Steve's Gay '90s. Steve's Cafe (later commonly known as Steve's Gay '90s) was a fixture in South Tacoma for several decades. It was well known for its good food and lavish entertainment. View of Cable Room, a specialty dining area within Steve's which definitely had an old-time atmosphere. Steve Pease had imported actual cable car seating for his restaurant; Bill Knabel Sign & Display Service designed the room's layout. Names of actual cable cars were attached to the ends of the seats, including Powell & Market Strs., Bay & Taylor, and Angel Flight. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. TPL-3850
A do-it-yourselfer is getting an early October start on the Christmas holidays by following instructions on how to create his own giant Santa Claus cutout using plywood. More and more people were beginning to discover that they could indeed cut, saw, paint and create useful items themselves without using professional help. Companies were now providing easy-to-follow instructions for the amateur handyman. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Christmas decorations; Handicraft; Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
Do-it-yourself work was starting to become very common in the mid-1950's as companies came to the realization that many amateur handymen were eager to produce a finished product on their own. This man is carefully drawing in the outline of a giant Santa Claus cutout made of plywood. He would then cut out and put together the various pieces, paint them, and then have a permanent result of his own handiwork. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Christmas decorations; Handicraft; Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
Lumberman Ben Cheney (right) poses with Joe Budnick, manager of the Seattle Cheney Studs team on October 10, 1954. There is an impressive array of trophies on display won by the Cheney Studs. Mr. Cheney was a philantrophist who loved sports. His generosity enabled thousands of local residents, most of all children, to participate in a variety of sporting activities, including baseball. The Seattle Cheney Studs team was composed primarily of current and recent high school baseball stars from the Puget Sound region. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co. (additional identification by a reader)
Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; Budnick, Joe; Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Awards;
A member, believed to be Harold Lent, of the Woodbrook Hunt Club holds onto the reins of his horse on October 10, 1954. He is wearing hunting habit with a long jacket and cap. Woodbrook was one of the few hunting clubs in the country that maintained its own pack of hounds. This photograph would have been taken prior to the first hunt of the season. Bob Seney, huntsman, would be leading the pack. Harold Lent, president of the club, will lead the field as field master. (TNT 10-9-54, p. 5)
Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood); Horses--Lakewood--1950-1960; Clothing & dress--Lakewood--1950-1960;
Pencil behind his ear, a worker ponders the placement of a sheet of plywood on forms already in place. One large sheet is already been nailed on. The man needs to stand on a wooden plank to reach the forms as the building's foundation is already set and the ground excavated. Each plywood sheet is labeled "Plyscord" and stamped in numerous places informing buyers that this genuine fir plywood has undergone stringent testing for quality. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Plywood; Building construction; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
A man examines a piece of plywood sheathing marked "Plyscord", as it is being removed from a pickup truck on October 5, 1954. Several sheets remain to be unloaded to join the those already stacked on the ground. Plywood was a versatile product with many uses; first and foremost may have been in construction. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
Exterior of house. An example of contemporary Northwest style housing was photographed on October 5, 1954. It appears to have a basic rambler shape with a two-storied section jutting from the front of the home. A striped awning provides shade from the glaring sun. The home seems to be situated on a large landscaped lot with a border of tall trees in the back yard. Photograph ordered by Cole & Weber, advertising.
Exterior of house. A father holds a pair of clippers in his hand, perhaps preparing to trim the large bush in front of the chimney, as he smiles upon his two children. The little girl stands next to the boy on his bicycle while a woman, probably mom, clutches a child's coat. The location of the home is not identified, but its gabled roof, attached one-car garage, and large windows made it a popular style in the 1950's. The yard is neatly enclosed with a low, painted fence. Photograph ordered by advertising agency, Cole & Weber.
Exterior Lakewood Thriftway. The sleek modern lines of the Lakewood Thriftway supermarket were photographed on October 3, 1954. The flat overhanging roof jutting out from the concrete block building would provide protection from the weather for waiting customers . The Lakewood Thriftway would celebrate its grand opening October 7-9, 1954, with an impressive array of free gifts. Orchids, coffee, cake, ice cream, merry-go-round and pony rides would be provided free of charge. 7,500 different varieties of foods would be offered for sale in the 12,000 square foot store. Stan Engle was the co-owner and general manager of the new supermarket. Photograph ordered by the Condon Co., Inc., an advertising agency. (TNT 10-6-54, B-5)
Thriftway Food Stores (Lakewood); Grocery stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Exterior shopping center. Lakewood was already a thriving community by 1954 as residents were starting to move from crowded urban areas to more open land in the suburbs. The Lakewood Thriftway supermarket was located in a small shopping center along with a Texaco gas station and Hamlin Cleaners. Built by the March Building Co., it was a concrete block contemporary styled building with a parking lot that would hold 300 cars. The supermarket would hold its grand opening October 7-9, 1954, with free entertainment and gifts for customers, including a performance by Cherokee Jack, merry-go-round and pony rides for children, free orchids, coffee, cake and ice cream plus free groceries. Lakewood Thriftway would offer soft background music played while the customers shopped and seven ultra-modern checkout stands. View of empty parking lot of shopping center with Texaco station to the left foreground and the dry cleaners and Thriftway to the rear. Photograph ordered by the Condon Co., Inc., possibly for advertising purposes. (TNT 10-6-54, B-5)
Thriftway Food Stores (Lakewood); Grocery stores--Lakewood--1950-1960; Signs (Notices); Automobile service stations--Lakewood--1950-1960; Hamlin Cleaners (Lakewood); Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
On October 2, 1954, two couples from the Lakewood Dance Club took a load off their feet and sat back to admire the high-stepping dancing boots of "Gold Rush Girl" Mrs. Earl Davidson. The "Alaska Gold Rush Dance" was held in the Recreation Hall at the Lakewood Center. The sourdoughs and their best gals were, left to right, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Cooley, Mrs. and Mrs. Gordon Bennett (holding a couple of gold bricks) and Mr. and Mrs. Earl Davidson. Two amusing posters are behind the smiling group; the cartoons poke fun at the rugged, and unattached, gold miners. Photograph ordered by the News Tribune. (TNT 10-9-54, p. 5)
Twelve salesmen are photographed in the National Biscuit Co.'s Tacoma office on October 2, 1954. Sixth from the right in the center of the photograph is branch manager, H.A. Messick. Messick had been with the company for twenty years and his promotion to district sales manager of the special products division was announced later that month. Messick and his sales staff are standing behind an array of Nabisco products, including Ritz crackers, Ginger Snaps, Fig Newtons and Snowflake Saltines. The Nabisco motto, "Be Sure...Buy Nabisco!" is prominently displayed. (TNT 10-28-54, A-9)
A proud and happy group of school patrol leaders pose in front of Dupont School on October 1, 1954. The boys and girls all sport sashes with patrol badges pinned on them. School patrols provided protection for children walking to school by keeping a close eye on oncoming traffic; they may have had other duties as well. School administrative staff and honored guests were invited to join the children in the above photograph. One man seated in the front row holds a plaque with engraved names.
School children--Dupont; Dupont School Patrol (Dupont);
Workers are in the process of pouring concrete forms in a series of progress photographs taken on October 1, 1954. Men with shovels are busy spreading the concrete over the plywood while others carefully supervise the pouring. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Building construction; Concrete; Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
Architectural drawing of elementary school. Grant School, named after President Ulysses S. Grant and built in 1900, was overcrowded and deteriorating by 1954. A Citizens Advisory Committee, representing 175 civic and service organizations, recommended replacement of Grant Elementary due to its poor condition. Architects McGuire and Muri drew plans for a new school in 1954; however, construction was delayed until a bond issue proposal was passed by local voters. Construction began in 1955 and the new school was dedicated in February, 1956. (Olsen: For the Record, p. 79)
Architectural drawings; Grant School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960;
A Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation crane is in the process of lifting another piece of steel roof truss as work continues on the construction of new hangars on McChord Field in September, 1954. Hangars were used to house and repair aircraft. It appears that instead of being constructed of wood, they were built using steel components. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation.
Another view of construction of a new hangar on McChord Field was taken approximately September, 1954. Roof trusses and basic frame of the hangar appear to be in place at this time. A crane from Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation carefully hoists steel components used in the building construction. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation.
A huge circular safety-deposit door is wide open to invite customers to deposit their items of value in the safe and secure confines of a bank vault. Metal bars within the vault provide additional security. The back of a high desk is at the door's entry, behind the bars, so that customers could remove their boxes and place them there for easier access. The actual safe deposit boxes can be glimpsed further toward the rear of the vault; they may have come in a variety of sizes. Photograph ordered by Condon Co.
Vaults (Strong rooms); Safe-deposit boxes; Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Service station- Puyallup. B & K's Serv-Ur-Self gas station was located on River Road in Puyallup in 1954. It probably sold Eagle brand gasoline. A large clock on the station's rooftop indicates this photo was shot at 3:35 p.m. on a sunny fall day. The name of the station is also evident on the exterior rim of the clock. B & K was a self-service gas station with four pumps; a customer could save money by pumping his own gas under the wide protective station roof. The station may have been owned by Merle H. Brock and Steve Kreshak, who also owned a full service B & K station on 2nd Avenue N.E. Photograph ordered by Sunset Oil Co.
B & K Serv-Ur-Self (Puyallup); Automobile service stations--Puyallup--1950-1960;
Evergreens could be used year round as decorations for both indoor and outdoor locations. Although it is only September, this home has an evergreen swag on the front door and evergreens serving as a border around the doorway and windows. L & L Evergreen also had a thriving business in shipping fresh evergreens across the country in time for the Christmas season. The company was founded in 1938 by Tony Lipoma and had its headquarters in Puyallup next to the Meridian Street Bridge. Trees were freshly cut from the 980 acre Lipoma Tree Farm near Firgrove. Thousands of Yule trees and 3,000 hand-made artistic decorations, including cedar garlands, wreaths, swags and charms, are worked on per day by L & L Evergreen employees. Photograph ordered by L & L Evergreen. (TNT 11-21-54, D-14)
Christmas decorations; L & L Evergreen (Puyallup);
A massive stone fireplace seems to be the focus point in this Miller Construction Co. model home located in Skyline Terrace. Comfortably padded sofas and chair face the fireplace; the area is brightly lit with numerous lamps and overhead lighting. The flooring appears to be tiled to make housekeeping easier. Folding doors separate the main living room from a casual eating area. This Lenore Dr. residence was named Idea Home of the Year; it was designed by Cleveland architects Robert A. Little & Associates and featured in the September, 1954, Better Homes & Gardens magazine. Miller Construction cordially invited interested residents to tour the model home to gather ideas on modern home living. (TNT 9-19-54, E-7)
Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Living rooms--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fireplaces--Tacoma--1950-1960; Miller Construction Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Interior of model home. Cathedral ceilings highlight the wood enhanced living room of the Skyline Terrace model home built by Miller Construction Co. in 1954. Hardwood floors partially covered by a rug, a stone fireplace, comfortable stuffed chairs and wooden tables and chairs promote a rustic atmosphere. The mahogany parquet walls are echoed in the patterned ceiling; this theme is duplicated in the living room, dining room and recreation room. This was the interior of the "Home for All America" model home designed by Cleveland architects Robert A. Little & Associates which was featured in a Better Homes & Garden September, 1954, issue. The home was apparently later purchased by Weyerhaeuser executive Fremont C. Gault. (TNT 9-19-54, E-7)
Miller Construction Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Living rooms--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fireplaces--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Interior of model home. Attention is focused in this September 27, 1954, photograph on a section of living room located in the "Home for All America" model home. A drop leaf table with two chairs is positioned on the hardwood flooring close to the folding doors. A sideboard is placed against the wall under the long window; two framed paintings are above the partially filled bookcase. A beam seems to be the demarcation line between the actual living room and this possible eating area. This, and other interior pictures, were taken of the Skyline Terrace model home at 1101 Lenore Dr. built by the Miller Construction Co. and designed by Cleveland architects Robert A. Little & Associates. The "Home for All America" was sponsored by the Better Homes & Gardens magazine; the Skyline Terrace model was one of three adaptations of the basic plan. (TNT 9-19-54, E-7)
Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Miller Construction Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Steel pieces of a new hangar are being hoisted into place by a Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation crane on September 24, 1954. More space was becoming necessary at McChord Field to house and repair aircraft. Once completed, this new main hangar will encompass 22,000 square feet. The Seattle District Corps. of Engineers, U.S. Army, designed the hangar and supervised construction. All steel for the framework was fabricated by Bethlehem Steel 's Seattle plant and the framework itself erected by the company's steel workers. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation. (TNT 12-26-54, C-11)
Workers at Tacoma Metal Products are busy on September 24, 1954, assembling toy metal stoves. Located at 414 Puyallup Avenue, they were well known for their "Little Chef" electric stoves with some models actually capable of baking. Many of the assembly workers were women who became adept in riveting and assembling parts, testing electrical parts, and packaging. Photograph ordered by Pacific Oerliken Co.
Toys;Toy industry--Tacoma; Metalwork--Tacoma; Tacoma Metal Products Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Workmen balance high atop the roof of a new hangar at McChord Field on September 24, 1954. They are in the process of inserting steel sections. One of the building's sides is already in place. The hangars were used to house and repair aircraft and were apparently made basically out of steel components rather than wood. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation.
Gaye Titcomb, an Annie Wright senior, smilingly glances down at her matching makeup accessories in a September 23, 1954, sepia photograph. The compact, lipstick, lipstick case and small bag appear to have an identical jeweled theme. She is dressed in a lovely white nylon lace peignoir over petticoats of multicolored ruffles. Photograph ordered by the News Tribune for the Fall Fashion layouts. (TNT 9-28-54, C-5) TPL-9347
The Miller Construction Co. built many homes in the Skyline Terrace housing development in the 1950's. Each lot had beautiful views of either the city lights, Narrows or Olympic Mountains. The contemporary home at 1101 Lenore Drive would not be an exception. It was labeled the "Idea Home of the Year" and probably contained many new innovations. Designed by Cleveland architects Robert A. Little & Associates, it merited a 19 page listing in the September, 1954, Better Homes & Gardens magazine. View of home's fenced back yard; patio has a small section set aside for a small tree surrounded by concrete block. The 1955 City Directory listed its owner as Fremont C. and Virginia Gault; Mr. Gault was an executive with Weyerhaeuser Timber. Photograph ordered by Miller Construction Co., Inc. (TNT 9-19-54, E-7)
Gault, Fremont C.--Homes & haunts; Miller Construction Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960;
The home at 1101 Lenore Dr. was built as a model home by Miller Construction Co. It was located in the modern Skyline Terrace housing subdivision where all lots had beautiful views of either the water, mountains or city lights. This particular home was called the "Home for All America" and was later purchased by Fremont C. Gault. Space was set aside in the home for a display of home designs, photographs, pamplets and an architectural model of a new house for interested home buyers. Photograph ordered by Miller Construction Co. (TNT 9-19-54, E-7)
Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Architectural models; Miller Construction Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
