On January 19, 1938, Pierce County Sheriff John C. Bjorklund posed on the steps of the old Pierce County Courthouse at 1012 South G Street with his 16-member staff. Sheriff Bjorklund is in the front row, second from the left. His criminal deputies donned blue caps, coats and high laced boots for this photograph. Marian Hager, stenographer, was the only female staff member. The names of the sixteen aides are listed in the newspaper caption. (TNT 1/19/1938, pg. 7-alternate photograph)

Bjorklund, John; Uniforms; Sheriffs--Pierce County--1930-1940; Law enforcement officers; Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Courthouses--Tacoma; Hager, Marian;

Pierce County Sheriff's officers, George W. Kupka on right, flank Sheriff John C. Bjorklund on the Court House steps in January of 1938. John C. Bjorklund was in his second term. When re-elected in 1938, he received the largest majority ever given a candidate for any office in the history of Pierce County up to that time. Bjorklund was for many years the secretary of the Tacoma Longshoremen's Union and he was a familiar figure on Tacoma's waterfront. (filed with Argentum)

Bjorklund, John; Uniforms; Sheriffs--Pierce County--1930-1940; Pierce County Sheriffs (Tacoma); Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Courthouses--Tacoma; Kupka, George;

ca. 1936. Pierce County Courthouse. From the time it was built in 1892 till it was demolished in 1959, the Romanesque turrets of the Courthouse were a familiar landmark in Tacoma. The building was designed by Proctor & Dennis, architects, and was patterned after the courthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by Henry Hobson Richardson. It was an imposing structure for a city with large aspirations. The three story building was built of Wilkeson grey freestone finished with Tenino bluestone. Its focus was a tall clock tower that was damaged in the 1949 earthquake. A167500-36. (TPL-2532, TPL-4031 and TPL-6670)

Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Courthouses--Tacoma; Historic buildings--Tacoma;

After wedding portrait of Mary Ellen Miller and Don Carlson in front of the Pierce County Court House. As more young men were drafted or enlisted, weddings were hurriedly placed on the social calendar, often with the young woman travelling to the military base where her intended was stationed. The Pierce County Courthouse became a revolving door for young couples wanting to be united before he left for "over there." [Also dated. 08-14-1942]

Miller, Mary Ellen--Marriage; Carlson, Don; Weddings--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Three unidentified men are pictured in the County Auditor's office in the Pierce County Courthouse on September 30, 1942.

Municipal government--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department force including patrolmen, detectives, and Pierce County Sheriff H.W. "Lee " Croft posed on the steps of the Pierce County Courthouse in December of 1945. Sheriff Croft (center, first row) was first elected to his position in 1942. He was a former logger, gold miner, heavyweight boxer, checkers enthusiast and longtime operator of the Croft Hotel on Pacific Ave. Lee Croft served two terms as sheriff and passed away in December of 1951.

Sheriffs--Pierce County--1940-1950; Pierce County Sheriffs (Tacoma); Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Courthouses--Tacoma; Croft, Lee

James B. Mitchell was tried and convicted for the murder of Dr. John R. Thompson. Mitchell confessed to slaying two people from Tacoma, Bruce Gullett was the other person killed by Mitchell, but his case would be tried at a later date. Judge Fred G. Remann presided over the hearings. View of James B. Mitchell being led into or out of the court room, he is wearing handcuffs (T. Times, 4/17/47, p. 1).

Shooting--Tacoma; Mitchell, James B.--Judicial proceedings; Actions & defenses--Tacoma; Homicides--Tacoma; Death--Tacoma; Handcuffs; Courthouses--Tacoma; Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma);

Judge Waldo Stone, center, is seated in front of the Auditor's Office in this sepia photograph taken on July 1, 1954. There is a marriage licenses sign behind him indicating that office hours were from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The two men in the photograph with Judge Stone are T.J. "Pat" O'Brien and Armand R. Moceri of Sumner. Mr. Moceri would announce his candidacy for the 25th District state representative in August, 1954. Mr. O'Brien would seek election to the post of county accessor; he had been elected constable in 1950. (TNT 8-23-54, p. 9, TNT 9-5-54, A-2))

Stone, Waldo; Judges; O'Brien, T.J.; Moceri, Armand R.; Signs (Notices);

In late November 1949 workers dismantled the upper 27 feet of the Pierce County Courthouse tower which had been severely damaged in the earthquake of April 13, 1949. The open part of the topmost part of the tower was taken down stone by stone, lowered to the ground with a specially built exterior elevator, and the stone was hauled away. This view from inside the tower, through the broken face of the clock once housed there, looks across Central School and downtown Tacoma towards Commencement Bay and Browns Point. The clock had a 10-foot face and the glass cover was about 3/8" thick. (TNT, 11/20/1949, p.A-5)

Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Courthouses--Tacoma; Towers--Tacoma; Clocks & watches; Historic buildings--Tacoma; Earthquakes--Tacoma--1940-1950; Damage to property; Demolition--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Blocks used for sidewalks on Consumer's Central Heating System at Pierce County Court House, Holroyd Company, Jim Holroyd. A workman is laying concrete blocks on either side of the pipe that provided steam throughout much of downtown Tacoma using an underground distribution system. The central generating plant used hogged fuel (mill refuse) from local sawmills. (TDL, 5/26/1931)

Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Consumer's Central Heating Co. (Tacoma); Building materials--Tacoma; Concrete products industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Heating & ventilation industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The Pierce County Treasurer's office was located on the first floor of the Pierce County Court House, at 1012 South G Street. In 1949 The Pierce County Treasurer was Leander R. Johnson. Interior view of the treasurer's office, county employees are reviewing county treasury information; the man behind the three men in foreground, is looking through a city directory. TPL-8391

County government--Tacoma; Government employees--Tacoma; Government officials--Tacoma; Treasuries--Tacoma; Civil service--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pierce County Treasurer (Tacoma);

Copy of drawing, architect's sketch of design for lowering the tower of the Pierce County Courthouse which was damaged in the 1949 earthquake. Lance, McGuire and Muri, Architects. As of July 31st county commissioners revealed that structural weaknesses necessitated the removal of the tower. Estimates showed it would cost at least $60,000 to reinforce the tower sufficiently to allow it to remain. The Tacoma Architects' Society had petitioned the commissioners to spare the tower as it was "a noble example" of the Romanesque style. Removal of the tower and substitution of an ornamental peaked roof just above what would be the sixth floor level was estimated at $35,000. (TNT, 7/31/1949, p.1)

Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Architectural Drawings; Lance, McGuire & Muri (Tacoma); Courthouses--Tacoma; Towers--Tacoma;

• Pierce County Court House. Built in 1892 at 1012 So. G Street, it was demolished in 1959, after the new County-City Building was completed. circa 1907.
• Printed on front: Pierce County Court House, Tacoma, Washington.

• Although mailed in 1993, this postcard was published in 1959. Both the old Pierce County Courthouse and the new County-City Building are shown here, with the Armory visible to the far left. circa 1959.
• Printed on front: Tacoma, Washington

Printed on front: Pierce County Court House, Tacoma, Wash.

Pierce County Courthouse, Tacoma

Printed on front: 1132 - The Armory and Courthouse, Tacoma, Washington

Printed on front: No. 7 State Armory, Tacoma, Washington.

Current location of Tacoma Public Library's Main Branch. Printed on front: Carnegie Public Library and Court House -- Tacoma, Wash.

Maefair Apartments fire hearing. Witnesses were called and evidence was provided to a jury, who was to decide whether criminal negligence had occurred at the February 17, 1945, Maefair Apartments fire that killed 19 people. Coroner Paul Mellinger questioned a wide array of witnesses, and provided jurors with a clear picture of the unfortunate circumstances. Seated in the jury box were: (l-r) Mrs. Alfarnia E. Allen, Mrs. C.R. McColl and Mrs. Robert C. McCune. In the back row were: (l-r) H.W. Kramer, future Tacoma mayor John H. Anderson and Erling O. Johnson. (T. Times, 3/2/45, p. 1; TNT 3-2-45, p. 1-alternate photograph & article).

Courtrooms--Tacoma; Judicial proceedings--Tacoma; Juries--Tacoma; Kramer, H.W.; Anderson, John H.; Johnson, Erling O.; Allen, Alfarnia; McColl, C.R.--Family; McCune, Robert C.--Family;

Maefair Apartment fire hearing. After an extensive investigation it was concluded that the fire was started in the basement, then continued upwards, until it was out of control. Coroner Paul Mellinger, center, questioned several witnesses, including victims, Robbie Larson, Fire Inspector and John D. Hamilton, owner of Hamilton's Candy Co. (T. Times, 3/2/45, p. 1).

Courtrooms--Tacoma; Judicial proceedings--Tacoma; Mellinger, Paul;

Long lines of Pierce County residents filled the second floor hallway of the old Pierce County Courthouse on January 2, 1948 outside the Auditor's office. Motorists had until January 10th to register their vehicles, or a $3 penalty would be attached to their registration fees. Anyone choosing to drive without a 1948 license sticker could be arrested and heavily fined.(T. Times, 1/3/48, p. 7).

Licenses--Tacoma--1940-1950; Recording & registration--Tacoma--1940-1950; License plates--Washington (State)--1940-1950; Vehicles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Queues--Tacoma; Crowds--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma);

Tacoma-Pierce County Blood Bank was located on 726-28 Saint Helens Avenue in downtown Tacoma. The center opened in July 1946, in 1947 they were receiving blood donations for industrial plants throughout Tacoma. View of prisoner donating blood at Pierce County Jail, the jail was located on the first floor of the building; nurse from Tacoma-Pierce County Blood Bank is helping the patient with the donation.

Prisoners--Tacoma; Prisons--Tacoma; Blood donations--Tacoma; Medical equipment & supplies; Blood; Nurses--Tacoma; Pierce County Jail (Tacoma); Tacoma-Pierce County Blood Bank (Tacoma);

A long line of motorists formed outside Pierce County Auditor Jack Sonntag's office October 25, 1948, to purchase special 1949 license plates. Clare Radek, cashier, is showing Mr. Sonntag license plate B 1 which had been reserved for many years for S.A. Perkins, a prominent Tacoma businessman. "Sam" Perkins had received the first license plate issued by Washington State, plate no.1, in 1905. (photo ordered for the Times by Angeloff) (T.Times, 10/25/1948, p.18)

Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Sonntag, Jack W.; Radek, Clare; License plates--Washington (State)--1940-1950; Government officials--Tacoma--1940-1950;

As the caption on this photograph indicates, this was the Criminal Force of the Pierce County Sheriff's Dept. in 1938. John C. Bjorklund (not pictured), the County Sheriff, was in his second term. When re-elected in 1938, he received the largest majority ever given a candidate for any office in the history of Pierce County up to that time. TPL-2512

Uniforms; Sheriffs--Pierce County--1930-1940; Pierce County Sheriffs (Tacoma);