Tacoma's Fidelity Building, located at 949-55 Broadway in the downtown district was being demolished. A new building would be erected at this same site, the F. W. Woolworth Company Building. Tacoma's Roy T. Earley Company would be bringing the building down. Interior view of the Fidelity Building; view of office that belonged to Hal's Safe and Lock Company, the doorway appears to have led into a vault (T.N.T., 9/18/49, p. A-6).

Demolition--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building deterioration--Tacoma; Abandoned buildings--Tacoma; Vaults (Strong rooms)--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Offices--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Roy T. Earley Co. (Tacoma);

Copy of customer print of hat shop. Customer's print of the interior of Rose Millinery was taken in approximately 1946. At that time, the business was located in the Fidelity Bldg at 9th and Broadway. Large mirrors are used to make the room appear much larger; the mirrored reflections show a sitting area next to a fireplace and also racks of hats. Displays of fresh flowers and flowered hair attachments blend in with the brightly colored floral carpet. A sign indicates that hats are made to order; in addition, remodeling, retrimming and reblocking services were offered. Rose and Arthur Hertz, originally from the Netherlands, were the owners of Rose Millinery.

Millinery; Hats--1950-1960; Rose Millinery (Tacoma);

Sidewalks are blocked-off around the Fidelity Building where crews prepare to demolish the 1890 office building designed by notable Chicago architects Burnham & Root. Considered very "modern" when it was built, the structure soon will be replaced by a new "modern" building for the F. W. Woolworth Co.

Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Demolition--Tacoma--1940-1950; Skyscrapers--Tacoma; Burnham & Root (Chicago, Ill.);

Circa 1908.

Circa 1908.

Circa 1915.

The Roy T. Earley Company was transporting the usable building materials from the Fidelity Building to a warehouse on Puyallup Avenue in September of 1949. These materials would later be sold, including the elevators. View of one unidentified man, wearing a hardhat, high above the street. He was part of the Roy T. Earley Company crew working on the demolition of the Fidelity Building. The F.W. Woolworth Co. building would rise in its place. (T.N.T., 9/18/49, p. A-6).

Demolition--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building deterioration--Tacoma; Abandoned buildings--Tacoma; Construction workers--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Roy T. Earley Co. (Tacoma);

Circa 1907.

Circa 1915.

ca. 1925. Hanson's Jewelry Store, located in the Fidelity Building at 11th & Broadway, was a downtown landmark in the 1920s and 1930s. Arriving in Tacoma from the Midwest in 1909 after an apprenticeship as a watchmaker, Herbert O. Hanson opened his own jewelry store in 1921. Herbert operated the shop until retirement in 1939, when Clarence Magnussen took over operation of the popular Hanson's. Judging by this photograph taken about 1925, "Happy Hanson" also specialized in shirts. Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanson New Year to All!

jewelry stores

A fearless photographer and the Puget Sound National Bank building are framed by the debris of the Fidelity Building, 949-55 Broadway, in this photograph from September of 1949. The Fidelity Building on the north east corner of South 11th and Broadway was being demolished by the Roy T. Earley Company to create room for the new F.W. Woolworth Building. The photographer has worked his way out onto the old buildings roof beams so that he can get a better shot of the demolition work in progress. (T.N.T., 9/18/49, p. A-6). TPL-5661

Demolition--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building deterioration--Tacoma; Abandoned buildings--Tacoma; Photographers--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Roy T. Earley Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1890. Horse-and-buggy in front of Fidelity Trust Company Building, 11th and C, Tacoma, Washington, circa 1890. Driver is unidentified. Sidewalk appears to be of concrete but the street is made of boards. The Fidelity Building was new in 1890 and originally built as a six-story brick structure. It later added six more stories in 1909. It was demolished in 1949 to make way for the F.W. Woolworth Co. building. S7.1, G66.1-124

Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1890-1900; Carriages & coaches--Tacoma--1890-1900; Horses--Tacoma--1890-1900;

• The Fidelity Trust Building, located at 949-55 Broadway, was built in 1890 and demolished in 1949. circa 1914.
• Printed on front: Fidelity Trust Co. Building, Tacoma, Washington.

Circa 1907.

Circa 1915.

Fidelity Building from location in vicinity of Pacific First Federal Building, every day for a week at same time each day, Pacific First Federal, Vander Ende. Sidewalks are blocked-off around the Fidelity Building where crews prepare to demolish the 1890 office building designed by notable Chicago architects Burnham & Root. Considered very "modern" when it was built, the structure soon will be replaced by a new "modern" building for the F. W. Woolworth Co. The building was originally built with five stories on the west elevation (Broadway) and six on the east (Commerce). It was enlarged vertically in 1909. There were 26 offices on each of the upper floors.

Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Skyscrapers--Tacoma; Demolition--Tacoma--1940-1950;

The Fidelity Building, built in 1890 was being demolished by the Roy T. Earley Company. The building was originally a six story building, in 1912 an additional six and a half stories were added; the building should be completely gone by early 1950. View of two unidentified men working on the demolition of the Fidelity Building (T.N.T., 9/18/49, p. A-6).

Demolition--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building deterioration--Tacoma; Abandoned buildings--Tacoma; Construction workers--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Roy T. Earley Co. (Tacoma);

The Roy T. Earley Company estimated that at least 1,500,000 bricks and 1,500 tons of steel were in the Fidelity Building. View of one unidentified man, wearing a hardhat, he is part of the Roy T. Earley Company crew working on the demolition of the Fidelity Building (T.N.T., 9/18/49, p. A-6).

Demolition--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building deterioration--Tacoma; Abandoned buildings--Tacoma; Construction workers--Tacoma; Office buildings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Roy T. Earley Co. (Tacoma);

"Fidelity, not used." Fidelity building interior before demolition in 1949.

Circa 1911.

9th & Broadway business district -downtown Tacoma- as seen in March of 1925. On the left in the center is the Fidelity Building, 949-55 Broadway. Built in 1890 as a six-story structure, an additional six stories were added in 1909. On its left is a portion of the Rhodes Brothers Department Store; on its right is the smaller Rust Building and the Washington Building, still under construction. G57.1-135

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Rust Building (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1931. Fidelity Building, 949-55 Broadway, Tacoma. The Fidelity Bldg. was built in 1890 from a design by Burnham & Root, architects. It was originally six stories, with six more added in 1909. The structure was demolished in 1949 to make way for the Woolworth Co. building. Bowen # 1061-2

Fidelity Building (Tacoma); Office buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940;