Esther Williams Girl and driver in front of Washington Sports Shop. Automobile is an Austin-Healey.

Automobiles - Foreign and Sports Cars Business Enterprises - Sporting Goods - Tacoma - Washington Sports Shop Publicity - Personal Appearences

Two men and a woman pose in a Jaguar roadster in front of Washington Sports Shop during appearence by the Esther Williams Girls. Automobiles in background are Austin-Healeys and MGs supplied by Imported Motors. The Washington Sports Shop had been selected as the metropolitan Tacoma dealer for the "Esther Williams Living Pool." The Esther Williams Girls were in Tacoma to publicize the pools, available for as low as $58.50 per month. Pictured are the three principals responsible for the introduction of the pools, left to right: Nelson H. Van De Mark, general manager of Washington Sports Shop, Pat Martin, president of Scott-Martin Inc., Washington distributor of Esther Williams pools and Joel Hayes, Esther Williams executive. (TNT 8/2/1959, pg A-10)

Sports cars--English; Publicity; Bathing beauties; Esther Williams Girls; Washington Sports Shop (Tacoma); Sporting goods stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Van De Mark, Nelson; Martin, Pat; Hayes, Joel;

Ernie Grindley, advertising manager for Washington Sports Shop, stages publicity for the store by bringing the Esther Williams Girls to Tacoma. In addition to showing-off their swimsuits, the women are showcasing foreign automobiles--a Jaguar roadster, Austin-Healeys and MGs. The Washington Sports Shop had recently been selected as the exclusive Tacoma dealer of the Esther Williams Living Pool. (TNT 8/2/1959, pg. A-10)

Sports cars--English; Publicity; Bathing beauties; Esther Williams Girls; Washington Sports Shop (Tacoma); Sporting goods stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Canada geese that have been killed hang near a sign, "from Clear Lake, California, shot by Marcus Nalley, Dan Nalley, Pete Bridewell, Nick Narran and Wayne Moore". Barbara Schuler holds out one wing to show its shape and size. The birds were on display at the sports shop at Washington Hardware Company. (T.Times, 12/9/1946, p.10)

Geese--1940-1950; Goose shooting--1940-1950; Game bird hunting--1940-1950; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Schuler, Barbara; Washington Hardware Co. (Tacoma);

Fish at Washington Hardware, Times. The King salmon running at Neah Bay in 1947 were monsters, powerful and tenacious. These three men show five of the eight Kings they and three other men caught August 16th and 17th. The fish weighed from 20 to 30 pounds. L-R; Johnny Wehr, Earl Jones and Harold Dawson. (T.Times, 8/19/1947, p.11) TPL-4784

Washington Hardware Co. (Tacoma); Hardware stores--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishermen--Tacoma--1940-1950; Salmon; Wehr, Johnny; Jones, Earl; Dawson, Harold;

The College of Puget Sound's entrant in the 1950 Daffodil Parade was a floral shoe surrounded by students, a reference to the "little old lady who lived in a shoe" nursery rhyme. The float emphasized "build with CPS" as the student body outgrew their campus and the College entered into a period of capital expansion. One student played a bass from the window of the shoe providing music as well. Prime viewing space for the parade belonged to owners and employees of the closed stores along Pacific Ave. who watched the parade from inside the storefront windows, avoiding the often inclement Northwest weather. Other prime viewing areas were the tops of buildings and fire escapes.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1950-1960;

Thousands thronged the streets to view the 1950 Daffodil Parade which featured 70 floats including this one from the Carstens Packing Company. Two chefs are seen "cooking" giant bacon. The parade was over two hours long and not even a short burst of morning rain dampened the parade watchers' enthusiasm.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma);

First place winner of the 1950 Daffodil parade class 2 service club entrants was this float by the Young Mens Business Club. Daffodil court members rode atop this sweetheart float decorated with daffodils and tulips. The 1950 parade was the largest ever with 125 units- 70 floats, 18 bands, and 26 marching organizations plus comic groups, mounted drill teams, and decorated automobiles.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Young Mens Business Club (Tacoma); Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The 1950 Daffodil parade heralded the arrival of Spring and the coming of the Easter holidays, as evidenced by the bunny float entered by the Orting Lions Club. This float was 3rd place winner in class 2 service club entrants.The driver's head can be seen out the side of the bunny. Parade floats had to cut their demand for daffodils by one half when cold weather stopped many of the yellow blossoms from opening in time for the parade.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Lions Club (Orting);

This "small fry" float representing the little old lady who lived in a shoe nursery rhyme passes down Pacific Ave. in the 1950 Daffodil Parade. The little old lady and her many children ride on the float. The Daffodil Parades had no theme until after 1951. The parade operated on a very small budget of about $5,000 financed through the sale of 50 cent daffodil buttons and contributions. Daffodil growers, although not the parade's biggest supporters, ended up being the biggest contributors, delivering approximately 1,000,000 flowers to the parade at a price well below market price.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma);

This daffodil sailed boat was the entry of the Retail Trade Bureau in the 1950 Daffodil Parade. The float was a play on words proclaiming "Better 'sales' for a Greater Tacoma." The 17th annual parade was a huge affair attended by more than a 100,000, however the parade tradition began in the town of Sumner with $25 and a small parade of wagons and trucks decorated with discarded daffodil heads at the height of bloom season.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma);

The Wild West was represented in the 1950 Daffodil Parade by this daffodil covered horse drawn carriage from Krause & Swanson, Inc., real estate, insurance and investment brokers. The man at the back of the carriage played music on a lap held keyboard or dulcimer while Western garbed riders clapped in time. The float was followed by a mounted drill team. Krause & Swanson at 117 So. 11th was owned by Ernest R. Krause, President, and Allen C. Swanson, Vice President.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960;

This floral tribute to the daffodil, Puyallup Valley's bright yellow herald of Spring, won the first prize commercial entry award for St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company in the 1950 Daffodil Parade. The daffodil industry was established in the Valley in 1926. The area's farmers were dealing with the failing hops industry brought on by Prohibition and a hops virus that decimated the crop. The U.S. Department of Agriculture was looking for a location to establish a bulb industry, for daffodils, tulips and irises, to rival that of Holland. The Valley had the perfect growing conditions for daffodils and soon established itself as the leader in the industry, producing bulbs that bested those of Holland, being larger and earlier.

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Daffodil court members smile and wave from this daffodil covered float pulled by two floral bees sponsored by Busch's Drive In, winner of the 2nd place award for commercial entries in the 1950 Daffodil Parade. Busch's Drive In was the "in" place for teens in the 1950's with ten-cent hamburgers, french fries, milk shakes, curb service, car hops and plenty of parking room to show off their cars. Busch's Drive In was owned by William M. (Bill) Busch and located at 3505 South Tacoma Way. TPL-9545

Celebrations--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1950 : Tacoma); Floats (parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Buschs Drive In (Tacoma);

Washington Sports Shop, ladies sportswear, at 924 Pacific Avenue. Shop windows display sporting goods equipment and fashions for the active 50's woman. This store was in the same building as, and operated by, Washington Hardware Company.

Washington Sports Shop (Tacoma); Sporting goods stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;