Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Two women measure a 12 foot, 9 inch log section. This was the biggest cross section ever felled by man as of this date. It was cut in the prime forests southwest of Mount Rainier in the center of western Washington. This short butt section of the tremendous tree was on view at Northwest Door Company, a local plywood and door manufacturing firm in whose logging operations the tree was brought down. (T.Times, 10/16/1946, p.4, TNT 8/21/1946) TPL-7962

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Logs; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Measuring--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Ace Furnace and Steel Company. Exterior of the plant facilities. Ace Furnace and Steel Company manufactured furnaces, steel tanks, gasoline tankers and trailers, prefabricated service stations, and subcontracted on boats including interior work, ventilating ducts, galleys, etc. They also handled sheet metal work and blower and ventilating systems. (T.Times, 9/4/1946)

Ace Furnace & Steel Co. (Tacoma); Heating & ventilation industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950;

For I.W. Johnson Engineering Company. An interior view of a sawmill near Packwood, Washington. Two men, difficult to discern from the large machinery, are in the upper left adjusting a log that is being broken down in the "head-rig". In the foreground rough cut lumber is being moved along by chains seen in open grooves in the surface of the platform. (Fortune Magazine, April 1934)

Saws; Mills--Packwood--1940-1950; Logs; Lumber industry--Packwood--1940-1950; Woodcutting--Packwood--1940-1950;

For I.W. Johnson Engineering Company. An interior view of a sawmill near Packwood, Washington. The "head-rig" is seen in the upper, center right. On the far left a radial-arm saw can be seen cutting lumber to length.

Saws; Mills--Packwood--1940-1950; Logs; Lumber industry--Packwood--1940-1950; Woodcutting--Packwood--1940-1950;

Hooker Electrochemical Co. was focusing on post war prospects which included an increase in funding for the development and research department. This department was concentrating on projects for the further diversification of their chemical products, as well as, looking at the expansion of sales and broadening of markets. The research department was an invaluable component of the company. Interior view of plant.

Machinery; Equipment; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma);

Hooker Electrochemical Co. has helped Tacoma with industrial growth. They are a leader in their field and provide Tacoma with a stable, successful and prosperous industry. They employ award winning chemists and scientists, who help keep this company on top of the chemical industry. They stated a well trained staff is the key to success. Exterior view of plant, the tank says "Safety First". Image is of Hooker-Dextrex solvent plant.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma);

Launching at Western Boat. Ordered by Seattle Times by Mr. R.H. Calkins. The John N. Cobb is afloat near the 11th Street Bridge just after launching from the Western Boat ways building. The vessel would be equiped for exploratory navigation as well as for experimental fishing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.. Snow is on the ground as seen on the opposite shore of City Waterway. The tall buildings of the business district of Tacoma are seen in the background. (Pacific Fisherman, March 1950, p.29) TPL-9652

Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Ships--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cityscapes;

Calf shelter made of plywood at Western Washington Experiment Station. The Station, created in 1893, was located approximately seven miles from the city of Tacoma, in the Puyallup Valley. The Station engaged in research on western Washington agricultural problems. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Western Washington Experiment Station (Puyallup); Barns--Tacoma

Grosvenor House apartments, 500 No. Wall, Seattle, under construction. Photo for Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Photograph was taken on March 5, 1950.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Grosvenor House Apartments (Seattle); Construction--Seattle; Apartment houses--Seattle; Progress photographs--1950-1960;

Rucker Brothers lumber truck at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. sawmill. Photographer, possibly from Richards, is standing on top of the truck cab probably photographing the other pictures in this series. Work seems to have stopped as lumber employees stand and watch the show.The hoisting machinery used to move the timber off of the truck can be see at the right rear of the picture.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Photographers--Tacoma;

Northern Pacific Railroad engineer in steam locomotive road number 2265, type 4-6-2 class Q-6. In the 1950s most steam locomotives were displaced by diesels. In the early steam days South Tacoma was the location of a major repair facility. With the advent of diesels, most repairs were moved to a facility in Auburn, Washington.

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroads--Tacoma; Railroad companies--Tacoma; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Annual convention of Douglas Fir Plywood Association at the Winthrop Hotel. Four unidentified men stand in front of charts with production numbers. Ordered by Mr. McCallum.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Nelson S. Perkins, of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. In the late forties, Perkins, then a young brilliant civil engineer, was hired to head up the DFPA'S technical and engineering department. This was a position that he would hold for many years. In 1959, he was promoted to a liason position between the member mills and the DFPA. (" The Plywood Age" by Robert M. Cour, TNT 3/18/1959, pg. A-14)

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Plywood; Perkins, Nelson;

Newly launched "New Georgia" is being tied to the dock at Pacific Boat Building. The new salmon seiner, 56 feet by 16 feet, was to join the fleet of Tony and Johy Kuljis of Tacoma. She was designed by James J. Petrich and had quarters for a crew of eight. With a 120 hp Caterpillar engine she could attain a speed of 10 knots. A baby flat-top is seen in the background. (TNT, 4/19/1950, p.13)

Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960; Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Opening of Stauffer Chemical Company. Dignitaries attending the opening ceremonies were given lab coats to keep clean while thery toured the chemical facilities. Tacoma was a phosphate fertilizer plant. Stauffer Chemical had two other phosphate fertilizer plants in Richmond and Vernon, California. Ordered by Wilson & George Meyer & Company.

Stauffer Chemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Opening of Stauffer Chemical Company. Ordered by Wilson & George Meyer & Company. Visiting dignitaries attending the opening of Stauffer Chemical's Tacoma plant are greeted by a young woman. A large bouquet stands beside the guest book on the wooden table.

Stauffer Chemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Opening of Stauffer Chemical Company. A workman is dwarfed by the huge piles of raw materials and a crane for moving the materials. The Tacoma plant made superphosphate using phosphate rock from its Leef, Wyoming, location and sulphuric acid from the Tacoma Smelter. The plant was capable of turning out 250 tons of fertilizer daily. Ordered by Wilson & George Meyer & Company. (TNT, 5/9/1950, clipping)

Stauffer Chemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Opening of Stauffer Chemical Company in Tacoma. A workman standing on a pile of phosphate rock directs another workman in moving the overhead crane. Various fertilizers made at the Tacoma branch were stored for curing and moved by the large clamshell to the milling units during shipping seasons. Both bulk and bagged material moved out during spring and fall seasons to farmers and mixers throughout the state of Washington and Oregon via truck and rail. Stauffer Chemical manufactured Captan fungicide, Vapam soil sterilant, herbicide and insecticide formulations, aluminum sulphate, titanium tetrachloride and pelleted mixed fertilizers. As of 1956 they had plants in 44 locations. Ordered by Wilson & George Meyer & Company. (TNT, 5/16/1955, clipping)

Stauffer Chemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Opening of Stauffer Chemical Company. Dignitaries attending the opening of the Tacoma plant were given an opportunity to view the bag filling operations. Once a bag was filled at an upper level it was sewn shut and delivered to workers via a conveyor system. Bags were stacked on pallets and several bags are seen stacked against the far wall. Ordered by Wilson & George Meyer & Company.

Stauffer Chemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Conveying systems--Tacoma;

Opening of Stauffer Chemical Company. The exterior of the loading dock can be seen where a truck from the Tacoma Feed Company has backed in for loading. Dignitaries are being given a tour of the facilities. A railroad car sits next to the building and railroad tracks are seen crossing the yard. Materials could be delivered to and from the plant easliy. Ordered by Wilson & George Meyer & Company.

Stauffer Chemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma; Railroad tracks--Tacoma;

New equipment at Washington Gas & Electric's plant at East 15th & River Street. A large shovel attached to pulleys and wires is seen hung from a rotating spar to the middle, right in the photograph. A railroad freight car loaded with ground material is seen on the left on a track running through the yard. A large storage tank is seen at the back of the yard. The buildings in the yard are dwarfed by the spar and storage tank. The rising hillside of Tacoma can be seen in the background on the other side of the City Waterway. Ordered by F.C. Hawks.

Washington Gas & Electric Co. (Tacoma); Public utility companies--Tacoma; Power plants--Tacoma; Hoisting machinery; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma; Storage tanks--Tacoma;

Members of the board of directors of the Chicago-Milwaukee Railroads enjoy a water excursion on July 13, 1950. The seated man in the middle with hat on appears to be engrossed in some delightful reading material. Next to him wearing a bright tie is the president of the Milwaukee Road, C.H. Buford. Henry Foss, whose vessel transported the directors, stands directly behind Mr. Buford. In addition, the board was present at a luncheon at the Hotel Winthrop the same day.

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma); Railroad companies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Buford, C.H.; Foss, Henry O., 1891-1986;

On July 13, 1950, Agnes Foss confidently prepared to grasp the large steering wheel on board a vessel, probably one of the Foss family tugs. Assisting her was her husband Henry Foss, right. C.H. Buford, cap in hand, gazed upon the wheel and smiled. The Fosses were giving Mr. Buford, president of the Milwaukee Road, a ride quite different from that which passengers on his railroad would receive. Mr. Buford and other railroad heads were on a centennial inspection tour and had stopped in Tacoma. They had lunched at the Winthrop Hotel where criticism of government control of railroads and approval of Korean war action were topics discussed. (TNT 7-14-50, p. 1-article on rail officials visit)

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma); Railroad companies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Steering wheels; Foss, Henry O., 1891-1986; Foss, Agnes S.; Buford, C.H.;

Fred H. Gillmaster is flanked by Marijane Argue, office secretary, on the left and an unidentified woman on the right, at the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington's open house on August 8, 1950. Mr. Gillmaster has a white flower clasped in his hands while the two women wear small corsages. While the Tacoma plant has been in operation since 1929, its parent company is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma)--Employees; Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gillmaster, Fred H.; Argue, Marijane;

J. M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corporation's officers were: Joseph M. Martinac, President, Joseph S. Martinac, Vice-President, Reuben C. Carlson, Secretary, and Fred C. Borovich, Treasurer. The company designs and builds fishing, commercial and pleasure vessels; their plant was located at 1501 Railroad Avenue. Progress photograph and interior view of J. M. Martinac ship building plant, ship builders are working on a boat. TPL-8987

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Boats--Tacoma; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding, sea trials of the Mary S. Three men stand beside the new tuna clipper, the Mary S. TPL-9007

J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ship trials--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Douglas Fir Plywood Association was hosting their 13th annual meeting in Tacoma's Winthrop Hotel in May of 1949. Tacoma continued to be the worldwide leader in plywood production. View of informational Douglas Fir Plywood charts, these indicate: "Effective Promotion + Aggressive Selling = Healthy Order Files;" chart on left side has information about the Douglas Fir Plywood industry today.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Conference rooms--Tacoma; Charts; Meetings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Signs (Notices); Plywood; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Douglas Fir Plywood was always being tested for durability and alternative uses. The research organization was supported by the plywood industries of Tacoma, this ensured Tacoma remaining at the top of plywood production. View of unidentified man applying Douglas Fir plywood panels in the interior of Riley and Catharine Denton's home, located at 1320 South Trafton Street. Riley Denton was the superintendent of Rainier Plywood Company. TPL-10297

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Plywood; Houses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Remodeling--Tacoma--1940-1950; Laborers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Denton, Riley W.--Homes & haunts;

Tacoma Vocational School began on October 1, 1940 when a Public Works Administration grant of $40,000 was combined with a $175,000 worth of federally supplied tools and machinery. The school is expected to be a big success, with classrooms already filled with students and a waiting list of interested students for the next school year. View of two unidentified students working in the machine shop at Tacoma Vocational School (T.N.T., 5/1/49, p. 1, B-1). TPL-8333

Machine shops--Tacoma; Machinery; Equipment; Apprentices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Students--Tacoma--1940-1950; Vocational education--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Vocational School (Tacoma);

Engine round house at Northern Pacific Railway, Elwin Barker. The North Coast Limited first went into service April 29, 1900. This passenger train was the pride of the Northwest Pacific. In the Pacific Northwest, the NP was the first railroad to offer sleeping and dining cars. As a passenger going from eastern Montana to western Washington, you would move across the flat lands of eastern Montana, across the Rocky Mountains, through valleys in Idaho and Washington, climb over the Cascade Mountains, and drop into the shipping port of Seattle. (Pacific Northwest Railroads of McGee and Nixon, Richard Green)

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Railroad companies--Tacoma--1940-1950; Railroad locomotives--Tacoma--1940-1950; Railroad roundhouses--Tacoma;