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.

Station wagons;

ca. 1979. Automobile, circa 1979.

Automobiles--1970-1980;

ca. 1925. A large log has been loaded behind a truck. May possibly be the same truck as A-1451. (WSHS)

Logs; Trucks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

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)

Trucks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

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)

Whippet automobile; Deslys, Norah;

ca. 1925. A woman poses in a new 1925 automobile.

Automobiles--1920-1930;

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)

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

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)

Automobiles--1920-1930; Dirt roads--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1926. Sedan Automobile, perhaps a Jordan, near a park. For Chamber's Auto Supply House. (filed with Argentum)

Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Jordan automobiles;

ca. 1936. Ford V8 logging truck and flat bed trailer parked on street near park. For Phillip Becholdt. (filed with Argentum)

Ford trucks--1930-1940;

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. 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.

Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940; Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1937. Automobile accident at 4th and M Streets. People pushing truck away from over-turned automobile, bystanders watching activity.

Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1930-1940; Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940;

New GMC Truck for Ohanapecosh Hot Springs, Mt. Rainier National Park, at Packwood. Probably taken behind Tacoma General Motors Truck Company, 307 Puyallup Ave. In 1924, N.D. Towers and Dr. A.W. Bridge constructed a small hotel and two bathhouses at a U.S. Forest Service campsite known as Ohanapecosh. The resort continued to develop and expand through the administration of the Ohanapecosh Hot Springs Co. until the contract was terminated in the early 1960s. By 1967, all of the resort facilities had been dismantled and the hot springs were allowed to return to their natural, pre-excavation condition.

General Motors trucks--1930-1940; Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ohanapecosh Hot Springs Co. (Packwood);

Griffin Fuel Company. Man standing next to fuel truck. Snoqualmie Falls Power Company Transfer House, 250 So. 19th St., in background. For Harmon Miller. In February of 1939, Griffin Fuel Co. celebrated its 50th anniversary. The company was founded in 1889 by Fred L. Griffin. Griffin started his business with one horse, one wagon and fuel logs, which he cut himself. (filed with Argentum)

Griffin Fuel Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Snoqualmie Falls Power Co. Transfer House (Tacoma);

Model Bakery trucks photographed for International Harvester in February of 1939. The delivery trucks have signs advertising the bakery's Star Loaf bread. (filed with Argentum)

Model Bakery (Tacoma)--Associated objects; Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Listed in Richards Photography records as "Hiway Truck Wrecking Company." This is possibly the Highway Truck Equipment Company at 3224 South Tacoma Way. The company is listed in the 1938 City Directory as auto wreckers. View of rebuilt truck for McLean's, pulling long, flatbed trailer. Parked at intersection. Billboard across highway advertising Super Pyro.

Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Billboards--Tacoma--1930-1940; Highway Truck Co. (Tacoma);

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;

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.

Automobiles--1940-1950; Trees;

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).

Traffic accidents--Tacoma; Railroad accidents--Tacoma; Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Broken glass; Railroad tracks--Tacoma;

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.

Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950;

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.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hoisting machinery;

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

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shipping; Hoisting machinery; Culverts; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma;

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)

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shipping; Hoisting machinery; Culverts; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma; Railroad tracks;

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;

For several years in the late 1940s, David Johnston owned and operated the South Side Auto Laundry at 5648 1/2 South Tacoma Way. In this photograph from August of 1948, an unidentified employee steam-cleans the whitewall tires on what appears to be a 1941 Ford Sedan, while a young boy in the front seat leans out the window to watch.

Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cleaning establishments--Tacoma; Cleaning personnel; Car washes--Tacoma; Tires; Signs (Notices); Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; South Side Auto Laundry (Tacoma);

Accident at South 15th Street and Tacoma Avenue, intersection. J.B. Evans, adjuster. A view of the intersection of South 15th Street and Tacoma Avenue South looking east along South 15th. The Tacoma tideflats can be seen in the distance. Pangis Grocery is on the corner at 1501 Tacoma Avenue South. A Jordan Baking Company Truck is stopped before the cross-walk. The photograph would have been taken for insurance purposes.

Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1940-1950; Insurance companies--Tacoma; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Crosswalks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pangis Grocery (Tacoma);

Washington Steel and Welding Company advertised steel ship building, tanks, ornamental work, acetylene welding, electric welding, portable welding and steel fabricating. The company had two plants, the main plant was located at 701 East D Street, their other plant was at 1601 Taylor Way. View of large "Oshkosh" truck with logging equipment at Washington Steel and Welding Company.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Oskosh trucks; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Machinery; Equipment; Steel industry--Tacoma; Metalworking--Tacoma; Welding--Tacoma; Washington Steel & Welding Co. (Tacoma);