ca. 1925. Fire Chief Carl Emil Carlson looks on as two unidentified Tacoma firefighters help prepare toys for the Elks Club's annual holiday charity campaign. The Elks Stocking Fillers program supplied Christmas gifts for needy girls and boys - such as these hand assembled wooden boats. Carlson was chief of the fire department from 1916 to 1932.

ca. 1925. Movie posters listing coming attractions decorate the entrance to this unidentified theater in the mid-1920's. For a mere dime, customers could watch Ernst Lubitsch's "Kiss Me Again" or Joe Rock in "Aladdin." Arriving shortly were "No Man's Law" starring Bob Custer and on March 1-4, Lon Cheney's "Phantom of the Opera." Moviegoers could be assured of rapidly changing programs in the 1920's and 30's as most films only stayed in theaters for a few days before moving on. This particular theater apparently did not show matinees except on Sundays as the motion pictures started at 6:15 p.m. on week days.

ca. 1925. Two men flank placard announcing the upcoming arrival of Lon Cheney's "Phantom of the Opera" ca. 1925. They are standing outside the entrance of an unidentified theater that was currently showing Ernst Lubitsch's "Kiss Me Again" and "Aladdin" starring Joe Rock. The men appear proud to present a four-day showing of the advertised Universal masterpiece which featured a cast of 5000+. Price of a ticket was a mere 10 cents, a relative bargain. TPL-1427

ca. 1925. H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc., motion picture set of "Hearts and Fists, " ca. 1925. Unidentified woman standing on planked sidewalk outside of "Slim's Nugget Bar;" a shoemaker's shop is further in the background. Set was still under construction as the log exteriors are basically false fronts. The Weaver Corporation's first film was "Hearts and Fists," set in Washington's lumber camps. The stars of the film actually arrived on May 9, 1925, with filming to begin on May 11th. Marguerite de la Motte, previously seen in "Pagan God," played the lead female role. The male cast included her husband John Bowers, Dan Mason, Jack Curtis and Alan Hale, Sr. Mr. Hale would return to the Tacoma area in 1940 with the premiere of "Tugboat Annie Sails Again" with remarks about his previous experience in filming in this area. Many of the outdoor scenes were filmed around the Kapowsin area and others in the Clear Fir Lumber Co. mill at Day Island. The film would play for a week at the Rialto in January, 1926, drawing exceptionally large audiences. At that time, a moviegoer could attend a weekday matinee for 35 cents, a evening showing for 50 cents with children's prices holding steady at 10 cents. (TDL 5-10-25, p.1, 5-12-25, p. 3)

Motion picture studios--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. (Tacoma);

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

Back of Photo:
South Tacoma

ca. 1925. A copy of an old photograph of a woman playing tennis at Annie Wright Seminary. Ordered by Mrs. Frances C. Russell, director of public relations at Annie Wright Seminary. This photographic copy was made May 8, 1950.

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1920-1930; Students--Tacoma--1920-1930; Private schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Tennis--Tacoma;

ca. 1925. Men and women are seated at tables in dappled shade under a canopy of leaves and paper lanterns at Columbia Brewing Company Brew Gardens at the Pacific Northwest Merchants Exposition in Seattle. Mr. C.H. Ball, the Seattle Branch Manager, is standing on the extreme right. Listings in the Seattle City Directories showed entries for Columbia Bottling Company in 1922 and 1923 and Columbia Brewing Company in 1924 and 1926 with C.H. Ball serving as manager. Photograph by Walter P. Miller, commercial photographer in Seattle. Copies of old prints ordered by Heidelberg Brewing Company in December 1954.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People;

ca. 1925. Men unloading lumber from a ship at the Defiance Lumber Co. dock. The men are unloading cut lumber that appears to be almost two feet by two feet, showing why Tacoma was known as the "Lumber Capital of the World." A rolling crane emblazoned with the company's name can be seen in the background. The crane, of a type first built by Star Iron & Steel Co., was capable of lifting 5 tons from the dock to the ship. The Defiance Lumber Co. and mill was built in 1905 and closed in December of 1951, citing a lack of usable wood. (TNT 6/3/1926, pg. 9- different picture, article on cranes) GTPL-013, TPL-9541

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. The Defiance Lumber Company was an export mill. It cut 80,000,000 feet of lumber in 1926 and it was all shipped away to Europe, Asia, Australia, California, South America or the East Coast. The Defiance Mill did nothing but saw wood, and only fir wood. The plant had dry kilns with a capacity of 50,000 feet a day, a completely equipped planing mill and a lath mill adding to the completeness of the plant. (TNT, 8/10/1927) (filed with Argentum)

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Annie Wright Seminary under construction. The Tudor Gothic building was designed by Sutton, Whitney & Dugan, architects. The Seminary first opened in 1884 at 611 Division Street. The school on Tacoma Ave No., which opened to students in the Fall of 1924, appears barren without its lush green lawns and landscaping. (WSHS- negative A852-0)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1920-1930; Private schools--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Lincoln High School with the cast of an oriental themed operetta on stage. Students on stage are wearing oriental costumes and are backed by a large dragon. The orchestra sits in front of the stage. No Richards Studio description is available.

Auditoriums--Tacoma--1920-1930; Costumes; Actors--Tacoma; Public schools--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Operas & operettas; Orchestras;

ca. 1925. Looking east on South 11th Street in Downtown Tacoma. Fisher's Department Store on right. Buildings on left, left to right: Rhodes Department Store, Fidelity Building, Washington Building and Tacoma Building. 11th Street Bridge (identified on photo as Lincoln Bridge) in distance. When the bridge was built in 1913, it was christened the Lincoln Bridge in a "name the bridge" contest but the name never stuck. Tacomans just preferred to call it the Eleventh Street Bridge. (filed with Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. Looking east on South 11th Street in Downtown Tacoma. Fisher's Department Store on right. Buildings on left, left to right: Rhodes Department Store, Fidelity Building, Washington Building and Tacoma Building. 11th Street Bridge in distance. (filed under Argentum)

Business districts--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fishers Department Store (Tacoma); Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Washington Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Building (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. Five men with floor sanders prepare the floor of the main lobby of the Winthrop Hotel prior to its Grand Opening May 16, 1925. The five men walk in a line, sanding down the new floors in the building. The Winthrop was designed by W.L. Stoddard with Roland Borhek serving as associate architect. The Citizens Hotel Corp. was founded in April of 1922 to come up with a plan for a grand hotel for the growing city of Tacoma. It was named for explorer and writer Theodore Winthrop. (WSHS) BU-12153

Cleaning personnel; Hotels--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. Man and boy posed outside of the doorway of a brick building. The boy wears a suit with short pants. (WSHS)

Clothing & dress--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Play at Congregational Church. A large group of actors, dressed in robes and headdresses, pose at the front of the church. A curtain has been hung across the altar, shielding most of a pipe organ. This is probably the First Congregational Church at 209 So. "J" St. (WSHS-negative under A600-0))

Congregational churches--Tacoma; First Congregational Church (Tacoma); Theatrical productions--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Landscaping, unidentified home. (WSHS)

Gardens--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Noreen Newbegin, noted local harpist, posed with her instrument, circa 1925. (WSHS- negative A607-0)

Harps; Musicians--Tacoma--1920-1930; Newbegin, Noreen;

ca. 1925. In 1925, the East Wing of the Tacoma General Hospital was under construction. The building is shown in this photograph from So. 4th St. The addition was designed by the firm of Sutton, Whitney & Dugan. It was completed in 1926. (WSHS)

Hospitals--Tacoma--1920-1930; Tacoma General Hospital (Tacoma);

ca. 1925. In May of 1925, the Tacoma Hotel at 913 A Street was nearing the completion of a $150,000 remodel and renovation. One of the additions to the venerable hotel was what the News Tribune at the time described as a nine hole golf course on the east lawn overlooking the bay. There was not room enough for a true nine hole course; the hotel's course appears to be a large putting green. In the background, the glass enclosed dining room can be seen. The Tudor style hotel, originally built in 1884, was destroyed by fire on October 17, 1935. (TNT 5/13/1925, pg. 4; TDL 4/12/1927, supplement pg. 6) (WSHS- negative A842-0)

Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Putting (Golf); Golf--Tacoma--1920-1930; Golfers;

ca. 1925. View from front of unidentified house. Drying laundry flaps on the line at the rear of the house. This home was most likely located on the south or east end of Tacoma. (WSHS)

Houses--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. View of the front of a two story house. The house number is 4340. (WSHS)

Houses--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. A goup of students pose at the entrance to Lincoln High School. (WSHS)

Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Students--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. A group of male students pose in front of the entrance of Lincoln High School. The front row of students wear letterman sweaters. (WSHS)

Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Students--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. This modified Spanish Colonial home at 705 No. 5th St. was built in 1924 for James & Elizabeth McCormack. James McCormack was the president of McCormack Brothers Co. The house was designed by Ambrose J. Russell and constructed of tile and stucco. The address was formerly 502 No. G St and 703 No. 5th St. The site for the home was a half block. The ground floor contained a large living room, solarium, dining room, smoking room, library and a deck over the garage. The second floor had three bedrooms with bath and dressing facilities that had access to a deck and a sleeping porch on the southwest corner. Maids' quarters were on the 3rd floor and the 19x 34 basement was a social and billiard room and contained a fireplace. The hardwood floors were of oak, trim of mahogany and the original color scheme for the walls was a soft orchid gray and cream. It is now the Villa Bed and Breakfast. (TNT 6/5/1925, pg. 14) (WSHS)

McCormack, James--Homes & haunts; Houses--Tacoma--1920-1930; Estates--Tacoma;

ca. 1925. An orchard is shown in winter. A house and shed can be seen beyond the trees. (same farm & orchard as A-1420a) (WSHS)

Orchards--Tacoma;

ca. 1925. In 1925, the "Pacific Rooms" rooming house occupied the top floor of 1317 Pacific Ave with Adolf Miller, jeweler, and Raymer's Old Bookstore below. The building has since been demolished. Although Adolf Miller is listed in the 1925 City Directory as a jeweler, he also appears to have been operating a sort of pawn shop as his signs read "We buy, sell and exchange anything of value." He also did watch repairs. T.E. Walsh is listed as the manager of Raymer's Bookstore. (WSHS)

Raymer's Old Book Store (Tacoma); Miller, Adolf--Homes & haunts; Pacific Rooms (Tacoma); Lodging houses--Tacoma--1920-1930;