Dark clouds drift over the Continental Baking Co.'s plant on August 27, 1958. The Romanesque brick buildings had arched doorways and windows. Built in 1913, it had undergone several remodelings since then, including a new addition built in 1958. Continental Baking was the home of Wonder Bread and a large banner with the brand name and familiar polka dotted wrapping was wrapped around a rooftop tower. The newly remodeled bakery now had 40,000 square feet and the capacity of 90,000 loaves of bread a day. Approximately 100 people were employed at the Wonder Bread bakery which was the oldest major bakery in Tacoma to be operated continuously by one concern. It was celebrating its 30th anniversary in Tacoma under the Continental Bakery ownership. Photograph ordered by Continental Baking Co. (TNT 9-7-58, B-2)

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

Continental Baking Co. had been in Tacoma for decades and used the most up-to-date methods and equipment for their baked goods. Known widely for their Wonder Bread, the bakery turned out thousands of loaves on a daily basis. Bakery employees are pictured here on August 27, 1958, placing loaves in the massive new 40 foot long oven for baking and then putting the finished products on large racks. The bread emerges from the ovens and then is cooled. Other new equipment purchased were a new proof box, divider, slicing and wrapping machines. The men all wear caps to keep stray hairs from contaminating the bread. Approximately 100 local residents worked at the bakery. It would be celebrating its 30th anniversary here in Tacoma as part of Continental Baking Co. Sepia photograph ordered by Continental Baking Co. (TNT 9-7-58, B-2)

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baking--Tacoma;

The days when fresh bread had to be wrapped by hand were apparently gone by the 1950's. Continental Baking Co. used modern equipment to efficiently wrap the multitude of baked goods it produced daily. Loaves of bread enter a wrapping machine and emerge on a roller completely wrapped in the familiar polka dotted Wonder Bread design. View of wrapping machines taken on August 27, 1958; one man is placing wrapped loaves of bread onto racks. There are several racks completely filled with Wonder Bread while others wait on a table to be shelved. Photograph ordered by Continental Baking Co.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baking--Tacoma; Bread; Machinery;

Continental scenes. Since 1928 Continental Baking Co., bakers of Wonder Bread and Hostess Cakes, have been baking Wonder Bread products at their bakery at 701 S. Sprague Ave. Continental has been producing Tacoma products for Tacoma residents in one of the most modern bakeries in the Northwest. There is an oven with a capacity of over 3,500 loaves per hour, a new proof box and other equipment to give the plant a capacity of 90,000 loaves a day. Employees number 95, with an annual payroll of nearly a million dollars. The bakery operates 45 vehicles, distributing as far south as Olympia, Centralia and Chehalis. (TNT 09-01-1961 B5)

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baking--Tacoma; Bread--Tacoma;

The Continental Baking Company, makers of Wonder Bread, would be celebrating its 30th anniversary with a series of photographs taken by the Richards Studio showing a typical day at Continental. Here an employee, wearing a Hostess Cake cap, is measuring bread dough prior to baking. He is using a Toledo Speedweigh scale for precise weight. Once weighed, the bread dough would be placed in separate trays in preparation for baking. The bakery would be holding an open house in early September, 1958, to allow the public to see the new addition built to their Sprague Ave. property. Photograph ordered by Continental Baking Co.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bread--Tacoma; Baking--Tacoma; Scales;

Home of "Wonder Bread"; the Wonder Bakery at 703 S. Sprague. Continental opened its Wonder Bread Bakery here in 1934.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Continental Bakery Co., 703 So. Sprague, home of Wonder Bread, in June of 1939. Exterior shot of front and north side of Sprague Street. The structure was built in 1913 for Matthaei Bread Co. It was occupied by Continental Baking Co. and their Wonder Bread Bakery beginning in 1934. (filed with Argentum)

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Group at Continental Baking Company, M. Hook. The wholesale bakery was first built as Matthaei Bread Company in 1913. Continental took over the location in 1934. W.E. Taylor served as manager of the bakery. Nineteen employees stand together on the steps of the bakery. A sign advertising Wonder Bread is on the door behind them.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Employees--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Group at Continental Baking Co., M. Hook. Vincent Hook was the chief clerk at Continental at this time. A policeman and one of the men from Continental Baking Co. stand near a sign advertising Wonder Bread with a Multi-band radio.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Bakeries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Employees--Tacoma--1940-1950; Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Radios;

Continental Bakery employees in Western clothes and hats pose in front of the bakery. Two delivery trucks behind the employees have signs that read "Picnic days are here again." The tower at the top of the building proudly states that Continental is the home of "Wonder Bread." The employees are taking part in the city wide celebration of Washington State's Golden Jubilee July 16-23, 1939.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Cowboy hats; Washington State Golden Jubilee, 1939--Tacoma;

The Continental Baking Company building at 703 So. Sprague Ave. dates to 1913 when it was built for the Matthaei Bread Co., the makers of Matthaei's Honey Bread. For this photograph, taken in 1939, the Continental Bakery employees are dressed in western clothes and hats as part of the Washington State Golden Jubilee celebration. Continental, "The Home of Wonder Bread", is still at 703 So. Sprague.

Continental Baking Co. (Tacoma); Cowboy hats; Washington State Golden Jubilee, 1939--Tacoma;