Billed as the "Finest Show on Earth," the Cole Brothers Circus came to Tacoma in August of 1937. They set up their tents on the Tacoma tideflats close to the 15th Street bridge on Northern Pacific Railroad land. On August 23rd the circus performers crossed the 15th Street bridge and paraded through the streets of Tacoma. The stars of the Cole Brothers Circus in 1937 were Clyde Beatty, the wild animal trainer, and cowboy movie star Ken Maynard. (T.Times, 8/21/37, p.9, announcement).

Circus animals; Circus parades--Tacoma--1930-1940; Circuses & shows; Cole Brothers Circus; Circus performers;

Elizabeth Ann Hewitt, Mary Blankenhorn, Mary Lee Griggs, and Nancy Griggs on tennis courts. (T.Times, Society).

Hewitt, Elizabeth Ann; Blankenhorn, Mary; Griggs, Mary Lee; Griggs, Nancy; Tennis courts--Tacoma;

Golf tournament at the Tacoma Country Club. Spectators surround a golfer on the golf course. (T. Times).

Sports - Ball Games - Golf - TournamentsFacilities - Sports Facilities - Golf CoursesOrganizations - Clubs - Social Clubs - Country Clubs - Tacoma Country Club

Golf tournament at the Tacoma Country Club. Golfer on putting green taps golf ball toward hole. A crowd of spectators watch the event near a grove of trees. A water tower is visible through the trees. (T. Times).

Sports - Ball Games - Golf - TournamentsFacilities - Sports Facilities - Golf CoursesOrganizations - Clubs - Social Clubs - Country Clubs - Tacoma Country Clubs

Old fishing reel and old leather fly book. Ordered by Mr. Metcalf. (T. Times).

Equipment - Sports Equipment - Fishing Gear

William Hardie, the Lincoln High School track coach, posed with five of his track men in September of 1937. By the end of the year, the Lincoln Abes track team had won the state track title for the third consecutive year. With six returning letterman for the 1937-38 team, coach Hardie was hoping to make it four in a row. In the back row are, left to right, Hardie, Rankin, Wilcox and Sharp. Kneeling in front are Harold H. Berndt (left) and Lincoln's best "sprint man" Tommy Jones (right). At the state competition in Pullman, "Hurrying" Harold Berndt finished first in the 100 and 200 yard dashes and was high point man for the tournament. (T. Times 5/19/1937, pg 3; 5/24/1937, pg. 11-Berndt & tourney results) (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Track athletics--Tacoma--1930-1940; Runners (Sports)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Running; Hardie, William; Berndt, Harold H.; Jones, Tommy;

In September of 1937, Vivian Sherman was pictured having a talk with her "lucky dog" Sport. The three year old setter was lucky to be alive. The year before in the winter, he caught his right front paw in a trap. He was stuck for eight days in the frozen trap until he broke the chain and crawled over a mile home. The Shermans had the leg operated on and Sport made a full recovery. He was an excellent hunting dog, despite the fact that he was left with only one toe on the damaged foot. Mrs. Sherman and her husband Frank were the owners of Tapps Fishing Tackle on South Tacoma Way. (T. Times 4/6/1937, pg. 13)

Dogs; Hunting dogs; Sherman, Vivian;

Pacific Lutheran College Football Team. Large group of players wearing practice uniforms in four rows on field. (filed with Argentum)

Football players--Parkland; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1930-1940; Universities & colleges--Parkland--1930-1940; Football--Parkland--1930-1940;

In the Stadium.

Interior of the home of Thomas and Ellen O. Johnsen, owner of Bone Dry Shoes on Pacific Ave., and Cortland Johnsen, the company's manager. The home was built in 1936-37 and was located at 2420 No. Junett St. It was designed by architect W. Chelse Boynton. (filed with Argentum)

Bone-Dry Shoe Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Shoe industry--Tacoma; Shoemaking--Tacoma; Johnsen, Thomas O.--Homes & haunts;

In November of 1937, Arnold Leverenz was photographed playing the organ at Ted Brown Music Co., 1121-23 Broadway. Ted Brown was in business at this location from 1934-2001. Mr. Leverenz was a noted local musician. He provided background music at the Pantages during the silent film era and was a featured performer at Steve's Gay Nineties in the 1950's. (filed with Argentum)

Leverenz, Arnold; Musicians--Tacoma; Organs; Ted Brown Music Store (Tacoma);

Fred Carleton, vice president of the Peoples Store. See T1030 image #1 for Carleton's wife Sylvania and son Alvin. Peoples Store was located at 1101-1107 Pacific Ave. It opened in 1895 and closed in 1983. The Carletons had recently relocated from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to Tacoma. (T. Times 9/16/1937, pg. 12)

Peoples (Tacoma); Carleton, Fred;

Consumers Central Heating Co.'s 20,000-ton chipped-wood pile located across City Waterway from the steam plant. Paul Danforth is dwarfed by the huge pile, delivered in 500 carloads barged from sawmills to heat the city. (T.Times, 10/20/1937, p.1).

Consumers Central Heating Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Private utility companies--Tacoma;

The midway at the 1937 Puyallup Fair. Side shows are housed in canvas tents with large banners proclaiming their wares, such as "Harlem on Parade." Cars from a ride spin in the air as crowds mill around.

Midways--Puyallup--1930-1940; Western Washington Fair (Puyallup); Fairs--Puyallup--1930-1940;

Portrait of Tacoma boxer Freddie Steele. Steele became United States middleweight champion by defeating Babe Risko 7/11/1936 and obtained the National Boxing Association title from William (Gorilla) Jones on 1/1/1937. Steele, who has always wanted to be a boxer, had a phenomenal professional fight record of only 5 losses in 133 bouts. After his title loss in July of 1938 to Al Hostak, he retired and became a movie actor. He later operated a restaurant in Westport, WA.

Steele, Freddie, 1912-1984; Boxers (Sports)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Interior of the home of Thomas and Ellen O. Johnsen, owner of Bone Dry Shoes on Pacific Ave., and Cortland Johnsen, the company's manager. The home was built in 1936-37 and was located at 2420 No. Junett St. It was designed by architect W. Chelse Boynton. (filed with Argentum)

Bone-Dry Shoe Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Shoe industry--Tacoma; Shoemaking--Tacoma; Johnsen, Thomas O.--Homes & haunts;

Exterior of the Tudor style home of Thomas and Ellen O. Johnsen, owner of Bone Dry Shoes on Pacific Ave., and Cortland Johnsen, the company's manager. The home was built in 1936-37 and was located at 2420 No. Junett St. It was designed by architect W. Chelse Boynton. The exterior was brick veneer. (filed with Argentum)

Bone-Dry Shoe Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Shoe industry--Tacoma; Shoemaking--Tacoma; Johnsen, Thomas O.--Homes & haunts;

Interior view of Edward Bright's Beauty Parlor, 2617 No. Proctor St. Two operators by customer stations, curling machine, desk with phone, display cards on high shelf.

Edward Bright's Beauty Parlor (Tacoma); Beauty shops--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Inside the "Arena of Death" at the 1937 Puyallup Fair. The stunt rider brings his second leg up- soon he will be riding with both legs on the handlebars.

Daredevils; Stunt performers; Midways--Puyallup--1930-1940; Motorcycles--1930-1940; Western Washington Fair (Puyallup); Fairs--Puyallup--1930-1940;

Tacoma boxer Freddie Steele, United States and National Boxing Association Middleweight Champion of the World, standing between his manager Eddie Miller (believed to be the man on the left) and another man. The handsome Freddie Steele, born Frederick Earl Burgett, has always wanted to be a boxer. At the age of 12, he began hanging out in the Tacoma Gym, located on Tacoma Ave. near 9th St., managed by Dave Miller. His determination and natural talent shone through and Miller became his teacher and mentor. Steele went professional as a featherweight shortly after his 15th birthday in 1927. He became World Champion Middleweight when he won a 15 round decision July 11, 1936 in Seattle against Babe Risko. He held the crown from 1936-1938. On August 25, 1937, Dave Miller died suddenly at the age of 36. Steele, distraught at the loss of his manager and friend, continued to fight with Dave Miller's brother Eddie as his new manager, winning a title defense bout against Ken Overlin. On July 28, 1938, Steele lost his title bout against Seattle boxer Al Hostak. He retired after the loss and became an actor. In his professional career, out of 133 fights, he lost only 5.

Steele, Freddie, 1912-1984; Boxers (Sports)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The Biltmore Apartments, Frederick A. Sexton, Architect, 1889. Entrance detail of Queen Anne-style building showing planting urns, art glass and entry doors. Ordered by Marsh.

Biltmore Apartments (Tacoma); Apartment houses--Tacoma;

Arena of Death. Man riding motorcycle on the wall of a wooden arena.

Daredevils; Stunt performers; Midways--Puyallup--1930-1940; Motorcycles--1930-1940; Western Washington Fair (Puyallup); Fairs--Puyallup--1930-1940;

Arena of Death. Man riding motorcycle around the wall of a wooden arena. Exhibit at 1937 Western Washington Fair.

Daredevils; Stunt performers; Midways--Puyallup--1930-1940; Motorcycles--1930-1940; Western Washington Fair (Puyallup); Fairs--Puyallup--1930-1940;

Pincurled teacher with a lizard floating in an open jar. Photograph was taken in September of 1937.

Lizards; Specimens; Teachers--1930-1940; Hairstyles;

Elderly group at Armory. A group of women surround one of Tacoma's early pioneer men at a banquet held at the Armory in September of 1937. Portraits of United States Presidents hang on the wall; a single lightbulb dangles on a knob wire above the group. (T. Times).

Banquets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Pioneers--Tacoma--1930-1940; State Armory (Tacoma);

Cropped version of D836- image 1: Mrs. Rae at her roll-top desk. Taken for Mr. E.T. Short at the Tacoma Times. (T. Times).

Desks;

Holland Furnace Company booth at Western Washington Fair in Puyallup. According the their sign, Holland had stores in Tacoma, Seattle, Olympia and Bremerton. Their store in Tacoma was located at 625 St. Helens Ave. (filed with Argentum)

Holland Furnace Co. (Tacoma);

Two young girls, identified only as "Dick Smith's little girl and playmate," are wearing roller skates while standing in front of Margaret Smith's restaurant with a black Cocker Spaniel. Smith's confectionery and lunch room advertised a hotdog for 10 cents and "Home Cooked Dinners." Richard Smith, a lineman for Tacoma Rail & Power Co., and wife Margaret resided at 609 South State St.

Smith, Richard--Family; Girls--Tacoma--1930-1940; Dogs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Restaurants--Tacoma--1930-1940; Roller skates;

Peoples Department Store employees. Portrait of seventeen women and eight men posing on sales floor. Photograph ordered by the Tacoma Times. (filed with Argentum)

Department stores--Tacoma; Peoples (Tacoma)--People;

Tacoma boxer Freddie Steele, United States and National Boxing Association Middleweight Champion of the World, standing with his manager Eddie Miller. Miller took over the management of Steele's career after the death of his brother and Steele's mentor Dave Miller.

Steele, Freddie, 1912-1984; Boxers (Sports)--Tacoma--1930-1940;