ca. 1979. The neon flying eagle identifies the home of the F.O.E. (Fraternal Order of Eagles,) Tacoma Aerie #3, 1305-07 Fawcett Ave., circa 1979. The structure was built in 1908 and the roof collapsed in 2007, prompting its demolition.

Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 3 (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma;

Back of Photo:
Seattle Mayor-elect Norm Rice, foreground left, and Tacoma Mayor-elect Karen Vialle, foreground right, answer questions and thank the black collective for the support the group has given both Rice and Vialle. The two Mayor-elects met with the Black Collective Saturday morning at 2316 S. Yakima. (12-2-89 photo by David Brandt)
Pierce & S. King County

Mill workers, accompanied by Washington National Guardsmen, stand at the side of the road preparing to cross the Eleventh Street Bridge into the Tideflats to report to work. A second group of men appears to be standing just ahead, possibly strikers gathering to heckle the workers. In June of 1935, workers attempting to return to work at the reopening mills were subjected to extreme violence and threats. Governor Clarence Martin ordered the second battalion of the Washington National Guard 161st Infantry to Tacoma on June 23, 1935 to protect the returning workers and the mills. The guardsmen were armed with smoke, tear and nausea gas bombs, rifles, bayonets and ammunition. (TNT 6/24/1935, pg. 1 & 2)

Members of the Washington National Guard are loaded up in trucks and preparing to return to downtown Tacoma from the industrial Tideflats across the Eleventh Street Bridge. The second battalion of the Guards' 161st Infantry was mobilized to Tacoma by Governor Clarence Martin when workers attempting to return to work during the Lumber workers' strike met with violence. Their job was to protect the workers and the mills. They were stationed at the Armory and patrolled the Tideflats and all bridges and roads into the area. The Eleventh Street bridge has roadblocks on all but one lane, so that vehicles could be searched. (TNT 6/24/1935, pg. 1 & 2)

This is one way to open a tourist attraction, with bathing beauties catching some rays on the rooftop. In 1934, the Young Mens Business Club of Tacoma succeeded in reaching a goal they had for many years. They moved Fort Nisqually from DuPont, restored it at a new location at Point Defiance and opened it as a tourist attraction. The dedication for the restored historical fort was September 3, 1934. Here Frankie Cowan, on the ladder, and another unidentified young lady pose on the roof on one of the structures at the Fort.

A generous donation from Tacoma businessman William W. Seymour in 1907 made possible the opening of the Tacoma YMCA's Camp Seymour at Glen Cove. By 1931, when this group of boys attended summer camp, many improvements had been added. Nestled along Puget Sound, Camp Seymour is still operated today by the YMCA. Its benefactor also donated funds for Seymour Conservatory in Wright Park and served as mayor of Tacoma. TPL-6263

In February of 1931, elderly Richard Henry "Jimmy" Davis demonstrated how he and the neighborhood boys played marbles outside the frame home of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Ill. The future President, depending on his mood, would either join the boys in the game or shoo them away, saying that they were making too much noise. Mr. Davis, who in 1931 was well past 80, lived in the Lutheran Compass Mission. He couldn't remember much about how he came to live there. He worked in the mines from the age of 11 and three cave-ins have robbed him of much of his memory. As a young man, he was active in the labor movement and for two years travelled and worked with Mary Harris "Mother" Jones, the "Miners Angel." The pair helped with organizing what would become the United Mine Workers. (TNT 2/11/1931, pg. 1) BGN-284 TPL-9934

Two cooks at Camp Seymour are prepared to serve hordes of hungry boys at the YMCA camp in August of 1931. It looks like oyster stew is on the menu for the day accompanied by small salted oyster crackers. Thanks to the generosity of former Tacoma mayor and businessman William W. Seymour, a YMCA summer camp at Glen Cove (then called Balch's Cove) was established in 1907 on Mr. Seymour's rural property. Mr. Seymour would eventually deed 150 acres to the Tacoma YMCA for the sole purpose of summer camping for boys. The camp would be officially named Camp Seymour in 1926 as a recognition of Mr. Seymour's generosity. (campseymour.org-article on camp)

YMCA boys at Camp Seymour. Enjoying the sun on an August day in 1931 were several teenage boys and staff at the YMCA camp on Glen Cove. Thanks to benefactor William W. Seymour, a Tacoma businessman, youngsters had been coming to the camp since 1907. There they would be partaking in lots of fresh air, nourishing meals and sports including rowing and swimming.

Seven soldier members of the Salt Lake No. 85 Elks Lodge pose in front of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, Tacoma Lodge No. 174 on August 16, 1918. They are wearing military uniforms with most carrying flags. A large sign is held by two Elks "warning" others to "Watch Your Girls We're From Salt Lake No. 85." The soldiers represented their lodge during the 14th annual Washington State Elks convention held in Tacoma during August of 1918. They would march in the massive downtown parade along with Elks from lodges across the state and including several Montana Elks stationed at Camp Lewis. G68.1-109 (TDL 8-17-18, p. 7-article)

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Tacoma Lodge No. 174 (Tacoma); Elks Temple (Tacoma); Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Salt Lake Lodge No. 85; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Signs (Notices); Guests--Tacoma--1910-1920;

The Castle Hall at the Knights of Pythias, Commencement Lodge #7. Members of the fraternal organization are posed wearing Romanesque regalia. The robes illustrate the story of Damon and Pythias, on which the beliefs of the order are based. The order was founded on the principles of friendship, charity and benevolence. Built in 1906-1907 and carefully preserved, the Pythian Lodge is one of the most beautiful in the nation. The Lodge is currently on the city and national historical registry. TPL-1682, BU-12215, Boland #B3765

Knights of Pythias, Commencement Lodge #7 (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The Afifi Temple Band, with instruments, posed in front of the Masonic Temple, 47 Saint Helens Ave., on April 22, 1928. They are uniformly dressed complete with fezzes. G23.1-078

Afifi Temple Band (Tacoma); Afifi Temple (Tacoma); Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Masonic Temple (Tacoma);

In June of 1936, members of the Lumber and Sawmill Workers Union collected food for their striking brothers in Omak, Wa. The first load of food was being loaded into a truck and shipped from the District Council's headquarters at 748 Market St. It would be followed by two more truck loads dispatched on June 27th. The local union had emerged from their own bitter and extended battle in 1935 victorious. The workers in Omak had been on strike since early May. The strike was dangerous with the plant heavily guarded and guards and strike breakers armed. The plant had the support of Omak area merchants and the strikers were suffering greatly. TPL-2452 (Tacoma Labor Advocate 6/12/1936, pg 4; 6/26/1936, pg. 1- picture & pg. 2 story)

Labor unions--Tacoma; Lumber & Sawmill Workers Local 2633 (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940;

American Legion members joined in a flagpole raising in Yelm on Armistice Day, November 11, 1923. The American Legion was chartered by the U.S. Congress on September 16, 1919, as a patriotic war-time veterans organization. The Yelm community, Yelm Legioneers, neighboring posts and volunteer workers from Olympia's building trades unions all came together to erect a $15,000 home for the Yelm post in one single day. It appears that the raising of the flagpole was the first business of the day. This would be the permanent home of the Joseph Redberg Post No. 164, American Legion, Yelm. G23.1-043A (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-11-23, 8-E-article; TDL 11-12-23, p. 1-article)

American Legion (Yelm); Patriotic societies--Yelm; Veterans organizations--Yelm; Flagpoles--Yelm;

The 6th Engineers band from Camp Lewis plays as the American flag flies on the new American Legion flagpole successfully raised in Yelm on November 11, 1923. Legion members and members of the community had worked together to raise and anchor the flagpole and build a new home for the Yelm Legioneers. The Yelm post did not have a permanent home until the one-day erection of their American Legion building on Armistice Day in 1923. The small group, numbering only 27 active members, was supplemented with help from other local American Legion posts, members of the Yelm community, and 150 members of the building trades union from Olympia in constructing their new home. The building was worth approximately $15,000 but just about all costs were covered with the donation of land from McKenna Mill Co. and architectural design by Tacoma architects Shaw & Shaw. Labor was also donated and supervised by skilled workmen from the Hurley-Mason Co. of Tacoma. Elmer Fristo was the commander of the Joseph Redberg Post No. 164, American Legion, Yelm. G23.1-043B (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-11-23, 8-E-article; TDL 11-12-23, p. 1-article)

American Legion (Yelm); Patriotic societies--Yelm; Veterans organizations--Yelm; Flagpoles--Yelm; Flags--United States; Military bands--United States;

Ivanhoe Commandery, Knights Templar, band and marching unit in full regalia pauses on the bricked roadway of South 7th at Market St. looking west on April 12, 1925. Small groups of children have secured good viewing spots in order to watch the men parade by. April 12th was Easter Sunday and the members had attended special services that afternoon at the Masonic Temple downtown. Twice a year, on Christmas and Easter, the commandery would attend service as a group. G23.1-097 (TDL 4-13-25, p. 2)

Knights Templar (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Marching bands--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1922. YWCA residence located at 610 Broadway. This structure was built in 1889 from a design by Pickles & Sutton, architects, for Theodore Hosmer. It was used as a residence for the YWCA from 1922-1928. In 1946, the home was razed to construct a parking lot. Boland B3466, BU-13177, TPL-1780

Young Womens Christian Association (Tacoma);

A labor convention was held in Olympia in mid-July of 1924. This unidentified man from Tacoma was a delegate representing the state Culinary Workers. He is wearing several badges/ribbons pinned to his three-piece suit. G38.1-002

Meetings--Olympia--1920-1930; Labor unions;

Five unidentified Boy Scouts help with the Tacoma Federation of Social Agencies' first Community Chest Drive for the needy in March of 1922; the slogan--"Tacoma Cares. Do Your Share." The boys would be distributing stacks of reminders in the way of red and white placards to be placed on windshields of every car they spotted downtown. $271,478.68 was set as the goal for the fundraising drive that would help 28 relief and social agencies. U.S. District Court Judge Edward Cushman was named chairman of the drive. United Good Neighbor Fund replaced the Community Chest in 1952, and in 1972 the name was changed to United Way of Pierce County. G23.1-056; TPL-5994 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 1-29-22, p. 1-article; TNT 2-7-22, p. 1-article; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 3-19-22, 8-E)

Boy Scouts (Tacoma)--1920-1930; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fund raising--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Members of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine posed for a group portrait on April 30, 1922. Better known as the Shriners from Afifi Temple, they were dressed in traditional uniform. A total of 139 uniformed nobles would be journeying to San Francisco by special train in June for the 48th annual imperial council session. That was expected to be one of the largest delegations in attendance. The Afifi Shriners were led by Frank D. Oakley, Tacoma attorney, who was elected in December of 1921 as the temple's leader or potentate. G23.1-081 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 6-4-22, 8-E)

Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Four members of the Afifi Shrine, wearing traditional costume and fezzes, posed outdoors on April 30, 1922. The group may have included attorney Frank D. Oakley of Tacoma, who was Afifi Shrine's potentate. G23.1-079

Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The Knights Templar drill team stood at attention on April 20, 1930, outside the Masonic Temple, 47 Saint Helens Ave. They are wearing their stately uniforms including plumed hats. G23.1-077

Knights Templar (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Men--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1930-1940; Drill teams; Masonic Temple (Tacoma);

The Daughters of the Nile, Zora Temple held their winter ceremonial in the Gothic Room of the Masonic Temple on December 9, 1931. The women were members of an international fraternal order of women either married to or related to Shriners. 300 women were in attendance at the ceremonial that honored the Supreme Queen, Mrs. Lulu Ramage Phelps of Seattle. The Supreme Queen is the national head of the organization. Mrs. Glen Darling presided over the ceremonies. (TNT 12-10-31, p. 12-article)

Daughters of the Nile Zora Temple No. 5 (Tacoma); Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Women--Tacoma--1930-1940;

In October of 1936, members of the Scandinavian-American Democratic Club rallied for their party's candidates in the upcoming local and national elections. Portraits and signs for Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Clarence Martin line the walls. Both men were seeking re-election, Roosevelt for the presidency and Martin for Washington State governor. The rally was held at Valhalla Hall on October 14, 1936, with the general public invited. Initiatives and amendments on the general election ballot were discussed. G42.1-069 (T.Times 10-13-36, p. 10-article)

Scandinavian- American Democratic Club (Tacoma); Political participation--Tacoma; Political campaigns; Political elections--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1910. Members of the A.S.M.W.I. A. (Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers International Association), Local #99 of Seattle posed outside the Fisher Flouring Mills Co. circa 1910. Nearly all are dressed in overalls. Although the photographer, J.J. Kneisle has labeled the picture "A.S.M.W.I.A., " the union's name had changed to the Sheet Metal Workers International Alliance in 1903. The union movement was growing with membership of over 100 local unions and over 5000 people at the turn of the century. In 1924 the union's name would change again to the Sheet Metal Workers International Association. (www.smwia.org)

Labor unions--Seattle; Sheet Metal Workers (Seattle);

Three men holding a beer stein in the meeting room of an unidentified fraternal organization while a seated man looks at the camera. Three of the four men are wearing lapel pins.

The 40 et 8 holds its fifth and largest interstate "wreck" in Tacoma Feb 20, 1937. The Le Societe des 40 Hommes et 3 Chavaux is the fun division of the American Legion. Its members are selected because of their exceptional service to the Legion. The "wreck" was attended by 1200 members from Washington and Oregon. (T. Times 2/10/1937; 2/19/937, pg. 1; 2/22/1937, pg. 12)

American Legion (Tacoma); Veteran's organizations--Tacoma--1930-1940; 40 et 8 auxiliary (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Shriners' Ball and banquet at the Winthrop Hotel on June 5, 1937. Two photographers, one a Shriner, taking photographs of couples on the dance floor.

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Balls (Parties)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

On June 5, 1937, as a function of the Shrine spring reunion in Tacoma, the Afifi Temple held a Ball and banquet at the Winthrop Hotel. Shriners and their wives were the guests. Here the photographer was setting up camera to take photographs of people in the receiving line.

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Thousands of spectators lined the Lake Washington Ship Channel as the Afifi Temple of Tacoma float was towed by during the Shriners Marine Pageant in Seattle 7/10/1936. A huge barge carrying members of the Afifi Temple Band and a large replica of Mount Rainier is pictured just after it passes the draw of the Montlake Bridge in this night scene.The float, designed by Walt Sutter, featured thousands of gallons of water pouring down from an imitation Narada Falls. It was one of the audience's favorites. (T.Times 7/17/1936, pg. 3)

Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Tacoma); Naval parades & ceremonies--Seattle; Parades & processions--Seattle--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Seattle; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);