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)
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. 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;
1939 Studebaker Champion automobile being raffled by Ray C. Roberts V.F.W. Post on back of a flatbed truck. Truck has logo of man riding a bronco on the door. The automobile was raffled off at a VFW benefit ball. For a picture of the car with its winner, Clara Thorsen, see D8931 images 1& 3. (filed with Argentum)
Studebaker automobile; Veterans of Foreign Wars, Ray C. Roberts Post # 969 (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1930-1940; Signs (Notices)
Continental Bakery employees in Western clothes and wearing Jubilee hats posed in front of bakery and two Wonder Bread trucks with sign "Picnic Days Are Here Again." A large sign on top of the roof proudly proclaims Continental as the "Home of Wonder Bread."
Washington State Golden Jubilee, 1939--Tacoma; Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940;
Close up of crumpled and twisted Medosweet Dairy truck after impact with a train on February 27, 1947. A police car, 1946 Ford model, can be seen in the background. The accident occurred at 10:05 in the morning on a private crossing opposite the entrance to Chicago Ave. in the Lakeview district south of the Tacoma city limits. This photograph was taken minutes after the accident. Medosweet route supervisor Alex McBeath Jr, 32, was killed while riding in the passenger seat. Driver William J. Velacich was seriously injured. (T.Times 2/27/1947, pg. 1; 2/28/47, pg 3-picture)
Wrecks; Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1930-1941; Medosweet Dairies, Inc. (Tacoma); Trucks--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.
Model Bakery's new truck in front of Olympic Ice Cream Store. Publicity for Titus Motor Company.
Business Enterprises - Food Industry - Bakers - Model Bakery Confectionaries - Olympic Ice Cream Store Truck Dealers - Ford Dealers - Titus Motor Company
Hunt and Mottet Company was a wholesale hardware and sporting good distributing company in Tacoma. The company's officers were: Ernest C. Richards, President, Albert H. Heath, Vice-President and Treasurer, J. Carroll Richards, Secretary; their offices were located in downtown Tacoma. View of the new Ford delivery truck, Number 88; an unidentified company representative is standing by truck. TPL-10344
Ford trucks; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hardware; Fishing & hunting gear; Sporting goods; Sporting goods industry--Tacoma; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Hunt & Mottet Co. (Tacoma);
Freight truck from the Inter-City Auto Freight carrying an Army tank on City scales on October 28, 1950. Man, possibly the truck driver, standing beside cab of truck parked in front of a two-story, stuccoed building. Ordered by Mr. McGaw, Inter-city Auto Freight.
Trucks--1950-1960; Tanks (Military science); Inter-City Auto Freight, Inc. (Tacoma); Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960;
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)
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.
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.
