Pacific Coast Grand Lodge four-day conclave of Sons and Daughters of Norway in group portrait outside Normanna Hall. Event held June 23 through June 25, 1938 in Tacoma. Over 1,000 delegates attended, representing Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Alaska and British Columbia. (T. Times 6/23/1938, p. 9).

Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Sons of Norway (Tacoma); Daughters of Norway (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma;

Normanna Hall. In 1914 a bazaar was held by the Norway Club to start the building fund for a Norwegian structure. The first cornerstone was laid on October 1922 and the building was dedicated in March 1923. Exterior view of Normanna Hall.

Buildings--Tacoma; Norwegian Americans; Normanna Hall (Tacoma);

On November 15th, 1951, Sepic Electric Co. sponsored a Hotpoint Cooking School at Normanna Hall, now 1502 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, from 2 to 3:30 in the afternoon. Hotpoint's own West Coast Home Economist Clara Sherbourne was on hand to present the cooking demonstration and answer questions about the Hotpoint appliances. At Sepic, for $269.95 you could purchase a Hotpoint fully automatic electric range or an 8.11 cu. ft. refrigerator with a 24 lb. "speedy freezer." The crowd was also drawn to the auditorium by the offer of door prizes, including a Sunbeam Mixmaster, a turkey and table lamps. (T.Times 11/13/1951, pg. 6-ad) image filed with Argentum

Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Cookery--Tacoma--1950-1960; Home economics--1950-1960; Appliances--1950-1960;

On November 15th, 1951, an audience of mostly women watched closely as Hotpoint's own West Coast Home Economist, Clara Sherbourne, presented a cooking demonstration at Normanna Hall, 1502 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. The presentation was offered by Sepic Electric, which sold Hotpoint appliances. (T. Times 11/13/1951, pg. 6) Image filed with Argentum

Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Cookery--Tacoma--1950-1960; Home economics--1950-1960; Appliances--1950-1960;

Women wearing coats and hats sat on wooden folding chairs on November 15th, 1951, at Normanna Hall to view a cooking demonstration by Hotpoint Appliances. The event was sponsored by Sepic Electric and featured Hotpoint's Home Economist Clara Sherbourne. More individuals watched from the balcony. (T. Times 11/13/1951, pg. 6 - Ad) image filed with Argentum

Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Cookery--Tacoma--1950-1960; Home economics--1950-1960; Appliances--1950-1960; Women--Tacoma--1950-1960; Audiences--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Five of the adult leaders who attended the Camp Fire Girls' General Council Meeting at Normanna Hall pose in front of a tipi. The three candles in the foreground represent the watchwords of Camp Fire Girls: Work, Love and Health. (TNT, 5/24/1950, p.19)

Camp Fire Girls (Tacoma); Tipis--Tacoma;

Interior - auto parts store. Nelson Auto Parts was located on the lower level of Normanna Hall on (then) South "K" Street. It had opened for business there in October, 1952. The store was owned by Lee Nelson who had previously operated an auto parts store on Fort Lewis. Nelson Auto Parts apparently carried a full line of genuine replacement parts and accessories; view of interior of store shows three men behind the counter with displays of Laher batteries, Brookins service station equipment, Burgess sponges, Lasco brake linings, and Valvoline oil. Photograph ordered by Laher Spring & Fire Corp.

Nelson Auto Parts (Tacoma); Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Conductor Gunnar J. Malmin (center) posed with the Normanna Male Chorus at Normanna Hall on June 14, 1971. The Normanna Male Chorus was the oldest Norwegian singing organization in the west. Professor Malmin had been its director for over 35 years. Photograph ordered by Normanna Male Chorus.

Normanna Male Chorus (Tacoma); Choirs (Music); Malmin, Gunnar J.;

ca. 1936. Thomas Strom, Sr. (2nd from left) and the whole staff of Strom's Grocery posed for this photograph in 1936. Strom's I.G.A. Grocery occupied part of the first floor retail section of Normanna Hall, 1502 So. K St. (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way). Tacoma's Norwegian community began planning and fund raising for their own building in 1914. Over 700 attended when Normanna Hall was finally dedicated in March of 1923. Thomas Strom, Jr., is on the far right. Next to him is his mother Anna; his sister Prudence stands next to a John I. Ness. Thomas Strom, Sr., is behind the delivery truck. A man tentatively identified as Eric Linder rests his arm against the grocery truck. TPL-8775

Strom's Grocery (Tacoma); Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Strom, Thomas; Strom, Anna; Strom, Prudence;

On June 26, 1938 a large contingent of the men and women attending the Sons and Daughters of Norway convention that was being held in Tacoma posed for a group photograph in front of Normanna Hall, 1502 South K Street (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way). The Pacific Coast District grand lodge brought delegates to Tacoma from Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Alaska and British Columbia for the four day conclave that met from June 23-28. Most of the convention activities were held at the Winthrop Hotel, where most of the out-of-town delegates stayed, but there were numberous outings and social events scheduled including a dance at the Masonic Temple and a trip to Scandia Park, a resort on Five-Mile Lake in South King County. (T. Times, 6/23/1938, p. 9).

Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Sons of Norway (Tacoma); Daughters of Norway (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma;

Formal photograph of Normanna Male Chorus at Normanna Hall. The Hall was the home of the Norway Club. The Chorus's costume carries out a nautical theme with blazers and Captain's hats. The Chorus, organized in 1888, was the oldest Norwegian singing organization in the west. The Chorus held its first sangerfest in Tacoma in 1906. The first director was Professor Carlo Sperati. George S. Johnson served as director for 30 years. The current conductor is Gunnar J. Malmin, center of the front row in the tuxedo, composer and director of PLC Choir of the West. (TNT 3/9/1956, pg. 7)

Normanna Male Chorus (Tacoma); Singers; Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Malmin, Gunnar J.;

Commencement Bay Court No. 563 of the Independent Order of Foresters held their annual initiation ceremonies at Normanna Hall. Pictured are some of those who had a part in the ritual. Front row: L-R, George Thetford, senior beadle; Floyd Thomas, treasurer; Jack Shelsted, junior woodard; Richard Beardemphl, junior beadle and Orvil Harris, senior woodard. Back row: Lawrence Walker, chief ranger; Robert McGinnis, past chief ranger; Robert VanAlstine, vice chief ranger; Mrs. Harry Newkirk, orator; Mrs. Robert VanAlstine, recording secretary; and Mrs. Ray Scott, superintendent of social and fraternal work. (TNT, 12/6/1951, p.6)

Independent Order of Foresters 327 (Tacoma); Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Thetford, George; Thomas, Floyd; Shelsted, Jack; Beardemphl, Richard; Harris, Orvil; Walker, Lawrence; McGinnis, Robert; VanAlstine, Robert;

On January 29, 1952 the members of Clan Gordon and Bonnie Doon sponsored a celebration of the 193rd anniversary of Robert Burns birth. The concert and dance, held at Normanna Hall featured, among others, Margaret Myles, one of Tacoma's best known singers and music faculty member at the College of Puget Sound. She is shown standing between Jack Ironsides, pipe major (left), and Ian Buchan, bagpiper, from the Seattle Pipe Band. The Tacoma Highland dancers and Jack McDonald, comedian, were also featured. Ordered by the Tacoma News Tribune. (TNT, 1/20/1952, p.D-11) TPL-7973

Myles, Margaret; Singers; Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Bagpipes; Costumes--Scottish; Kilts; Seattle Pipe Band (Seattle); Ironsides, Jack; Buchan, Ian;

Tacoma Rhododendron Show at Normanna Hall, sponsored by the Tacoma Rhododendron Society. The evergreen shrub with the showy flowers is the state flower of Washington. The accepted address for Normanna Hall in the fifties was 1106 So. 15th. The shrubs line the sides of the hall enclosed by fencing and accented by tall pines. Planted windowboxes jut out from what appears to be a balcony.

Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Rhododendrons; Tacoma Rhododendron Society (Tacoma);

Camp Fire Girls' General Council Meeting at Normanna Hall. Four Camp Fire girls are performing in front of a tipi during the opening ceremonies of the Grand Council Fire. Janice Poage is playing clarinet and another girl is playing an Indian-style drum. (TNT, 5/24/1950, p.19)

Camp Fire Girls (Tacoma); Tipis--Tacoma; Poage, Janice; Girls--Tacoma--1950-1960; Musical instruments--Tacoma;

Sheriff Lee Croft grasps the hand of a grinning "cowboy" in a group picture taken at the Normanna Hall on September 7, 1950. All are dressed in western gear, with rolled up jeans, hats and boots and even the sole woman present has a fringed jean skirt with decorated boots. Sheriff Croft was running for re-election that year.

Croft, Lee;

The state shuffleboard championship was held at Normanna Hall May 6-8, 1955. Twenty four teams from Tacoma and Pierce County participated. Local teams won the B & C class championships. In order to breathe new life into local taverns and contribute to a more wholesome atmosphere, the Washington State Licensed Beverage Association, Pierce County Chapter, encouraged shuffleboard league play. More than 60 taverns in Tacoma and Pierce County sponsored teams that played in nine local leagues. The local championship was won by the team representing the Shamrock Tavern at 11112 Pacific Ave. in Parkland. (TNT 5/30/1955, pg. 25)

Shuffleboard; Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Washington State Licensed Beverage Association (Tacoma);

Daughters of Norway drill team. The 14-member Daughters of Norway drill team stand proudly in uniform on June 6, 1968, at Normanna Hall. They may have been part of the Embla Lodge No. 2, Daughters of Norway, which had a long tradition of drill teams. TPL-4454

Daughters of Norway (Tacoma); Drill teams; Uniforms;

A man behind the sales room counter at Nelson Auto Parts' new store is looking at an automobile parts books. The room is adorned with congratulatory floral arrangements. Rows of shelves are filled with automobile parts and accessories and fan belts hang above the windows. Nelson Auto Parts was located on the ground floor of Normanna Hall.

Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Nelson Auto Parts (Tacoma);

The counter at Nelson Auto Parts new store shows the parts book and bouquets of congratulation. Rows of shelves filled with tools and automobile parts are behind the sales counter.

Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Nelson Auto Parts (Tacoma);

In October of 1952 Nelson Auto Parts opened their new facilities in the Normanna Hall Building, 1502 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, with a three-bay storefront that extended across the front of the building. Nelson Auto Parts was owned by Lee A. Nelson who had until recently operated an automobile parts store at Fort Lewis. The new automobile parts store featured a complete line of genuine replacement parts and accessories, had an exchange service on many automotive parts and offered a 24-hour machine shop service. The cornerstone for Normanna Hall was laid on October 1, 1922 and the building was dedicated in March, 1923. (TNT, 10/9/1952, p.13) TPL-3144

Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Nelson Auto Parts (Tacoma);Fraternal lodges--Tacoma; Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Storefronts--Tacoma--1950-1960; Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Bride and groom surrounded by wedding party and guests at wedding reception at Normanna Hall. Couple is listed in Richards records as Gustie Flanish and Irene Holz. Photograph of the joyful crowd was taken on June 19, 1940.

Weddings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Brides--1940-1950; Grooms (Weddings)--1940-1950; Normanna Hall (Tacoma);

The interior of Normanna Hall was decorated as an outdoor setting for the Camp Fire Girls' General Council Meeting and Grand Council Fire. The ceremonies included a Fire Lighting dance by the Tacoho girls in Indian costume. The awarding of ranks and honors was given by Janice Stenson, executive director. The Blue Birds, junior organization of the Camp Fire Girls, "Flew-up" into Camp Fire with the Camp Fire Girls removing the blue ties and replacing them with Camp Fire ties. (TNT, 5/24/1950, p.19)

Camp Fire Girls (Tacoma); Girls--Tacoma--1950-1960; Rites & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Normanna Hall (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Rhododendron Society held their sixth annual flower show May 8-9, 1954, in Normanna Hall. The public was invited to attend at no charge. The University of Washington Arboretum sent plants to display as well as the U.S. government's Ballard Canal Locks. The offerings from Tacoma growers included those plants grown specially in greenhouses. View taken of stage at Normanna Hall; stage is covered with rhodys with Maypole in center. Example of rockery with flowering plants can also be seen facing stage. (TNT 5-6-54, A-7)

Tacoma Rhododendron Society (Tacoma); Rhododendrons; Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Flowers--Tacoma;

Tacoma Rhododendron Show at Normanna Hall, sponsored by the Tacoma Rhododendron Society. The evergreen shrub with the showy flowers is the state flower of the state of Washington. The accepted address for Normanna Hall in the fifties was 1106 So. 15th. A landscaped display takes up the area in front of the stage, rhododendrons accented by tall pines with a water feature at the center. The water feature has what appears to be a stone waterfall and a statue of a wood nymph. The painted backdrop of the Normanna stage can be seen in the background.

Normanna Hall (Tacoma); Rhododendrons; Tacoma Rhododendron Society (Tacoma);