In March of 1952 an unidentified man was photographed tearing off an entry blank for the $20,000 "Room-for-Improvement" contest sponsored by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Contestants could win up to $4,000 by filling out an official entry form. Each contestant had to explain what remodeling project he wanted to complete and why plywood would be the best material to use. To win, the entry had to include both a written description of the project and before and after draws. The highest prize of $3,000, with a possible bonus of $1,000, was for the best plan to "Add-a-Room." Every contestant received an official entry form and a folder of home improvement ideas - all using plywood.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Contests--Tacoma;
Exterior shot of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association Circus. A banner outside displays the words "Plywood Jubilee" and "Free Show." Flood lighting can be seen at the top and bottom of the structure.
Exterior shot of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association Circus. A banner outside displays the words "Plywood Jubilee" and "Free Show." A mural along the from of the structure depicts a magician turning a tree into plywood.
Display kiosk at the Doug Fir Plywood Association Circus with 233 small wooden disks labeled with ways the company creates sales. Black and white photographs of the plywood making process are visible in the background.
A miniature model of a plywood making work room on display at the Douglas Fir Plywood Association Circus. Dolls are exhibited processing the lumber into plywood.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association, 20th annual meeting. The Plywood and Veneer safety award is being presented to Williard Burrell of Weyerhauser by A.P. Stinchfield. Weyerhauser Timber's branch in Springfield Oregon was being presented the 1955 award for its low incidence of accidents. The trophy resembling a roller perched on a block of wood is the Carleton L. Smith Memorial Safety Award.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Springfield, Ore.); Burrell, Williard; Stinchfield, A.P.; Awards;
The busy mail room of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A large mailer is being prepared. Some women fold the materials to be mailed and others stuff the envelopes. One of the jobs of the association was the promotion of the plywood product and the industry itself. One of the association's main sources of self promotion was the U.S. mail and the company maintained a large mail room to meet its demands.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960; Office workers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Correspondence;
Ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association; plywood being used in the construction of a commercial "chicken house." Plywood is being attached to the exterior of the beams to form the curved roof of the chicken house. The laminated beam construction eliminated the need for posts for support. This is possibly the West Side Dairy Road poultry farm of the Guy Conine family in Fife. They operated one conventional chicken house and two of the quonset hut design. (TNT 10/28/1956, pg. B-6)
Ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association; plywood being used in the construction of a commercial "chicken house." The huge curved roof structure is followed by another just like it, indicating the size of this poultry company. This is possibly the Fife farm of the Guy Conine family. They had three chicken houses, one of the conventional type and two of the quonset hut variety. The first quonset was 180 x 50 feet. The most recently built one was 250 ft x 50 ft. Mrs. Conine went into the poultry business when her growing family required her to go to work. At her husband's suggestion, rather than working in an office or store, she decided to stay home and raise chickens. The 3 year old operation is now one of the largest in Western Washington. (TNT 10/28/1956, pg B-6)
Ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association; plywood being used in the construction of a commercial "chicken house." These curved beams will support the plywood roof. The metal "lids" lying on the ground are possibly part of the incubators, or brooders. This mammoth house will hold many chickens, a far cry from a Mom and Pop operation. This is possibly the operation belonging to the Guy Conine family of Fife. Located on West Side Dairy Road south of Fife, the family raised 31,000 chickens in 3 fryer houses. The 3 year old operation was one of the largest in Western Washington. The newest poultry house was 250 x 50 feet and built for $6,000. Its laminated beams eliminated the need for posts and natural sawdust covered the ground floor. It had 16 gas warmed brooders. (TNT 10/28/1956, pg. B-6)
Ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association; plywood being used in the construction of a commercial "chicken house." Plywood is being attached to the exterior of the beams to form the curved roof of the chicken house. The entrance area and a ventilation window can be seen. This is the back of the house. This is possibly the Fife farm of the Guy Conine family. The family raised poultry in three chicken houses, one conventional and two of the quonset hut design. They raised Van Tress hybrid crosses, Washington Whites and Lancaster Whites. The laminated beam construction of the two quonset hut variety eliminated the need for posts for support. All feeding and watering was automatic. (TNT 10/28/1956, pg. B-6)
Douglas Fir Plywood Association's (DFPA) annual meeting. The Golden Jubilee Convention was held in Portland, Oregon June 19-21, 1955, celebrating 50 years of the plywood industry from its inception in 1905 to 1955. One of the highlights was the unveiling of an exposition. This appears to be the wives of delegates posing at the entrance of the exhibit hall.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland; Plywood;
Wallace E. (W.E.) Difford, managing director, addresses the Douglas Fir Plywood Association's (DFPA) annual meeting. The Golden Jubilee Convention was held in Portland, Oregon, June 19-21, 1955; celebrating 50 years of the plywood industry from its inception in 1905 to 1955. Difford advised the group of the need for research and product improvement to fuel industry growth. He also warned that the future of industry management depended on talented young people being advanced on the career path, not shuttled into dead end jobs. Difford was selected at the meeting as one of the top 3 plywood salesmen in the industry's history. The highlights of the Jubilee were a Broadway type musical pageant, the presentation of Arlene Francis's televised "Home Show" and the unveiling of a giant exposition containing 50 golden ideas designed by 5 nationally leading architects.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland; Plywood; Difford, Wallace E.;
The Douglas Fir Plywood Association's (DFPA) annual meeting in 1955. The Golden Jubilee Convention was held in Portland, Oregon, celebrating 50 years of the plywood industry from its inception in 1905 to 1955. Over 12,000 plywood manufacturers and distributers attended the meeting. One of the highlights was the unveiling of the Plywood Memorial at the Forestry building in Portland. The Memorial was designed around the original sheet of plywood manufactured in 1905 for display at the Lewis and Clark International Exposition in Portland.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland; Plywood;
Two blonde models and a casually attired unidentified man pose on the barrier around the Douglas Fir Plywood Association's Plywood Memorial at the Forestry Building in Portland, Oregon. On display is the first plywood panel ever made from Douglas Fir. Early in 1905, Portland was getting ready for a World's Fair as part of the centennial observance of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Portland Manufacturing Co. was asked to prepare an exhibit featuring something new and unusual. N.J. Bailey and Gustav Carlson and a crew of about six men constructed by trial and error the first plywood panels. This was the birth of the plywood industry that became one of the backbones of the economy of the Pacific Northwest. ("The Plywood Age" by Robert M. Cour)
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland--1950-1960;
The Douglas Fir Plywood Association's Plywood Memorial at the Forestry Building in Portland, Oregon. On display is the first plywood panel ever made from Douglas Fir. It was produced by the Portland Manufacturing Company for display at the Lewis and Clark International Exposition in Portland in 1905. Its production marked the birth of an industry that fueled the economy and development of the Pacific Northwest. The unveiling of the memorial was one of the highlights of the DFPA's Golden Jubilee, June 19-21, 1955, held in Portland.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland--1950-1960;
Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. In this photograph, a piece of 3D woodworking has been backlighted. The result looks almost like neon.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;
Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A design has been cut into fir plywood with a saw. The design is raised in some places and bent the other direction in others. The design has been illuminated from behind, accenting the detail. For the same design without the backlighting, see image #51.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;
Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A man poses with decorative woodwork pieces cut from fir plywood. The wood has been cut in intricate patterns with a skill saw. Dowel rods have then been inserted to hold some of the pieces out from the main piece, giving the design a 3D look.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;
Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A design has been cut into fir plywood with a saw. Dowel rods hold some portions of the design raised from the main board; other portions are bent back from the main design. The end result is a 3D look. A wooden finished knob in the center also lends a dimensional feel.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;
Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A man does detailed and intricate cutting with a skill saw. A completed decorative woodwork piece can be seen in the background.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Saws; Woodworking--Tacoma;
Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. The word "Moke' " has been carved into a piece of fir plywood. The final swoop of the "M" has been lifted up to give a 3D effect. Moke panels were popular in the 1950s as backdrops in department store window displays and as decorative art in homes. For the same carving illuminated from the back, see image #7. (Additional information provided by a reader)
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;
Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A cabinet is viewed from above topped with an assortment of power tools, hand tools and plywood trim pieces. These are the materials and tools used in a woolworking display captured in this photographic series (D89928.) This cabinet would be perfect for the home handyman to store his tools and small materials or for the hardware store to shelve small items. The DFPA, located in the Fuller building in Tacoma, was constantly promoting its product and its myriad uses. The plywood industry exploded in the Northwest thanks to this dedicated self promotion.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Drills (Equipment); Hammers; Woodworking--Tacoma;
Architects in the firm of Jensen & Mills examine a small display of Douglas Fir Plywood Association promotional material in their Jones Building office on November 19, 1954. The plywood association always stressed the stringent quality controls utilized in approving plywood for numerous uses. The DFPA label on plywood meant that customers could count on the association standing behind its product. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Advertising--Tacoma--1950-1960; Jensen & Mills (Tacoma);
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);
Plywood was a versatile product. It seemed like you could make anything out of plywood, including these charming store window Christmas cutouts. Two little wooden children, mouths wide open, are singing Christmas carols. This particular store was offering free Christmas plans using fir plywood for gifts, decorations and toys. A do-it-yourselfer could use the plans to create similar cutouts and then paint them in whichever colors he desired. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Plywood; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960;
A little girl touches a stuffed animal whose head emerges from a toy storage unit in a September 20, 1954, photograph. A variety of toys are scattered on the floor including a football helmet, glove, drum, dolls and books. These are probably going to be picked up and stored in the two wooden toy boxes. The boxes have wheels and are marked "delivery truck" and "moving van". It would make cleaning up faster and more fun as the toy chests are mobile; the child would be in charge of "driving" to pick up or deliver her toys. The "vehicles" could then be parked under the wooden desk for convenient storage. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Children playing with toys--Tacoma--1950-1960; Toys;
