ca. 1979. Manhole cover in concrete, engraved with "Bell System" for the telephone system.

Manhole covers;

ca. 1979. Unidentified house on a large lot with overgrown weeds and trees.

Houses--Tacoma; Building deterioration--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1979. Donald McDonald double house, built 1888, at 1346 Fawcett Ave. The house was later further divided into apartments. On the left is a dry cleaners.

Duplexes--Tacoma;

ca. 1979. Fawcett Ave., circa 1979, looking north. The last three buildings seen clearly on the left are, left to right, the Auditorium Building (1308-10), the Ford Building (1302) and the ornate turrets of the Samson Hotel (1152-56.) In 1979, the Auditorium and Ford buildings had been remodeled into one structure known as Crescent Hall. The more modern structure in the foreground of the left hand side of the picture is the Carpenters Building, 1322 Fawcett, which housed several Labor Union offices.

Auditorium Building (Tacoma); Ford Building (Tacoma); Samson Hotel (Tacoma); Cityscapes--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1979. Manhole in unidentified paved area, circa 1979.

Manhole covers;

ca. 1979. Auditorium Building, 1308-10 Fawcett Ave., circa 1979. After a remodel in 1931 that combined the structure with the Ford Building next door, it was known as the Crescent Ballroom.

Auditorium Building (Tacoma); Building deterioration--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1979. Graffiti on an unidentified wall, circa 1979; includes the epitaph "Nixon in 1984," interesting because President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 when faced with impeachment. The '84 election was between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale.

Graffiti--Tacoma;

ca. 1979. Union Station, circa 1979. Station opened in 1911 and is on the City, State and National registry.

Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad stations--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1979. Union Station, circa 1979. Station opened in 1911 and is on the City, State and National registry.

Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad stations--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1979. A pedestrian shields themselves from the drizzle with an umbrella as they cross 12th St. at the intersection of 12th & Pacific Ave., heading toward the Tacoma Art Museum on the corner, at 1123 Pacific Ave. The 1921 structure, designed by Sutton, Whitney & Dugan architects, had formerly housed the National Bank of Washington. The Art Museum left in 2003 for its new modern home and the building has had a succession of owners.

Tacoma Art Museum (Tacoma); Galleries & museums--Tacoma;

ca. 1979. Mural on side of 734-36 Pacific Ave, ca. 1979. It has a violent subject, with what appear to be mobsters shooting pedestrians.

Murals--Tacoma--1970-1980; Cityscapes--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1979. Manhole in unidentified paved area, circa 1979.

Manhole covers;

ca. 1979. Row of pedestal sinks in an unidentified public restroom, probably at Union Station, circa 1979.

Public comfort stations; Rest rooms;

ca. 1979. Brick wall with consecutive numbers painted on it, white washing or plaster, weed filled vacant lot, Tacoma circa 1979.

Cityscapes--Tacoma--1970-1980; Building deterioration--Tacoma--1970-1980; Weeds;

ca. 1979. Mosaic tile work in front of the lot where the Maple Leaf Hotel was formerly located, 1546-48 Broadway. The Maple Leaf was last listed under that name in 1911; the building was demolished in 1957.

Maple Leaf Hotel (Tacoma); Mosaic pavements--Tacoma--1979-1980;

ca. 1979. On the right is the intersection of Pacific Ave. and So. 19th St., circa 1979. This is now the location of the University of Washington Tacoma campus grand staircase. The building in the center of the photo is the Garretson-Woodruff-Pratt Building. The structure was built in 1890 and was home to the Peoples Store (1890's) and Sears (1920's), as well as other businesses. Today it is also part of the University of Washington's Tacoma campus.

University of Washington (Tacoma); Garretson-Woodruff-Pratt Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1979. Sidewalk leading up along the side of the C. St. Cafe and the rear of the cafe, circa 1979.

C St. Cafe (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1979. Broken window, circa 1979.

Windows--Tacoma;

ca. 1979. Unidentified brick warehouse with equipment, circa 1979.

Warehouses--Tacoma--1970-1980;

ca. 1979. Unidentified brick warehouse with equipment, circa 1979.

Warehouses--Tacoma--1970-1980;

"Norman" - undated portrait of Norman Randall, with well lit face floating in black cowl. Norman Randall, Virna Haffer's third husband, was an engineer and artist. Haffer never remarried after his death in 1950. (A Turbulent Lens: The Photographic Art of Virna Haffer, p. 61- information on Mr. Randall)