Tacoma's Alert Hose Co. No. 2 volunteer firefighting company, in uniform, were photographed on August 8, 1885 as they prepared to join the funeral parade to be held that day for former President Ulysses S. Grant. President Grant's portrait is framed in black and placed aboard the company hose wagon. He had died on July 23, 1885, and the Territorial Governor of Washington had declared that the day of his funeral would be an official day of mourning. The firehouse was located at So. 13th & A Street, which was later the location of the Tacoma Railroad & Power substation. Alert Hose Co. No. 2 was probably one of four hose companies organized between March and August, 1885. The company's hose apparatus may have been built by the volunteers themselves. Adelbert Uriah Mills, center in black beard holding bouquet, was the captain and would later become the Commissioner of Public Safety. A partial list of firefighters' names appears in a Tacoma Daily Ledger article on March 9, 1913. (Talbot: 100 Years of Fire fighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 15, TDL 3-9-1913, p. 45) KING-013, TPL 2896.
ca. 1887. This view of Pacific Avenue, looking north from 10th, was taken in 1887. Horse drawn carriages and wagons fill the unpaved street. The Fife Hotel, 742-50 Pacific Avenue (at left background), was still under construction with scaffolding visible. The building at 930 Pacific Ave. was home to the Tacoma News. The News and The Daily Ledger, both founded in 1883, were the two biggest newspapers in Tacoma at this time. The Ledger was a morning paper; The News was an evening paper. Some years later, both papers were bought by Sidney A. Perkins. Ultimately, they were taken over by The News Tribune. Copy made August 31, 1950. (TPL-2297 and TPL-8147)
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1880-1890; Carts & wagons--Tacoma; The News (Tacoma); Newspapers--Tacoma--1880-1890; Fife Hotel (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1880-1890; Building construction--Tacoma--1880-1890;
ca. 1900. This view of hilly 11th Street was probably taken in the late 1890s or very early 1900s. The street is relatively empty of traffic with pedestrians having time to stop and talk while still in the roadway. Peoples department store, built in 1895, is on the left side of 11th while the Fidelity Building, built in 1890, is at 9th & Broadway on the right hand side. The Fidelity Building is pictured without its additional six stories which were not added until 1909. The Fidelity Building was demolished in 1949 to make way for the F.W.Woolworth Co. Bldg. TPL-9915
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1890-1900; Peoples (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma);
ca. 1900. Copy of print made from glass plate. Pacific Avenue appears devoid of traffic other than one streetcar in the early years of the 20th century. This photograph was taken early one morning in the vicinity of 9th & Pacific; the distinct image of the Old City Hall can be observed clearly a block ahead. The names "Hotel Donnelly" and "Grand Theatre" have been imprinted onto the photograph. The Hotel Donnelly was probably one of the earliest hotels in the city, as it was listed in the 1893-94 City Directory. It was located on the northwest corner of Pacific Ave. & So. 9th St. The Motoramp Garage was to later be built on this site. Hotel Donnelly was in close proximity to the Hotel Revere, whose sign can be seen protruding from the building. The Hotel Revere, by 1907, was operated by John Fawcett and located at 732 1/2 Pacific Avenue. The Grand Theatre's first mention was in the 1907 City Directory. It was located on the northeast corner of Pacific & So. 9th. Sullivan & Considine were listed as proprietors and Dean B. Worley as manager. Date of original print is not known; copy from glass plate was made on October 3, 1958. TPL-8546
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1900-1910; Hotel Donnelly (Tacoma); Hotel Revere (Tacoma); Old City Hall (Tacoma); Cities & towns--Tacoma;
ca. 1900. Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. This may be a street scene from Yakima, Washington, circa 1900. The street is wide enough for a streetcar and many passing horses and carts. There are some carriages parked along the raised sidewalk. People could conduct business at the Yakima Valley Bank, get their teeth checked at Yakima Dental or buy a $12 suit at the Empire. Copy of glass plate made on October 3, 1958.
Commercial streets--Yakima; Street railroads--Yakima; Carts & wagons--Yakima;
ca. 1905. Copy from glass plate, Richards Studio. View of South 11th and Pacific Ave., circa 1905. Streetcars once ran up 11th Street, an additional source of transportation besides the horse & cart and the occasional automobile. A few pedestrians are spotted crossing carefully as there are no visible "stop" signs for oncoming traffic. United Cigars, Tacoma Oyster and the Union Dental Co. are some of the visible businesses in a building on the corner of 11th & Pacific. That building was later demolished and the Rust Building constructed in its place. The building at the left foreground is the Equitable Building, 1102-04 Pacific. The Fidelity Building is on Broadway at the northeast corner of 11th. Additional stories would be added later. The tower on the County Courthouse is dimly seen to the rear of the photograph. Copy from glass plate made on October 3, 1958. TPL-9912
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1900-1910; Street railroads--Tacoma--1900-1910; Equitable Building (Tacoma); Fidelity Building (Tacoma);
An early automobile shares Pacific Avenue with two street cars and a horse drawn wagon in August of 1907. The buildings on the east side of Pacific include: the Tourist Hotel, 1013 Pacific Avenue; The Royal saloon, 1015 Pacific Ave.; the Berlin Building, on the corner of South 11th and Pacific Ave.; and the Peoples Store, 1101-07 Pacific Avenue. Of the buildings in this two block section of Pacific Avenue, only the Peoples Store is still standing. TPL-8101
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1900-1910; Business districts--Tacoma--1900-1910; Street railroads--Tacoma--1900-1910; Automobiles--Tacoma--1900-1910;
ca. 1907. Copy of photograph of Rhodes Department Store, circa 1907. View of three story building by Ambrose J. Russell and Frederick Heath, Architects, 1903. Photograph was taken after repairs to building. Richards Studio copy made on 11-31-1937. (filed with Argentum)
Commercial buildings--Tacoma--1900-1910; Department stores--Tacoma--1900-1910; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);
ca. 1910. Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. South 11th Street looking east. The steepness of South 11th St. is evident in this view from possibly the early 1900's. Traffic seems very light, with only a streetcar, one automobile and one man keeping pace with his team of horses. Tacoma would not experience parking problems in the downtown area for quite a few years. A glimpse of Peoples Store on the corner of 11th & Pacific can be seen as well as a meat market believed to be owned by William T. Dickenson further up on 11th. The Perkins Bldg., on A St., has flags flying. The Stone-Fisher department store, later known as the Fisher Department Store then the Bon Marche, is to the foreground, far right at the corner of Broadway and 11th. Copy made from glass plate on October 3, 1958.
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1900-1910; Street railroads--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Horses;
ca. 1911. Street scene in Grandview, Washington. Copy of customer print. Asahel Curtis traveled to Grandview in Yakima County in 1911 to photograph several areas of town. Print #20733 was taken of the business district including the Grandview State Bank. Several men are pictured outside the bank while three horse-drawn buggies go by. Photograph ordered by Dr. C.B. Coulter of the University of Puget Sound. (University of Washington Digital Collections)
Commercial streets--Grandview; Grandview State Bank (Grandview); Carriages & coaches--Grandview;
ca. 1915. Copy made from glass plate, Richards Studio. Looking east on South 11th St. toward bridge. Giant letters proclaiming "Municipal Light and Power, Cheapest in the U.S.," are painted on the 11th Street Bridge. Downtown Tacoma appears vibrant, with streetcars providing convenient transportation, and plenty of people on the sidewalks. Businesses located on or near 11th at that time included the Purity Lunch and the Warburton Apartments; signs for those can be hanging on buildings on the right side of the photograph. The Warburton was listed then on South "C" Street; this would become Broadway. The Perkins Bldg. is on A St. near the entrance to the bridge. Copy of glass plate made on October 3, 1958.
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1910-1920; Street railroads--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma); Bridges--Tacoma;
The top of the Washington Building tower, circa 1925. At 17 stories, almost everyone had to look up at this building, it was the second highest in the Northwest. The Washington Building was innovative in grouping its tenants by fields and making offices specific to those fields. The top floors were dedicated to doctors and medical offices. Some floors were huge open spaces on completion, for large concerns who would dictate where partitions would be placed. (TNT 6/30/1925, pg. 1) (WSHS)
Washington Building under construction in April of 1925. Started 1919 by the Scandinavian-American Bank and left unfinished when the bank failed, the building was completed and opened in June of 1925. At 17 stories, it was one of the skycrapers changing the skyline of Tacoma. The building is of steel framework, completed with glazed white terra cotta. The investment in the building was 1 1/2 million dollars. (filed with Argentum)
Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;
In April of 1925, this was the view from the top of the flagpole on the Puget Sound National Bank building, 1117-19 Pacific Ave., looking down on the west side of Pacific Ave. between 11th and 12th. The photograph was snapped by professional steeplejack B.B. Florer with a Tacoma News Tribune employee's camera that was hoisted up to him. Mr. Florer had been engaged to paint the flagpole. (TNT 4/28/1925, pg. 9) (WSHS- negative A693-0)
Construction of the Allen C. Mason Intermediate School was well under way in September of 1925. The 600-pupil school was designed by the architecture firm of Hill & Mock and named in honor of pioneer Tacoma promoter and real estate developer Allen C. Mason. Its name would be changed to the Allen C. Mason Junior High School in 1928. The school was one of three intermediate schools opened for use in 1926. In all, six intermediate schools opened 1925-26 as the Tacoma school district moved toward a 6-3-3 grade model. Funds to build and/or remodel Tacoma schools were provided by a $2,400,000 bond issue authorized by voters in a special election held in October of 1923. (WSHS) (TNT 9/3/1925, pg. 17)
Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930; Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Mason Junior High School (Tacoma);
ca. 1925. The Washington Building under construction. Construction on the modern American skyscraper in downtown Tacoma began in 1919 for the Scandinavian American bank, but halted a couple of years later when the bank closed. The steel structure sat deserted until it was completed in 1925 for the Washington-California Co. and dedicated on June 29, 1925. At 17 stories, it was the second tallest building in the Northwest. (WSHS)
Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930;
ca. 1925. Washington Building at 1019 Pacific Ave. and on the left, the Rust building at 950 Pacific Ave.The Washington Building was finished in 1925. At 17 stories, it was the second tallest building in the Northwest. The Rust building measures in at 12 stories. It is named after its builder William R. Rust. (WSHS-negative A695-0)
Washington Building (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma);
ca. 1925. A large two-story house with a balcony along its entirety, with a climbing vine growing up each column. A veranda leads out into the landscaped grounds. Location of the home was not provided. (WSHS)
ca. 1925. Same broken down truck parked by a street sign as A-1419. Now the residential intersection can be seen as well as houses alongside the inclined roadway. Another automobile progresses up the incline. (WSHS)
ca. 1925. View of front of two story house at 4302 So. Bell. The house was built in 1925 by builder William T. Post. In November of 1926, the Tacoma Daily Ledger called Mr. Post the "champion builder of the state." In the previous eight years, he had constructed 300 houses and three apartment buildings. His specialty was housing developments, rather than single homes. He built 60 houses on Pacific Ave. between 43rd & 48th and was consulted by the School Board and city regarding the site for Stewart Middle School. (WSHS) (TDL 11/7/1926, PG. 11-E article on Wm. T. Post)
ca. 1925. Side view of the home of John J. Hewitt. The English cottage style home was designed by Delano & Aldrich, with local architects Sutton, Whitney & Dugan serving as associate architects. Mr. Hewitt was the president of the Hewitt Land Co. and the secretary-treasurer of Hewitt-Lea-Funck Co. (WSHS- negative A652-0)
Houses--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hewitt, John J.--Homes & haunts; Estates--Tacoma;
ca. 1925. Side view of the home of John J. Hewitt. The English cottage style home was designed by Delano & Aldrich, with local architects Sutton, Whitney & Dugan serving as associate architects. Mr. Hewitt was the president of the Hewitt Land Co. and the secretary-treasurer of Hewitt-Lea-Funck Co. (WSHS- negative A653-0)
Houses--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hewitt, John J.--Homes & haunts; Estates--Tacoma;
ca. 1925. View of the home of John J. Hewitt. The English cottage style home was designed by Delano & Aldrich, with local architects Sutton, Whitney & Dugan serving as associate architects. Mr. Hewitt was the president of the Hewitt Land Co. and the secretary-treasurer of Hewitt-Lea-Funck Co. (WSHS- negative A654-0)
Houses--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hewitt, John J.--Homes & haunts; Estates--Tacoma;
ca. 1925. In 1922, John E. McGuire, an architect with Sutton, Whitney & Dugan, had this English country cottage constructed for his family from his own design. The home is at 4109 No. 33rd and is built from whitewashed brick. (WSHS)
Houses--Tacoma--1920-1930; McGuire, John E.--Homes & haunts;
ca. 1925. The new Washington Building had its Grand Opening in June of 1925. Construction of the building was begun in 1919 for the Scandinavian American Bank and halted in 1921 when the bank failed. It was completed in 1925 and was, at that time, the second tallest building in the Northwest. The main tenant at its opening was the Brotherhood Cooperative National Bank. The Cooperative Bank was the first of its kind in any Northwest City. Although it was part of the Brotherhood group of banks, strong in the eastern part of the country, the local bank had local supporters, management and share holders, many of them working men. It was approved by both the Federated Improvement Clubs of Tacoma and the labor unions. (TNT 6/30/1925, pg. 14)(WSHS)
Washington Building (Tacoma); Brotherhood Cooperative National Bank (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma--1920-1930;
ca. 1925. Construction on the Washington Building started in 1919 for the Scandinavian- American Bank, but halted when the bank went bankrupt. The steel framework sat deserted until it was purchased by the Washington-California Co. In 1925, the building was completed. The steel framework was clothed in white terra cotta, which was glazed. It was fireproof. It had 1925 technologically superior Otis elevators, which could take visitors from the bottom to the top in 16 seconds. The building was completed with an investment of 1 1/2 million dollars. (TNT 6/30/1925, pg.1) (WSHS)
Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930;
ca. 1925. View from front of unidentified house. Drying laundry flaps on the line at the rear of the house. This home was most likely located on the south or east end of Tacoma. (WSHS)
