George W. Phillips asks two fishermen if they will help him distribute his messages in bottles into Puget Sound. The messages warn that "The Time has Come to Act" and also contain religious tracts. Mr. Phillips has two large carboard cartons filled with bottles to throw into Puget Sound. The fishermen are considering his request. (T. Times, 11/9/1945, p.1)

Phillips, George W.; Correspondence--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bottles;

George W. Phillips takes a bottle with a message inserted inside, "The Time has Come to Act" and religious tracts. He has tossed them into Puget Sound by hand or dropped them from different boats as available. By 1954 he is known to have sent 15,000 of these messages in bottles to at least fourteen different countries. (T.Times, 11/9/1945, p.1)

Phillips, George W.; Correspondence--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bottles; Puget Sound (Wash.);

Maurice P. Gribbon, in charge of the shoe department at Rhodes Department Store, fitted T/3 Gertrude E. Totten with a new pair of sling pumps in October of 1945. T/3 Totten had been chosen to receive a complete new civilian outfit from Rhodes Department Store because she was the high point WAC aboard the USS General William Mitchell which had just returned from New Guinea. The only thing Rhodes could not provide was a pair of nylon stockings. As luck would have it, Miss Totten still had one pair that she had saved through the war while she served in the Pacific. (T.Times, 10/31/1945, p.6)

Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Peace--Tacoma; Womens Army Corps; Totten, Gertrude E.; Awards;

The South Side Tire & Battery Co., 5642-48 South Tacoma Way; Banard O. Alstead owner. This south side gas station also did auto repairs. The lines of the mission style garage stand out from the more standard buildings surrounding it.

South Side Tire & Battery Co. (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Titus Motor Company, showing of 1946 automobiles. Two men and two women look at board explaining "self centering brakes". Flowers, other people in background.

Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ford automobile;

Titus Motor, Kelly Farquhar and Consolidated Freightways. Three men work in the shipping and receiving area loading and accounting for cartons of car parts and supplies. Photograph taken on September 5, 1945.

Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Shipping--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Griffin Fuel Company. A man is working his way around a very large tree stump with a tool. A cable is being wound around the stump and other cables are lying near the man's foot. A "Woody" station wagon is parked behind the stump and provides some information regarding the size of the stump. This is the stump of an old growth Douglas Fir tree found on the timber holdings of the Northwest Door Co. A cross section of this record tree, 12 feet 9 inches in diameter, was displayed for many years at the company. (TNT 8/21/1946, pg. 1)

Trees; Clearing of land; Automobiles--1940-1950; Griffin Fuel Co. (Tacoma); Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A commercial truck is pulling a trailer loaded with a crane. The crane has continuous, belt-type conveyance rather than round wheels. Smaller commercial facilities are seen in the background.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hoisting machinery;

Engineers' Union, truck, crane and trailer. Another section of culvert conduit is loaded onto an emply truck next to the railroad track. In the background you can see another empty truck waiting for its load. An advertisement for Sunnen Auto Freight-Heavy Hauling is placed in the upper left-hand corner. TPL-10053

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shipping; Hoisting machinery; Culverts; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma;

Engineers' Union, truck, crane and trailer.This view of the unloading operation performed by Commercial Distributing Company shows the empty truck parked close to the railroad car where 56" pipe for city truck line from Green River to Tacoma is being unloaded using one of Commercial Distributing Company's 4-ton capacity A-frame cranes. Another railroad car stacked with pipe is on the track ahead of the empty railroad car. (T.Times, 2/26/1947, p.3-B)

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shipping; Hoisting machinery; Culverts; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma; Railroad tracks;

Turner Garage and Towing Co., 1222 Tacoma Ave So., photographed in September of 1945. The garage offered 24 hour towing as well as Standard Oil gasoline. It was located in the building built in 1925 for the Olympic Garage. The brick building to the right in the photograph was 1218-20 Tacoma Ave, which has been demolished and is now the location of the parking lot for the Tacoma Public Library.

Turner Towing Co. (Tacoma); Automobile repair--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Surrender Day and parade, August 14 and 15, 1945. . People throw confetti from the upper floors of the downtown buildings celebrating the end of World War II.

Victory celebrations--Tacoma--1940-1950;

After President Truman's announcement on August 14, 1945 that Japan had surrendered, the greatest mass celebration in Tacoma history took place on the downtown streets. People poured out of offices into the streets to celebrate the end of the war in the Pacific. Bottles appeared to toast the victory, but would not be replenished as the liquor stores also closed for the victory holiday. Maids and matrons of all ages bestowed "Victory kisses" on the willing servicemen to express their thanks. (TNT 8/15-16, 1945, pg. 1)

Victory celebrations--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Americans listened intently to radios on August 14, 1945, for word that the Japanese had surrendered. The message came at 4 p.m. on the West Coast, "The war is over!" Emotions ran high--people yelled; horns honked; bits of paper poured down from business buildings; downtown streets were jammed with cars and sidewalks were crowded with jubilant people. The excitement continued the following day with a Surrender Day parade on Pacific Avenue. The marching soldiers are one of the four platoons from Fort Lewis. (T.Times, 8/15 & 8/16/1945, p.1) TPL-804.

Victory celebrations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Surrender Day Parade; Soldiers--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Peace--Tacoma;

Titus Motor, Kelly Farquhar and Colsolidated Freightways. Five staff members receive training in completing bills of lading.

Vocational education--Tacoma--1940-1950; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Farquhar, Kelly;

General Jonathan M. Wainwright was awarded an honorary degree of doctor of military science at the College of Puget Sound on November 20, 1945. R. Franklin Thompson (left), president of the college, made the presentation to General Wainwright. Edward H. Todd (right), president emeritus, pronounced the benediction at the ceremony. General Wainwright was referred to by his men as "the greatest general that ever lived." (T.Times, 11/20/1945, p.1)

Wainwright, Jonathan M.; World War, 1939-1945--Military personnel--Tacoma; War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; College presidents--Tacoma; Thompson, R. Franklin, 1908-1999; Todd, Edward H., 1863-1951; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

General Wainwright accepts an honorary membership in the newly-organized Tacoma Athletic Commission from Acting Mayor C. Val Fawcett (left) and Public Works Commissioner A.R. Bergersen (right). The presentation was made at dinner given in honor of the general at the University Union Club. (T.Times, 11/20/1945, p.11)

Wainwright, Jonathan M.; World War, 1939-1945--Military personnel--Tacoma; War bonds & funds--Tacoma--1940-1950; Heroes--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Bergersen, Abner R.; Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma);

Jason Lee recreation program, Marie Switzer. Two women admire and display a tablecloth, apron and other textiles with stenciled designs inside one of the classrooms at Jason Lee Junior High School.

Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Textiles; Jason Lee Junior High School (Tacoma);

Interior of attended station on Pacific Avenue. Looking towards the back of the Telephone Center, service men wait their turn to use the phones. They fill nearly every chair in the center and many crowd the service counter. A sign at the back says, "Welcome Home, Job Well Done". A clock and world map hang below the sign. Troop ships were bringing 500 to 3,000 service men at a time through the Tacoma port. They were discharged or sent to other bases through the Fort Lewis staging area. Several ships brought troops home through Tacoma each week until the staging area was closed January 21, 1946.

World War, 1939-1945--Peace--Tacoma; Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma); Public Telephone Center (Tacoma); Telephone operators;

Red Cross Nurses were waiting on the dock when the troopship U.S.S. General Mann arrived at the Tacoma pier #2 on October 8, 1945.The General Mann was carrying 45 officers and 5,060 enlisted men who were taken on board at Okinawa. At least 3 of the officers and 280 of the enlisted men were from the Pacific northwest. Most of the arriving men were high-point men eligible for discharge. Another transport carrying 592 officers and 4,017 enlisted men was do to arrive on October 12th.(T.Times, 10/6/1945, p.1)

World War, 1939-1945--Peace--Tacoma; U.S.S. General Mann (Ship); World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma);

Mr. Cantrell and a catch of fish. TPL-5852.

No Need To Be Cold This Winter The City Fuel Company published this photograph in one of their advertisements in the Tacoma Times in November, 1945. They had been in business delivering heating fuel to Tacomans for 20 years. The ad promised two-hour service and guaranteed an ample supply of fuel to get customers through the whole winter. (T.Times, 11/30/1945, p.4) TPL-5474.

City Fuel Co. (Tacoma); Fuel trade--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950;

William D. Smith and Clyde E. Murray were the consulting engineers during the construction of the Lincoln Bowling Alleys building at 3828 Yakima Avenue South in November of 1945. Laminated beams that spanned the width of the building were used to create the curved roof line. When completed, the Lincoln Bowling lanes boasted eight Brunswick alleys with a floodlighting system that guaranteed shadowless lighting. The building was entirely air conditioned. Mayor Harry P. Cain was master of ceremonies for the formal opening on Saturday February 15, 1946. Sixteen of the city's top bowlers were invited to "start the balls rolling."

Girders--Tacoma--1940-1950; Architectural elements; Bowling alleys--Tacoma; Lincoln Bowling Alleys (Tacoma);

Interior of Union House Club. Stools line the counter and tables for four are arranged nearby. The coved ceilings are painted with shoreline scenes. This club was located in the Irving Building, built in 1890 and destroyed in the late 1980's.

Nightclubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Union House Club (Tacoma);

Group of 51 men at I.O.O.F. Temple for Standard Oil. Men are seated along two long tables. They have notebooks open in front of them. Posters and samples of products line the walls.

Standard Oil Co. of California (Tacoma); Independent Order of Odd Fellows (Tacoma);

Site of proposed medical center at South L and M Streets and South 11th and 12th Streets; Continental, Inc., Earl C. Walters. The property is being used as a trailer court. Most of the trailers are the type pulled by cars. In this view clothes lines are being used. A large billboard takes up part of the vacant lot. Residential areas are seen in the background. Paved streets, curbs, sidewalks, street lights and power poles are in place.

Trailers; Mobile home living--Tacoma--1940-1950; Land use--Tacoma--1940-1950; Housing--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Church building with attached living spaces.

In February of 1946, when this photograph of three teenage boys from Clover Park was taken, the Red Cross was just starting its 1946 fund drive. Tacoma's hospitals were overcrowded, and there was a shortage of nurses. These boys are getting ready to help by learning home nursing skills. The boy at the far left seems to be making a cup of tea. The one at the right is holding a copy of the Red Cross Home Nursing handbook. For some reason the Red Cross did not use this photo in their newspaper campaign.

American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); Nursing; Teenagers; Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clover Park High School (Lakewood);

In February of 1946, the Red Cross was offering an "equal opportunity" class in home nursing at Clover Park High School. Instructor Mrs. John Steele, RN, was trekking to the school four days a week to teach three classes of nursing students. One of the classes was made up only of boys, the first all male home nursing class in Pierce County. In the photograph, the group of male students surrounded the bed where a Red Cross nurse, possibly Mrs. Steele, was tucked in. One of the boys brought a tray of medicines to help treat her. Many of the boys wear aprons. An unidentified man watched from the far right as the good natured nurse played an invalid. (TT 2/19/1946, pg. 10- article)

American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); Nursing; Teenagers; Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clover Park High School (Lakewood);

The North West Junior Livestock Show was held in Auburn, Washington on April 5, 1946. Carsten's Packing Co. sold a total of 69 steers, 37 hogs and 8 lambs. Many Tacoma restaurants and clubs attended the show and placed orders, in order to serve their customers award winning meat. View of Louis Jones, University Union Club Chef (left) and Ralph Nolte, University Union Club Manager admiring an award winning angus steer (T. Times, 4/10/46, p. 2).

Beef cattle--Tacoma; Meat industry--Tacoma; Cooks; Awards; Carsten's Packing Co. (Tacoma);