ca. 1926. Automobile involved in accident in front of Western Auto Supply Company circa 1926. Large crowd gathered at scene. An overturned vehicle is pictured on the left, while a damaged vehicle is pictured to the right. Western Auto Supply opened a store in the Cornell House in 1922. (filed with Argentum)

Western Auto Supply Co. (Tacoma); Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1920-1930; Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Staff at Western Auto Supply Company. The men are, standing left to right, H. F. Sturtridge, Cecil Albers, William McCallum and Arnold Blatt. Kneeling are, left to right, John Davis and Willis Peters. (T. Times, 7/13/1938, pg. 2).

Western Auto Supply Co. (Tacoma)--People; Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1930-1940; Automobile equipment & supplies--Tacoma--1930-1940;

This was how the Western Auto Supply Co., located at 715-17 Pacific Ave., appeared on July 11, 1938. Western Auto had operated at this same location near 8th and Pacific for about twenty years. They started out with a small storeroom on the corner and expanded steadily. Their newest business venture was a service department that worked on customers' cars. The entrance was located to the left in the photo. Personnel at the downtown store included manager H.F. Sturtridge, William McCallum, John Davis, Cecil Albers, Arnold Blatt and Willis Peters. (T. Times 7/13/1938, pg. 2)

Western Auto Supply Co. (Tacoma); Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1930-1940; Automobile equipment & supplies--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Western Auto Supply Company and North Pacific Bank Note Company located in building at 715-17 Pacific Ave. originally designed for Dr. Bostwick by William Farrell, Architect, about 1885. Western Auto occupied the ground floor storefronts, and North Pacific occupied the 2nd floor. The sign on the roof points the way to the Interurban and Bus Terminal. For I.F. Laukes, Pacific Bank Note Company. (filed with Argentum)

Western Auto Supply Co. (Tacoma); Commercial facilities--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobile equipment & supplies; North Pacific Bank Note Co. (Tacoma);

Titus Motor Company staff and two State Troopers pose with a fleet of new Fords purchased by the Washington State Patrol in June 1939. The Patrol had converted the old Interurban Terminal at 702 A Street (seen at right) into their headquarters in 1937. Leon Titus is third from right.

Titus, Leon E.; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Washington State Patrol (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Titus Motor Company staff and two troopers with fleet of new Washington State Patrol Fords in front of Patrol offices by old Interurban Terminal at So. 7th & A St. Leon Titus at far right. Western Auto Supply/North Pacific Bank Note Co. at rear. (filed with Argentum)

Titus, Leon E.; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Washington State Patrol (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Titus Motor Company staff and two troopers with fleet of new Washington State Patrol Fords in front of Patrol offices by old Interurban Terminal at So. 7th & A St. Leon Titus at far right. Western Auto Supply/North Pacific Bank Note Co. at rear. TPL-7997

Titus, Leon E.; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Washington State Patrol (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Showing of new 1940 Fords at Titus Motor Company. Sales meeting, man in "It's Ford in '40" hat and white coat on stage, man with ribbon on coat and holding a package giving a third man an award. Over 50 men seated, many in "It's Ford in '40" hats. The meeting looks like it is being held in the service department of Titus Motor Co. (filed with Argentum)

Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma); Ford automobile;

Two baggage carts, loaded down with old tires, sit on the passenger platform at Tacoma's Union Station. In October of 1942, the U.S. Government began collecting all "excess" tires. By order of the Office of Price Administration, all motorists were required to sell or give to the Government all tires they had in excess of five. The Railway Express agencies at the nation's railroad stations collected the tires and sent them to Government warehouses. (T. Times)

Tires--Tacoma--1940-1950; Carts & wagons--Tacoma--1940-1950; Railway Express (Tacoma); Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad stations--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In October of 1942, the Railway Express Agency office on the track level of the Union Depot was swamped as motorists complied with the Office of Price Administration (OPA) and turned in all tires in excess of 5 per vehicle. F. W. Steere, left, foreman of the Agency and B.A. Benton, superintendent of the agency, compare two tires. One is almost new and the other good only for scrap. About 5% of the over 500 tires turned in the last few days were new, 70 % were usable and 25% were good only for scrap. (T. Times 10/19/1942, pg. 1)

Tires--Tacoma--1940-1950; Railway Express (Tacoma); Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad stations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Steere, F.W.; Benton, B.A.;

Mattoon-Laverne Tire Company. Hawkinson Tire Tread Service. Three men stand by a stack of General Tires in front of the recapping facility. TPL-8358

Tire industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hawkinson Tire Tread Service (Tacoma); Tires;

Mattoon-Laverne Tire Company. Hawkinson Tire Tread Service. Three men stand by the Hawkinson panel delivery truck in front of the recapping facility. One holds a General Tire with advertising in the middle. This one-story brick building was built in 1927 as Cunningham Electric.

Tire industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hawkinson Tire Tread Service (Tacoma); Tires;

Three men stand by the Hawkinson General Motors panel delivery truck in front of Hawkinson Tire Tread Service recapping facility. One holds a General Tire with advertising in the middle. Ordered by Mattoon-Laverne Tire Company. TPL-6381

Tire industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hawkinson Tire Tread Service (Tacoma); Tires; General Motors trucks;

AAA Synthetic Tire Caravan. National and state American Automobile Association officials gather around a Pontiac and inspect the evenness and tire wear of synthetic and recapped tires. Tacoma is one of the stops on an around-the-nation testing tour. (T. Times, 3/3/44, p. 3).

Automobile equipment & supplies; Tire industry;

The American Automobile Association made a stop in Tacoma in February of 1944 as part of its around-the-nation Synthetic Tire Caravan tour. AAA officials were testing the evenness of tire wear on synthetic and recapped tires when driven at 35 miles per hour, the official maximum wartime speed. Tires manufactured by 15 different companies were being tested. Figures were to be made available to the public once testing was completed. Two Pontiac automobiles used in the tests are shown in the foreground. (T. Times, 3/3/44, p. 3).

Automobile equipment & supplies; Tire industry; Pontiac automobile; Testing--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Interior of Pease Brothers Garage. The garage was built in 1913 and in 1926 the Pease family renovated the facility and added an auto maintenance center, which included repairs and washing, in addition to storage. Repairs were done in the basement. View of unidentified auto mechanics surrounded by parts at Pease Bros.

Automobile equipment & supplies; Mechanics (Persons)--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Pease Brothers (Tacoma);

Interior of Pease Brothers Garage. The building was originally built in 1913, and the Pease family took over in 1926. They renovated the garage and added an automotive maintenance center, which included repairs and washing, in the basement. Pease Bros. offered a full service auto shop. Interior view of auto parts section of Pease Bros.

Automobile equipment & supplies; Mechanics (Persons)--Tacoma; Maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Pease Brothers (Tacoma);

Lloyd Suiter Tire Company. Percy Dunlop, a representative of the National Institute of Treading Standards, explains that "instrument tests show this to be a perfect section cure". L-R, Lloyd Suiter, Rudy Searle, shop foreman, and Percy Dunlop. (T.Times, 6/6/1945, p.10)

Tires; Lloyd Suiter Tire Co. (Tacoma); Suiter, Lloyd; Searle, Rudy; Dunlop, Percy;

Lloyd Suiter Tire Company. Percy Dunlop, a representative of the National Institute of Treading Standards, visited the Lloyd Suiter Tire Company. Here he is checking the curing system of one of the large molds, a Lodi Recap Mold. L-R, Mr. Poston of Wilson Brothers Logging Company, Rudy Searle, shop foreman, Lloyd Suiter and Percy Dunlop. (T.Times, 6/6/1945, p.10), (See D19520-2 for an exterior view of building)

Tires; Lloyd Suiter Tire Co. (Tacoma); Searle, Rudy; Suiter, Lloyd; Dunlop, Percy;

Lloyd Suiter Tire Company. Percy Dunlop, a representative of the National Institute of Treading Standards, and Lloyd Suiter test a tread cure on a recapped tire. The tags on the tire are attached to thermocuple wires, testing tread cuts from one to six ply depths. L-R, Lloyd Suiter and Percy Dunlop. (T.Times, 6/6/1945, p.10)

Tires; Lloyd Suiter Tire Co. (Tacoma); Suiter, Lloyd; Dunlop, Percy;

Lloyd Suiter Tire Company. Lloyd Suiter and Percy Dunlop show the findings of their test on a cross-section cut of a recapped tire. Mr. Dunlop is a representative of the National Institute of Treading Standards from Washington, D.C. (T.Times, 6/6/1945, p.10)

Tires; Lloyd Suiter Tire Co. (Tacoma); Suiter, Lloyd; Dunlop, Percy;

Turner Garage and Towing Co., 1222 Tacoma Ave So., photographed in September of 1945. The garage offered 24 hour towing as well as Standard Oil gasoline. It was located in the building built in 1925 for the Olympic Garage. The brick building to the right in the photograph was 1218-20 Tacoma Ave, which has been demolished and is now the location of the parking lot for the Tacoma Public Library.

Turner Towing Co. (Tacoma); Automobile repair--Tacoma--1940-1950;

This is the Turner Garage & Towing Company at 1222 Tacoma Ave South as photographed in September of 1945. The garage offered 24 hour towing as well as Standard Oil gasoline. It was located in the building built in 1925 for the Olympic Garage. The brick building to the right in the photograph was 1218-20 Tacoma Ave. So., the F.N. Wolf building, built in 1890. It had previously housed the Tacoma Athletic Club and Tait's Business College, but in 1945 it was home to Hansen Auto Repairs and the Wakefield Apartments. The sign on the side of the building states that the Wakefield has single and housekeeping rooms for $100 a week and up. The building has since been demolished and the site is now the parking lot for the Main branch of the Tacoma Public Library. The building housing the Turner Garage & Towing Co. subsequently contained the Tacoma Tent & Awning Co., Candid Photo Service and Labor Ready.

Turner Towing Co. (Tacoma); Automobile repair--Tacoma--1940-1950; Wakefield Apartments (Tacoma);

Turner Garage and Towing Co., 1222 Tacoma Ave So., photographed in September of 1945. The garage offered 24 hour towing as well as Standard Oil gasoline. It was located in the building built in 1925 for the Olympic Garage. In 2007, the building, now located next to the parking lot for the Tacoma Public Library, is vacant. It was previously home to Candid Photo Service from 1964 to 1995 and later Labor Ready.

Turner Towing Co. (Tacoma); Automobile repair--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Interior at opening of Western Auto on South 38th Street for Mr. Brewer. The display counters are loaded with automotive supplies, and more. Lightbulbs, gardening tools, women's and infant's clothing and stuffed animals are added to the supply of seat covers, batteries, cleaning supplies and other auto supplies.

Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Western Auto Supply Co. (Tacoma);

Central Motors building shots. One story building showing both service and body shop entrances. The overhead sign indicated automobiles are "bought, sold and serviced". Over the door is painted, "Thru this door you'll Find the Best Used Cars in Town". TPL-1727.

Automobile repair--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Central Motors (Tacoma);

Puget Sound Auto Electric offered automobile radio installation, repairs, engine tune-ups, carburetor repairs and electrical servicing. They were a progressive and fast growing firm. Exterior view of Puget Sound Auto located at the corner of South 7th Street and Pacific Avenue, Nesbitt's orange soda billboard on right side.

Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Storefronts--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Puget Sound Auto Electric Co. (Tacoma);

Ballou and Wright offered everything a motorist could need. They had been in Tacoma for over fifteen years, always having one of the best selections of automotive parts. Ballou & Wright were one of the few auto supply stores carrying "Champion" auto parts. Interior view of store with "Champion" and "Century" auto parts posters.

Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Advertisements--Tacoma; Ballou & Wright Wholesale Auto Parts (Tacoma);

Ballou and Wright offered everything a motorist could need. They had been in Tacoma for over fifteen years, always having one of the best selections of automotive parts. Ballou & Wright were one of the few auto supply stores carrying "Champion" auto parts. Exterior view of store, located at the corner of South 9th Street and Tacoma Avenue South.

Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Show windows--Tacoma; Ballou & Wright Wholesale Auto Parts (Tacoma);

Interior view of Ballou and Wright Wholesale Auto Parts and Industrial Supply.

Business Enterprises - Automobile Equipment and Supplies Stores - Tacoma - Ballou and Wright