ca. 1925. The wheels are falling off an old pickup truck. Another truck with built-up wooden sides is parked in front of the broken down truck; it has a rope dragging behind it and it appears to have been towing something. What is attached to the rope is blocked from view by the pole. (WSHS)
Raudenbush Motor Co. Mrs. DesLys with Whippet. Raudenbush Motor Co. was an automobile dealer located at 314 Puyallup Ave. Mrs. Norah DesLys was the vice president of the Bon-Des-Lys Candy Makers, 2407 Pacific Ave. The Whippet automobile was manufactured from 1926-1931 by Willys Overland. On June 4, 1927, 25 year old actress and entertainer Norah Elizabeth Deslys married Tacoma candy manufacturer John T. Bond. She gave up the stage, after 18 years, to work with her husband in their recently incorporated Bon-Des-Lys (invented from the compound of both last names) candy company. Both Norah and her performance partner, her sister Essie, would maintain a home in Tacoma as well as Hollywood. (TNT 6/6/1927, pg.5) (WSHS)
ca. 1926. Men gather along the side of the road to cheer on the 1926 Moon Jubilee 6-60 as it powers its way up the So. K St. hill. The Moon Jubilee was manufactured in 1926 to celebrate 20 years of car manufacturing by the Moon Motor Co. of St. Louis, Mo. The automobile, according to advertising at the time, featured European styling adapted to American driving needs and sold for under $1,000. The dealer for the automobile in Tacoma was the Bye Thompson Motor Co., R. Bye Thompson president, at 3320 So. G St. The So. K St. Hill climb started at Center St. and headed north. It was closed around 1960. (filed under Argentum)
ca. 1926. Young man at wheel of a touring car parked sideways across dirt road, three teenage boys sit on running board, three younger boys sit on ground. The dirt road in the background is believed to be So. K St. For years Tacoma drivers tested the stamina of their cars and the grit of the driver by motoring up the K St. hill, from Center St. due north, straight uphill. The road was closed in 1960. For Kohl Advertising Agency. (filed with Argentum)
ca. 1937. Wrecked automobile off roadway in South Tacoma, circa 1937. Automobile is a 4-door sedan with round rear window and spoke wheels. Impact seems to have occurred on the driver's side as both the driver's door and rear door were heavily damaged. The accident has drawn a crowd of curious spectators, including children.
ca. 1932. Front view of an automobile parked in front of the Edward B. Rhodes Post, American Legion Memorial Building, an art deco structure designed by Heath, Gove and Bell, Architects in 1929. Since 1991, this building has been home to the Karpeles Manuscript Library. (filed with Argentum)
Automobiles--1930-1940; American Legion Edward B. Rhodes Post No. 2 (Tacoma); Patriotic societies--Tacoma--1930-1940;
In June of 1927, Seattlite and frequent Tacoma visitor Esther Landstrom (in coat) was pictured with her new Willys-Knight 70-A coupe in front of the First Presbyterian Church at 20 Tacoma Avenue South. Her small dog stands on the running board. Her friend Dolly Wescott, a bookkeeper at Manley Motors, was at the wheel. Mrs. Landstrom had recently purchased her car from Manley Motor Company, 956-58 Fawcett Avenue, in Tacoma. Manley Motors were the authorized dealers of Overland, Willys-Knight, and Whippet automobiles. (TDL 6/19/1927, pg. G2) (WSHS)
Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Presbyterian churches--Tacoma; First Presbyterian Church (Tacoma); Landstrom, Esther; Wescott, Dolly; Willys-Knight automobile; Dogs--Tacoma--1920-1930;
ca. 1936. An unidentified man wearing a cap and leather jacket stands beside a sleek two-door automobile parked in front of the Tacoma totem pole. The Mason Block building and top of the 11th Street Bridge are in the background. Richards Studio notes describe this photograph as "Dick Rodius." (WSHS)
Automobiles--1930-1940; Totem poles--Tacoma; Sheard & Thorne Totem Pole (Tacoma); Tacoma Totem Pole (Tacoma);
ca. 1979. Station wagon, circa 1979. Stickers on windows- "All State," "Auto Club" and "Your passport to Heaven is Jesus." Cases of coke bottles inside. Photographer reflected in the lower left corner of the right side back window.
ca. 1947. Both the woman and the automobile appear tiny while compared to the towering trees in this circa 1947 photograph. Location was not identified.
Titus Ford were the only official Ford engine rebuilders in Tacoma. They had rebuilt more than 20,000 Ford engines, using only Ford authorized parts. Titus rebuilding department had grown significantly since 1946, they had over 65 qualified mechanics employed full time. Interior view of Titus service department, mechanics have an assembly line set up to expedite the rebuilding process of Ford engines.
Ford automobile; Engines; Mechanics (Persons)--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma--1940-1950; Titus Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma);
Three unidentified Tacoma Camp Fire Girls were photographed on March 8, 1947 as they boarded a chartered North Coast Transportation bus to a day trip to Olympia. About 200 Camp Fire Girls and their chaperones were taking part in the special "Going Places" visit to the state capitol. The "Going Places" project was organized to celebrate the birthday of the Camp Fire Girls organization. The Olympia trip was planned to teach the girls about good government. The participants were scheduled to eat their bag lunches in the capitol cafeteria. (T. Times, 3/5/47, p. 16).
Buses--Tacoma; Bus drivers--Tacoma; Children--Clubs--Tacoma; Uniforms; Camp Fire Girls (Tacoma); North Coast Transportation Co. (Tacoma);
An automobile collided with a Northern Pacific train near the Shaffer Terminals on Commencement Bay in April 1946. Two people were seriously injured and rushed to Tacoma General Hospital. The train engineer stated that the train was travelling 20 miles per hour, the driver of the car must have felt that they had plenty of time to cross the tracks. View of car that was hit by a Northern Pacific Train near the Shaffer Terminals (T. Times, 4/2/46, p. 1).
Lowell T. Murray. The back door of this automobile is open inviting us to view the elegant interior, upholstered in leather with armrests and interior lights. A lap robe hangs from the back of the front seat. Passengers could step down to the running board before stepping to the street level. The back doors open from the middle. These were later called "suicide doors". A crank handle raises and lowers the window.
A commercial truck is pulling a trailer loaded with a crane. The crane has continuous, belt-type conveyance rather than round wheels. Smaller commercial facilities are seen in the background.
Engineers' Union, truck, crane and trailer. Another section of culvert conduit is loaded onto an emply truck next to the railroad track. In the background you can see another empty truck waiting for its load. An advertisement for Sunnen Auto Freight-Heavy Hauling is placed in the upper left-hand corner. TPL-10053
Engineers' Union, truck, crane and trailer.This view of the unloading operation performed by Commercial Distributing Company shows the empty truck parked close to the railroad car where 56" pipe for city truck line from Green River to Tacoma is being unloaded using one of Commercial Distributing Company's 4-ton capacity A-frame cranes. Another railroad car stacked with pipe is on the track ahead of the empty railroad car. (T.Times, 2/26/1947, p.3-B)
Satterly - Teamsters Union. A side view of a "Woody", a style of early station wagon with windows to the back of the automobile, three interior seats and the exterior under the windows covered in wood, except for the rear fenders. This automobile has the letters S.T.S.C. on the rear door for Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation, and the number 25 on the front door.
Army bus accident causing injuries to seven. Large bus turned on its side on an angular piece of land at Wakefield Drive and C Street. Small Art Deco style building designed by Bresemann. Brown & Haley and Armour buildings in background. (T. Times,).
ca. 1943. Blue Gray bus accident. Highway scene showing automobiles on the left, Sheriff's patrol wagon and two motorcycles on right. Accident occurred circa 1943.
Truck sales, bus. A truck cab pulls a bus by trailer. The cab and trailer are painted in multiple colors. This view shows the side of the trailer. The name "Army Special" is painted on the side.
Interurban Auto Freight delivery truck. Outside the Firestone automotive and tire store. "Eatonville, Electron, Kapowsin and Way Points" is painted on the truck.
Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Interurban Auto Freight, Inc. (Eatonville); Firestone Home & Auto Supply Store (Tacoma);
Champ car. Leo Dobry was a racing enthusiast. He not only had the "City of Tacoma" built to exacting specifications by the Kurtis-Kraft plant, South Gate, California, but he also had a trailer with windows to tow the race car. In May, 1948, the race car is seen hitched to a Chevy pickup truck, ready for probable transport to the Indianapolis 500 over Memorial Day. The Champ car was much larger and more powerful than a midget. It ran the 500 twice, finishing sixth in 1948 and qualifying outside the front row in 1949 before mechanical problems forced it out of the race. (T.Times, 4/27/1948, p.1) TPL-5445
Dobry, Leo; City of Tacoma (Race car); Racing automobiles--1940-1950; Automobile racing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Chevrolet trucks; Trailers--Tacoma--1940-1950;
View of cars parked along A Street and So. 13th, business signs are posted for the Home Electric Company, Glass and Union Commissary; building in background has a fire escape; photo ordered by L. Ray Shute Company, local insurance adjusters.
Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Traffic accidents--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Fire escapes--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Parking--Tacoma; Insurance companies--Tacoma; L. Ray Shute Co. (Tacoma);
