Hundreds of children lined up outside the Rialto Theater to see Bette Davis and Douglas Fairbanks in "Parachute Jumper" and Will Rogers and Marian Nixon in "Dr. Bull." They were waiting for admission into the free Tacoma Times-Rialto Theater double feature, part of a party sponsored by the pair for Tacoma's youngsters. The year 1934 also saw the beginning of the film industry enforcing the Hays Production Code, in an effort to eliminate sex and violence from the movies. Under these guidelines, Hollywood began to turn out more family fare. TPL-161; BU-11239 (T. Times 5/21/1934, pg. 12)

This is what 9th & Broadway looked like in the late afternoon of September 20, 1932, as throngs strain to catch a glimpse of Presidential candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The Democratic candidate's open vehicle is led and followed by motorcycle police. Mr. Roosevelt, the governor of New York, had just concluded a speech to thousands at the Puyallup Fairgrounds. His motorcade arrived in Tacoma about a half-hour earlier than expected so hundreds missed their chance to see him swing through the streets of downtown Tacoma. TPL-2679 (TNT 9-20-32, p. 1-article; TNT 9-21-32, p. 1)

Fisher's Department Store, 1104 Broadway. Crowd outside Fisher's store in June of 1931. Vaudeville act in window. Girls in costume, with trumpets, standing on marquee of store. Photo for Fox Broadway Theater. Bowen # 310-240a

A large crowd of baseball fans gathered outside the Tribune Publishing Company building to watch the box score of the World Series game between the Philadelphia Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals on October 5, 1930. The News Tribune had a large scoreboard mounted on the front of their building which allowed fans to follow the game play-by-play. Although Cardinals pitcher Jesse Haines outdueled Lefty Grove 3-1 to tie the Series up at 2 wins apiece, the Athletics would ultimately prevail, winning the World Series 4 games to 2. BU-12852, TPL-2115

A crowd of several hundred people celebrated the arrival of the Pacific Air Transport Co.'s mail carrier plane at the municipal airport on April 15, 1928. It was the inauguration of the new American Railway Express Co. air service provided for Tacoma in conjunction with Pacific Air Transport's mail carriers. Tacoma Chamber of Commerce president John Dower took his first plane ride during the event as pilot J. Barton Story took him to greet the incoming express plane from the air. (TNT 4-16-28, p. 7, TDL 4-15-28, 8-A)