Wheeler Osgood Plywood plant, Mr. McCallum. Plywood was anticipated to become very important for the post war reconstruction era. Pre-fabricated homes would utilize over 25% of the plywood supply. View of laborer in the interior of Wheeler Osgood plant. Photo ordered by Winston H. McCallum of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Plywood; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1927. Wheeler Osgood plant, circa 1927. A general elevated view of the door plant, with its various smokestacks, on the Tacoma tideflats with the bay in the background. The Wheeler-Osgood plant was opened in 1889 by George R. Osgood, W.C. Wheeler and D.D. Clark as a millworking plant. By 1927, the 37 year old company was the largest door factory in the world. The plant covered 14 acres, from St. Paul Ave. to the City Waterway, and employed 1500 people. It sawed all its own lumber and had an aerial line connecting the factory with the sawmill at the head of the City Waterway. The plant closed in 1952. It was demolished in the late 50's and caught fire in the process, burning to the ground. (filed with Argentum) (TNT 3/9/1927, pg. 13)

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Factories--Tacoma--1920-1930; Smokestacks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Exterior of Wheeler Osgood Company's offices. Wheeler-Osgood was known as the world's largest manufacturer of doors and plywood at this time. The company started making doors in Tacoma in 1889 and plywood in 1910, only five years after the first fir plywood was manufactured at Portland, Oregon. N.O. Cruver served as president of the company at this time. He was president for 32 years.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Interior, machine at plant, Wheeler Osgood, Miss Lindgren. An interior view of the plant that was known as the world's largest manufacturer of wooden doors. Stacks and stacks of finished doors are seen throughout this part of the plant.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Factories--Tacoma--1940-1950; Machinery;

Exterior view of Wheeler Osgood plant, on spec.Some of Wheeler Osgood's "multiplicity of smokestacks" are shown here along with their water tower. The company started in Tacoma in 1889 and was a mainstay on the Tacoma tideflats. They became the world's largest producer of wooden doors.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Factories--Tacoma--1940-1950; Smokestacks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Water towers--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Wheeler Osgood office interiors. Mr. Robert H. O'Neil was the assistant secretary at Wheeler Osgood at this time. The office walls are covered with plywood paneling and a highly-grained wooden door is open to the hallway. A file cabinet sits against the wall.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Wheeler Osgood office interiors. A view of a smaller office at the plant's offices. The walls are covered with highly grained plywood paneling and the door is also. The desk is covered with a bloter and has a phone on the corner. One side chair sits against the wall and the floor is covered with linoleum.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Office furniture; Desks; Chairs;

Wheeler Osgood office interiors. Mr. Paul M. Smith was Secretary of the company at this time. This view shows the hallway leading from Mr. Smith's office with linoleum tile on the floor. Windows from the other offices into the hallway are made of light-diffusing glass. Paneling on the walls and the door are made of highly grained wood.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Passageways--Tacoma--1940-1950; Floor coverings; Paneling--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Wheeler Osgood office interiors. A view of one of the offices at Wheeler Osgood with a large desk, two large windows with draperies and venetian blinds. There are guest chairs around the room and a shadow of a round table shows against the carpeting. The walls are covered in wood paneling. Florescent light fixtures are set at an angle to the corners of the room.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Office furniture; Desks; Chairs; Windows--Tacoma;

Wheeler Osgood office interiors. This view shows the newly remodeled entrance to the company's office building. Panes of glass surround a wooden door with beautiful grain showing. Visitor chairs are against both walls and the company's logo is set into the linoleum floor.

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lobbies--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Wheeler Osgood office interiors. A view of the entrance to the Wheeler Osgood Company from the exterior. The newly remodeled entrance is recessed from the front of the building and has recessed lighting and windows. There are two steps up to the concrete entrance. Wheeler-Osgood was established in 1889 by William C. Wheeler, George R. Osgood and D.D. Clarke. William C. Wheeler had leased property from the St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company. At first they made only red cedar doors, which were sold locally. (TNT, 7/20/1953)

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Wheeler, Osgood Company was founded in 1889 by George R. Osgood, W. C. Wheeler and D. D. Clark. The company was manufacturing doors from the beginning of its operations, they later became one of the first Douglas Fir plywood manufacturers in Tacoma. Exterior view of recently painted Wheeler, Osgood Company; the company sign is above the main entrance; industrial plant in background. Photo ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association

Doors & doorways--Tacoma; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Plywood; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma);

Wheeler, Osgood Company specialized in manufacturing plywood products and doors, the company's facilities were located in Tacoma's tideflats at 1216 Saint Paul Avenue. In 1948, the company officers were: Joseph H. Gonyea, President and General Manager, Paul M. Smith, Secretary, John F. Cushing, Treasurer, and R. D. Burrows, General Plant Superintendent. Exterior view of recently painted Wheeler, Osgood Company; the company sign is above the main entrance; industrial plant in background.

Doors & doorways--Tacoma; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Plywood; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma);

Log dump at Wheeler-Osgood Company. The log dump at the Wheeler-Osgood Sash & Door Company on East D Street measured 150 feet by 150 feet. Company buildings are located around the opposite side of the logs with a planked walkway in foreground. Wheeler-Osgood was a door and plywood manufacturer located on the tideflats at 1216 Saint Paul Ave. next to St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. and Wilkeson Fuel Co. It was established in 1889 and closed its doors in 1952. It was destroyed by fire during demolition in 1959. Photograph ordered by Charlie Rembert, 3410 S. Washington Street. TPL-5732

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Logs; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma);

Large piece of equipment, the "Challoner 790", for auction at Wheeler Osgood factory liquidation. The door manufacturer closed its doors in 1952 and liquidated all assets. Certain former employees of the plant announced that they intended to form a co-operative to acquire and operate the factory, after the new owners announced their intention to liquidate. This move was opposed by the Lumber and Sawmill Worker's union and never came to fruition. Other companies that looked at the plant included Boeing, who were looking for a warehouse for its Seattle factory. The building was finally scheduled for demolition when no sale went through and burned down during the process in July of 1959. (TNT 2-26-1952, pg. 1)

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Factories--Tacoma--1950-1960; Machinery; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Large desk with 2 swivel chairs behind it, 4 other chairs and a sofa. Exposures of office furniture for auction at Wheeler Osgood factory liquidation. Once the world's largest manufacturer of doors, the factory went out of business in 1952 and was sold for liquidation for approximately $650,000. The company suffered from labor troubles, reorganization and finally a strike by the Lumber and Sawmill Workers' union. (TNT 2-26-1952, pg. 1)

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Factories--Tacoma--1950-1960; Office furniture; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Several models of adding machines and typewriters by Monroe, Remington, Rand and Burroughs lined up for auction at Wheeler-Osgood factory liquidation. Once known as the world's largest manufacturer of doors, Wheeler Osgood opened for business in 1889 and closed in 1952. The factory building itself burned down during demolition in July of 1952.

Calculators--1950-1960; Typewriters--1950-1960; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Factories--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Wheeler-Osgood employees were pictured on April 10, 1928, manufacturing mahogany doors. Mahogany is a very durable wood which resists rot. Its reddish hue and generally smooth surface makes for an attractive product as doors. The Wheeler-Osgood plant, located at 1216 Saint Paul Ave., would produce much of the nation's supply of doors. It closed in 1952 after being in business for 63 years. TPL-2449; G34.1-046

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Doors & doorways--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

General view of the sprawling Wheeler-Osgood plant taken from the Washington Parlor Co. site on December 3, 1923. Its primary product was wood doors as its large sign proclaimed. The firm was established in 1889 and was in business for over 60 years before closing in 1952. G9.1-032

Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Industrial facilities--Tacoma;

His vehicle engulfed by employees of the Wheeler-Osgood Company, Republican candidate for President Wendell Willkie addresses the teeming crowd on September 23, 1940. These working men have climbed on car tops, roofs, and stacks of lumber to view Mr. Willkie. He stands beside the open automobile with a microphone; Mrs. Willkie is in the back seat. Because his time was extremely limited in Tacoma, Mr. Willkie's only stop in the industrial area was the Wheeler-Osgood plant where he inspected the plant for ten minutes and spoke to 200 employees. Selected to run against incumbent President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1940, Wendell Willkie was a lawyer and utilities executive as well as a former Democrat. He campaigned against Roosevelt's New Deal and the country's lack of military readiness. Although he was buried by Roosevelt in total electoral votes, he only lost the popular vote by 5 million. He went on to become a close ally of President Roosevelt and was appointed his personal representative in 1941 and 1942 to Britain, the Middle East, USSR and China. ALBUM 2. (T.Times, 9-23-40, p.1, T.Times, 9-24-40, p.1)

Willkie, Wendell, 1892-1944; Political campaigns; Presidential elections--Tacoma--1940-1950; Public speaking--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crowds--Tacoma--1940-1950; Willkie, Edith;

Crowd listening to Republican Presidential candidate Wendell Willkie's address at Wheeler-Osgood Company. (T. Times)

Willkie, Wendell, 1892-1944; Political campaigns; Presidential elections; Public speaking--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crowds--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In October of 1940, Arthur B. Langlie, the mayor of Seattle and Republican candidate for Governor, campaigned for votes at the Wheeler-Osgood Company sash and door mill on the Tacoma tideflats. Langlie was running for the state's highest office against Democrat, and former Senator, Clarence C. Dill. Langlie won by a margin of fewer than 6,000 votes, becoming at 40 the youngest Governor of Washington until then. Governor Langlie was defeated in 1944 by Democrat Mon Wallgren, but he came back strong in 1948 and reclaimed the Governor's office. He served two more terms and become the first Washington Governor to serve a total of three terms.

Langlie, Arthur B., 1900-1966; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Political campaigns;

Arthur B. Langlie, mayor of Seattle and Republican candidate for Governor, speaking at the Wheeler-Osgood Company on the Tacoma tideflats. Langlie had made several speeches in Tacoma on this day in his campaign against Democrat Clarence C. Dill. Dill had defeated incumbent Governor Clarence Martin in the primaries, indicating that Washington was ready for a change. Langlie narrowly defeated Dill in the final election, becoming Governor by a margin of fewer than 6,000 votes.

Langlie, Arthur B., 1900-1966; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Political campaigns;

Seattle Mayor and Republican candidate for governor Arthur B. Langlie, in dark overcoat, campaigned at the Wheeler-Osgood Company on the Tacoma tideflats in October of 1940. He was being greeted by Harry Smith, president of the Lumber and Sawmill Workers Local at the plant. Mr. Langlie also visited the Tacoma Smelter, Hooker Chemical and the Pacific Match Co. in order to capture the labor vote. He was running against former Senator Clarence C. Dill, who had defeated incumbent Democratic governor Clarence D. Martin in the primaries. Clarence Martin had served as Washington's governor since 1933. C.C. Dill would prove a formidable opponent and Arthur Langlie carried the hotly contested election by fewer than 6,000 votes. (T. Times 10/10/1940, pg. 10) TPL-10260

Langlie, Arthur B., 1900-1966; Political campaigns; Wheeler, Osgood Co. (Tacoma); Smith, Harry; Shaking hands--Tacoma;