The Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington's Taylor Way plant opened its doors for visitors to help celebrate its parent company's 100th anniversary on August 8, 1950. Founded in Natrona, Pennsylvania, in 1850, the firm has grown into a nationwide chain of eight manufacturing plants and research laboratories. Pennsalt does not make table salt. It does, however, make more than 300 chemical products ranging from small bottles of bactercide to multi-ton tank cars of acid. (TNT 8-6-50, p. A-9)

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

An unidentified group of men and women stand in front of the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington's Tacoma plant on August 8, 1950. They are there to celebrate the centennial of the founding of its parent firm. Pennsalt opened its doors in Pennsylvania in 1850 with household lye as its first profitable product. Pennsalt does not produce any common or table salt but does manufacture basic chemicals from salt. (TNT 8-6-50, p. A-9)

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Visitors to the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington's open house on August 8, 1950, enjoy refreshments under a large tent. Food was catered by Ben-Dews, whose delivery truck is parked nearby. The plant, located at 2901 Taylor Way, opened its doors to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its parent firm, Pennsalt.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A large crowd awaits entry to the Pennsalt open house as the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington helps to celebrate its parent firm's 100th anniversary. The Tacoma plant went into operation in June, 1929, at its tideflats location of 2901 Taylor Way. Construction of the 40 acre plant had begun a year earlier when it was called Tacoma Electro-Chemical Co. (TNT 8-6-50, A-9)

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington celebrated its parent firm's 100th anniversary. Photographs and products are displayed for guests to view during the open house held in the Tacoma plant. (TNT 8-6-50, A-9) TPL-6575

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington celebrated its parent firm's 100th anniversary. Information about the company's processes was presented on large display boards. (TNT 8-6-50, A-9) TPL-6576

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Little girls, dressed in their finery, stroll into the Pennsalt open house on August 8, 1950. They are accompanied by Marie Wood, in black, who is the wife of chief Pennsalt chemist, Davis M. Wood. The Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington is helping to celebrate its parent company's 100th anniversary.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington held an open house on August 8, 1950, to help celebrate Pennsalt, its parent firm's, 100th anniversary. Visitors could walk through the 40 acre plant and view displays of Pennsalt's history and product development. This photograph shows notebooks indicating new products developed through Pennsalt's research and development laboratories which include complex fluorides and sulfur hexafluorides. Despite its name, Pennsalt does not manufacture common salt; it produces a multitude of chemical products from raw salt.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Fred H. Gillmaster is flanked by Marijane Argue, office secretary, on the left and an unidentified woman on the right, at the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington's open house on August 8, 1950. Mr. Gillmaster has a white flower clasped in his hands while the two women wear small corsages. While the Tacoma plant has been in operation since 1929, its parent company is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma)--Employees; Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gillmaster, Fred H.; Argue, Marijane;

A large crowd awaits entry to the open house at the Pennsalt plant on August 8, 1950. They are listening to a welcoming speech by the gentleman standing next to the large American flag. Pennsalt, headquartered in Pennsylvania, has been in the chemicals business for 100 years. In that time, the firm has grown into a nationwide chain of eight manufacturing plants, including Tacoma's tideflats location, and research laboratories. (TNT 8-6-50, p. A-9)

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington held an open house on August 8, 1950, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its parent firm. The Tacoma plant is located at on the tideflats at 2901 Taylor Way. Domestic salt is brought in from California and Tacoma's cheap electrical power and abundant clean water are used to produce caustic soda and chlorine. The industrial chemicals can then be transported easily back to California and other locations due to Tacoma's efficient shipping facilities. (TNT 8-9-50, p. 10)

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

An open house and tour occurred at the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington's Taylor Way plant on August 8, 1950, as the plant helped celebrate its parent firm's 100th anniversary. This long distance shot shows several women relaxing at a table in front of a brick building. The open house drew large crowds of interested visitors.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A Pennsalt guide explains to interested visitors how caustic-chlorine is created during Pennsalt's 100th anniversary open house. Despite its name, Pennsalt does not produce ordinary table salt. It does, however, produce caustic and chlorine from coarse gray California salt for pulp mills. Brine flows into cylinders and caustic soda drains off at the bottom with chlorine gas emerging from the top. These chemical products are then shipped back to California by tanker for a profit. (TNT 8-6-50, p.A-9, Seattle Times, 7-4-54, p.2)

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A large display of drawings was exhibited at the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington's open house held at its tideflats plant on August 8, 1950. The display commemorates the 100th anniversary of the firm's parent company, Pennsalt, and shows a series of illustrations regarding its history.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Pennsalt (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

New equipment at Washington Gas & Electric's plant at East 15th & River Street. A large shovel attached to pulleys and wires is seen hung from a rotating spar to the middle, right in the photograph. A railroad freight car loaded with ground material is seen on the left on a track running through the yard. A large storage tank is seen at the back of the yard. The buildings in the yard are dwarfed by the spar and storage tank. The rising hillside of Tacoma can be seen in the background on the other side of the City Waterway. Ordered by F.C. Hawks.

Washington Gas & Electric Co. (Tacoma); Public utility companies--Tacoma; Power plants--Tacoma; Hoisting machinery; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma; Storage tanks--Tacoma;

Exterior of the Griffin Wheel Company plant at 5202 So. Proctor Street. Started in Chicago in 1887 by T.F. Griffin, the company made chilled wheels for freight cars. The Tacoma plant was established in south Tacoma in 1897 after acquiring the property of the American Foundry Company.

Industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Griffin Wheel Co. (Tacoma); Wheels;

The exterior of the Griffin Wheel Company plant, 5202 So. Proctor St. The company manufactured wheels for freight cars. Hundreds of these wheels are lined up to the right of the photo.

Industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Griffin Wheel Co. (Tacoma); Wheels;

The interior of Mrs. Holroyd's daughter's home showing a corner of the living room and the kitchen through an arched doorway. The walls are made of concrete block and the ceiling appears to be of concrete tile. The fireplace is faced with elongated bricks with a quarry tile hearth. Open areas have been left in the wall separating the living room and the kitchen where plants and a telephone have been placed. Ordered by Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960; Living rooms--Tacoma--1950-1960; Kitchens--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Workmen are now completing the roofs of the houses in the Briggs Project. Trusses have been added to the houses in the background while the roof on the house in the foreground looks complete. Ordered by the Holroyd Company, James Holroyd.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building construction--Tacoma;

A one-story, single-family residence with a daylight basement and garage built in the lower level has been designed with an austere exterior. The only addition to the plain exterior is a trellis in front of the steps leading to the front entry. A man stands on the steps looking out. Ordered by the Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trellises--Tacoma;

The exterior of Stone & Trobridge Electrical Machinery shop owned by Paul C. Stone and Earl J. Trobridge. The one-story building was built using concrete blocks with glass block surrounding the double doors at the front entrance. A display of electric motors can be seen through the large windows that have been added on both sides of the entrance. Ordered by the Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Stone & Trobridge (Tacoma); Machinery industry--Tacoma;

Ordered by Holroyd Company. A one-story, single-family residence with a nearly square design and a mansard roof has been built of concrete block. Steps leading to the front door are made of poured concrete. Concrete blocks have been used to build up the sides of the porch which now displays garden urns.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A small one-story, single-family residence has been built using concrete block. An attached garage has been included on the left. A large picture window is featured on the front of the house. Brick has been used to decorate around the garage door and to build a planter between the walkway and the front of the house. A brick chimney extends from the roof. The end of the garage has been faced with clapboards. Ordered by Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A commercial building that would have been called a strip-mall in the 1980's has been built of brick and concrete block. This view shows three store fronts. The tall brick pillar holds a sign advertising a restaurant with, "Good Food Always". Ordered by the Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials;

A retail facility built with concrete block at the rear and brick along the front houses Aron's In & Out Restaurant and Kraus & Swanson's Business Investments. Aron's lists tacos, tamales, hot dogs, hamburgers and pop corn to go. Ordered by Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960; Aron's In & Out (Tacoma);

A retail facility has been built using concrete block. The roof slants from the front to the back of the building and the display window at the front slopes outwards from the floor level. An FTD emblem is affixed to the front door. An awning projects from the far wall protecting small plants. Ordered by Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Concrete--Tacoma--1950-1960; Florist shops--Tacoma;

A view of the front of Gene's Food Center owned by Gene W. Marsh. The one-story building has been built of concrete blocks. Ordered by the Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Gene's Food Center (Tacoma); Grocery stores--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A one-story, single-family residence with a day-light basement has been built with concrete blocks below and bricks in decorative patterns above. Poured concrete steps lead to the front entrance at the middle of the home and on the left side. A garage, possibly for two cars, can be seen on the right. Ordered by the Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960;

This new house has been built using concrete blocks and shows the versatility of the product in design. The roof of the two longer sides of the building slope inward rather than downward from an elevated hip. The windows on the shorter sides slant at the top in the same configuration as the roof. Ordered by the Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials; Houses--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Two one-story commercial buildings are shown. They have been built of concrete blocks with glass blocks entered decoratively near the doors and windows. The building in the background has a sign for Mobilgas. Ordered by the Holroyd Company.

Concrete products industry--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials;