Series of aerials around the vicinity of South 19th & Pearl Sts. taken on behalf of Mueller Investment Co. on October 3, 1977. This view is believed to be a bit further north, near the Westgate Shopping Center and the North End water tower and reservoir.

Aerial photographs; Aerial views; Water towers--Tacoma; Reservoirs--Tacoma;

Aerial view of unidentified buildings. Construction may not yet be completed at this unidentified site near a heavily wooded area. There is a large section of cleared land near the two-lane roadways which may later be used for either homes or businesses. Color photograph ordered by Pacific Lanes.

Aerial views; Aerial photographs; Buildings;

Northeast view from Manitou Park to the Tacoma Mall, taken via helicopter on April 2, 1973. In the near center of the photograph is the sprawling campus of Mount Tahoma High School, built in 1961. The school has since been relocated to a 50-acre site formerly part of the old Flett Dairy. The Tacoma Mall Shopping Center is center, near the top of the photograph, with I-5 traffic flowing adjacent to the busy Mall. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Aerial view; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Mount Tahoma High School (Tacoma); Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma);

Another in a series of photographs taken on April 3, 1973, on behalf of Collison Realty showing the neighborhoods around 112th & Meridian. There was the Willows Mobile Home Park, Willows Lumber Co., and possibly the new 10-acre Willows Shopping Center under construction in this small business district. This area was still quite rural but would undergo rapid change in the future. The new shopping center, which included such stores as the Piggly-Wiggly, State Farm Insurance and Hallmark's, would serve a population of about 40,000 in the South Hill area, the fastest growing residential community in Pierce County. (TNT 3-18-73, D-10 -article on shopping center)

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Puyallup--1970-1980;

This is the area of 112th & Meridian as seen by air on April 3, 1973. At that time the great stands of evergreens occupied most of the land. The Willows Mobile Home Park and the Willows Lumber Co. are located in the center of the aerial. Much of this area has since been developed. Photograph ordered by Collison Realty.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Puyallup--1970-1980;

These buildings at the intersection of 112th & Meridian appears to be under construction in April of 1973. This may be the location of the new "Willows" 10-acre shopping center which would open in May. Piggly-Wiggly supermarket and 15 other stores including a Hallmark, State Farm Insurance, and Sunrise Brokers would be the first stores to open; Pay N Save, Puget Sound National Bank, and others would follow in August or September. Aerial photograph ordered by Collison Realty. (TNT 3-18-73, D-10-article on shopping center)

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Puyallup--1970-1980; Building construction--Puyallup--1970-1980;

This is what the populous south side of Tacoma looked like in April of 1973. The aerial photograph of the South 72nd and South Lawrence Sts. looking north was taken on behalf of Puget Sound National Bank. The Tacoma Mall Shopping Center is at the extreme top -right side- of the photograph.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980;

One of a series of aerial views, taken aboard a helicopter on April 2, 1973, of the Tacoma Mall area as requested by Puget Sound National Bank. This view is east from South 56th & Manitou area. The Tacoma Mall is upper center with I-5 running next to the shopping center. Heavily wooded area in direct center is part of South Park and also the Tacoma Cemetery, established in 1875. Northern Pacific Shops are lower center.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma);

Aerial view on April 2, 1973, of the Nalley Valley and 38th St. interchange. Atlas Foundry is on the right side. The Tacoma Mall is left-center, adjacent to the freeway. There were a variety of ways to get to the Mall, including the heavily utilized South Pine and South 38th St. entrances. Less than nine years old and already boasting of several large department stores as well as specialty shops, the Mall was able to draw a shopping population from as far south as Olympia and from as far north as Seattle. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma); Shopping centers--Tacoma--1970-1980; Express highways--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Another in a series of aerial photographs taken on April 2, 1973, for Puget Sound National Bank regarding the Tacoma Mall and surrounding areas. The hundreds of automobiles in the parking lot appear the size of matchbox cars when viewed via helicopter on this sunny spring day. Parking was obviously no problem and the weather would not be a factor either, since the Tacoma Mall was an enclosed, climate-controlled shopping center. J.C. Penney, the Bon Marche, Nordstrom and the soon-to-be constructed Rhodes department store on the west side would be the four major stores anchoring the Mall. Separate buildings in the Mall area included (l-r)the Tacoma Mall Office Building, the Bon Marche Tire Center, the round Pacific National Bank of Washington and the Tacoma Mall Theatre.

Aerial views; Parking lots--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma); Shopping centers--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Mall Office Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Mall Theater (Tacoma); Pacific National Bank of Washington (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. Aerial photograph, probably taken in the fall of 1973, of the St. Regis Paper Co. The plant, the county's largest non-military employer, was located between the Puyallup and St. Paul Waterways. St. Regis would be acquired by Champion International Corp. in 1984 and subsequently sold to Simpson Tacoma Kraft the following year. Simpson Tacoma Kraft still maintains the plant in 2007.

Aerial views; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1970-1980; Puyallup Waterway (Tacoma); St. Paul Waterway (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. A look by air at the shipyard believed to be Tacoma Boatbuilding, located at 1840 Marine View Dr. N.E., overlooking the Hylebos Waterway. Built on a spacious 20-acre site in 1969, the shipyard was able to expand production of extra-large fishing boats as well as complete government contracts. Tacoma Boatbuilding had decided to move operations to this Hylebos Waterway location after fire had destroyed their plant on the Sitcum Waterway in 1968.

Aerial views; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Logs; Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma);

Aerial view of Tacoma's largest shopping center, the Tacoma Mall, on April 2, 1973. Traffic on I-5 flows quickly along and there was easy access to the shopping center. South 48th St. with its overpass over I-5 intersects with South Ferry at the Mall. The Allstate Insurance Co.district office is the large building at the southwest corner of South 48th & Ferry. The wooded area next to Allstate would later be developed. This view, looking north, shows the Mall in its entirety, including the separate structures of the Tacoma Mall Theatre, Pacific National Bank of Washington, and the Tacoma Mall Office Building. With 83 acres of land, there was plenty of room for free parking and also for later expansion. Rhodes department store had already announced plans to open a branch at the Mall; it would be built on the extreme far west section. This aerial also shows the Mall's surrounding neighborhoods including Lincoln Heights off 38th St. past the grove of evergreens. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bankl.

Aerial views; Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma); Shopping centers--Tacoma--1970-1980; Express highways--Tacoma--1970-1980; Allstate Insurance Co. (Tacoma); Tacoma Mall Theater (Tacoma); Tacoma Mall Office Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. Closer aerial look at shipyard on the Hylebos Waterway, believed to be Tacoma Boatbuilding who had constructed a $3,000,000 plant there after the disastrous fire of 1968 which had destroyed their Sitcum Waterway facility. The Hylebos location now provided 20 acres of space and held separate buildings for aluminum fabricating, steel fabricating, administrative and engineering, and warehouse for equipment. Several boats are pictured above docked at the 300-foot pier. TPL-6583

Aerial views; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma); Logs; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1970-1980;

One of a series of photographs taken on behalf of Collison Realty by the Richards Studio on April 3, 1973. These aerial views focused on the 112th & Meridian neighborhood. Eventually, the South Hill Mall would be built in this area.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Puyallup--1970-1980;

The focus of this April, 1973, aerial is the Tacoma Mall Shopping Center and its environs. Located in the city's south end, the Tacoma Mall enjoyed easy access from the freeway and acres of free parking space. Customers could choose from about 100 stores, all under one climate-controlled roof. Rhodes Bros. would be the next large department store to open in the newly expanded Mall, a move that would eventually mean the closing of its flagship downtown location in late 1974. This view, looking east, also shows South Tacoma Way at the bottom. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma); Shopping centers--Tacoma--1970-1980; Express highways--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Northwest view from South 84th & Park Ave. This aerial look at Tacoma's south side was taken on behalf of Puget Sound National Bank on April 2, 1973. Lake in the center is Wapato Lake, bordered by South Alaska, South 72nd and Sheridan Ave. John S. Baker Junior High (now Middle School) is near bottom-center. Park Ave. has been marked in ink. Yakima Ave. is parallel to Park and is left of Park.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Wapato Lake (Tacoma); Baker Junior High School (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. An overhead view of the American Smelting & Refining Co. (ASARCO) and Commencement Bay in 1973. Wispy puffs of smoke emerge from the plant's 562-foot smokestack. ASARCO would eventually close twelve years later due to economic and environmental reasons. The smelter stack was demolished in 1993.

Aerial views; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smelters--Tacoma--1970-1980; Smokestacks--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. Aerial view of North 52nd St. area, featuring the American Smelting & Refining Co. (ASARCO) plant and smokestack. Also in the photograph is winding Bayshore Drive near Commencement Bay. The tip of Mount Rainier can barely be seen in the background haze.

Aerial views; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma; Commencement Bay (Wash.); Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

1973 Richards stock footage. Aerial view of shipyard believed to be Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. taken on a clear February day in 1973. Masses of logs float nearby until needed. The shipyard faces the Hylebos Waterway and was moved there after Tacoma Boatbuilding's longtime plant on the Sitcum Waterway was destroyed by fire in 1968.

Aerial views; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Logs; Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma);

Aerial view looking northwest of the 112th & Meridian area in April of 1973. 112th St. runs diagonally past the Willows Mobile Home Park. At the far right center, according to a reader, was the brand new Willows Shopping Center with Piggly Wiggly and a Pay-N-Save. Just below the center of the photograph was the intersection of 116th St. E. and Meridian. The newer L-shaped building south of the trailer park was another shopping center, later home to MegaFoods, and presently a redeveloped shopping center containing Best Buy. Photograph ordered by Collison Realty. (Additional information provided by a reader)

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Puyallup--1970-1980;

Looking west from South 56th & Pacific Ave. Aerial view on April 2, 1973, of the densely populated area around the Tacoma Mall. The Mall itself is right-center. Olympics are at the top of the photograph. Photograph ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Aerial views; Neighborhoods--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma); Shopping centers--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. This aerial view features the two large domes leased by Kaiser Aluminum from the Port of Tacoma. The aluminum sheathed domes stored shipments of alumina ore from Australia. Both domes were eventually dismantled about 2005.

Aerial views; Storage tanks--Tacoma; Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);

Closer look at the Tacoma Mall Shopping Center as seen by air on April 2, 1973. 25 more stores would open on July 25th bringing the total number of stores found within the Mall to 110. Construction would begin soon on the two-story Rhodes Bros. department store at the far west end. Prominent buildings easily noted in this photograph are the Bon Marche, which was the first occupant of the Mall; the luxurious Tacoma Mall Theatre (bottom center); Pacific National Bank of Washington's circular building; the Bon Marche Tire Center, directly across from the Bon and the six-story Tacoma Mall Office Building. What the Tacoma Mall enjoyed, and downtown shopping lacked, was an abundance of free parking and a climate controlled atmosphere. Access to the Mall was easy with several entrances and quick freeway travel time. The wooded area across the Mall on South 48th St. would eventually become Best Buy, a Pierce County Transit Center, and closer to Pine St., the Social Security office. Ordered by Puget Sound National Bank.

Aerial views; Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma); Shopping centers--Tacoma--1970-1980; Parking lots--Tacoma--1970-1980; Bon Marche (Tacoma); Tacoma Mall Theater (Tacoma); Pacific National Bank of Washington (Tacoma); Tacoma Mall Office Building (Tacoma)

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. Unidentified ships docked at Port of Tacoma, as seen by air, in 1973. The Port, then as now, was a busy, bustling place which saw the arrival and departure of many ships during the year.

Aerial views; Vessels; Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);

1973 Richards stock footage. Color aerial view of the Export Pacific plant, 1942 E. 11th St., as photographed on September 10, 1973. The firm was headed by Chauncey L. Griggs and was involved in the lumber export business.

Aerials views; Export Pacific Co. (Tacoma); Shipping--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. This may be the 712-foot long tanker, "Achilles," as seen by air, docked at the Port of Tacoma in 1973. She appears to be ready to take on grain from the port's grain elevator. Other unidentified vessels are in the background.

Aerial views; Vessels; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1970-1980;

Undated color copy of photograph from the 1973 Richards stock footage. Aerial view of the Grand Coulee Dam and surrounding area. The dam is in the center with Lake Roosevelt behind. The Grand Coulee is a large hydroelectric dam located on the Columbia River.

Aerial views; Dams--Grand Coulee;

ca. 1973. Copy of customer print ordered on April 5, 1973, by Tacoma Boatbuilding. Colorful aerial view of Tacoma Boatbuilding's 20-acre plant on the Hylebos Waterway. Three cargo ships, including the "Atlantis," are in port. Tacoma Boatbuilding had moved to 1840 Marine View Dr. N.E. in 1969 after fire had destroyed their longtime Sitcum Waterway plant.

Aerial views; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Cargo ships--Tacoma; Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma);

1974 Richards stock footage. Construction of the new Liberty House/Rhodes department store at the Tacoma Mall is proceeding rapidly during the spring of 1974. The two-story building is being built at the Mall's far west end for an estimated $2,000,000. There would be 128,093 square feet of floor space. The store was scheduled to open in the fall of 1974. Also included in this May, 1974, aerial view of the shopping center: the Tacoma Mall Office Building (in rear), the 10-month old west end addition to the Mall, Nordstrom, and the Bon Marche. (TNT 1-13-74, F-8 article)

Aerial views; Aerial photographs; Tacoma Mall Shopping Center (Tacoma); Shopping centers--Tacoma--1970-1980; Building construction--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Mall Office Building (Tacoma); Bon Marche (Tacoma); Liberty House (Tacoma);