ca. 1924. Tacoma Biscuit and Candy Company. Boxes of Skookum, Graham, and Snowflake crackers. The company was located at the corner of East F and 25th. Charles Hotchkiss was the president and J.G. Bassett was the manager. (WSHS)

Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. (Tacoma); Crackers;

According to Richards Studio notes: "Tacoma Bread Co. truck which was involved on Mountain Highway accident." Photograph ordered by Charles A. Peterson, lawyer. Delivery truck with Manthou's Kream Krust Bread logo parked in front of three bay garage. Tacoma Bread Co.'s main product appeared to be their Kream Krust Bread. The bakery was located at 2836-38 So. I St. It was owned and operated by the Manthou family. (filed with Argentum)

Tacoma Bread Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950;

View of Rhodes Department Store Building, Fredrick Heath and A.J. Russell, Architects, 1903. View from across street, pedestrians and traffic in foreground. Publicity for three day sale.

Business Enterprises - Department Stores - Tacoma - Rhodes Brothers

A young employee, pencil behind his ear, carefully inserts loaves of bread into cardboard boxes at the Jordan Baking Company. A Slice Master machine stands ready to slice the freshly baked bread while additional loaves are waiting on nearby racks. According to the 1951 City Directory, the wholesale bakery was located at 5233 South Washington and owned by Arthur K. Jordan. Photograph commissioned by Container Corporation of Seattle.

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bread--Tacoma; Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Business enterprises--Tacoma;

In December of 1950, Arthur K. Jordan (left) and an unidentified baker proudly watched another gentleman taste their freshly toasted bread. In 1950, the Jordan Baking Company won the "First Prize for Quality" in the Better Bread contest staged by the Quality Bakers of America. The competition featured bread baked by over 100 bakeries nationwide. Mr. Jordan began his bakery in 1937 when he purchased the Bert Nichols plant in Old Tacoma and opened it under the Jordan name with six employees and one delivery truck. The bakery quickly outgrew this location and in 1939 moved to 5233 S. Washington St., formerly home to the DuLac Auto Body Co. By 1950, the company employed 131 people in Tacoma with a payroll of a half million a year. In 1952, they introduced their most famous product, Sunbeam Bread, with its mascot, the blond cherub Little Miss Sunbeam. Ordered by Jordan Baking Company.

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bread--Tacoma; Jordan, Arthur K.;

Group at Continental Baking Company, M. Hook. The wholesale bakery was first built as Matthaei Bread Company in 1913. Continental took over the location in 1934. W.E. Taylor served as manager of the bakery. Nineteen employees stand together on the steps of the bakery. A sign advertising Wonder Bread is on the door behind them.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Employees--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Interior exposure of conveyor belt equipment at Jordan Bakery Co. Pictured is a large and mostly empty room with conveyor equipment between metal shelves with racks holding bakery goods. Jordan, long known for the excellence of their bread, launched a new product in 1952 "Sunbeam Bread," soon to become the lunchtime favorite of baby boomers.

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Continental scenes. Since 1928 Continental Baking Co., bakers of Wonder Bread and Hostess Cakes, have been baking Wonder Bread products at their bakery at 701 S. Sprague Ave. Continental has been producing Tacoma products for Tacoma residents in one of the most modern bakeries in the Northwest. There is an oven with a capacity of over 3,500 loaves per hour, a new proof box and other equipment to give the plant a capacity of 90,000 loaves a day. Employees number 95, with an annual payroll of nearly a million dollars. The bakery operates 45 vehicles, distributing as far south as Olympia, Centralia and Chehalis. (TNT 09-01-1961 B5)

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baking--Tacoma; Bread--Tacoma;

The days when fresh bread had to be wrapped by hand were apparently gone by the 1950's. Continental Baking Co. used modern equipment to efficiently wrap the multitude of baked goods it produced daily. Loaves of bread enter a wrapping machine and emerge on a roller completely wrapped in the familiar polka dotted Wonder Bread design. View of wrapping machines taken on August 27, 1958; one man is placing wrapped loaves of bread onto racks. There are several racks completely filled with Wonder Bread while others wait on a table to be shelved. Photograph ordered by Continental Baking Co.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baking--Tacoma; Bread; Machinery;

The Continental Baking Company, makers of Wonder Bread, would be celebrating its 30th anniversary with a series of photographs taken by the Richards Studio showing a typical day at Continental. Here an employee, wearing a Hostess Cake cap, is measuring bread dough prior to baking. He is using a Toledo Speedweigh scale for precise weight. Once weighed, the bread dough would be placed in separate trays in preparation for baking. The bakery would be holding an open house in early September, 1958, to allow the public to see the new addition built to their Sprague Ave. property. Photograph ordered by Continental Baking Co.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bread--Tacoma; Baking--Tacoma; Scales;

Jordan's Baking Co. at 54th and So. Washington. The bakery was celebrating its 23rd business birthday in 1959. Jordan's began in 1936 in Old Tacoma with 3 employees and one delivery truck. They moved in 1939 to this location in South Tacoma. In 1959, Jordan's employed 110 persons with a payroll exceeding $600,000 annually. Their number 1 product was Jordan's white bread. (TNT 4/7/1959, pg. C-20)

Jordan's Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Mother's Day in 1931 was rapidly approaching as the Federal Bakery, 1107 So. "K" St. (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way) showcased a mouthwatering display of Betty Crocker's "Mothers' Day" cakes. The cakes sold for as low as 65 cents apiece. Photograph ordered by Sperry Flour.

Federal Bakery (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1930-1940; Cakes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Window displays--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Alan Buchan and his large staff of delivery truck drivers posed outside the Buchan's Baking Company bakery at 3802 Yakima Avenue South on October 11, 1958. The Buchan family had been in the bakery business in western Washington since 1913. The Buchan bakery in Tacoma opened in 1955 when they purchased the Morning Fresh Bakery at the corner of 38th and Yakima Avenue South. The building was originally built in 1919. The patriarch of the Buchan family business became a baker at the age of 14 in his native Scotland. The bakery was known for their "Bonnie Good Bread Baked in Tacoma" which was made of the choicest Northwest wheat and enriched with protein and vitamins. The Tacoma Buchan's was owned and operated by Alan G. Buchan; it closed in 1968 and the building has since been demolished. (Photograph ordered by Buchan's Baking Co.) TPL-9897

Buchan's Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Model Bakery truck for International Harvester Co. The vehicle is parked along side of Washburn's Market at 2602 No. Proctor. It appears that some baked goods, probably Model's Star Loaf brand, are being delivered to the I.G.A. grocery on February 1, 1939.

Model Bakery (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washburn's Market (Tacoma);

Model Bakery truck for International Harvester Co. The delivery truck is parked directly in front of Washburn's Market at 2602 No. Proctor on February 1, 1939. The driver has the rear door open and is in the process of taking out goods sent from the bakery. Model Bakery advertised its "Star Loaf" as Tacoma's finest bread.

Model Bakery (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washburn's Market (Tacoma);

Melo-Cream Bakery, interior of new store on North Tacoma Avenue. Glass cases filled with baked goods and counters adorned with bouquets of flowers, indicating a Grand Opening celebration. Polk's City Directory shows this address as vacant in 1938 and as Tacoma Pastry Shop in 1939. (filed with Argentum)

Melo-Cream Bakery (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1924. Advertising for products from the Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. On the left is a bag of "Eat-Mor Mammy's Sugar Cookies" and on the right is a container of "Everybody's Cracker Meal." The Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. was located at the corner of East F and 25th. Charles Hotchkiss was president and J.G. Bassett was manager. (WSHS)

Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. (Tacoma); Baked products;

Nine trucks from Model Bakery lined up by Lincoln Park. Sixteen men in semi-circle, one is receiving an award.

Business Enterprises - Bakeries - Tacoma - Model Bakery

More than 20 new Ford trucks for Jordan Baking Company are lined up in front of the bakery. The new fleet of 45 Jordan Baking Company trucks, painted blue and white, had already begun distribution of the firm's new and improved loaf, "Sunbeam Bread". Art Jordan, owner of the company, is standing on the far left. Ordered by Mallon Motors, Inc. (TNT, 3/6/1952, p.16)

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Ford trucks; Jordan, Arthur K.; Bakeries--Tacoma;

Cup awarded for best loaf of bread, Jordan Baking Company, Art Jordan. Jordan Baking Company's name has been engraved on the base of the trophy for the month of November 1949. A company in Jacksonville, Florida, has won for the month of October. The trophy was presented by the Quality Bakers of America. A female fiqure with wings holding a loaf of bread over head tops the cylindrical trophy.

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Awards; Bakeries--Tacoma;

In this photograph from December of 1948, Ernie Rice, the owner of Hoyt's Doughnut Shop at 2412 6th Ave., holds a tray of freshly deep fried doughnuts. Ernest A. (Ernie) Rice and the Hoyt Doughnut Co. shop were synonymous, and the two were legendary in the history of the Sixth Avenue Business District. Mr. Rice started working at Hoyt's in 1911, the business was originally owned by Jim and Hoyt Lesher, Ernie later married Jim and Hoyt's sister. He purchased the business in 1947. After making donuts for 48 years, he retired in 1959 (T. Times, 12/19/48, p. 2). TPL-10187

Bakeries--Tacoma; Doughnuts; Cooks; Cookery--Tacoma; Confections--Tacoma; Confectioneries--Tacoma; Hoyt Doughnut Co. (Tacoma); Rice, Ernest A.;

ca. 1930. Copy of customer print. Employees of the Tacoma Bread Co. stand proudly in front of their fleet of delivery trucks in a photograph possibly taken in the 1930's. This was a far cry from the horse and buggy used to deliver bread to South Tacoma families when the bakery first started in the 1920's. The Tacoma Bread Co. was a long-time local bakery that was well-known for Manthou's Kream Krust Bread. Run by the Chris Manthou family, it expanded its facilities many times through the years. This old print was copied for the Tacoma Bread Co. on August 23, 1954; actual date of print is unknown.

Tacoma Bread Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Model Bakery trucks photographed for International Harvester in February of 1939. The delivery trucks have signs advertising the bakery's Star Loaf bread. (filed with Argentum)

Model Bakery (Tacoma)--Associated objects; Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The interior of the Federal Bakery. The Federal Bakery was located at 1107 So. K St. (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way) and owned by Mrs. Esther M. MacPherson. Mrs. MacPherson and an unidentified man stand behind a dazzling display of baked goods. The bakery had belonged in the MacPherson family since 1889 when Donald MacPherson built the original "Sunrise Bakery." It was demolished in 1923 to make way for this modern bakery building, called the Federal Bakery. Wallace & Esther MacPherson ran the bakery for many years and were an important component of the K Street shopping district, one of the largest neighborhood shopping areas. This building, along with others, was demolished in 1998 to make way for a new Rite Aid store. TPL-8121

Federal Bakery (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma;

Jordan Baking Company banquet at the Winthrop Hotel. The bakery was introducing a new and improved loaf of bread, "Sunbeam Bread". The new trademark showed a little blonde girl eating a slice of bread and butter. "Sunbeam Bread was an achievement of many years experimentation to produce a truly superior loaf of bread," according to Arthur K. Jordan, owner of the bakery. The new wrapper design was executed in a light blue and white with a floral border and a picture of the girl eating a slice of bread and butter. Arthur K. Jordan is seated in the middle of the front row wearing a lei. (TNT, 3/6/1952, p.16)

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Jordan, Arthur K.; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Home of "Wonder Bread"; the Wonder Bakery at 703 S. Sprague. Continental opened its Wonder Bread Bakery here in 1934.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Continental Bakery Co., 703 So. Sprague, home of Wonder Bread, in June of 1939. Exterior shot of front and north side of Sprague Street. The structure was built in 1913 for Matthaei Bread Co. It was occupied by Continental Baking Co. and their Wonder Bread Bakery beginning in 1934. (filed with Argentum)

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Continental Bakery employees in Western clothes and wearing Jubilee hats posed in front of bakery and two Wonder Bread trucks with sign "Picnic Days Are Here Again." A large sign on top of the roof proudly proclaims Continental as the "Home of Wonder Bread."

Washington State Golden Jubilee, 1939--Tacoma; Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Model Bakery's new truck in front of Olympic Ice Cream Store. Publicity for Titus Motor Company.

Business Enterprises - Food Industry - Bakers - Model Bakery Confectionaries - Olympic Ice Cream Store Truck Dealers - Ford Dealers - Titus Motor Company

In December of 1949, the Jordan Baking Company at 5233 So. Washington St., received recognition by the Quality Bakers of America for their high quality bread. Joe Kehoe (center), the Pacific Coast representative of Quality Bakers of America holds the silver trophy that Jordan's was awarded for "The Best Loaf of Bread". Arthur K. Jordan, owner of the Jordan Baking Company, is on the right. W.J. Casteel, the company sales manager, is on the left and Anthony J. Tosic, superintendent, is standing. (TNT, 1/10/1950, p.8)

Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bread--Tacoma; Awards; Jordan, Arthur K.; Kehoe, Joe; Casteel, W.J.; Tosic, Anthony J.;