Richard Barthelmess & Harry Dillon at Camp (Fort) Lewis on March 29, 1927 during break in the filming of "The Patent Leather Kid." Still in his doughboy uniform, Mr. Barthelmess shares a moment of conversation with Canadian boxer Harry Dillon who was in town to defend his light heavyweight crown. In "The Patent Leather Kid," Mr. Barthelmess portrays a self-centered boxer who finally enlists in WWI for the love of beautiful Molly O'Day. He was invited by Mr. Dillon to attend the March 31, 1927, match held at the Greenwich Coliseum downtown. Mr. Dillon ultimately lost the bout to southpaw Washington native Fred Lenhart. (TNT 3-30-27, p. 10) BGN-120

Arthur Edeson, director of photography, manipulating camera on location of "The Patent Leather Kid," March 29, 1927. Dressed in suit and tie but with a newsboy's cap, Mr. Edeson may be surveying the scene at Camp (Fort) Lewis. He is perched aboard a wheeled cart while his crew help to steady the tripod. Mr. Edeson entered the film industry with the Eclair Co. in 1911. He would play a pivotal role in location sound photography when the silent era came to a close in the late 1920's. BGN-166

The Park Hotel, 802 A St., as viewed in March of 1927. By 1927, the concrete hotel at the corner of South 8th and A St. in downtown Tacoma was about 19 years old. Designed by architects Heath & Twitchell and built by J.E. Bonnell, contractor, the three-story building with arched windows offered 50 rooms. It had as neighbors the I.M. Larsen & Sons (awnings & tents) at 804-06 A St. and Charles B. Roger, Inc., Willard service station at 808-10 A St. For some reason the hotel was not listed in the 1926 or 1927 City Directories although it was apparently still in business. The Park Hotel would survive until 1977 when the entire block was demolished and a parking lot built. G58.1-092

Park Hotel (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The Sands Hotel as pictured in March of 1927. Mr. and Mrs. Alva C. Sands built the Sands Hotel in 1905, in the triangle of land bounded by Sixth Avenue, Fawcett Avenue and Baker Street. During the first few years, Mrs. Sands acted as proprietress of the furnished building, billed as a "first-class family hotel;" Mr. Sands was district manager for the Sunset Telephone & Telegraph Company. The building was demolished in the late 1970s. G30.1-081; BU-11900; TPL-2806

Sands Hotel (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The new Point Defiance to Gig Harbor ferry, "Defiance." The 180-foot wooden ferry constructed of Douglas fir, with a capacity of 70 cars, was built by the Skansie Shipbuilding Co. in Gig Harbor and started on her Gig Harbor run on April 3, 1927. She had her "builders trial test" the day before. The new ferry was designed to speed up traffic between Tacoma and the Gig Harbor peninsula. She was licensed to carry 500 foot passengers and 70 cars. Skansie Brothers was founded in 1912 by four Yugoslavian brothers, Pete, Mitchell, Andrew and Joe Skansie. Beginning in 1922, the company was one of the first yards to build automobile ferries. They also were pioneers in the use of diesel ferry engines. By 1926, Mitchell Skansie had also begun an early ferry service company called the Washington Navigation Co. It had taken over operation of all ferries in Pierce County on January 1, 1927. By the 1930's, the company had many ferries running on contracted routes in the south Puget Sound. (Neal & Janus "Puget Sound Ferries") TPL-8269; G66.1-101 (TNT 1-15-27, p. 14-article; TNT 1-17-27, p. 15-article; TDL 4-2-27, p. 1-article; TDL 4-3-27, A-11)

Ferries--1920-1930; Skansies Shipbuilding Co. (Gig Harbor);

The Daimler-Knight limousine in the center of this photograph was once owned by England's King George V. It was met at Tacoma's city limits by Harry Manley and two local police officers who escorted it to the Manley Motor Company at South 9th and Fawcett where it was to be on display April 22-23, 1927. The vehicle had been built for the King in 1910 at a price tag of $17,000 and had been used continuously for 14 years. It was still capable of doing 60 mph and had 174,000 miles while in service to the king. The odometer on it had over 196,000 miles by the time it reached Tacoma. Behind the limo is a Willys-Knight 66-A "foursome." Pictured left to right are Sgt. Charles Rhors and Officer Harold Thornberg on motorcycles, R.J. Tarte (Motor Transport Co.- Seattle), Capt. Fred Gardner, Police Chief M.D. Guy, Harry Manley, James Teale (Willys-Knight) and shop foreman Joe Willett. (T.Times 4/23/1927, pg. 9) (Argentum)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Willys-Knight automobile; Daimler-Knight automobile; Manley Motor Co. (Tacoma); Manley, Harry; Rhors, Charles; Thornberg, Harold; Tarte, R.J.; Gardner, Fred; Guy, M.D.; Teale, James; Willett, Joe;

Action scene from "The Patent Leather Kid" filmed at Camp (Fort) Lewis in early April, 1927. A billowing curtain of smoke obscures advancing American troops from German soldiers entrenched behind rocks and hay during the "big drive in the Argonne." Two lines of trenches would be dug across the top of a hill as far as the eye could see and masses of barb wire entanglements, stumps, fallen trees and debris would stretch a quarter mile to the nearby forest. These German soldiers, and others, would tensely await the storming of thousands of American infantry and 21 tanks. Nine cameras would be used to film this battle sequence which would show an Army truck blown up and hand grenades and exploding shells decimating the earth. (TDL 4-2-27) BGN 112

Actor on location set for "Patent Leather Kid," April 14, 1927, at Camp (Fort) Lewis. This unidentified actor leans against the archway of the ruins of a French cathedral used in the film's climatic battle scenes. He is probably portraying an American officer. The First National studio film crew used seven locations at Camp (Fort) Lewis to make realistic replicas of the French countryside. Desperate Germans would use this French cathedral as a final stand against superior American forces. BGN-126

Shell damaged cathedral on set of "The Patent Leather Kid" located at Camp (Fort) Lewis; photographed on April 14, 1927. Desperate German soldiers would hole up in the church that they had attempted to previously destroy. American troops and massive tanks would rout the enemy from the church cemetery although suffering losses by sniperfire from the belfry. Star Richard Barthelmess would kill his nemesis, German General Lucien Prival by bayonet at this location. The cathedral would be blown up by dynamite at the movie's end. BGN-125

Dill pickle display at Skaggs-Safeway Market #277. In 1927 Skaggs-Safeway Market #277 was located at South 12th & "K" (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way) Sts. The store was promoting its second carload of Dill Pickles at 25 cents a dozen. Shoppers could pick and choose among hundreds of juicy pickles piled on display. The Northwest-based Skaggs United Stores along with Skaggs Cash Stores and the California-based Safeway Stores had recently consolidated to become known as the Skaggs-Safeway Stores. G56.2-132

Skaggs-Safeway Market #277 (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1920-1930; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1920-1930; Vegetables--Tacoma; Cucumbers--Tacoma;

The Young Men's Republican Club presented a framed and colored portrait of President Calvin Coolidge to Tacoma's City Council on April 20, 1927. The photograph would join the likenesses of Presidents (Teddy) Roosevelt, Wilson, and Harding in the council chambers. Mayor Melvin G. Tennent accepted, on behalf of the council, the portrait from Al Ray, president of the Young Men's Republican Club. L-R are: Mayor Tennent (hand on photograph); Commissioners Ira S. Davisson, Dyer Dyment, Jesse Silver, Acting commissioner Asa Troyer, and Al Ray. G23.1-007 (TDL 4-21-27, p. 3)

Portrait photographs; Gifts; Tennent, Melvin Green; Mayors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Davisson, Ira; Dyment, Dyer; Silver, Jesse; Troyer, Asa E.; Ray, Al; Municipal government--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On April 22nd-23rd 1927, the Daimler-Knight limousine, once owned by England's King George V was on display at Manley Motor Co., 956-58 Fawcett Ave. The vehicle had been built especially for King George V in England in 1910. He used it until 1924. After its 14 years of service, it was being driven across the US in a cross country tour. It could reach speeds of up to 52mph, got 6 1/2 miles per gallon of gas and carried 35 gallons. Alongside the Daimler is a Willys Knight 70 sedan. Standing in the front, left to right, are James Teale (driver of the car on its US tour,) Harry Manley (pres. Manley Motors,) Capt. Gardner of the Tacoma Police Dept. at the wheel, Chief of Police M.D. Guy and Joe Willits (shop superintendent Manley Motors.) (TDL 4/24/1927, pg. G-7) TPL-7179

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Willys-Knight automobile; Daimler-Knight automobile; Manley Motor Co. (Tacoma); Manley, Harry;

General view of unidentified chicken ranch, including poultry houses and large family residence with detached three-car garage. The chicken ranch was probably located in Pierce County. Photograph taken on April 26, 1927, for the Albers Bros. Milling Co. who dealt in cereal milling, grain, mill feed and hay.

Chicken industry; Poultry houses;

The "Pacific Spruce" was the first vessel to unload cargo at the new dock of the Washington Cooperative Egg & Poultry Association, which had recently taken over the Milwaukee grain elevator and dock on the Tacoma tideflats. The ship arrived on the evening of April 26, 1927, and completed discharging 360-370 tons of oyster shells the following day. This view shows bags of oyster shells (used in chicken feed) in the process of being transported from the "Pacific Spruce" to the dock by stevedores. In the days before cargo containers every bag of shells had to be moved by hand. Suited men standing by may be officials of Washington Cooperative. The dock would now be known as "Co-op" dock. The Egg & Poultry Assn. was building a new headquarters on the dock which was soon to be completed. (TNT 4-27-27, p. 18-article); G49.1-197; TPL-661 (copy made for Washington Co-op on 10-12-27)

Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Longshoremen--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Washington Co-op Egg & Poultry Association (Tacoma); Piers & whaves--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On April 28, 1927, a group of interested businessmen made the first Tacoma to Paradise Valley tourist trip by air. They were inspecting the possibilities of regular tourist flights from Tacoma to "Mount Tacoma" (Mount Rainier), making sights usually available only to climbers possible for the average tourist. Pictured, left to right, are Paul H. Sceva (Assistant to the General Manager of Rainier National Park Co.), Frank E. Roberts (Tacoma News Tribune), Vernon Bookwalter (pilot) and Vern C. Gorst (President of Pacific Air Transport.) The flight was made on a six passenger Fokker monoplane owned by Pacific Air, the coast contract mail carrier. (TNT 4/29/1927, pg. 1)

Chicago Milwaukee and St. Paul engine as photographed on April 29, 1927, for "evidence." TPL-2702; G44.1-083

Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Co. (Tacoma); Railroad locomotives--Tacoma;

Six members of the Epperson Orchestra pose on stage with their instruments. In May of 1927, Howard Epperson and his Orchestra were suppling the music for the "Cottage Garden Revue," featuring 40 local girls singing and dancing. (filed with Argentum)

Epperson Orchestra (Tacoma); Musicians--Tacoma--1920-1930; Big bands--1920-1930; Epperson, Howard;

As more people sought to own their own automobiles, the staff of Manley Motor Co., 956-58 Fawcett Ave., grew in the same proportion. The president of the company was Harry R. Manley. They were the authorized dealers for Overland, Willys-Knight and Whippet automobiles. Pictured in the top row, left to right in May of 1927, are Harry Manley, Dolly Wescott, Lloyd Munter, J.B. Clausen, N.W. Powers, K. McDonald and Ray Coops. Front row: Joe Willett, Art Lee, Phil Service, Omar Ferris, E.J. Atchinson, J.T. Owens, Herman Riggins, F.R. Grimm, Harold Hayden, Art Rossell and Leo Bauer. (TDL 5/22/1927, pg. G3) (WSHS)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Manley Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Minuet at Washington School. Eight boys and eight girls perform in Colonial era costume at their school in May of 1927. (WSHS)

School children--Tacoma--1920-1930; Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washington School (Tacoma);

In May of 1927, the big draw in Tacoma was the "Own-your-own-Home Exposition" at the Armory. One of the main attractions was the "Cottage Garden Revue" featuring 40 local girls singing and dancing to the music of Howard Epperson and his Orchestra. In this publicity photograph, members of the Epperson Orchestra are looking at sheet music for "I've Got The Girl." Drum set with scene painted on bass drum, clarinets, trumpet, saxophones, grand piano, trombone, megaphone on stage. (TDL 5/15/1927, pg. 2B- advertisement) (filed with Argentum)

Epperson Orchestra (Tacoma); Musicians--Tacoma--1920-1930; Big bands--1920-1930; Epperson, Howard;

Minuet at Washington School in May of 1927. Eight boys and eight girls in Colonial era costume. (WSHS)

School children--Tacoma--1920-1930; Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washington School (Tacoma); Costumes;

Minuet at Washington School. Eight boys and eight girls perform in Colonial era costume in May of 1927. (WSHS)

School children--Tacoma--1920-1930; Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Washington School (Tacoma);

The assembled and costumed cast of the patriotic pageant, "Democracy," appear on stage at the McCarver Intermediate School on May 6, 1927. Many were dressed in clothing reflecting their various cultures. 100 pupils participated on stage in episodes of American history. The pageant was written and directed by history teacher Zeta Dalton. TPL-1553 (TNT 4-19-27, p. 17-article)

Theatrical productions--Tacoma--1920-1930; Costumes; McCarver Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1920-1930;