The Tacoma Ice Palace was scheduled to open in October 1946. View of new Ice Arena under construction at South 38th and Union Avenue. Photo ordered by Holroyd Construction Company.

Building construction--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Progress photographs; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

New Ice Arena at South 38th and Union Avenue under construction. For Holroyd Construction Company.

Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

This photograph, taken June 11, 1946, shows workers installing the 160 foot trusses that supported the roof over the Tacoma Ice Arena at 3801 So. Union. At that time, only the Boeing plant in Seattle had a roof with longer trusses. The arena, with its barrel arched roof, had a capacity of 4,000 seats for hockey matches. After it was abandoned as an ice arena, numberous boxing matches were staged there. On March 20, 1986, just short of 40 years after it was installed, part of the roof collapsed when several of the beams failed. TPL-8834

Roof trusses--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

Trusses measuring at 160 feet long were being put up at the new ice arena. The 160 feet long trusses will be the second longest trusses in the Northwest. Boeing Plant in Seattle has 165 feet long trusses. Sam Bergeson is the contractor. View of trusses and building progress of the new ice arena in Tacoma. TPL-8833

Roof trusses--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Hoisting machinery; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

Trusses measuring at 160 feet long were being put up at the new ice arena. The 160 feet long trusses will be the second longest trusses in the Northwest. Boeing Plant in Seattle has 165 feet long trusses. Sam Bergeson is the contractor. View of trusses, crane and laborers at the new ice arena in Tacoma.

Roof trusses--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Hoisting machinery; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

Trusses measuring at 160 feet long were being put up at the new ice arena. The 160 feet long trusses will be the second longest trusses in the Northwest. Boeing Plant in Seattle has 165 feet long trusses. Sam Bergeson is the contractor. View of trusses and building progress of the new ice arena in Tacoma.

Roof trusses--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Hoisting machinery; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

In February of 1947, the Tacoma Ice Palace at 3801 South Union Avenue was being prepared for a boxing bout. Plywood flooring was placed over the Ice Palace's skating rink. A boxing ring and a heating system with 12 large blowers was brought in. The main event, organized by Raleigh Sliger, was between the Canadian welterweight Hal Robbins and Chuck "Kid" Brown from Klamath Falls, Oregon. View of plywood floor being placed over Tacoma Ice Palace's skating rink, photo ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (T. Times, 2/10/47, p. 10).

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Floors--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Boxing--Tacoma;

Tacoma Rockets were ready to begin another winning season. They beat Portland and West Minster and were now getting ready to play against the Vancouver Canucks. Team manager, Dave Downie, felt his team would continue their winning streak. The Tacoma Rockets had their home games at the Tacoma Ice Palace. View of hockey player trying to block the other player's aim.

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Skaters; Skating rinks--Tacoma; Tacoma Rockets (Tacoma); Coast Ice Hockey League (Tacoma); Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

In this photograph from October, 1947, Rudy Filion of theTacoma Rocket hockey team practices at the Tacoma Ice Palace, 3801 So. Union Ave. The Rockets played their season opener on Tuesday night, Oct. 21st, against the Portland Eagles. The Rockets won 6 to 1 in one of the roughest stick swinging duels ever witnessed at the local rink. (T. Times, 10/20/47, p. 6).

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Skaters; Skating rinks--Tacoma; Tacoma Rockets (Tacoma); Coast Ice Hockey League (Tacoma); Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Filion, Rudy

In 1948, Captain Jack Folsom, # 40, (3rd from left, front row) Lincoln's high scoring forward, helped lead the Abe Puckmen through the first year of high school hockey league competition. Four schools fielded teams, Bellarmine, Clover Park, Lincoln, and Stadium. All games were held at the Tacoma Ice Palace at 3801 So. Union Ave. Lincoln came in second for the year behind Clover Park. (Lincolnian 1948 p.70-71) Lincoln Hockey Team at Ice Palace, Times, Metcalf.

Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ice hockey--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ice hockey players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Folsom, Jack; Students--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Three days of miracle healing were taking place in Tacoma, Friday May 14, 1948 through Sunday May 16, 1948. The Tacoma Ice Palace was expected to fill up with people wanting to attend the Branham Healing Campaign. Five thousand people attended the first session of healing. View of spectators and people in stretchers, sick children with their mothers and evangelists on stage; "Cooperating Churches" sign in background (T. Times, 5/15/48, p. 3).

Audiences--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Religious groups--Tacoma; Healing--Tacoma; Religious meetings--Tacoma; Evangelists; Healers--Tacoma; Branham Healing Campaign--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

Tacoma Ice Palace was packed with thousands of people attending the Branham Healing Campaign. People were encouraged to attend one or all three days of the campaign. On Sunday Morning, people were asked to attend their regular church services and Sunday school, then return to the Ice Palace. View of evangelist speaking about healing and christianity (T. Times, 5/15/48, p. 3).

Public speaking--Tacoma; Religious groups--Tacoma; Healing--Tacoma; Religious meetings--Tacoma; Evangelists; Healers--Tacoma; Branham Healing Campaign--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

Branham Healing Campaign was taking place at the Tacoma Ice Palace, a three day campaign was promising incredible results. More than five thousand people from Tacoma attended the first session. Interior view of Ice Palace, sick people on beds and stretchers, musical group on right side and spectators listen and watch attentively (T. Times, 5/15/48, p. 3).

Audiences--Tacoma; Religious groups--Tacoma; Evangelists; Healing--Tacoma; Healers--Tacoma; Religious meetings--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Branham Healing Campaign;

Branham Healing Campaign was having a three day miracle healing session at the Tacoma Ice Palace. Churches throughout Tacoma were participating in this event. The sessions took place on Friday evening and Saturday and Sunday from 2:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Interior view of Ice Palace, thousands of people attending session, sick people are on beds and stretchers on the platform (T. Times, 5/15/48, p. 3).

Audiences--Tacoma; Religious groups--Tacoma; Healing--Tacoma; Religious meetings--Tacoma; Evangelists; Healers--Tacoma; Branham Healing Campaign--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

Tacoma was experiencing three days of miracle healing. View of thousands of people who attended the Branham Healing Campaign at the Tacoma Ice Palace. Co-operating Churches in Tacoma helped make this event possible and were actively participating in the program (T. Times, 5/15/48, p. 3).

Audiences--Tacoma; Religious groups--Tacoma; Evangelists; Healing--Tacoma; Healers--Tacoma; Religious meetings--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Branham Healing Campaign;

View of Dr. Walter A. Maier and his wife, who both spoke in Tacoma in May of 1948 against communism. Dr. Maier preached "Christ not Communism" and urged everyone to speak out against communism. Dr. Maier's visit was sponsored by Tacoma's Lutheran Layman's League (T. Times, 5/22/48, p. 2).

Religious meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Public speaking--Tacoma--1940-1950; Signs (Notices); Events--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Lutheran Layman's League (Tacoma); Maier, Walter A.; Maier, Walter A.--Family; Evangelists;

Lutheran Layman's League was sponsoring Dr. Walter A. Maier, famed Lutheran Hour speaker, at a mass rally in Tacoma's Ice Palace. View of Dr. Maier after he delivered a speech about communism. Dr. Maier provided his audience with statistics about the effects of communism throughout the world. He felt communism "...is not only atheistic, anti-God in principle, but hates Christianity" (T. Times, 5/22/48, p. 2).

Religious meetings--Tacoma; Public speaking--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Events--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Lutheran Layman's League (Tacoma); Maier, Walter A.; Evangelists;

Drawing upon the 14th Psalm and the Book of Revelations, Dr. Walter A Maier of the Lutheran Hour radio program addressed a capacity audience in the Tacoma Ice Palace, 3801 South Union Avenue, on May 21, 1948. The main theme of his address was "Christ, Not Communism". Dr. Maier told his audience that Communism was "anti-Christ, anti-Bible, anti-church ... and anti-everything that is God or good" and warned that a Third World War would "give the Reds the rule of the world". (T. Times, 5/22/48, p. 2).

Religious meetings--Tacoma; Evangelists; Public speaking--Tacoma; Audiences--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Events--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Maier, Walter A.; Lutheran Layman's League (Tacoma);

The Ice Arena at 38th and Union was owned by Sam Bergesen and Fred Urban and was home to both the Tacoma Rockets and the Tacoma Figure Skating Club. Members of the skating club offered classes for beginning enthusiasts. In this photograph, taken in 1948, Shirley Lander is helping Charles Tibbs, 8, of Rt.11, Box 598, Tacoma. Judy Whitney, 7, of 1104 So. Union is receiving some pointers from Helen Hatcher.

Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Winter sports--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Children playing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Children exercising; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Lander, Shirley; Tibbs, Charles; Whitney, Judy; Hatcher, Helen;

Jerry Fodey, one of two goalies on the 1948-49 Tacoma Rockets, demonstrated his technigue for the cameras in December of 1948. The Rockets were in second place in the Pacific Coast Hockey League, seven points behind the league leading New Westminster Royals. In November they had won five straight games, the longest winning streak in club history. The Rockets played in the Tacoma Ice Palace at 3801 South Union Avenue. (T. Times, 1/2/49, p. 21).

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Athletes--Tacoma; Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Tacoma Rockets (Tacoma); Coast Ice Hockey League (Tacoma);

Eight players from the four high schools in the Tacoma High School Hockey League and their coaches posed for a News Tribune photographer in January of 1949. The league, which played at the Tacoma Ice Palace, 3801 So. Union Avenue, was just starting its second season. The players were: (l to r) Bob Jack and Jim Beaty of Lincoln; Gordon Earley and Don Gilbertson of Clover Park; Bob Moore and Carl Peterson of Stadium; and Don McNally and Joe Hamilton of Bellarmine. The coaches (kneeling, l to r)were: Alex Watt, Doug Stevenson, Dick Milford and Ronnie Rowe, all members of the professional Tacoma Rockets team. The first night of action, on January the 13th, paired Stadium and Clover Park at 7 p.m. and Lincoln against Bellarmine at 8:20 p.m.(T.N.T. 1/9/49, p. B-7).

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Athletes--Tacoma--1940-1950; Students--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stadium High School (Tacoma); Tacoma Rockets (Tacoma); Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

The Lincoln High School hockey team was photographed on January 13, 1949 at the Tacoma Ice Palace, 3801 South Union Avenue, with their coach Alec Watt (far right) who played for the Tacoma Rockets and Maynard Ponko (far left) the Lincoln H.S. team advisor who later became Wilson High School's first principal. The 1949 Railsplitters won the city league championship with a record of 5 wins and one tie. Three of the team's players were named to the all-city team: Russ Fowler, goalie; Jim Beaty, forward; and Grant Anderson, defenseman. (Student names appear in newspaper.) (T. Times, 1/16/49, p. 16). TPL-8261

Students--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ice hockey--Tacoma; Athletes--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Watt, Alec; Ponko, Maynard;

Miscellaneous skating groups at Ice Palace, Tribune, Lee Irwin. Katherine Nelson and Bob Hamlet are taking a turn on the ice at the Tacoma Ice Palace on January 25, 1949. She holds his hands as they step out. The News Tribune listed them as the oldest and youngest skaters in current classes at the skating rink. Katherine Nelson was 60 and Bob Hamlet was three. (TNT 1-30-1949, B-5)

Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Ice skating--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Children & adults--Tacoma--1940-1950; Nelson, Katherine; Hamlet, Bob;

Miscellaneous skating groups at Ice Palace, Tribune, Lee Irwin. Robert Sorenson and Phyllis Walters, both in advanced high school skating class, share a laugh with Ice Palace staff professional Shirley Lander on January 25, 1949. Shirley has teasingly wrapped a thick white sock around Robert's right hand. Robert was a student at Stewart Jr. High while Phyllis attended Gray Jr. High. They were just two of the hundreds who had flocked to classes at the Ice Palace since the rink opened in the fall of 1946. (TNT 1-30-1949, B-5)

Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Teenagers--1940-1950; Ice skating--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Sorenson, Robert; Walters, Phyllis; Lander, Shirley;

View of Patsy Hamm and Jackie Boyle, champion ice skaters from Tacoma; last year they won National Recognition in the major league events held at Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 1949 they have competed in many local and regional ice skating events, including the recent Lakewood Ice Club's fund raiser.

Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Winter sports--Tacoma; Athletes--Tacoma; Skaters; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Hamm, Patsy; Boyle, Jack;

Aspiring hockey stars Jack Stewart, Mike Johnson and Mike Shork all manage to fit in the goal as they prepare for an Under 12 peewee league game in November, 1951. The boys would be on the ice between the first and second periods of the Tacoma Rockets-New Westminster Royals match sponsored by the Tacoma Athletic Commission. Dave Tuell, T.A.C. president and Joey Johns, commissioner of the junior league, flank the young players. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Athletic Commission. (TNT 11-11-51, p. B-14) TPL-7194

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Stewart, Jack; Johnson, Mike; Shork, Mike; Tuell, Dave; Johns, Joey;

Four unidentified young players on the hockey team sponsored by the Barbecue Inn take a milk break in front of the Tacoma Arena, 3801 South Union Avenue, in February of 1953. In 1953, Hockey in Tacoma wasn't confined to Tacoma's professional team, the Rockets. Thanks to the Metropolitan Park District and the Tacoma Hockey Club, approximately 250 boys and young men in Tacoma were able to compete in three leagues that played at the Arena on Monday and Thursday nights. No other town on the pacific coast had a hockey program that compared to Tacoma's. The Barbecue Inn was at 8102 Maple Street S.W. in Lakewood. (TNT 2/22/1953 p.B-5) Photograph ordered by Allen Goldfin.

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

A member of the I.O.O. F. hockey team prepares to enter the game as he swings open the heavy rink door in this February, 1953, photograph. A small, but intent, group of supporters sit behind the team bench. This may be a mixed practice or game as a member of the Barbecue Inn team is on the same Tacoma Rockets bench. It would be expected that the "home team" be assigned the Tacoma Rockets section. Photograph ordered by Allen Goldfin.

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Sports spectators--Tacoma;

A young hockey player modestly signs an autograph for two admiring fans in this February, 1953, photograph. He apparently took time off from practice to chat with the spectators as he is dressed in full hockey gear, sans helmet. Hockey was very popular in the 1950's in the Tacoma area; there were many teams involved in the sport ranging from the Under-12's to high school teams. The Tacoma Rockets was the area's semi-pro team whose players and scores were reported on in the daily newspaper on a regular basis. Photograph ordered by Allen Goldfin. TPL-8262

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Sports spectators--Tacoma;

All eyes properly follow the puck as it seems to be heading past the goalie toward the open net in this February, 1953, photograph. The goalie is on his knees in front of the net as a member of I.O.O.F. 232 completes his shot. Several players have lost their footing and are resting on the ice. This scrimmage or game apparently took place at the Arena on South Union Avenue. Photograph ordered by Allen Goldfin.

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma;