In January of 1935, a Pierce County grand jury was convened to crack down on vice, gambling, and money slot machines in Tacoma. All Tacomans were called on to step foreward and testify so that "vice, graft and corruption" could be driven from the city. In this picture, taken for the Tacoma Times, Police Sergeant Sherman Lyons and Officer Clarence Rolfson, with slot machines, watch as a jail trustee splinters a pinball machine with a sled hammer. (T. Times, 1/9/1935, p. 5)

Pinball machines--Tacoma; Slot machines--Tacoma; Police--Tacoma; Grand juries; Gambling--Tacoma--1930-1940; Police raids--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Zoo workers prepare to open the sturdy wooden crate containing the Yellowstone Park grizzly bear. The crate has been moved as close to the cave opening as possible to allow safe release of the wild bear. The 2 year old female cub was intended to replace the bear that escaped in 1937 and was never recovered. (T. Times 6/27/1838, pg. 3)

Point Defiance Zoo (Tacoma); Grizzly bears; Zoos--Tacoma--1930-1940; Zoo animals; Zoo keepers--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Attempted robbery at Hunt and Mottet Company. Office interior. Police officer, or security guard, pointing out something to inspector who is taking notes. (T. Times)

Police--Tacoma--1930-1940; Robberies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hunt & Mottet Co. (Tacoma);

Staff of the Lincoln High School weekly publication "The News." A group of young men and faculty advisor Homer A. Post, standing 2nd from left, are gathered around a desk. A standard Remington typewriter and wire baskets facilitate the budding editors' work. The group has just received word that for the 5th time in 6 years, the paper had been given the Pacemaker All American award by the National Scholastic Press Association. Out of 967 entered high school publications, 218 were named All American and only 10 were named Pacemakers. Ralph Spencer is the editor of the paper. His associates are Bill Duncan, Leonard Anderson and George Bailey. Dorothy Cox is business manager and Harold Berndt is sports editor. (T. Times 4/29/1938, pg. 18)

Post, Homer; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lincoln News (Tacoma); Students--Tacoma--1930-1940; Journalists--1930-1940; Newspapers--Tacoma;

On Memorial Day in 1938, W.P. Bonney, regional director in Washington for the Oregon Trail Memorial Association, presents a newly designed Pony Express flag to Capt. Edmund Clarence (E.C.) Weaver, center. Capt. Weaver was the last known living postal rider. The 99-year-old Weaver, who lived in Tacoma, rode between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming along the Oregon Trail. Scouts Herbert and Don Jensen observe the event held at Camp Kilworth, north of Dash Point. The new flag is white with a dark blue pony rider in an action pose with diagonal bars of red, white and blue. (T.Times, 5/31/1938, p.1)

Postal service--Tacoma; Postal service employees--Tacoma; Pony Express;Boy Scouts (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Camp Kilworth; Weaver, E.C.; Jensen, Herbert; Jensen, Don; Bonney, William P.; Flags;

Annie Wright Seminary Parents' and Founders' Day in 1939. (left to right) Mrs. Frank S. Hinsdale, daughter of Bishop Paddock, seminary founder, Rt. Rev. S. Arthur Huston, current Bishop, and Mrs. S. D. Fratt, member of first graduating class. (T. Times, 1/21/39, p. 5)

Private schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Founders' Day commemorations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Huston, S. Arthur; Hinsdale, Frank S.--Family; Fratt, S.D.--Family; Bishops; Clergy--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The second annual Tacoma Yacht Club Daffodil Festival Regatta. Several wooden power motored yachts, including the "Blanche D," gather on Puget Sound. The day of the regatta, April 3rd 1938, proved to be an exciting one. It opened with a morning fire on one of the yachts, continued on with a collision during the power boat race and ended with a small cabin cruiser capsizing, spilling 5 people into the frigid Puget Sound. They were rescued by a Foss tug. (T. Times 4/4/1938, pg. 1)

Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival (1938 : Tacoma); Naval parades & ceremonies--Tacoma; Boats--Tacoma; Regattas--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Yacht Club (Tacoma);

And they're off! During the Cooks, Waiters and Bartenders Tray Derby in March of 1938, restaurant workers carrying serving trays scurry along downtown streets on their way to the finish line at Fife's Century Ballroom, 1406 54th Ave. E. Nineteen women and 25 men competed carrying trays loaded with a ham sandwich, a can of beer, a bottle of milk and a piece of pie. The "race track" began at 9th and Broadway and ended at the Ballroom in Fife. The winning time for the men was 55 minutes, 17 seconds. The winning waitress crossed the line in 56 minutes, 15 seconds. The waiter in light clothing and hat on the right in the above photograph has been identified as Clayton S. Smethurst. He was the representative from Jack's Griddle, located at 912-14 Commerce St. (T. Times, 3/18/1938, p. 18).

Racing--Tacoma--1930-1940; Walking races; Waiters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Restaurant workers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Cooks & Waiters Derby (Tacoma); Cooks, Waiters, Waitresses & Bartenders Union Local No. 61 (Tacoma); Smethurst, Clayton S.;

Haskett (or Hackett) family; ordered by Mrs. Minnie Haskett. A woman sits tuning a radio, young men stand on either side of it. All are well dressed. This photograph was taken in November of 1938.

Radios; Families--1930-1940;

Attempted robbery at Hunt and Mottet Company. Man examining switch box on control panel. (T.Times)

Robberies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hunt & Mottet Co. (Tacoma);

Club of Hearts annual yuletide dance, December 26, 1938. Couples converse at event, left to right: Norman Runions, Maurita Shank (later Runions), Thomas G. Taylor, Mrs. Bill Wingard, Eleanor Davies, Thornton Babbitt, Bill Wingard, Mary Adelaide Raybould. (T. Times, 12/3l/38, p. 4)

Runions, Norman; Shank, Maurita; Taylor, Thomas; Wingard, Bill; Davies, Eleanor; Babbitt, Thornton; Raybould, Mary Adelaide; Club of Hearts (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Lena S. Running, former Stanley pupil, and John Paul Bennett, Director, Conservatory of Music, College of Puget Sound, greet Douglas Stanley (right), a voice culture scientist from New York on March 15, 1938. Stanley will lecture at C.P.S. (T.Times, 3/15/38, p. 3).

Running, Lena S.; Bennett, John Paul; Stanley, Douglas; Teachers--Tacoma--1930-1940; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

ca. 1939. Rhodes Department Store, advertising for three day sale. Two young women carrying packages are receiving assistance from two sales clerks in the knit (sweater) department of the store.

Sales personnel--Tacoma; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

Mike Shea marathon. People crowd around Mike Shea to congratulate him at the original Poodle Dog Cafe in Fife. He had just concluded a fast walk from the Olympus Hotel in downtown Tacoma to Fife's Century Ballroom in just short of an hour. Mike looks barely winded after his 4.6 mile journey. 20 carloads of supporters in addition to police traveled with him in the late night escapade. He won a $10 bet for his efforts.

Shea, Mike; Men--Social life--1930-1940; Events--Fife--1930-1940; Walking races; Marathons; Men--Clothing & dress--Fife--1930-1940; Restaurants--Fife; Poodle Dog (Fife);

Horse performing a trick at the Annual Horse Show held in the new Woodbrook Hunt Club stables October 28-29, 1938. A man is holding a rope attached to the horse's bridle; the horse is sitting on the floor of the arena. (T. Times, 11/5/1938, p. 9).

Show horses; Woodbrook Stables (Lakewood); Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood);

ca. 1939. Three female skiers at Mount Rainier, possibly Annie Wright students. They are tentatively identified as, left to right, Anne Chapman of Tacoma, Marie Eckstrom of Tacoma and an unidentified skier.

Skiers--1930-1940; Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940;

ca. 1939. Three female skiers at Mount Rainier, possibly Annie Wright students. They are tentatively identified as, left to right, Anne Chapman of Tacoma, Marie Eckstrom of Tacoma and an unidentified skier.

Skiers--1930-1940; Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940;

ca. 1939. Three Roy news carriers enjoy a day on skis in the snow. Fir trees in background are heavily laden with snow. (T. Times)

Skiers--1930-1940; Snow; Newspaper carriers--Roy;

Standing in stark contrast with the white snow, a large group of skiers are pictured outside the lodge at Paradise where the February, 1938, ski races and winter carnival are being held. This would be the seventh annual Tacoma winter sports carnival of ski races held at Paradise Valley. Olympian Don Fraser and Virginia Bowden (Boden), both of Seattle, would be the respective men's and women's slalom champions. Thousands of spectators and skiers would enjoy not only the races of varying categories, but also exhibition skiing by Austrian Otto Lang, skiing under floodlights, and a free carnival dance. Trophies and prizes would be awarded the victors. (T.Times 2-14-38, p. 1, 11)

Skiers; Athletes;

Ski races at Paradise Valley, Mount Rainier National Park. Spectators wait for the February 13, 1938, races to begin, surrounded by the scenic, snow-covered valley, lodges and mountains. The events were expected to attract 5000 skiers and spectators from all over the Pacific Northwest. Eventual winners of the open slalom races would be Don Fraser in the men's category for the second straight time and University of Washington student Virginia Bowden (Boden) in the women's. Future Olympic gold medalist Gretchen Kunigk (later Fraser) would vacate her Carnival Queen throne to place 5th.

Skiers; Athletes;

February, 1938, ski races and winter carnival at Paradise Valley, Mount Rainier National Park. A long line of skiers gather near the lodge. Trees and lodge roof are laden with fresh snow. 5000 skiers and spectators were expected to gather for the seventh annual Tacoma Winter Sports Carnival held during two days in February, 1938. Besides races for different abilities, there was exhibition skiing and skiing under floodlights.

Skiers; Snow;

On March 27, 1938, the Silver Skis race was cancelled due to a 60 mile an hour gale wind whipping snow particles into the skiers' faces above McClure's Rock on Mt. Rainier. It was a second year in a row that the race was cancelled and its future did not look promising. A near record crowd of 8,000 settled in to watch an exhibition slalom race that promoters put together as a substitute, as well as stunt antics of some of the ski stars on a special jump. The Silver Skis was a grueling race that required skiers to trek by foot at daybreak up to Camp Muir, 10,000 feet above sea level, and ski down. The survivor with the best time won. (T.Times, 3/28/1938, p.1).

Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940; Paradise Inn (Wash.); Skiers; Winter sports;

Burr Anderson, promising new skier, skis over crest of hill at Mount Rainier. Mountaintop in distance. (T.Times 1/18/1939, p. 7).

Skiing--Tacoma; Skiers; Anderson, Burr; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

On March 11, 1939, the Bachelor Club of Tacoma hosted a large ball and style show at the Crystal Ballroom of the Winthrop Hotel. Shannon Smith, center, modeled a wedding gown. (T.Times 3/18/1939, pg. 9)

Smith, Shannon; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Bachelor Club (Tacoma); Fashion shows--Tacoma--1930-1940; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Industrial sections of the city of Tacoma as viewed on February 15, 1938. Wood industry with extensive one-story, shed-style buildings on the Tacoma tideflats.

Smokestacks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Men put the final touches on diorama promoting the Washington Fruit Growers. The animated oil painting illustrates a large orchard in Eastern Washington. Smyser Display Service prepared the World's Fair exhibits. (T. Times, 1/6/1939, p. 11).

Smyser Display Service (Tacoma); Dioramas; Exhibitions--1930-1940; Shipping;

Stadium High School 1939 Basketball Team. The team, under the direction of Coach V.G. Lowman, was on top of the Tacoma prep standings. Considered short for a basketball team, they made up for their lack of altitude with sheer attitude. The fighting Tigers, in at least six of their games, came from far behind to win. Team members are, front row left to right, Art DeMaris, Matt Kapovich, Bob Loftness, Wes Hudson, Marion Klarich and Russ Soper. Back row, Dick Donelson, Dave Livingston, Dave Doud, Coach Lowman, Fred Angus, Warren Harvey and George Warfer. The team won the school its 10th consecutive city championship and placed second in cross state play. (T. Times 2/24/1939, pg. 14)

Stadium High School (Tacoma)--Sports; Basketball players--1930-1940; Basketball-- Tacoma--1930-1940;

Stadium High School's undefeated 1939 Swim Team. Coach Vincent Keyes poses with his tank team at the school's indoor swimming pool. Bob Early stays afloat in pool. Other team members are, front row, left to right, Ralph Ervin, Phil Cedarcrans, Louis Formuzis, Richard Malott and Jim Fisher. 2nd row: Bliss Croft, Jack Bloomfield, Dean Daughtry and Ralph Burnett. Back row: Richard Hescox, Coach Keyes, Wally Bookwalter, Captain Earl Stuard and Jack Graham. Kneeling on the diving board is Ed Hoppen. Sitting on the board, left to right, are Jack Alvord, Jimmy Diedrick and Dick Strinsky. (T. Times, 1/30/1939, p. 11, names listed).

Stadium High School (Tacoma)--Sports; Swimmers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Swimming--Tacoma--1930-1940; Swimming pools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Business section of the city of Tacoma. View of 11th Street from Court D looking east toward the Eleventh Street Bridge. Sylvan Apartments and Anderson's Public Market in foreground.

Streets - Tacoma - South 11th StreetBuildings - Commercial Buildings - Tacoma

Studio stock photographs. Night time scene of neon signs along Broadway, looking south from 11th Street. Included are The Owl Drug Company, Feist & Bachrach, Blue Mouse Theater, Sears, and Benders.

Streets - Tacoma Streets - Broadway Advertising - Signs - Neon Signs