Grange, Redmond. The one-story building appears to be located on a field of gravel in Redmond. It is part of the National Grange, the nation's oldest national agricultural organization formed in the years following the Civil War. This is possibly Happy Valley #322, organized in 1909 by E.M. Smith, incorporated in 1930. Photograph ordered by the R.G. Williams Co.

Farmers' groups--Redmond;

Interior of Redmond Grange. View of unoccupied Grange hall taken in November of 1968. The stage at the far end of the room is decorated with a flowered bower and white picket fence. Folding chairs are lined up against the walls of the hall. A piano is set in one corner of the room. Several podiums are scattered among the chairs. This is possibly Happy Valley #322 in Redmond which was organized in 1909. In the past, people needed to be farmers in order to join the organization but the Grange now accepts people of all occupations. Membership tended to be concentrated in small towns and rural areas but Washington also has Granges in larger urban areas. Photograph ordered by R.G. Williams Co. (www.wa-grange.org)

Farmers' groups--Redmond; Pianos; Folding chairs;

Quality control testing in the bulk grain storage, photograph ordered by the Washington Co-op. The uniformed man is selecting samples of the grain in the compartments of a long pole. The length of the pole is perhaps due to the need to test samples from the core of the pile of grain.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Grain elevators--Tacoma; Mills--Tacoma; Food storage buildings--Tacoma; Product inspection; Food adulteration & inspection; Testing;

Exterior shot taken in the country of a feed truck unloading into a bulk feed bin, ordered by the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association. The photograph was shot for a periodical cover illustration. Client wanted to show the new feed truck with its automatic conveyor unloading into the bulk feed bin. Photograph taken by a photographer who climbed to the top of another bulk bin with an 8 x 10 camera.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Farming--Tacoma; Food industry--Tacoma;

The Washington Co-op farm supply display. On display are items such as milking machines and equipment, egg incubators, tires and freezers. The room is crowded with things that are needed on a family farm.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Agricultural industries;

Interior of the Washington Coop warehouse. The forklift driver to the right pauses in his movement of boxes to discuss things with a man with a clipboard. The man to the left of the picture is using a manually operated fork lift.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Warehouses--1950-1960; Hoisting machinery;

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association's Feed Mill. The Co-op spent a million dollars in the late 1940's to construct the modern feed mill pictured above. The feed mill would utilize the most modern techniques to blend and weigh its grains. In addition, a bulk feed unit was constructed where the feed could be funneled directly into waiting delivery trucks or rail cars. The Washington Co-op had been serving the Tacoma area since 1920. Its feed mill manufactured much of the formula feeds used by Western Washington members. As the Co-op continued to grow, new additions were made to improve efficiency including eight huge tanks added to the bulk feed loading-out line to increase storage by 50%. A completely new overhead conveying system was added to speed the handling from the mill to the truck. It made it possible to convey two different products simultaneously and increased the loading capacity from 40 to 100 tons per hour. (TNT 9-1-58, C-2)

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Food storage buildings--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Representatives of the 4-H Clubs of Washington meet with a Washington Co-op Farmers Association official on April 26, 1957, outside the association's headquarters on Taylor Way. Two of the 4-H'ers are standing on the running board of the Co-op's bulk feeds delivery truck. Photograph ordered by the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; 4-H Club (Tacoma);

Richards stock footage, rural farm with Mount Rainier in the distance.

Farms--Pierce County--1950-1960; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

Exterior Washington Co-op Farmers Association buildings. Located close to the modern feed mill appears to be the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association garage. The Co-op owned several delivery trucks that would transport bulk feeds and petroleum to its customers. They could be stored and maintained at this facility, which included three gas pumps. Photograph ordered by Washington Cooperative Farmers Association.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Garages--Tacoma--1950-1960; Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior views of some Washington Co-op Farmers Association buildings were taken on February 1, 1956. The brick Farm Service Store was open Mondays-Fridays from 8 am to 4pm for the convenience of its members. A truck and passenger car are parked at the store's loading dock. A Great Northern boxcar is located close to the truck. Photograph ordered by Washington Cooperative Farmers Association.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Railroad freight cars--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Wilson, ordered by the Washington Coop. He holds pruning shears and she holds what appears to be a Washington state business license. They are perhaps starting their own orchard or berry business.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Wilson, Carl; Pruning; Scissors & shears;

Members of the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association display Lynden Broadbreast Turkeys during their luncheon at the Masonic Temple's Fellowship Hall on December 8, 1954. The Lynden firm is part of the Cooperative and provided ready to roast turkeys. This group is standing in front of a large poster demonstrating how the Co-op's eggs "go to market"; egg production was just one of the many enterprises they supported. 1600 Co-op members from District #6 attended the annual meeting and dined on turkey. At the meeting, Roy McChord was congratulated as the new manager of the Tacoma Station, replacing Dale Smith, who assumed management duties at the Co-op's credit division in Seattle. (TNT 12-12-54, F-8)

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Turkeys; Posters;

Exterior of mill and bulk feed station. The Washington Co-op Farmers Association built a modern, efficient feed mill in the late 1940's at a cost of $1,000,000+. Located on the Tideflats at the Hylebos waterway, the Co-op had immediate access to transcontinental railroads and sound or ocean going vessels which made transport of their feeds and grain extremely efficient. Bulk feed could be poured into the Co-op's Diamond-T trucks for delivery to waiting customers from the Bulk Feed Service area. Photograph ordered by Washington Cooperative Farmers Association. TPL-10077

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Grain elevators--Tacoma; Mills--Tacoma; Food storage buildings--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Hundreds fill the Masonic Temple's Fellowship Hall on December 8, 1954, at the Washington Cooperative Farmers Association's luncheon and meeting. The group had begun decades ago as an egg and poultry cooperative but had expanded into the feed and grain business. Farmers found that they were able to get better prices and new markets for their products if they participated in a cooperative.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Meetings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Masonic Temple (Tacoma);

Valley Sales Pavilion was an animal and items auction center, located between Fife and Firwood on the Fife-Puyallup Road. People traveled throughout the state to buy their animals and other household goods at the auction. Interior view of lunch room at Valley Sales Pavilion and view of Mrs. J. W. Flood, Mrs. Lyle Foreman, Mrs. Phil Hartman, all of Auburn, and Caroline Deering of Tacoma, feeding the hungry farmers and animal buyers (T. Times, 12/26/48, p. 6).

Farm life--Tacoma; Employee eating facilities--Tacoma; Animal auctions--Tacoma; Dining rooms; Sandwich boards; Restaurant workers--Tacoma; Valley Sales Pavilion (Tacoma);

Men in a field operating an antiquated thresher.

Back of Photo:
Farmers with tools vegetable, etc. Colonial Gardens, Fife. Was close to the Poodle Dog Rest. This was an Italian operation owned by Italians. Before 1918.

Doris Lee and Bobby Seeber may not be riding a bicycle built for two, but she appears comfortable sitting in the front basket of the boy's bicycle. The pair enjoy ice cream cones at an area farmers' picnic in Sumner. A day off was declared by Pierce County farmers in August of 1936 as they and their families and friends attended the 9th annual picnic sponsored by area agricultural organizations and the County Agent's office. (T. Times 8/22/1936 p. 1) Series D1721, Image 6 has been enlarged and cropped to make the figures more prominent in this version.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Lee, Doris; Seeber, Bobby; Picnics--Sumner--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--Sumner--1930-1940; Ice cream & ices; Children eating & drinking--1930-1940;

Doris Lee appears to be comfortable as she sits in the basket on the front of Bobby Seeber's bicycle on August 21, 1936. The pair were enjoying ice cream cones at the 9th annual area farmers' picnic in Sumner. A day off was declared by Pierce County farmers as they and their families and friends attended the gathering sponsored by area agricultural organizations and the County Agent's office. (T. Times 8/22/1936 p. 1)

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Lee, Doris; Seeber, Bobby; Picnics--Sumner--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--Sumner--1930-1940; Ice cream & ices; Children eating & drinking--1930-1940; Vehicles - Bicycles

The 4-H Club ice cream stand was a popular stop on Friday August 21, 1936 at the 9th annual Washington Cooperative Association picnic held in Sumner. 2000-3000 farmers and grange members attended the all-day affair. Three county commissioners (l to r) A.A. Rankin, John Schlarb, and Harvey Scofield were all two-fisted cone eaters. They were served by (l to r) Marion McChesney, Elsa Wahlquist, and her sister Edna.

Washington Cooperative Farmers Association (Tacoma); Picnics--Sumner--1930-1940; Ice cream & ices; 4-H Club, Pierce County Chapter; McChesney, Marion; Rankin, A.A.; Wahlquist, Elsa; Schlarb, John; Wahlquist, Edna; Scofield, Harvey;

Spraying hop fields. Man seated in tractor on dirt road through hop fields. Tractor and spray equiment are parked along road. Boy on bicycle in background. Meek, manager and former owner.

Agriculture - Grain Farms - Hop FarmsChemicals - Pesticides - Spraying

George Lawler bulb farm at Gardenville. Four men working inside a dark bulb shed. They are pouring bulbs onto a bulb sorting machine constructed of wood with four metal rollers. The machine is possibly a grading machine, that divides the bulbs by size.

Farms--Fife--1930-1940; Lawler Bulbs (Fife); Crops; Lawler, George--Homes & haunts; Agricultural laborers--Fife--1930-1940;

George Lawler bulb farm at Gardenville, near Fife. Several women sorting bulbs on a conveyor inside a bulb shed. These women are cleaning the bulbs by hand. Old husks are removed and daughter bulbs are separated. Diseased and cut bulbs will be discarded before grading. This image is similar to A7411-1.

Farms--Fife--1930-1940; Lawler Bulbs (Fife); Crops; Lawler, George--Homes & haunts; Agricultural laborers--Fife--1930-1940;

In August of 1938, a work crew of women sorted and hand cleaned bulbs at the George Lawler bulb farm at Gardenville, near Fife. They removed husks and separated daughter bulbs. Diseased or cut bulbs were discarded before grading. In 1910, George Lawler built a house on 5 acres of muddy deserted land near Fife and planted over 2000 flower bulbs with which he launched Pierce County's first commercial bulb business. The area was renamed Gardenville in honor of his flowers. After his death in 1948, the company's signature daffodil stock was sold to United Bulb Co. of Woodland.

Farms--Fife--1930-1940; Lawler Bulbs (Fife); Crops; Lawler, George--Homes & haunts; Agricultural laborers--Fife--1930-1940;

George Lawler bulb farm at Gardenville. Five men working with winch and pulley in open-frame structure. Truck beside structure is loaded with wooden boxes. In 1910, George Lawler bought 5 acres of land in Gardenville, near Fife, where he built a house and planted 2200 bulbs. As the commercial bulb business took off, he purchased land in North Puyallup and Roy.

Farms--Fife--1930-1940; Lawler Bulbs (Fife); Crops; Lawler, George--Homes & haunts; Agricultural laborers--Fife--1930-1940; Trucks--1930-1940;

Students working as farm laborers in Puyallup. What appear to be high school students working along side women employees on a conveyor in a packing house during the summer of 1943.

Agricultural laborers; World War, 1939-1945--Students--Puyallup; Students--Puyallup--1940-1950;

Students working as farm laborers in Puyallup. Three young women take time out for lunch. They are sitting on the tail gate of a canvas covered truck parked among the crops, with open metal lunch pails on their laps.

Agricultural laborers; World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Croplands--Puyallup Valley;

Students work as farm laborers in Puyallup fields. Nine women harvest rhubarb in an open field.

Agricultural laborers; World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Croplands--Puyallup Valley;

In July of 1943, with both an army and a civilian population to feed, harvesting the crops became a patriotic duty. With most of Washington's able-bodied men, and many of its women, serving in the military and in the defense industries, farm labor jobs fell to students. Two unidentified students are pictured working as farm laborers in Puyallup Valley in July of 1943. A young boy helps an older teenage girl lift a crate of leafy spinach onto a stack of crates placed in an open field. Boxes are labeled Kelley, Farquhar & Co., a major vegetable and fruit packing company with plants in Salem, Oregon and Tacoma. In 1958, Clyde Farquhar became sole owner of the company. (P.C. Herald 8/9/1984 p.3)

Agricultural laborers; World War, 1939-1945--Students--Tacoma; Croplands--Puyallup Valley;