hauled in a 22-pound salmon, handily defeating mayors from California, Portland and other Pacific Coast cities. And should people scoff at the mayor's unusual bucket training, it must be stated that he had employed the same technique the year he won. Mayor Fawcett managed to pull in a 25 lb. fish, winning the 1947 derby. (TNT 8-29-71, p. 1) TPL-8264

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Fishing; Fishermen--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing & hunting gear;

Harry Cain given oath as Mayor of Tacoma at City Hall by City Clerk Genevieve Martin. Bob O'Neil, Utilities Commissioner-elect, looks on. Elected to the 2 remaining years of Mayor Siegle's term, Cain was overwhelmingly reelected in 1942. In 1940, Cain had lost in the primary to Dr. Bert Kerstetter. When Kerstetter died just days before the election, Cain's name was placed on the ballot. He defeated former mayor Melvin G. Tennent, who hotly contested the election. Bob O'Neil defeated Ira S. Davisson, who had served as Commissioner of Utilities since 1918. (T.Times 6/3/1940, pg. 1)

O'Neil, Robert D.; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Oaths--Tacoma; Martin, Genevieve; Municipal government--Tacoma;

As part of their planned take over of the Tacoma City Government on Saturday April 6, 1940, Fort Lewis district Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees are preliminarily sworn into service by City Clerk Genevieve Martin. To the right of the uniformed young men is Fred A. Taylor, who will be Tacoma Mayor for the day. The other six CCC members are, left to right, Clifford Grant, Copeland Dwyer, Fred Dozier, Garnett Sketers, Einer Fryxell and Joseph O. Johnson. (T. Times 4/5/1940, pg. 9 & 20) TPL-10321

Civilian Conservation Corps (Tacoma); Taylor, Fred A.; Dwyer, Copeland; Dozier, Fred H.; Fryxell, Einer; Johnson, Joseph O.; Sketers, Garnett E.; Grant, Clifford J.; Martin, Genevieve;