ca. 1933. Walker Chevrolet Company. View of showroom, three automobiles, advertising posters, auto parts display, fancy transom with Chevrolet logo over doorway. Ordered by Mr. Donahue. (WSHS)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Walker Chevrolet Co. (Tacoma); Chevrolet automobile;

Miss Marjorie Pierce stands next to her 1933 Chrysler Six sedan recently purchased from the American Motor Co. Store manager Grover E. Wakefield is at the left of the photograph. American Motors would open their new showrooms at South 9th and "K" (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way) on November 20, 1933. The Chrysler and Plymouth dealership offered service departments to handle everything from complete overhauls and body building to regular service station jobs. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-19-33, 7A)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; American Motor Co. (Tacoma); Chrysler automobile; Pierce, Marjorie; Wakefield, Grover E.;

Marjorie Pierce, dressed in a fur coat, leans against a large and elegant 1933 Chrysler 4-door sedan in front of the new showrooms of American Motor Company at South 9th and K Street. Building features Doric columns interspersed with spindled show windows. American Motors would open their Chrysler and Plymouth dealership at this new location on November 20, 1933. TPL-7160

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; American Motor Co. (Tacoma); Chrysler automobile; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fur garments; Pierce, Marjorie;

On November 20, 1933, American Motors, Inc. of Tacoma moved their Chrysler/Plymouth dealership to 824 K St. (now 824 Martin Luther King Jr. Way). Built in 1925 by Mutual Motors, the building offered large showrooms, a fully equipped service department and a service station. The dealership lasted at this location for only two years, and in 1939 the building was taken over by the Olympic Dairy Products Co. Note the street car lines in from of the building.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; American Motor Co. (Tacoma); Depressions--1929;

Staff of American Motor Company just prior to their November, 1933, move to new and more spacious quarters at South 9th and "K" (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way) Sts. Fifteen men and two women posed in front of window bearing a "Chrysler Service" logo. Managers Grover E. Wakefield (third from left in second row) and Robert M. Jackson (second from left in second row) were in charge of the Chrysler & Plymouth dealership, the successor to the American Automobile Co. Opened there in 1933, in the depths of the Great Depression, the agency lasted less than two years. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-19-33, 7A)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; American Motor Co. (Tacoma); Depressions--1929; Wakefield, Grover E.; Jackson, Robert M.;

Rowland Pontiac-Cadillac opened a used car center near their dealership on South Tacoma Way in July, 1957. Several late model vehicles are angle parked close to the building. Rowland Pontiac-Cadillac's dealership, owned and operated by Don Rowland, was formerly the location of Irwin-Jones Motor Co., dealers in Pontiacs and Dodges. View of used car lot and building; large signs inform drivers on busy South Tacoma Way of the company's phone number, address, and purpose of business. Photograph ordered by Rowland Pontiac-Cadillac.

Rowland Pontiac-Cadillac Used Car Center (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

A three-alarm blaze caused $47,000 in damages to the Imported Motors facility on August 6, 1958. A leaking gasoline tank that fell caused the fast-spreading fire. Twenty cars were saved but nine expensive foreign cars were badly damaged. Imported Motors was owned by Tom Carstens who flew in via a small plane immediately from Seattle to inspect the damage. This photograph taken 30 hours after the fire shows the heavy damage to the overhead roof area; parts of the laminated beams are still intact while others have been burned, leaving the building exposed to the elements. Photograph ordered by Woodlam, Inc. (TNT 8-6-58, A-1)

Imported Motor Cars, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fires--Tacoma--1950-1960;

General view of Temple Motor Company, Studebaker and Mercedes-Benz dealers. Studebaker Golden Hawk or Gran Turismo and pickup in showroom, SL-type Benz convertible exiting garage. Neon signs in windows and on building facade. After years at their 201 Saint Helens Ave. address, Temple Motors made the move to Broadway in 1958. They were the authorized factory dealers of Studebakers, Packards, and Mercedes-Benz and offered friendly service and complete repair facilities, including body and fender work. This picture was taken on August 29, 1958, near the 7th St. side. Photograph ordered by Temple Motors.

Temple Motors, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1950-1960; Studebaker automobile; Studebaker trucks; Convertible automobiles--Tacoma--1950-1960; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1926. In 1926 a new Jubilee Moon 6-60 from the Bye Thompson Motor Sales Company located at 3320 South G Street took on the steep K Street hill. The K Street hill between Center Street and South 27th had such a steep grade that it was used as a testing ground for the power of new cars. The Jubilee Moon was produced to celebrate 20 years of manufacturing by the Moon Motor Co. (1905-1929) of St. Louis, MO. The car, which sold for under $1,000, was reported to be of European design adapted to American traffic needs. The Moon and Diana motor car agent in Tacoma was the Bye Thompson Motor Sales Company; Bye Thompson was president of the company which sold and serviced the vehicles. This steep, rugged portion of K St. closed about 1960. Holy Rosary Church can be seen in the background. (filed with Argentum) (information on the Moon Jubilee from an August 7, 1926 ad in the Saturday Evening Post)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Bye Thompson Motor Sales Co. (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Moon automobiles; Dirt roads--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Delivery by Irwin Jones Co. of twelve 1/2 ton GMC utility trucks to Cascade Natural Gas Co. The photograph was taken at McKinley Park.

Irwin-Jones Motor Co. (Tacoma); General Motors trucks--1950-1960; McKinley Park (Tacoma);

Steven Motor Co. in their new location at 2705 South Tacoma Way. Steven Motors was the Plymouth and Valiant dealer and had formerly been located in downtown Tacoma on Broadway. Everett T. Steven was the president of the sales and service company. Steven had 50 years experience in the automotive business. He started out with Harold Gilliam as Gilliam & Steven at 733 St. Helens in 1916. Prior to that partnership, Steven had worked at Pacific Car Company as a youngster, polishing the brass on new cars. New Plymouth automobiles can be seen in the showroom window and on the lot. The dealership was 2 1/2 acres with a 350 foot frontage on South Tacoma Way and 600 feet deep. The showroom had 3,000 square feet of floor space with 16 foot high glass windows on 2 1/3 sides. Above the showroom was a conference room and coffee bar, behind the showroom sales offices were the parts department and shop area. (TNT 11/4/1959, section A)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1950-1960; Plymouth automobile; Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Steven Motor Company, Chrysler and Plymouth dealers, general view of the showroom at their new South Tacoma location. New Plymouth Fury hardtop at left in photo, station wagon at right. To the left of the photo are cubicles, probably holding the desks of the sales agents. To the right of the photo is a stand up cardboard cut out of Steve Allen advertising "The Steve Allen Plymouth Show." Behind and to the left of the cut out is the parts department; the shop area can be seen through the open space at the back of the office. Located above the offices, that were behind the doors in the back wall, were a conference room and a coffee bar. The approximately 3000 square foot showroom had 16 foot high glass windows on 2 1/3 sides. It was one of the finest Chrysler Corporation dealerships on the West Coast. The dealership was also one of two local dealers of the Valiant, the 101 horsepower, 6 cylinder family sized economy car. (TNT 11/4/1959, section A)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1950-1960; Plymouth automobile; Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Osborne-McCann Pontiac-Cadillac, general view of dealership. This September, 1962, photograph shows new Pontiacs in showroom, Cadillacs and other automobiles in carport area. Chair-link fencing set up in front of showroom windows. The 1625 South Tacoma Way address had previously been the location of the Irwin-Jones Motor Co. Truck Department until 1954 and the Rowland Pontiac Cadillac Center until 1957. Osborn-McCann moved to Fife in 2004 after 46 years in Tacoma. TPL-9230

Osborn-McCann Pontiac-Cadillac, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Pontiac automobile; Electric signs--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Osborne-McCann Pontiac-Cadillac, view of service lot from the northwest. Many 1950s to early 1960s automobiles are parked in back of the dealership. Cars were still quite large and roomy at that time. There is a motorcycle trike with company name on it in the rear and a Cadillac Coupe de Ville with front body damage at right center. TPL-9231

Osborn-McCann Pontiac-Cadillac, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1960-1970; Automobiles--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Broadway Motor Company. Signs "We Pay High Prices for your Car or Equity", See Us First" and "Service Entrance". One automobile is seen parked in the service entrance and another is in the showroom seen through the window. Building has vertical stone decoration (low relief) and tall glass windows above the first floor.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Broadway Motor Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1927. Whippet Automobile on Coast to Coast trip in front of Manley Motor Company Inc. Manley was the official dealer for Overland and Willys-Knight automobiles. The Whippet automobile was manufactured from 1926-1931 by Willys Overland. The Whippet was an affordable vehicle designed to compete with Ford's Model T. (filed with Argentum)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Manley Motor Co. (Tacoma); Whippet automobile;

Central Motors interior of garage. A view of a very large, open service garage with wooden floor. The foreground shows a hoist and in the rear an automobile is parked in a separate work area.

Automobile dealerships; Garages; Vehicle maintenance & repair;

As more people sought to own their own automobiles, the staff of Manley Motor Co., 956-58 Fawcett Ave., grew in the same proportion. The president of the company was Harry R. Manley. They were the authorized dealers for Overland, Willys-Knight and Whippet automobiles. Pictured in the top row, left to right in May of 1927, are Harry Manley, Dolly Wescott, Lloyd Munter, J.B. Clausen, N.W. Powers, K. McDonald and Ray Coops. Front row: Joe Willett, Art Lee, Phil Service, Omar Ferris, E.J. Atchinson, J.T. Owens, Herman Riggins, F.R. Grimm, Harold Hayden, Art Rossell and Leo Bauer. (TDL 5/22/1927, pg. G3) (WSHS)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Manley Motor Co. (Tacoma);

On April 22nd-23rd 1927, the Daimler-Knight limousine, once owned by England's King George V was on display at Manley Motor Co., 956-58 Fawcett Ave. The vehicle had been built especially for King George V in England in 1910. He used it until 1924. After its 14 years of service, it was being driven across the US in a cross country tour. It could reach speeds of up to 52mph, got 6 1/2 miles per gallon of gas and carried 35 gallons. Alongside the Daimler is a Willys Knight 70 sedan. Standing in the front, left to right, are James Teale (driver of the car on its US tour,) Harry Manley (pres. Manley Motors,) Capt. Gardner of the Tacoma Police Dept. at the wheel, Chief of Police M.D. Guy and Joe Willits (shop superintendent Manley Motors.) (TDL 4/24/1927, pg. G-7) TPL-7179

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Willys-Knight automobile; Daimler-Knight automobile; Manley Motor Co. (Tacoma); Manley, Harry;

The Daimler-Knight limousine in the center of this photograph was once owned by England's King George V. It was met at Tacoma's city limits by Harry Manley and two local police officers who escorted it to the Manley Motor Company at South 9th and Fawcett where it was to be on display April 22-23, 1927. The vehicle had been built for the King in 1910 at a price tag of $17,000 and had been used continuously for 14 years. It was still capable of doing 60 mph and had 174,000 miles while in service to the king. The odometer on it had over 196,000 miles by the time it reached Tacoma. Behind the limo is a Willys-Knight 66-A "foursome." Pictured left to right are Sgt. Charles Rhors and Officer Harold Thornberg on motorcycles, R.J. Tarte (Motor Transport Co.- Seattle), Capt. Fred Gardner, Police Chief M.D. Guy, Harry Manley, James Teale (Willys-Knight) and shop foreman Joe Willett. (T.Times 4/23/1927, pg. 9) (Argentum)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Willys-Knight automobile; Daimler-Knight automobile; Manley Motor Co. (Tacoma); Manley, Harry; Rhors, Charles; Thornberg, Harold; Tarte, R.J.; Gardner, Fred; Guy, M.D.; Teale, James; Willett, Joe;

Central Motors bought, sold and serviced cars. They were about to move into this building, where they would offer their customers a wide selection of used cars and more extended services. Interior view of Central Motors.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Showrooms--Tacoma; Central Motors (Tacoma);

ca. 1927. A woman steps into a car in front of what appears to be Manley Motor Co., official dealer for Overland and Willys-Knight automobiles. (WSHS)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Manley Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Irwin-Jones Motor Company, a Nalley's Potato Chip delivery truck. The Dodge truck has the name, "Ray Beeber Food Sales, Klamath Falls, Oregon", on the side of the door. The covered back end of the truck has painted signs for "Nalley's" and "Nalley's fresh Potato Chips, Fresh-Crisp-Delicious".

Irwin-Jones Motor Co. (Tacoma); Nalley's, Inc. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Dodge trucks;

General view of Ray Ridge Motors, Lincoln/Mercury dealer. A corner view of the large automobile dealership building. New automobiles are seen through the showroom windows. A Model A Ford, five window coupe is parked at the curb. Large home on G Street in background.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Ray Ridge Motors, Inc. (Tacoma);

1946 General view of Ray Ridge Motors, Lincoln - Mercury dealer. A front view of the large automobile dealership building. New automobiles are seen through the showroom windows. The service entrance is seen to the right end of the building. A Model A Ford and Buick are parked at the curb.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ray Ridge Motors, Inc. (Tacoma);

General view of Sanford Nash Company. Stucco building at Sixth and Tacoma Avenues, two Nash automobiles in showroom windows, neon and painted signs on building.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Nash Metropolitan automobile; Sanford-Nash, Inc. (Tacoma);

Parts and Accessories counter at Sanford Nash Company. Parts and accessories on display, posters promoting Nash accessories on wall above.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Sanford-Nash, Inc. (Tacoma); Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies;

Service area at Sanford Nash Company. Many Nash and other automobiles lined up along wall under signs promoting services.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Nash Metropolitan automobile; Sanford-Nash, Inc. (Tacoma); Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Service area at Sanford Nash Company. Display of Nash accessories, auto lift racks, wheel alignment and lubrication cabinets, two automobiles in background.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Nash Metropolitan automobile; Sanford-Nash, Inc. (Tacoma); Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1940-1950;

1946 Nash automobiles on display in showroom of Sanford Nash Company. Glassed in offices, advertising posters in background.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Nash automobile; Sanford-Nash, Inc. (Tacoma); Showrooms--Tacoma--1940-1950;