Bert Thomas swims from Seattle to Tacoma. A crowd estimated at 5,000 waits below the Old Tacoma Dock in the early morning hours to view the last lap of a swim that began at Fauntleroy; an 18.5 mile stretch that would take approximately 15 hours to swim. The crowd huddles around bonfires, listens to portable radios and speak quietly with friends as they wait for a glimpse of Thomas's white swimming cap. Some individuals wait for 5 - 6 hours. Photographs ordered by the Tacoma News Tribune. Thomas, a 275 lb. ex Marine frogman, was best known for his successful swim across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. He became the first man in history to swim the 19 mile tide-ridden route from Port Angeles to Victoria B.C., succeeding on his fifth attempt. He was now attempting to swim from Seattle to Tacoma, an 18.5 mile tide-ridden expanse of 40 degree water. His first attempt in February lasted less than 2 hours and his second in April fell 6 miles short after 9 hours of swimming; both attempts foiled as the tide turned against him. Thomas had been tested extensively to find out how he could survive a swim in such low temperatures.

Thomas, Bert; Swimmers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Firsts; World records--Tacoma;

ca. 1956. Aerial view of Washington Steel Products Inc. at the intersection of 11th Street and Milwaukee Way. The company was the only manufacturer of builders' hardware in the Pacific Northwest. This plant was constructed in 1948, with additions in 1950, 1952 and a million dollar expansion in 1953. In 1956, the plant occupied 120,000 square feet and turned out more than 450 products for national and foreign markets. The company manufactured small hardware such as drawers, knobs, pulls and hinges. Also pictured on 11th Street is Blake, Moffitt and Towne at 1157 Thorne Rd. Blake, Moffitt & Towne were wholesale distributors of printing and wrapping paper and stationery and were formerly located on Jefferson Avenue. (TNT 9/3/1956)

Washington Steel Products, Inc. (Tacoma); Blake, Moffitt & Towne, Inc. (Tacoma); Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hardware;

The S & S Builders booth at the 1956 Home Show features their new residential development at Tyee Park. Tyee Park was a new million dollar suburban residential community being developed in Lakewood. The new homes had five basic designs and were designed to be the epitome of indoor/outdoor living. The developers planned a community of 99 homes with curving roadways designated with Indian names. Over 15,000 people showed up to view the new homes on their Grand Opening. The 1956 Greater Tacoma Home Show was held May 11-20th at the College of Puget Sound Fieldhouse. The 8th annual exhibition was sponsored by the Tacoma Master Builders. Over 100 local and national firms participated, setting up booths and displays of interest to the home owner or buyer. (TNT 5/10/1956, section C)

Greater Tacoma Home Show (Tacoma); Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibit booths--Tacoma; S & S Builders (Tacoma); Houses--Lakewood--1950-1960; Housing developments--Lakewood--1950-1960;

Modern ranch home with carport in the rear before siding is applied. Photograph taken for Leevers Construction Co. on May 19, 1956.

Houses--1950-1960;

Western Monumental Works; exterior of building showing new sign post in front. This company opened in 1926 as Western Marble & Granite Works. It was owned in 1956 by Howard A. Wilham and specialized in grave markers. The new sign in front now reads "Western Memorials." The signs on the side of the building state that the company makes memorial markers & monuments for all cemeteries; a sideline is marble for the home. The vacant lot next to the sales room is used to display sample memorials.

Monuments & memorials--Tacoma; Monument builders--Tacoma; Western Monumental Works (Tacoma);

Exterior of Pacific Finance Loans at 5211 South Tacoma Way, showing the new sign out front. In the 1956 City Directory Craig G. Roberts is listed as the manager. Pacific Finance made many different kinds of loans; the poster in the windows suggests borrowing the money to finance your vacation. The one story brick building is topped by a unique pattern of scaffolding. The sign appears to be held up by the scaffolding and a series of wires extending from it.

Pacific Finance Loans (Tacoma); Signs (Notices);

Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel; steel roof decking on gymnasium at Puyallup Jr. High. The school was designed by Robert Billsbrough Price, A.I.A., and constructed for a proposed cost of $850,000. This building would contain the physical education rooms, indoor courts, showers and dressing rooms. The school was built to accomodate up to 800 students.

Puyallup Junior High School (Puyallup); Public schools--Puyallup--1950-1960;

Aerial view of Reichhold Chemical Plant. The plant occupied 51 acres on the Tideflats, most of it empty to provide for future expansion, and manufactured chemicals used by the plywood industry. Reichhold represented the type of industry that Tacoma hoped to attract to the Tideflats with its ready water and rail transportation for goods and materials. The facility was constructed in 1955-1956 and consisted of a laboratory, control station, warehouse, plant, offices and a railroad siding. The company manufactured plywood glue and wood preservative and would employ a full complement of 100-125 workers when fully operational. The plant could turn out 10,000 - 15,000 pounds of pentachlorophenol, a preservative, a day and 100,000 pounds of glue a day. (TNT 3/18/1956, pg. 1; 6/28/1956, pg. A-4)

Reichhold Chemicals, Inc. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The remodeled chapel of the Tacoma Rescue Mission. The Mission was founded in 1912 as a result of an evangelistic campaign by Gypsy Smith. It provided emergency aid, shelter and Christian fellowship to transient men. This building consisted of the Keown Building at 1512 Pacific Ave., acquired in 1940, and the Grays Harbor Hotel Building at 1510 Pacific Ave., acquired in 1946. The Keown Building was built in 1907 and designed by C.A. Darmer, architect. The Grays Harbor Hotel building was built in 1901 and designed by the same architect. The 1956 remodel made the two buildings appear as one, including a resurface with Quikbrik the plastered brick veneer. The interior chapel was completely redone with new walls and ceilings as well as new offices and pews. The beams were of knotty pine, the walls of mahogany, the pews of fir; indirect lighting and air conditioning would also greet nightly worshipers. The chapel occupied the main floor of the mission. (TNT 1/1/1956)

Tacoma Rescue Mission (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Chapels--Tacoma;

Washington Cleaners and Launderers. Washington was a full service cleaner with a main dry cleaning and laundry plant in Tacoma plus seven branches to serve military personnel at Fort Lewis. The four women in the picture are giving these clothes that smart crease with a commercial pressing machine. The clothing item is laid out on the bottom form; the top is pulled down, pressing and steaming the item between the two forms. Washington Cleaners termed their cleaning technique "Fabri-Sheen." (TNT 5/13/1956, pg A-15)

Washington Cleaners and Launderers (Tacoma); Cleaning establishments--Tacoma;

Copy of a customer's print, McGuire & Muri, Architects; artist's rendering of the St Mary's Parish Church & Parrish Hall, Seaview, Wa.

Catholic churches--Seaview, Wa.;

A copy of a customer's print for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. The two men are demonstrating a carpentry project using plywood to an audience largely attired in Aloha shirts. The audience watches the men's actions with interest.

Carpentry; Woodworking; Plywood;

Copy of a customer's print for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. One million dollars in US currency is displayed as a promotion for the film "Meet Me in Las Vegas." The MGM cinemascope musical starring Cyd Charisse and Dan Daily would play at the Music Box Theatre in Tacoma. The million dollar display in $10,000 bills is being guarded by two uniformed officers from Burns Security. The money appears to be blocked from contact by metal screening and glass. Promoters are not advocating gambling, " We don't recommend that you go to Las Vegas to win it," besides you might be out of town and miss seeing the movie.

Money--U.S.; Publicity photographs; Publicity; Advertising; Security systems;

Copy of a customers print, for Dave Buchie. Original photograph seems to hail from around 1900; Cutter is written in the lower right hand corner, possibly photographer's name. The photograph is taken at the intersection of 9th and Pacific. The Wynkoop-Vaughn drugstore was located at 902 Pacific Ave. The crowd stands many people deep under a cedar swatch. The women wear decorative hats and the men wear bowler hats. They are watching a parade march by, most probably a military one. Buildings are festooned with flags. TPL-9165

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The sea trials of the "Sea Babe" for Kazulin-Cole Shipbuilding Corp. Kazulin-Cole was located at 2002 Marine View Drive. Mike Kazulin was president and Anthony M. Ursich was the secretary-treasurer. The "Sea Babe" was a sports fishing boat. It was designed and built by Mike Kazulin. Built for Leroy Powell of South Bend, it would be based in Raymond. The craft could carry 10 fishermen and was powered by a 144 horsepower General Motors diesel motor. (TNT 6/17/1956, pg. B-2)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Kazulin-Cole Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Ship trials--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Song stylist Helen O'Connell at the May, 1956, Greater Tacoma Home Show exhibit booth sponsored by John E. Amberg Co., distributors for Admiral-Hamilton appliances. Miss O'Connell holds open the door to an Admiral dual temperature refrigerator. To her right is a 1956 Admiral television set. The TV is topped by an Admiral portable radio. Helen O'Connell was an internationally known chanteuse who had recently returned to the music business after retiring to become a homemaker and mother of three daughters. She would be headlining the Broadway style revue at the Home Show. After her father's death while she was still a young teen, she had supported her family by singing in clubs and shows. She sang with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and their recording of "Green Eyes" sold over 3 million copies. (TNT 5/10/1956, pg. C-2-article)

Greater Tacoma Home Show (Tacoma); Exhibitions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Exhibit booths--Tacoma--1950-1960; O'Connell, Helen, 1921-1993; Singers--1950-1960;

Booth sponsored by the Honolulu Conservatory of Music at the 1956 Greater Tacoma Home Show held May 11-20th.The Honolulu Conservatory was a franchise opened by Karolyn & Floyd Piper in their home at 617 No. 2nd St. They specialized in Hawaiian music, teaching ukulele, guitar and accordion. They taught music lessons by the Conservatory method with numbers diagrammed inside notes, sold instruments, music and accessories and ran a studio in their home. At the exhibit booth, a posed mannequin band strikes up a tune on banjo, accordion, clarinet and guitar. Instruments are displayed, including accordions, a guitar and a triple neck steel guitar. Another guitar is available to the right to deposit entries for the free drawing for a ukulele, guitar and accordion.

Greater Tacoma Home Show (Tacoma); Honolulu Conservatory of Music (Tacoma); Musicians--Tacoma--1950-1960; Stringed instruments; Ukuleles;

ca. 1956. Kaiser Aluminum plant. Molten metal is being poured from a vat into a mold to form "pigs." The Tacoma plant was an aluminum reduction facility. It produced the pig aluminum from treated ore. Each "pig" weighs 50 pounds and contains higher that 99% pure aluminum. The Bonneville Power Administration provided the abundant power needed to produce the metal by electrolysis. (Kaiser Aluminum News, August 1956)

Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Cheney Lumber Company's booth at the 1956 Greater Tacoma Home Show. A young Cheney Studs football player poses in uniform with one of the trophies. His uniform features the Cheney "stud" horse logo on the chest. "Studs" were what Cheney renamed the 8 foot 2 x 4 lumber "shorts" that revolutionized the building materials industry. On the back wall are photos of the young man's football team mates, as well as other Cheney teams. One sign points out that the amateur Cheney Studs baseball team was the national runnerup in the 1955 American Baseball Congress.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lumberyards--Tacoma; Lumber--Tacoma; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Greater Tacoma Home Show (Tacoma); Awards; Football players--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A model of one of Ben Cheney's lumberyards is displayed at the Cheney booth at the 1956 Greater Tacoma Home Show. Miniature stacks of Cheney "studs" dot the landscape. The Tacoma Home Show was held May 11-20, 1956 at the College of Puget Sound Fieldhouse. Over 100 local and national companies set up exhibit booths emphasizing products for the home. Cheney "studs" were 8 foot lengths of 2x4 timber that established the residential ceiling height in America.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lumberyards--Tacoma; Lumber--Tacoma; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Greater Tacoma Home Show (Tacoma); Models;

Members of 80 veteran's organizations braved record heat on Memorial Day 1956 to hear an address by U.S. Senator Warren G. Magnuson, Washington Democrat, at Mountain View Memorial Park in Lakewood. "Maggie" defeated Lt. Col., and Tacoma Mayor, Harry P. Cain for the Senate seat vacated by Homer T. Bone in 1944 and served 6 terms, losing in 1980 to Slade Gorton. Senator Magnuson sat on powerful committees while in office, including Commerce, Interstate & Foreign Commerce, and Appropriations. He was a war veteran, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy during WWII and claiming membership in the Amvets, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. A graduate of the University of Washington and the University of Washington Law School, Senator Magnuson resumed the practice of law following his political loss of 1980; he died in Seattle on May 20, 1989. ALBUM 4.

Magnuson, Warren G., 1905-1989; Legislators--Washington--1950-1960;

On June 7, 1956, the original artwork of the 1956 Tacoma telephone directory was presented to the City of Tacoma by an unidentified representative of Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. Mayor John Anderson (left) graciously accepted the framed gift. ALBUM 14.

Mayors--Tacoma--1950-1960; Anderson, John H.; Paintings; Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma);

Mayor John Anderson (left) accepts from an unidentified representative of Pacific Telephone & Telegraph the original artwork for the cover of the 1956 Tacoma telephone directory. Illustrated are familiar local sights including Mt. Rainier, downtown Tacoma, ships at dockside and even two fishermen trying their luck. The actual directory cover would be somewhat modified as seen in D99640, image 2. ALBUM 14.

Mayors--Tacoma--1950-1960; Anderson, John H.; Paintings; Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma);

North End Radio; Extension truck with antenna. North End Radio was located at 2702 No. Proctor and offered television sales, service and installation. They advertised themselves at Tacoma's Top TV Technicians. This antenna wagon is labelled the "Try-A-Tenna," which could be hooked up to your set to show you how improved reception would be with a "Winegard Interceptor." The Interceptor was an all band TV antenna. According to North End Radio's advertising, it offered the finest and clearest reception available. The demonstration was free. (TNT 6/3/1956, pg. D-14)

North End Radio (Tacoma); Television antennas; Television industry--Tacoma;

This duo from Pacific Telephone & Telegraph can let their "fingers do the walking" as they sit surrounded by a million Tacoma phonebooks awaiting distribution to the public. Tacoma received its very first phones in 1879. Its first directory, published in June of 1886 included a precise run down on how to use the instrument.

Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Tacoma)--Employees--1950-1960; Telephone directories;

R.W. Paper Co. in Longview, Wa. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie. This is possibly the office for the paper company. As of 1965, the company was still operating in Longview and making specialty, such as waxed, papers.

R. W. Paper Co. (Longview); Paper industry--Longview--1950-1960;

Pulp manufacturing process at R.W. Paper Co. in Longview, Wa. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie. The workers seems diminutive next to the vast circular vats filled with pulp. In the pulp making process, chemicals are used to separate the wood fibers from the lignin that binds it together. The fibers are then bleached and sent through the paper machine for sheeting and drying.

R. W. Paper Co. (Longview); Paper industry--Longview--1950-1960;

Paper quality control testing at R.W. Paper Co. in Longview, Wa. Two white coated lab technicians work in the lab performing tests. Tests are performed on the finished product for water content, smoothness, weight, color, resistance and opacity. Photographs ordered by Malcolm McGhie.

R. W. Paper Co. (Longview); Paper industry--Longview--1950-1960; Product inspection--Longview; Testing--Longview;

Paper quality control testing at R.W. Paper Co. in Longview, Wa. Two technicians in white lab coats perform tests on samples. The man on the right, hands on the controls of the meter, is measuring a quality of the paper square weighted down by the cylinder. The technician on the left is weighing a substance in a glass bottle. Both men jot down their findings in the open ledgers beside them. Photographs ordered by Malcolm McGhie.

R. W. Paper Co. (Longview); Paper industry--Longview--1950-1960; Product inspection--Longview; Testing--Longview;

Tacoma-Pierce County blood bank. A driver exits the building with a delivery of human blood. The carton states "Handle with care. Do not allow to freeze or become overheated. Rush. Deliver immediately upon arrival- day or night." Human blood can only be kept 21 days. Taxi drivers delivered the blood to local hospitals. (TNT 7/22/1956, pg. B-4+)

Tacoma-Pierce County Blood Bank (Tacoma); Blood; Blood donations--Tacoma;