ca. 1908. Bicycle shop and Storage business. The bicycle shop is probably the Amzie D. Browning Bicycle & General Repairing business. The bicycle shop has an advertisment painted on it for the Tacoma Baking Co. Print is somewhat out of focus.
ca. 1913. A view of the west side of the 5200 block of South Union (now South Tacoma Way) looking north. The Bobbi Burns Wine House was at 5238 South Union. A boy stands by a water fountain.
ca. 1979. This 1979 photograph shows the deterioration of the Commerce side of the buildings located at, left to right, 1523 Broadway and 1519-21 Broadway. The buildings are studded with broken windows and plants growing from crevices. The buildings have since been demolished and this is now the site of the Convention Center.
Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1970-1980; Building deterioration--Tacoma--1970-1980;
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)
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. 1937. Exterior elevation of the Rust Building, a multi-story office building, at So. 11th Street and Pacific Avenue. The Rust Building is named for its builder William R. Rust. It was designed by the architectural firm of Sutton, Whitney and Dugan. The twelve story building opened in 1920. Since 1986, it has been known as the Seafirst Center. For Johnson-Cox, printers, for school annuals. (Image also numbered 8A3 image 2 in Argentum)
Business districts--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma);
ca. 1937. Full view of the Rust Building on 11th Street between Commerce and Pacific Avenue. Sandstone clad steel frame 12-story business block for William R. Rust by Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, Architects, 1920. It was known as the Townsend building from 1929- 1931. It was remodeled by Seafirst bank in 1986 and renamed the Seafirst Center.
Business districts--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rust Building (Tacoma);
Montgomery Ward Company. This is a brick, three-storied building. A fire engine/ladder truck, an automobile and a delivery truck are on the street. The milk delivery man is seen arranging items in the truck. The store front had been the location of the Porter-Cummings Company. Murphy's Cafe-Tavern is on one side and Sharman Books is on the other. Modern Display Service is advertised on the third floor windows. TPL-2534
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stores & shops--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Hotel Croft and Pacific Avenue for Electrical Products Consolidated. A view north along Pacific Avenue from the hill south of the business district. Billboards on the right advertise Meadosweet Milk and Pioneer Beer. Commencement Bay is seen above the tideflats. Union Station is the domed building on the right hand side of Pacific Avenue. TPL-5471.
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cityscapes; Billboards--Tacoma--1940-1950;
General Electric Supply Corp, exterior of the building. This was a new wholesale district office for General Electric. Tacoma was considered a good central location for their regional distribution. Six salesmen covered southwestern Washington and the Olympic peninsula from this location.
Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1940-1950; General Electric Supply Corp. (Tacoma);
Fisher's was located on 11th Street and Broadway. It was established 52 years ago by A. H. Stanford. Tacoma's home owned department store has been at this location since 1906. In 1946 the department store was completely remodeled and modernized. View of busy downtown Tacoma's 11th Street, towards bridge and tideflats, Fisher's Department Store on right side.
Business districts--Tacoma; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fisher's Department Store (Tacoma); 11th Street Bridge (Tacoma);
Hansen & Rowland was an insurance company operated by H. Thorwald Hansen and Irvin C. Rowland. View of Linrothe Garage, Labor Temple, Columbus Hotel, Union Hotel and Food Sales Co. looking southward between 13th and 15th streets on Market Street. Photo ordered by Hansen-Rowland for accident location.
Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Business districts--Tacoma; Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Street lights--Tacoma; Hansen & Rowland, Inc. (Tacoma);
Grafton, A.E. & Co. Exterior of warehouse. 1938-30 Pacific Avenue, the Reese, Crandall & Redman Building. This brick, four-story commercial building has a highly decorated cornice. Signs painted on the front of the building read, top to bottom, YOUNGLOVE GROCERY CO., United PURITY Stores. A.E. Grafton & Co. was a real estate, mortgage, fire and auto insurance, and rental office. Signs in the windows of the building indicate it is "For Rent". TPL-6391
Independent Insulation Corporation, exterior of Pacific Carbide. This newly constructed, one story building with gabled roof is built of concrete block. An ornamented doorway is located in the middle of the front of the building and the cement parking area comes directly up to the building.
Electrical Products Corporation, day and night, Olympia Beer sign on Ingleside Cafe on Fort Lewis Highway. A view along South 24th Street. Feix Sheet Metal and the OK Bakery can be seen on the left side of the street. Trucks and automobiles are being driven and are parked on South 24th.
The Provident Building was built in 1903, and has housed many Tacoma businesses. Photo ordered by Mr. George D. Grant, Real Estate agent specializing in business properties and industrial sites. Exterior view of Ghilarducci's California Florists, Brown's Beauty Shop, Laughlen's Cafe,Tacoma Office Supply Co., businesses located within the Provident Building. Billboards promoting war bond sales can be seen on left side of photo.
Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Storefronts--Tacoma; Billboards--Tacoma; Provident Building (Tacoma);
Arctic Bottling Company for H.J. Geissler. This two-story building runs across the block from Saint Helens Avenue to Tacoma Avenue. Decorative stone carvings outline the windows on the second floor and the arched windows and entry way on the lower floor. Next door is the Hambone Eatery and the Winthrop Motor Company. Many automobiles are parked at the service station and on the street. See also D20091-1. TPL-1781.
The Veterans of Foreign wars were wrapping up four days of meetings after having a successful convention, with a parade through downtown Tacoma. More than 3,000 delegates and members of the women's auxiliary from Washington State, and 2,000 marchers, representing other organizations would participate. View of mailman with a push-cart mail-wagon, Grayson's and Andrew's Dress Shop in background (T. Times, 6/24/48, p. 1).
Business districts--Tacoma; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1940-1950; Carts & wagons--Tacoma; Postal service--Tacoma; Stores & shops--Tacoma; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Veterans of Foreign Wars (Tacoma);
The Equitable Building, later known as the Commonwealth Building, was completed in 1948. It was a completely modern office building, twelve stories high, built in the International style, but was called "distinctly American". Aerial view of Portland's downtown business district; the Willamette River separates the downtown and Old Town area from the east side of the city; view of Mount Hood in background.
Commercial facilities--Oregon--Portland; Office buildings--Oregon--Portland; Architecture--Oregon--Portland; Architects; Belluschi, Pietro; Equitable Building (Portland, Or.); Commonwealth Building (Portland, Or.); Hood, Mount (Or.);
View of Equitable's heating system, four turbo-vacuum compressors, output a total of 540 tons of refrigeration that has the capacity to provide heat and cooling for the entire building. This system may be one of the most startling features of the building; the electrically powered heat pumps function through reverse cycle system (Architect & Engineer, 4/49, p. 8-13).
Commercial facilities--Oregon--Portland; Office buildings--Oregon--Portland; Architecture--Oregon--Portland; Architects; Belluschi, Pietro; Equitable Building (Portland, Or.); Commonwealth Building (Portland, Or.);
The exterior of the Equitable Building is said to be a careful study of restraint and structural expression where "the skeleton outline is predominant and stresses neither the vertical or the horizontal". Exterior and evening view of Portland's Equitable Building, now known as the Commonwealth Building (A Century of Portland Architecture, Vaughan & McMath, 1967, p. 175).
Commercial facilities--Oregon--Portland; Office buildings--Oregon--Portland; Architecture--Oregon--Portland; Architects; Belluschi, Pietro; Equitable Building (Portland, Or.); Commonwealth Building (Portland, Or.);
A well known example of a modern office building is definitely Belluschi's Equitable Building. This building has received many awards, including the American Institute of Architects' Twentyfive Year Award, and was selected one of the best U. S. buildings of the past hundred years. Exterior view of Pietro Belluschi's Equitable Building, now know as the Commonwealth Building, located in Portland, Oregon.
Commercial facilities--Oregon--Portland; Office buildings--Oregon--Portland; Architecture--Oregon--Portland; Architects; Belluschi, Pietro; Equitable Building (Portland, Or.); Commonwealth Building (Portland, Or.);
No. 26th St. at No. Washington St., heading west to Adams. On the right is Washington School at 3701 No. 26th, lying beyond Adams is North Tacoma Richfield Gas at 3803, Bell's Bakery at 3811, Proctor Ice Creamery at 3813 and Dahlin's Grocery at 3815. On the left (before picture range) is the Anna E. McCormick branch of the Tacoma Public Library at 3722 and past Adams, Gene's Radio and Appliance at 3802, North End Alleys (bowling) at 3806, North End Lockers (frozen food) at 3808, and C & O Electric Co. at 3812. Christmas decorations are hung across No. 26th St. Photograph ordered by Safeway. TPL-9196
Business districts--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gene's Radio and Appliance (Tacoma); North End Alleys (Tacoma); North End Lockers (Tacoma); Washington School (Tacoma);
Street scene in Buckley, Washington. Good view of business district with White Front Grocery and other businesses on left, Warren Dry Goods, Rexall Drugs, Puget Sound Power and Light Company on right. Automobiles parked along street. (T. Times).
Commercial streets--Buckley; White Front Grocery (Buckley);
Street scene in Buckley, Washington, showing White Front Grocery, an angled-corner building, with Stanley's Tavern, Buckley Cafe, and other businesses. A Queen Anne style building with turret, on left, carries Guy Wilson Associated sign. The townsite of Buckley was platted in 1888 and named after J.M. Buckley, division superintendent of Northern Pacific and a coal mine promoter. TPL-538 (T. Times Special Edition for Mr. Short).
Commercial streets--Buckley; White Front Grocery (Buckley); Stanley's Tavern (Buckley); Buckley Cafe (Buckley);
Business district in Gig Harbor, Washington. View of Uddenberg Grocery on right, Peninsula Hotel, Pastime Pool Hall, Elinor's Fountain and other businesses. Automobiles parked along street. (T. Times, Special Edition 2/27/1940, pg. 17). TPL-512
Commercial streets--Gig Harbor; Uddenberg Grocery (Gig Harbor); Peninsula Hotel (Gig Harbor); Pastime Pool Hall (Gig Harbor); Elinor's Fountain (Gig Harbor);
