Fleet Week 1938 began in Tacoma with the arrival of 4 battleships of the US fleet and their 5200 officers and men. In Tacoma for the week of July 5- 11 were the USS California, West Virginia, Tennessee and Maryland. Pictured are five U.S. Navy battleships which have dropped anchor in Commencement Bay. Northeast Tacoma can be seen in the background. During Fleet Week, officers and enlisted men will be wined and dined, a military parade will feature 3,000 troops and 4 military bands, the ships will be open for tours and boating contests will take place. (T. Times 7/5/1938, pg. 1; 7/7/1938, pg. 1) TPL-9110
Mannequins appear to be peering through the shop windows of Lyon's Apparel in this March 1953 photograph. In September of 1952, Lyon's Ladies Apparel at 1151 Broadway was completely destroyed by fire. Six months later, on March 5, 1953, Mr. & Mrs. Herman Lehrer welcomed Tacoma to their newly rebuilt, redecorated Lyon's at the same address. Lyon's carried nationally advertised labels in ladies' sportwear and ready-to-wear apparel. They specialized in extra large and extra small sizes. "Joan Marie" sweaters were on sale for $3.95 (Slip-ons) and $5.95 (Cardigans) in the sweater bar section of the store. Photograph ordered by Fairchild Publications. (TNT 3-4-53, B-2)
Gunnar Anderson, pianist, with his German shepherd, Duke. The two will ride in Anderson's Austin convertible from Tacoma to Cincinnati where he will study at the Cincinnati Conservation of Music under Dr. Karol Liszniewski. Mr. Anderson is considered one of the superior young pianists on the Pacific Coast. He has worked in Hollywood, on radio and as an organist. His goal is a career as a concert pianist. (T. Times, 7/13/1938, p. 2).
In July of 1938, Gunnar Anderson and his German shepherd, Duke, were preparing to drive to Cincinnati where Gunnar was to study at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. A popular radio pianist and organist, and member of the KVI staff, Mr. Anderson had won a scholarship to study under Dr. Karol Liszniewski. Later, while serving in the Navy in San Diego, he played the organ for services and special occasions, and assisted in the chaplains office. Gunnar Anderson was a member of the American Theater Organ Society, and he died June 5, 1984 in Bellingham at the age of 76. (T. Times, 7/13/1938, p. 2).
W. H. Opie and Company, real estate. March, 1953, photograph shows the corner entry to Art-Moderne-style building. There is a curved marquee above glass double-doors with half-circle hardware forming circle. Realtors neon sign and "Knapp College Time" clock at window on second floor of the Opie Company's main office. Their motto apparently was "We seek only what is right"; it is placed above the entry way.
W.H. Opie & Co. (Tacoma); Real estate business--Tacoma; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Storefronts--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);
W. H. Opie and Company, real estate. March, 1953, photograph shows corner entry to Art-Moderne-style building. It also displays a full corner view with tower forming point at second level and curve at first floor. The Anderson Building was constructed in 1941; it was designed by architect Albert Gardner. Knapp College was located on second floor. The Camera Shop, at right, with window display sold Ansco films and Kodak supplies.
W.H. Opie & Co. (Tacoma); Real estate business--Tacoma; Storefronts--Tacoma--1950-1960; Knapp College (Tacoma); Camera Shop (Tacoma);
This was how the Western Auto Supply Co., located at 715-17 Pacific Ave., appeared on July 11, 1938. Western Auto had operated at this same location near 8th and Pacific for about twenty years. They started out with a small storeroom on the corner and expanded steadily. Their newest business venture was a service department that worked on customers' cars. The entrance was located to the left in the photo. Personnel at the downtown store included manager H.F. Sturtridge, William McCallum, John Davis, Cecil Albers, Arnold Blatt and Willis Peters. (T. Times 7/13/1938, pg. 2)
Western Auto Supply Co. (Tacoma); Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1930-1940; Automobile equipment & supplies--Tacoma--1930-1940;
Staff at Western Auto Supply Company. The men are, standing left to right, H. F. Sturtridge, Cecil Albers, William McCallum and Arnold Blatt. Kneeling are, left to right, John Davis and Willis Peters. (T. Times, 7/13/1938, pg. 2).
Western Auto Supply Co. (Tacoma)--People; Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1930-1940; Automobile equipment & supplies--Tacoma--1930-1940;
The Active Club baseball team poses at the Jefferson Park playfield. The team is composed of 13 men in "Active" tee shirts and their coach. The team recently won the Professional Service-Veterans League title and are strong contenders in the City-County softball championship playoffs. The team is composed of, back row left to right, Norm Iverson, Reggie Johnson, Vern Champagne, Kerm Heggerness, Dick Savery, Bob McDicken, Charles Curran and Roy McWilliams. Front row, left to right, Neal Roberts, Nick Annianis, Oz Heggerness, Chuck Taylor, Bud Stayton and Ray Kelly. (T. Times 7/14/1938, pg. 12)
Baseball players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Baseball--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Active Club (Tacoma);
Spellman's Buster Brown Shoe Store was located at 1122 Broadway; it had been there for many years and remodeled several times. The store would present its latest remodeling in March, 1953. Night exposure of Spellman's, with neon signs indicating Buster Brown, Roblee and Air Step shoes were sold within. It had a recessed covered entry with large display windows on both sides.
Spellmans Buster Brown Shoe Store (Tacoma); Shoe stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Storefronts--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960;
The interior of the recently remodeled Spellman's Buster Brown Shoe Store is pictured in this March, 1953, photograph. The long, narrow store is brightly lit, with rows of comfortable chairs for waiting customers. There are shelves full of boxed shoes for easy accessibility. They may not have used a storeroom since there are boxes of shoes even behind the cash register counters. Spellman's had two locations in Tacoma, one on Broadway and the other on South Tacoma Way. They were both owned by Jerry I. Spellman, with the 1953 City Directory also listing Eugene Pease as co-owner of the South Tacoma Way store.
Spellmans Buster Brown Shoe Store (Tacoma); Shoe stores--Tacoma--1950-1960; Shoes;
The Pacific Coast Association of Pulp & Paper Manufacturers met in Tacoma in March, 1953. They were attending the 7th Annual Joint Labor-Management Safety Conference. They joined union and employer representatives from twenty mills; sponsors included the International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers and International Brotherhood of Paper Makers. View of association members awaiting luncheon at the Winthrop Hotel. (TNT 3-1-53, B-10)
Pacific Coast Association of Pulp & Paper Manufacturers (Tacoma); Group portraits; Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);
ca. 1938. Highway Truck Equipment Company; interior of machine shop. Phillip Bechtholt and his brother John (L-R) stand behind a flatbed trailer for a large truck. The company was owned by John P. Bechtholt and was listed in the 1938 City Directory as an auto wrecking company. They were located at 3224 South Tacoma Way. It is possible that the company also rebuilt wrecked trucks, however their advertisement in the 9/30/1938 Tacoma Times identified them as manufacturers of hoists and bodies for dump trucks, trailers of all types, alterations of trucks and brake installations.
A sepia photograph of the Central Lutheran Church choir was taken in the church's choir loft on March 15, 1953. They would be presenting "Seven Last Words", a cantata by Dubois, on Good Friday. Rev. Rueben H. Redal, pastor, is believed to be in the front row, on the left, with director Wilbur Arnold at his side. Central Lutheran, located at 1001 South "G" Street, apparently had a massive organ; there is a large cross placed on the front of the pipes. First Presbyterian Church was dedicated at that site in 1890; Central Lutheran established residency there in the 1930's. (TNT 3-29-53, D-11)
Central Lutheran Church (Tacoma); Choirs (Music); Organ lofts--Tacoma; Organs;
The C.C. Mellinger Co. employed a special car to transport flowers for their funerals in the 1950's. Here a sleek Cadillac Meteor is parked, open trunk full of flowers, alongside a curb. The funeral home had been located at its Tacoma Avenue South address since 1909; the family-run firm was headed by James J. Mellinger as president/general manager. Photograph ordered by Howard R. Smith Advertising.
Temple Motors opened a used cars division in the Banford & Newsome Bldg. on Pacific Avenue on March 1, 1953. The building formerly had housed various tire companies. According to their many signs, Temple Motors offered easy terms for purchasing one of their vehicles as well as paying cash for the customer's trade-in. Temple Motors was owned by Henry G. Geissler and Ed M. Williams. They were a Studebaker dealership whose main location was on Saint Helens. View of Temple Motors, Used Cars division; four cars are parked in the two open garage doorways. Photograph ordered by Henry Geissler. (TPL-6384)
Temple Motors, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Signs (Notices);
Royal Neighbors. Photograph ordered by R. M. Anderson, 1004 Puget Sound Building. Seventeen women dressed alike and one man standing under trees by a lily pond. One woman to the right rear of the fountain wears a crown.
Folding doors mark the separation line between two children's bedrooms in the Dr. William R. Taylor residence. Both bedrooms appear to have the same furnishings, a combined desk-storage unit and stuffed animals. The beds are probably located on opposite walls. There is a chalkboard with a figure drawing on top of a wall heater. The carpet is apparently wall-to-wall and is made of geometric shapes. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Taylor, William R.--Homes & haunts; Folding doors--Tacoma--1950-1960; Bedrooms--Tacoma--1950-1960; Blackboards; Toys; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
In March of 1953, the familiar outline of a graceful couple dancing was prominently displayed on the Arthur Murray Dance Studio neon sign attached to the Ted Brown Music Store building, 1121-23 Broadway. There were three Arthur Murray Dance Studios in the Puget Sound region in 1953, including one in Seattle and one in Bremerton. They were part of the 210 chain of studios throughout the United States and Canada. The Arthur Murray concept of dancing had been in existence for 33 years; it was promoted as an easy method of learning how to dance using one master step. This night exposure of the entrance to the Arthur Murray Studio in the Ted Brown Music building also shows the National Dollar Stores and the Murray Hotel, both at 1125-27 Broadway. Photograph ordered by H. J. McGrath & Associates.
Arthur Murray's Dance Studios (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Storefronts--Tacoma--1950-1960;
ca. 1938. Drum and Bugle Corps. of the Elias J. Messinger Post No.1428, Veterans of Foreign Wars, in front of South Tacoma V.F.W. building. Group of approx. 40. The hall was built and dedicated in 1930. (Argentum)
Veterans of Foreign Wars, E.J. Messinger Post No. 1428 (Tacoma); Patriotic societies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Drum majorettes--Tacoma; Drums; Marching bands; Bugles; Brass instruments;
A man carefully dabs on paint on the "log" cabin as Lincoln Electric prepares its float for the 1953 Daffodil parade. A giant penny is located on one end of the float with Lincoln's head in silhouette; Lincoln Electric also used a silhouette of Lincoln on its building at South 38th and Park. Photograph ordered by Tony Ricono.
Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1953 : Tacoma); Lincoln Electric (Tacoma); Silhouettes;
An example of Perma-Stone resurfacing is shown on the exterior of this empty storefront in April, 1953. Perma-Stone was a tough, enduring material which was cast with molds on walls of brick, block, wood, stucco or tile and could be utilized with new or old construction. Karl H. Kaman owned the Perma-Stone facility in town. This recently resurfaced store possibly might have been located next to the Dandy Barber Shop on Tacoma Avenue South; interested renters could contact the R.E. Anderson Co. for further details. Photograph ordered by Ed Marshall, Monarch Contractors.
Building materials; Storefronts--Tacoma--1950-1960; K.H. Kaman Co. (Tacoma);
Children pose with their decorated bicycles at the Stadium Bowl, the terminus of the August 5, 1938 bicycle parade sponsored by the Tacoma Times and the Park Recreation Department of the Metropolitan Park District. Some of the more creative entries are a covered wagon and an airplane. The parade started at 2:30p.m. at 8th and Commerce, as hundreds of children wound through downtown streets and on to the Stadium Bowl to the cheering of thousands of proud parents. Prizes were given for the best decorated entries, funniest costumed rider, craziest looking bicycle and oldest bicycle. The top prizes were three 1939 Schwinn "World" bicycles with all the latest accessories- knee-action, motorcycle-type kick stand, rear vision mirrors and fore wheel brakes. (T. Times 7/25/1938, pg. 1 - T. Times 8/6/1938)
Young girls in costumes pose with their decorated bicycles for the judges to decide on the best decorated and funniest at the August 5, 1938 1st Annual Bicycle Race Meet & Parade. The parade of decorated bikes and their riders started downtown and ended at the Stadium Bowl. The days fun was sponsored by the Tacoma Times and the Park Recreation Department of the Metropolitan Park District. The races and parade had over 1500 participants. (T. Times 7/25/1938, pg. 1 - 8/6/1938)
