Firemen going into Acme Cleaners dragging firehose. A crowd stands outside the Kit Kat Tavern, with Heidelberg and Hamm's neon signage hanging in the window.

Copy of Old Donnelly Hotel, Times, Busselle. This photo was published in the Tacoma Times in September of 1947 to show the street cars that used to run on Pacific Avenue and up 9th Street. In 1947 Tacoma undertook a major project to repave the main "hill" streets in the downtown shopping district. While ripping out the several layers of street surfacing built up since the pioneer days, the power shovels unearthed some of the original ties from the old street car line. The Donnelly Hotel (originally the Fife) stood at the corner of 9th and Pacific from 1897 to 1925. In 1925 it was demolished. The Motoramp Garage was built on the site. (T.Times, 9/17/1947, p.1) TPL-2404.

Hotel Donnelly (Tacoma); Hotels--Tacoma--1900-1910; Street railroads--Tacoma--1900-1910; Streets--Tacoma--1900-1910; City & town life--Tacoma--1900-1910; Cities & towns;

• Built as the Fife Hotel on the Fife Block in 1887, it was completely remodeled and opened as the Donnelly Hotel in 1898. The building was demolished in 1925. circa 1920.
• Printed on front: Donnelly Hotel, Tacoma, Washington. "Unequalled Location".

With its large, U-shaped bar down the middle of the room, the Kit-Kat Tavern was a fixture on Pacific Ave., across the street from the Olympus Hotel, from 1947 to 1971. In this photograph from March of 1952, a large crowd of men and women fills every booth and stool. The Kit-Kat claimed to have the "best draft beer in town", and a large California wine was only 25 cents. TPL-8249

Kit Kat Tavern (Tacoma); Bars--Tacoma; Bartenders--Tacoma;

Circa 1915.

The Kit Kat Tavern was celebrating its third anniversary in April, 1954. Overhead view of tavern's interior; all seats seem to be occupied with happy customers. People could enjoy a drink while playing what appears to be a form of bingo. Budweiser, Lucky Lager, and Rainier beers were some of the beers available for purchase. The Kit Kat Tavern was located at 746 Pacific Avenue and owned by Elmer Gardner and Patricia White.

Bars--Tacoma--1950-1960; Kit Kat Tavern (Tacoma);