Tacoma's wharves were crowded in late January of 1922 with many ships taking on and discharging cargo. A large steel sailing ship, the "William T. Lewis," was photographed berthed at Terminal Dock. The four-masted vessel was discharging a shipment of nitrates from South America. The thirty-year-old bark was under the command of Capt. N.P. Carlson and had survived an attack by a German submarine during the Great War. G50.1-099; TPL-2306 (TDL 1-26-22, p. 1-article; Tacoma Sunday Ledger 1-29-22, 6A-alternate picture; 10E-article)

Sailing ships; Cargo ships--1920-1930; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Visiting sailors at the Seamen's Institute are shown relaxing in a small room in February of 1922 . There are many books on shelves and newspapers and magazines are piled up on a long table. Two young seamen are playing checkers while others smoke and read. Rev. Harry Ferneyhough, a former sailor, is pictured overseeing the activities. Rev. Ferneyhough had offered a friendly hand to mariners in Tacoma for sixteen years. By 1922, the Seamen's Institute had moved from the old St. Luke's parish house to rent-free quarters at the Tacoma Municipal Dock. Here the hungry were fed, the penniless helped, the dying buried, and guidance provided, all without charge. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 3-12-22, 10-E-article on the Institute; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, Community Chest special pictorial supplement, 3-19-22 )

Sailors; Seamen's Church Institute (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Newspapers--Tacoma; Books; Smoking--Tacoma; Clergy--Tacoma; Ferneyhough, Harry;

On August 12, 1924, representatives from five families of Eastern Montana dry farmers were photographed at the Tacoma Municipal Dock. The families were relocating to farms purchased in Vaughn, on the eastern shore of the Case Inlet in Northern Pierce County. The men had arrived with a large boxcar filled with household goods, farm implements and even two cows. They were waiting to have the goods transferred to the steamer Burrows for the final leg of their journey. Pictured left to right are C. Blydorp, John W. Walniewicz, Johnny Vanlamen, Charles Vitol, Ed Vanlamen and Hank Vandervan. The men had purchased farms in Vaughn on the recommendation of one farmer who had visited the Puget Sound the Christmas before. Most of the party of 14 persons had never seen the Puget Sound or the land they would soon call home. (TNT 8/13/1924, pg. 15) G72.1-154

Colonists--Vaughn; Homesteading; Farms--Vaughn; Farming--Vaughn; Blydorp, C.; Walniewicz, John W.; Vanlamen, Johnny; Vitol, Charles; Vanlamen, Ed; Vandervan, Hank;

Sailors from the Seven Seas found a welcoming place to stay at the Seamen's Church Institute on the Municipal dock in August of 1924. Several men of varying races have gathered for a friendly billiards match. The purpose of the Seamen's Institute was to bring cheer to visiting sailors by providing them a comfortable place to congregate and rest. A library, gym, social hall, billiard room, reading/writing rooms, showers, kitchens, bedrooms and chapel were available, regardless of race or rank. It was partially supported by funding from the Tacoma Community Chest. TPL-7141; G53.1-093 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 2-5-28, 4-A - article on Seamen's Church Institute)

Sailors; Billiards--Tacoma--1920-1930; Seamen's Church Institute (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Sailors from many fleets enjoyed time away from their ships at the Seamen's Institute in August of 1924. Horseshoes, billiards, juggling clubs and boxing speed bag were just some of the activities pictured that the men could participate in without charge. Rev. Harry Ferneyhough is the clergyman near left. He had operated the Seamen's Church Institute for eighteen years as a friend to mariners. Books and newspapers were also available as well as meals for the hungry.

Sailors; Seamen's Church Institute (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Clergy--Tacoma; Ferneyhough, Harry; Horseshoes;

Passengers wait at the Tacoma Municipal Dock to board the streamlined "Kalakala" for the last ferry ride across the Narrows on July 2, 1940. Additional passengers boarded at Point Defiance and Gig Harbor ferry landings on the boat's voyage toward Bremerton. Because the ferry was nearly an hour late in departing, it was decided to not dock at Bremerton. The decision did not seem to bother the raucous 1,440 revelers who celebrated with music and dancing sponsored by the Young Men's Business Club. (T.Times, 7-3-40, p. 3). TPL-1369

Kalakala (Ferry); Marine terminals--Tacoma; Tacoma Municipal Dock; Crowds--Tacoma; Celebrations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ferries--Tacoma;

Easter Service for Coast Guard. In April of 1943, men who were unable to leave the base to spend Easter with their families were able to invite their wives and sweethearts to attend services held at the Coast Guard patrol base in Tacoma. C. Lyle Rich, acting chaplain, conducted the service with Herbert Ford who sang solos and led hymns. Coast Guard Headquarters was located in the Municipal Dock Building. (T. Times, 4/26/43, p.8)

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Religious services--Tacoma--1940-1950; Easter--Tacoma;

Men unable to leave the base for the holidays invited wives and sweethearts to attend Easter Services, 1943, at the US Coast Guard patrol base in Tacoma. Coast Guard headquarters were located in the Municipal Dock Building during World War II. (T. Times, 4/26/1943, p.8.)

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Religious services--Tacoma--1940-1950; Easter--Tacoma;

The U.S.S. Laffey was on display at Tacoma Municipal Dock after being hit by five Japanese kamikaze planes and four bombs in an attack 30 miles north of Okinawa. The crew suffered 103 casualties--32 dead and 71 wounded. The destroyer, "riddled like a sieve above the water-line"--the hull and superstructure twisted by the impact, was drydocked at Todd Shipyards for repairs. In 1946, she participated in the atomic bomb tests at Bikini. (T.Times, 5/26/1945, p.1; Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. IV, pp. 16-19).

U.S.S. Laffey (Ship); 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma); Vertical lift bridges--Tacoma; Ships; World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations; Piers & wharves--Tacoma; Municipal Dock (Tacoma);

Destroyer U.S.S. Laffey at 11th St. The USS Laffey was on display at Municipal Dock. The destroyer survived an attack by six Japanese suicide planes and two bombs sixty miles off Japan. The hull and superstructure were grotesquely twisted by the impact. (T.Times, 5/30/1945, p.9)

U.S.S. Laffey (Ship); 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma); Vertical lift bridges--Tacoma; Ships; World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations; Piers & wharves--Tacoma; Municipal Dock (Tacoma);

Destroyer U.S.S. Laffey at 11th St. Miss Marie Ruedin and Miss Doris Long inspect the battle-scarred aft gun turret of the U.S.S. Laffey. The destroyer was on display at the Tacoma Municipal Dock after it was hit by six Japanese suicide planes and two bombs. F 1/C Maurice Miller, showing the damaged gun to the women, was on the forward deck gun when Laffey was struck. One of his companions was killed, one wounded. (T.Times, 6/1/1945, p.1)

U.S.S. Laffey (Ship); Ships; World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations; Ruedin, Marie; Long, Doris; Miller, Maurice;

Steel band packaging operations at Erdahl Brothers facilities with workmen strapping stacks of plywood. The stacks of plywood are fitted carefully into a frame at the back of the assembly-line system with men in the foreground tightening the straps with specialized tools. Lorentz and Arthur Erdahl were the owners of the trucking firm located at the site of the former Municipal Dock. Ordered by Brainard Steel Company.

Erdahl Brothers (Tacoma); Plywood; Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960;