On Saturday evening, August 29th, 1925, Edwin Dewey Nichols, a former lumberman who had retired to a farm near Glen Cove, invited about 400+ Tacoma and Peninsula residents to a corn roast, with the ulterior motive of "buttering them up" to support increased spending for roads and ferries to connect the Peninsula to Tacoma. About 50 cars of Tacomans, led by Frank Poole of Poole's Plant Nursery, crowded two ferry runs to attend. They were greeted by several hundred Peninsula folk. Nichols had built a fire between two strings of logs 100 feet long to make a bed of hot coals for roasting. Then bushel after bushel of sweet corn, vats of butter, mountains of hot dog buns, trays of weenies and sharpened sticks were provided for the two hour roast. While the group ate, speakers discussed the needed roads and ferries. The very full Tacomans trudged home about midnight, fans of their neighbors across the water. (TNT 8/31/1925, pg. 1 +) G72.1-141
These men and their caddies enjoyed a round of golf at the Fircrest Golf Club in August of 1925. The private golf course had opened in July of 1924 with nine of the 18 holes available. The second nine holes were seeded in the fall of 1924 and would be ready for use by the summer of 1925. The course's rolling grounds would provide challenges for later tournaments. G54.1-023 (TDL 4-8-25, p. 9-brief article on golf course; TNT 9-9-25, p. 6)
Golfers--Fircrest--1920-1930; Golf--Fircrest--1920-1930; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest);
View of two homes on an unidentified street in the Regents Park community taken during late summer in 1925. The house in the center with unusual porch belonged to Dr. and Mrs. J.A. Caswell, owners of Caswell Optical Co. Regents Park would become the Town of Fircrest in September of 1925. It had been developed by investors including Major Edward J. Bowes as a planned community back in 1907 whereby streets, sidewalks, roads and sewer systems were improved and installed. Regents Park was small in acreage and mostly residential. Homes like these two Colonial-style houses were substantial and well-maintained. G72.1-113
Houses--Fircrest--1920-1930; Caswell, J.A.--Homes & haunts; Regents Park (Fircrest);
These Regents Park homes (also shown in B13199) appear to be adjoining part of the Fircrest Golf Club course in August of 1925. The home with striking porch is the residence of Dr. and Mrs. J.A. Caswell, prominent community members. Three golfers are on the well-maintained grounds with two of them focusing their attention in the distance. The Tacoma "suburb" of Regents Park would incorporate and become the Town of Fircrest the following month. Dr. Caswell would be elected to serve on the city council. G72.1-111 (TNT 9-17-25, p. 20)
Regents Park (Fircrest); Houses--Fircrest--1920-1930; Caswell, J.A.--Homes & haunts; Golf--Fircrest--1920-1930;
Four unidentified individuals enjoyed a day of horseback riding at Yakima Park, near the White River Camp on Mount Tacoma in August of 1925. The White River Camp was located about four miles from the bridge over the White River entrance to the park. Food, tent and saddle-horse services were offered there. Mount Rainier was insistently called Mount Tacoma by local residents for many years. G54.1-097 (TDL 7-4-25, p. 5-article on White River Camp; TNT 9-12-25, p. 1)
This group portrait was taken in August of 1925 of the annual National Bank of Tacoma picnic at DeKoven Inn in Lakewood. DeKoven Inn was located on the east side of Lake Steilacoom, about 30 minutes from Tacoma. The photograph is of a large group of people seated at three picnic tables placed among fir trees, with a house, tent, outbuilding, and water tower in background. The Inn itself, which was formerly a boys' school, burned down on August 2, 1925. The dance and banquet hall was saved and became the new center of operation, catering primarily to day parties. Much of the land previously occupied by the Inn was subdivided and sold as lots for summer homes. (WSHS) (TNT 8/13/1925, pg. 23)
DeKoven Inn (Lakewood); Picnics--Lakewood--1920-1930; National Bank of Tacoma--People;
Dressed in then fashionable bathing suits, employees of the National Bank of Tacoma held their annual picnic at the DeKoven Inn on the east side of Lake Steilacoom in August of 1925. The National Bank of Tacoma was one of the oldest banks in Tacoma. Although the DeKoven Inn, which previously had been a boys' school, was destroyed by a fire on August 2, 1925 the resorts dance and banquet hall was saved. It became the new Inn and much of the property formerly belonging to the Inn was subdivided and sold. (WSHS- negative A916-0) (TNT 8/13/1925, pg. 23-article on Inn)
Bathing suits--1920-1930; DeKoven Inn (Lakewood); National Bank of Tacoma (Tacoma)--Employees;
Members of Tacoma's Drama League spend a lazy August day in 1925, paddling an Indian dug-out at the Olympus Manor on Hood Canal. A float plane rests on the water behind them. The Olympus Manor was begun in 1918 by local art instructor, world traveler and friend of the famous Orre N. Nobles. It was located on Hood Canal two miles northeast of Union. By the 1920's, the 16 room retreat was frequented by the local summer art colony and scores of the famous. It was decorated with Nobles' invaluable collection of Tibetan and Oriental art, furniture and artifacts. The two story retreat was destroyed by fire in 1952. No one was hurt, but the building and its priceless collection was destroyed and never rebuilt. (Shelton-Mason County Journal 7/31/1952; 8/7/1952) (photograph from the Erna Tilley Collection)
Olympus Manor (Hood Canal); Tacoma Drama League (Tacoma); Canoes; Nobles, Orre--Homes & haunts;
National Bank of Tacoma Annual Picnic at De Koven Inn. DeKoven Inn was located on the east side of Lake Steilacoom. Many people at picnic tables. The Inn itself burned down August 2, 1925; the dance and banquet hall was saved and became the new Inn. The family owned operation was downsized and much of their property on the Lake was subdivided and sold as residential. (filed with Argentum) (TNT 8/13/1925, pg. 23)
DeKoven Inn (Lakewood); Picnics--Lakewood--1920-1930; National Bank of Tacoma--People;
J. T. Richmond, better known as "Dad," spent his 80th birthday on September 3, 1925 hard at work at the salt water Nereides Baths at Point Defiance teaching beginners how to swim. His student in this photograph was 5 year old Charlotte Hannah. "Dad" was the most popular instructor at the Baths and was believed to be the oldest water sports instructor in the nation. He had been teaching swimming for 25 years. He spent an average of three hours a day in the water and also walked 3 miles daily for exercise. The Nereides, an indoor heated salt water pool, operated at Point Defiance from 1906-1932. (TNT 9/3/1925, pg. 13) (WSHS- negative A858-0)
The launch Elsie C ll , under the command of Captain Herman C. Clausen, ran aground in heavy morning fog at Point Defiance on Thursday, September 3, 1925. Captain Clausen had missed the ferry slip and then narrowly missed striking big rocks as he brought the Point Defiance-Sunrise Beach ferry ashore between the slip and the park pavilion. The ferry was stuck fast and could not be floated until high tide that evening. The 15 passengers sailing from Sunrise Beach to Tacoma were able to exit the vessel onto the beach via a gangplank; no injuries were reported.
Ferries--Tacoma--1920-1930; Marine accidents--Tacoma; Point Defiance Park (Tacoma);
Flour mills on Old Town's waterfront. Tacoma Grain Co., manufacturers of Pyramid Flour and Sperry, maker of Sperry's Drifted Snow, are pictured on the waterfront in September of 1925. TPL-243; G34.1-123
The Oakes water stadium. A good sized crowd has gathered at "The Oakes" water stadium on Lake Steilacoom in early September of 1925. The water stadium had celebrated its official opening on June 21st. It had a capacity of 3000 people and was built on piling 10 feet apart. The water stadium was enclosed on three sides facing the body of water 200-feet by 200-feet. The Oakes Pavilion is in the background with windows and walkways facing the water stadium. Many of the crowd are in bathing suits while others are content to bask in the sun in street clothes. "The Oakes" itself had opened in 1923 and was a popular spot for picnicking, boating, swimming and rowing. Dancing was offered in the Pavilion two days a week. TPL-529; G54.1-148; BU13,437 (TNT 6-18-24, p. 21, 23-articles on water stadium)
By September of 1925, the two imposing 311-foot tall electical power towers built for Tacoma Public Utilities on the Point Defiance part of the Narrows were completed. Construction had begun on two similar towers on the opposite side of the water on August 18th. When completed, the towers carried six power cables, three per tower, across a mile and a quarter span, bringing electrical energy generated at the Lake Cushman power project to Tacoma. At 6, 240 feet, the distance between the two sets of towers was the longest distance to be breeched by power cables in the world. (TNT 8/20/1925, pg. 11) G43.1-024
Electric lines--Tacoma--1920-1930; Towers; Electricity;
Tacoma Railway & Power Company streetcar #319 was photographed on September 4, 1925 as it turned the corner at South 13th & A Streets in Tacoma. Electric streetcars made their debut in Tacoma on February 11, 1890. Prior to that, the cars were either pulled by horses or powered by steam. The last streetcar ran in April of 1938. The building behind the streetcar with its lower floors obscured by the streetcar is the Salvation Army building at 109 South 13th Street. The building in the top right corner, with the pointed roof, is the Puget Sound Bank Building. Boland #B13266 TPL-2681 ("To Tacoma By Trolley" by Warren W. Wing; "Tacoma by Trolley" trolley schedule by McCormack Bros. Inc.)
Mass transit--Tacoma--1920-1930; Electric railroads--1920-1930; Tacoma Railway & Power Co. (Tacoma);
This section of Broadway near South 7th Street was "Auto Row" in September of 1925 with several automobile dealerships located side-by-side. L-R were: Griffith Motor Company selling Dodge Brothers motor cars; Mueller-Harkins Motor Company, a Buick dealer; Arthur Bryan Motor Company, a Chevrolet dealership and Richardson Motor Company, the Cleveland & Chandler dealership. Most, if not all, also had used car departments. TPL-1731; G59.1-025
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Griffith Motor Co. (Tacoma); Mueller-Harkins Motor Co. (Tacoma); Arthur Bryan Motor Co. (Tacoma); Richardson Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930;
In September of 1925, Tacoma Railway and Power Company posted an advertisement in the window of what appears to be a bus or streetcar, offering a transferable, unlimited ride weekly pass on the streetcar for $1.00. The sign advocates that you go home for lunch instead of dining out, and with the 35 cents saving from the noon day meal, in three days, you'll have enough for the pass and ride free the rest of the time. TPL-1629; G66.2-007
Tacoma Railway & Power Co. (Tacoma); Street railroads--Tacoma--1920-1930; Mass transit--Tacoma--1920-1930; Electric railroads--Tacoma--1920-1930; Signs (Notices);
Its grass grown tall on the front lawn, this Colonial/American Foursquare styled home located at 2121 North Fife St. was being offered as a forced sale at a price of $3,700 in 1925. The two-story home had a second-story balcony, dormer and four bedrooms and bath. The ground floor had a large front room, dining room, library and kitchen. A full basement contained a fireplace for the billiard room. It had been built around 1911 for Marvel Watson. Interested buyers could contact Hellar, Lyon & Co. G29.1-022; BU10,296 (TDL 8-20-25, p. 9-ad)
These lucky Woolworth customers raise their bottles in a toast as they prepare to swig down Orange Kist in early September of 1925. Store management treated their patrons, including children, to free bottles of the non-alcoholic beverage on that day. Prohibition was in full force and local brewery Columbia Brewing Co. produced sodas in lieu of beer. Columbia Brewing introduced their new drink to the public during Orange Kist Week, July 31-August 6th. Thousands of bottles of Orange Kist were given away in various promotional stunts, including at local baseball games and at theaters and stores. (TNT 7-31-25, p. 6-article) TPL-9552; G33.1-066
Eating & drinking--Tacoma--1920-1930; Children eating & drinking--Tacoma--1920-1930; Carbonated beverages; F.W. Woolworth Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co.--Associated objects;
Employees of the Puget Sound Transportation Co. stand beside their fleet of buses on September 6, 1925. At least two of the buses were headed toward Point Defiance. Porter Sligar was listed as the firm's manager in the 1925 City Directory. G66.1-083; TPL-1607;
A small new Ford bus for Union High School is parked outside the R.E. Bennatts, Inc., dealership on September 8, 1925. The high school was located in the Vaughn, Washington school district #201. The man standing next to the vehicle was not identified. BU14,395
R.E. Bennatts, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Buses--Tacoma--1920-1930;
Three ships are in town at the St. Paul & Tacoma dock loading lumber in this September 11, 1925, view of local shipping operations. Nearest to the right is the Japanese vessel, the "Alabama Maru." Other ships were believed to be the French steamship "Georgie" and the "City of Spokane" who were listed in the Tacoma Daily Ledger as being in port at this time. G50.1-006 (TDL 9-12-25, p. 4-short article)
Gig Harbor Fair. This is a sample of the garden exhibits at the 1925 Gig Harbor Fair (Peninsula Fair). Flowers, fruits and vegetables were neatly displayed as well as an exhibit of chickens. Signs posted at the rear indicated that the Puyallup Fair was soon to be held from September 21-27th. TPL-193; G72.1-160; G72.1-128
Gig Harbor Fair. The Warren Improvement Club had an impressive assortment of fruits, vegetables and canned items on display at the 1925 Gig Harbor Fair (Peninsula Fair) . Long shelves were filled with exhibited produce. TPL-692; G72.1-131
4th annual Gig Harbor Fair. The Rosedale community had created a display packed with a variety of fruits and vegetables for the 1925 Gig Harbor Fair (Peninsula Fair). It reminded all that the friendly community of "Rosedale Always Has A Welcome." Rosedale, on Lay Inlet off Henderson Bay west of Gig Harbor, had been named in 1883 by W.E. White for the many roses that grew around the inlet. G72.1-148
Egg exhibit. Oscar H. Swanson and an unidentified man are posed beside the egg exhibit at the 1925 Gig Harbor (Peninsula) Fair. Mr. Swanson (at left) was the founder of the Gig Harbor Washington Co-operative Association. Cartons and boxes of eggs are on display as well as two posters filled with information regarding the exacting standards these eggs are held to. The exhibit was sponsored by the Washington Cooperative Egg & Poultry Association. The poultry division attracted great attention during the three day fair which ran from September 11-13, 1925. The area shipped several carloads of eggs and chickens each month, making it one of the largest industries in the mostly rural community. (TNT 9-10-25, p. 26-article)
Gig Harbor Fair. An exhibit of caged poultry is highlighted by a painting or drawing of a chicken ranch set on grassy lawns with neighboring pond. These chickens were on display at the Gig Harbor Fair (Peninsula Fair) held from September 11-13, 1925. The poultry division attracted great attention as poultry raising was one of the largest industries in the peninsula. Signs placed nearby advertise the upcoming Western Washington Fair starting on September 21st. TPL-689; G72.1-128; G72.1-160 (TNT 9-10-25, p. 26-article)
