An unidentified man stands in front of the National Shuffleboard Sales Company located at 1119 Tacoma Avenue South across the street from the Main Branch of the Tacoma Public Library. Both the Stanley Amusement Co. and the National Shuffleboard Sales Co. of Tacoma were owned by Stanley Kolitzoff and George Sellers in the mid-1950's. The shuffleboard company was the exclusive distributor of shuffleboards for the entire state. Trophies were on display in the storefront windows as well as clocks, blankets and other items used for prizes. The Stanley Amusement Co. sold and serviced coin machines, including apparently riding horses like the one located in the store's display window. This store, originally built in 1922, is currently being restored. ( Photograph ordered by Stanley Amusement Co.)

Stanley Amusement Co. (Tacoma); National Shuffleboard Sales Co. of Tacoma (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Matthew Fontana received a visit from two of his boyhood friends on January 5, 1956, Pat (left) and Mike McMurtry, while he was confined to his hospital bed at Pierce County Hospital. Fontana had contracted spino-bulbar polio, and had been at the hospital since Sept. of 1955. The McMurtry brothers were in town for the 8th Annual Tacoma Golden Gloves Tournament, scheduled to be held at the College of Puget Sound Fieldhouse. Looking on are Frank Gillihan, Pierce County campaign director for the March of Dimes and co-chairman of the Golden Gloves, and Pat Steele (far right), sports chairman for the March of Dimes. Photograph ordered by the March of Dimes. (TNT 1-20-56, p. 20)

Charitable organizations--Tacoma; March of Dimes (Tacoma); National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (Tacoma); Poliomyelitis--Tacoma; McMurtry, Pat; McMurtry, Mike; Gillihan, Frank J.; Steele, Patrick;

Back of Photo:
Henry Siegl; Sir Ernest MacMillan, guest conductor
1946 - Rio

ca. 1956. This venerable building at the corner of 11th and Pacific was constructed in 1891 as the home of the Merchants National Bank. Proctor & Dennis were the architects with Barrett & Herold, contractors. It was of Romanesque architecture, using stone and brick with Roman arches. In 1897, the name was changed to the Equitable Building, to reflect occupancy of the Equitable Life Assurance Society. In later years, the Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association moved in and made many renovations, including the first escalator in Tacoma, and the first revolving clock of its kind on the Pacific Coast. Earthquake damage in April, 1949, necessitated the removal of the cornice. The massive structure had entrances on both Pacific and South 11th St. View of Pacific First Federal Building was probably taken in 1956. TPL-5667

Pacific First Federal Building (Tacoma); Pacific First Federal Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma;

ca. 1956. College students enjoy some downtime during their busy day by chatting with friends, contemplating a roaring fire, or merely reading. The modernistic lobby contains contemporary curved sofas and chairs. During the day, the large windows would permit plenty of sunshine into the room; at night, large light fixtures would provide lumination. This early 1956 photograph was taken on the campus of Pacific Lutheran College in the new College Union Building, the center of student activity. The College Union Building would also contain a large recreation room with ping pong and pool tables, book store, post office, snack bar, yearbook and student council offices. Photograph ordered by Pacific Lutheran College. (1956 Saga, p. 1, TNT 2-5-56, B-7) TPL-9350

Students--Parkland--1950-1960; Universities & colleges--Parkland--1950-1960; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1950-1960;

ca. 1956. These young ladies and gentlemen are preparing for an elegant evening out on the campus of Pacific Lutheran College in January, 1956. One girl checks her bag to make sure it contains all she needs for the evening while a young man reads a copy of the News Tribune while he awaits his date. Two couples appear to be enjoying a casual conversation. This is probably the foyer of the College Union Building which had recently been completed and would be dedicated in February, 1956. Photograph ordered by Pacific Lutheran College. (TNT 2-5-56, B-7)

Students--Parkland--1950-1960; Universities & colleges--Parkland--1950-1960; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1950-1960;

ca. 1956. The college bookstore was an integral part of college life. Here a student could purchase books and materials necessary for courses plus "fun" items such as sweatshirts, jackets, and pennants bearing the school's name. Even toys like stuffed dogs could be ordered and paid for. The Pacific Lutheran College self-service bookstore was located in the new College Union Building recently completed in early 1956. Items were neatly displayed making it easy to locate necessary merchandise. Store hours were adjusted to suit the needs of its clientele; in this January, 1956, photograph, the store was open in the evenings past 6 o'clock. All furnishings were custom built. Photograph ordered by Pacific Lutheran College. (TNT 2-5-56, B-7) TPL-9351

Students--Parkland--1950-1960; Universities & colleges--Parkland--1950-1960; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1950-1960; Bookstores--Parkland--1950-1960;

ca. 1956. Copy portrait of Co-Host Hugh Downs of NBC-TV's "Home, " possibly taken in 1956. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association; the "Home" program in 1956 gave their viewers ideas on how to best utilize the affordable fir plywood in built-ins, outdoor furniture and decorations. Starting off his career as a radio announcer, Mr. Downs would go on to further television renown on Jack Paar's Tonight Show before hosting Concentration, the Today show, and 20/20. ALBUM 7.

Downs, Hugh; Television broadcasting;

ca. 1956. Scenic view of the Tideflats; Richards Studio stock footage taken from Stadium Way looking toward the Tideflats with a freight ship in the water. Smoke billows from stacks in the largely industrial area.

Port of Tacoma (Tacoma); Cargo ships--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma;

ca. 1956. Exteriors of the Hunt & Mottet building. The eight story brick building was built in 1907 and designed by Bullard & Hill. Letters several feet tall emblazon the company name on the side of the building. A smaller new building lies to the left, with a parking lot to left of that. Hunt and Mottet were wholesalers of hardware.

Hunt & Mottet Co. (Tacoma); Hardware stores--Tacoma;

ca. 1956. 1956 Woodbrook Horse Show. The annual spring horse show would be held May 19-20 at the Woodbrook Stables, the Northwest's largest covered arena. A woman in Arabian garb puts her stallion through his paces at the Horse Show. The pair are competing in the Arabian mounted, native costume. The show was open to public and viewers could thrill to some of the finest horses and riders in the Northwest. (TNT 5/6/1956, pg. D-1)

Clothing & dress--Lakewood--1950-1960; Woodbrook Hunt Club (Lakewood); Horses--Lakewood--1950-1960; Horseback riding--Lakewood--1950-1960; Woodbrook Stables (Lakewood);

ca. 1956. The dedication service for the remodeled Tacoma Rescue Mission was held April 15, 1956. The location consisted of two buildings, the Keown building at 1512 Pacific Avenue built in 1907 and the Grays Harbor Hotel Building at 1510 Pacific Avenue built in 1901. It was remodeled in 1956 to make it appear to be one structure. The remodel included covering the joined exterior surface with Quikbrik. The new brick facade gave the mission a bright appealing look. The building was torn down in 2002 for the Convention Center project. Pictured to the right of the Mission is the Funland Amusement Center, 1506-08 Pacific Ave.; on the left is the Grand Cafe, 1514 Pacific Ave. The Grand Cafe was in the same building as Bimbo's. TPL-9088

Tacoma Rescue Mission (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Chapels--Tacoma;

ca. 1956. Family portrait ordered by Mr. Julius Tollefson. Julius and Inga Tollefson resided at 2308 Mountain View Ave. The Tollefsons sit surrounded by their children and grand children in this circa 1956 photograph.

Tollefson, Julius--Family; Families--1950-1960;

ca. 1956. In 1956, an employee at Tacoma's Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. plant used an overhead crane to hold a crucible of molten aluminum and pour the liquid metal into a casting mold. The Tacoma plant was originally built in 1942 for the Olin Corporation. Kaiser took over the plant in 1946 and spent over $3 million to expand and modernize the facility in 1952. It was an aluminum reduction facility. It produced pig aluminum from treated ore. The pigs weighed either 50 or 1,000 pounds. Most were sent by rail to Kaiser's Rolling mill at Trentwood, near Spokane, where they were converted into sheets and products. Some went directly to the more than 500 independent aluminum fabricators in the Pacific Northwest, who consumed the pigs directly in the operation of their own remelt and rolling mills. Kaiser closed their Tacoma plant on the tideflats in 2000. (Kaiser Aluminum News, August 1956)

Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1956. Rilla Barnes and Albert Grau smile brightly through the window of their automobile as they prepare to leave on their three week honeymoon to California. The couple was married July 25, 1956 in the bride's apartment. The wedding was followed by a reception at the Tacoma Lawn and Tennis Club. During their honeymoon, the couple plans to visit the Grand Canyon and Zion national parks. (TNT 7/29/1956, pg. D-8)

Couples--Tacoma--1950-1960; Barnes, Rilla; Grau, Albert; Weddings--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1956. Port McNeil, logging. This is possibly a company home provided for management. It is larger and more ornate than those provided for the workers. The window boxes bloom with flowers and the yard is surrounded by a white board fence. The poles sticking up from the beach area are possible oyster beds.

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Port McNeil B.C.);

ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Rayflo plant at Marpole. Experimentation was an important part of research at Rayonier and its Canadian subsidiary Alaska Pine. Cellulose and timber production produced a large amount of wasted byproducts which the company felt could be developed into the products of the future. Rayflo was one of these products; developed only a few years prior, it was in high demand in the oil industry and being studied for use in the manufacture of ceramics. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Chemical industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);

ca. 1956. Alaska Pine; Rayflo plant at Marpole. Alaska Pine, a Canadian subsidiary of Rayonier Inc., had a research center in its Vancouver B.C. offices. It was used to quality control test the cellulose and the products manufactured from it. They also experimented with the residue from the process, searching for new products. The new lab facilities in Vancouver were completed in 1954. More money was being invested in research, in hopes of creating new products and more company growth.

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Chemical industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);

ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, sawmill plant at New Westminster, B.C. Alaska Pine had large modern sawmills at the Marpole (Vancouver) and New Westminster Sawmill Divisions. The combined daily capacity of both mills was a million board feet of lumber. This is the paved yard for intermediate lumber storage at Westminster. Some 10,000,000 board feet of material were held here. 49 % of Alaska Pine production consists of Western hemlock, 31% red cedar, 14% Douglas fir and the remainder Sitka spruce, white pine and yellow cypress. The mills produced a variety of products for wholesale markets sold in the U.S. and Canada. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);

ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Marpole Division sawmill plant, Vancouver B.C. A fork lift is being used to lift a large load of lumber. The Canadian mills produced a broad range of commercial lumber products in Douglas fir, balsam fir, western hemlock, Sitka spruce and red cedar. They sold to markets in the United States, Canada and other countries under the brand "A Crown P. " (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);

ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Rayflo plant at Marpole. Two men stand on the scaffolding erected around the tank being constructed for Alaska Pine's new plant in Vancouver, B.C. The plant will produce rayflo, a chemical manufactured from Hemlock byproducts and used in the production of oil well drilling mud. Alaska Pine was the subsidiary of Rayonier Inc. and one of the largest timber concerns on the west coast. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Chemical industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);

ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. Two hard hatted workers from Rayonier Inc. stand in an old growth forest; seeming tiny next to the huge old trees. The enormous stands of forest in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia seemed unlimited. Although the demand for timber was down, it was at an all time high for chemical cellulose products manufactured from wood. Rayonier had its second best money earning year in company history in 1956, it finished slightly behind 1955. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);

ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. A man maneuvers a large piece of International machinery used to move logs. The machinery is operating in a clear cut and has a trailer arrangement on the back for moving logs and an attachment on the front for pushing the logs. Photographs taken on the timber lands belonging to Rayonier, Inc. Rayonier had a Grays Harbor tree farm totaling over 111,000 acres that had been harvested over 30 years prior and was producing a new crop of timber for the corporate giant.

Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);

ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. Clear cuts can be seen throughout the forrest dotting the hills where the trees have been harvested. These areas would be replanted for future harvests. Rayonier had a Grays Harbor tree farm that totaled over 111,000 acres.

Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);

ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, sawmill plant at New Westminster, B.C. Alaska Pine had large modern sawmills at the Marpole (Vancouver) and New Westminster Sawmill Divisions. The combined daily capacity of both mills was a million board feet of lumber. This is the paved yard for intermediate lumber storage at Westminster. Some 10,000,000 board feet of material were held here. 49 % of Alaska Pine production consists of Western hemlock, 31% red cedar, 14% Douglas fir and the remainder Sitka spruce, white pine and yellow cypress. The mills produced a variety of products for wholesale markets sold in the U.S. and Canada. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);

ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. Two hard hatted workers from Rayonier Inc. stand in an old growth forest; seeming tiny next to the huge old trees. The enormous stands of forest in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia seemed unlimited. Although the demand for timber was down, it was at an all time high for chemical cellulose products manufactured from wood. Rayonier had its second best money earning year in company history in 1956, it finished slightly behind 1955. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);

ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. Two hard hatted workers from Rayonier Inc. stand in an old growth forest. This photograph really shows the size of these enormous trees, the loggers appear tiny next to them. This stand of hemlock is approximately 80 years old. The trees are 110 - 125 feet high and average 24 inches in diameter. This track was recently thinned to promote growth of the best trees. Rayonier and its Canadian subsidiary Alaska Pine produced chemical cellulose, pulp, paper and lumber. They were also experimenting in developing new products called "silvichemicals" from the by products of cellulose manufacture. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)

Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);

ca. 1956. Housemother Freda Rouze shows the "sign out" book to Nancy Iverson at Pacific Lutheran College's newest dorm, West Hall. Another coed, Katherine Almgren, checks her mail at the dorm mailboxes. West hall was completed in the fall of 1956 and housed 151 freshman and sophomore women. It had much the same plan as the college's North Hall, and offered a main lounge, kitchen for student use, study lounges on every floor and a self service laundry. (1957 "Saga" & TNT 10/19/1956, pg. B-2)

Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--Buildings; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1950-1960; Universities & colleges--Parkland; Rouze, Freda; Iverson, Nancy; Almgren, Katherine;

ca. 1956. This artist's rendering from 1956 shows the design for Woodrow Wilson High School by the architectural firm of Lea, Pearson & Richards. Opening in September of 1958, Wilson was Tacoma's first new high school in 44 years. It was built to serve the rapidly growing West Tacoma area. Enrollment on opening was 1400 students, less than 10 years later it was 2000, with teaching staff almost double. It is designed in a campus format with 12 separate buildings spread out over 12 acres and linked together with covered walkways. The gymnasium was added in 1959. Construction of an auditorium was delayed for 12 years due to a lack of funds and the 1.2 million dollar structure was dedicated in 1970. The school is named for the 28th United States President, former educator and founder of the League of Nations Woodrow Wilson. ("For the Record" a history of Tacoma Public Schools by Winnifred L. Olsen) TPL-9293

Woodrow Wilson High School (Tacoma);

ca. 1956. The Camp Fire Girls are gearing up for their annual sale of chocolate mint candies. The candies were manufactured by Brown and Haley in Tacoma. One girls pours the mints from an open box into the waiting hands of the other girl; mints and wrappers spill onto the floor. The girls pose in traditional Camp Fire uniforms, skirts, white shirts with kerchefs and beanies, in front of a heart decoration.

Camp Fire Girls (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1950-1960; Candy--Tacoma;