Thousands of spectators lined Broadway when over 4,000 soldiers, sailors and marines staged a military parade on Saturday July 24, 1937 as part of the annual Fleet Week program in Tacoma. Some 2,000 soldiers from Ft. Lewis joined 2,200 enlisted men and officers from the six battleships resting at anchor in Commencement Bay. Also taking part in the parade were a battalion of marines from the U.S.S. Oklahoma, and the combined bands of the Oklahoma, the U.S.S. West Virginia and the 10th Field Artillery Band from Ft. Lewis. The parade started at South 15th and Pacific. Marching north, they took So. 9th up to Broadway, and then marched south to So. 17th Street. In this photograph of the parade, the marine band led by drum major Roy Van Antwerp, is between So. 9th and So. 11th on Broadway. (T.Times 7/24/1937, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Van Antwerp, Roy; Drum majors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Military bands--United States;

Northwest Territory Centennial Parade. Float with covered wagon carrying State Centennial Queen Jackie. The float reads "They had faith and stout hearts" and represents the pioneering spirit of 1853. This was the most elaborate float in the parade. The covered wagon is being "driven" by State Centennial Queen Jackie Atkins of Port Orchard.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Centennial celebrations--Tacoma; Atkins, Jackie;

The 38th Infantry Band, led by Warrant Officer L.A. Yost, plays during the Third Division Review held at Fort Lewis May 13, 1937. The show of military might was attended by many public officials and high ranking military officers. (T. Times 5/14/1937, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis; Military bands; Yost, L.A.;

Fort Lewis Third Division Review, held May 13, 1937. Front view of military tank, with two soldiers visible through openings beneath the gun turret.

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis; Tanks (Military science)--Fort Lewis;

Photographs of the Third Division Review held at Fort Lewis May 13, 1937 with various public officials and high ranking officers in attendance. In this picture, troops march before the reviewing stand as planes zoom overhead. (T.Times 5/14/1937, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis; Fighter planes--1930-1940;

Military officers and dignitaries in the reviewing stand at Fort Lewis during the May 13, 1937 review of the Third Division. It is worth noting that the army still used covered wagons pulled by mules to transport supplies (far left). (T. Times 5/14/1937, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis;

Third Division Review, held at Fort Lewis on May 13, 1937. Soldiers stand beside mules hitched to spoke-wheel field artillery. a memorable transition to a modern motorized army of tanks and aircraft. The mules still played an important role in the military despite the mechanization of the army. (T. Times 5/14/1937, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis; Fort Lewis (Wash.); Military facilities--Wash.; Mules;

Third Division Review held at Fort Lewis May 13, 1937. Soldiers march with rifles over their shoulders in front of military and government officials. (T. Times, 5/14/1937, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis;

The massed colors of all the regiments in the Third Division are held at attention before the crowd at the Third Div. Review at Fort Lewis on May 13, 1937. (T.Times 5/14/1937, pg. 1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Fort Lewis; Military standards;

Make way for the Buckingham Apartments version of the 1937 Daffodil Parade! Eight children from the apartment building at 1001 North Yakima Avenue donned costumes and held their own parade on April 8, with dandelions filling in for daffodils. Sharon Lloyd Detlofsen leads off the parade on a tricycle, followed by drum major Roberta Powell, Robert Hagstrom, Queen Marilyn Powell, Delores Detlofsen on her scooter, Press agent Jacqueline Brown, Cowboy Bruce Bowman and clown Roy Howell. Sonny Gange, left on grass, provided what every parade needs, an enthusiastic spectator. (T. Times 4/9/1937, pg. 18-article & alternate photograph)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bowman, Bruce; Detlofsen, Dolores; Detlofsen, Sharon Lloyd; Gange, Sonny; Powell, Marilyn; Brown, Jacqueline; Powell, Marilyn; Howell, Roy; Buckingham Apartments (Tacoma);

Tired of waiting for the official Daffodil Parade, these kids from the Buckingham Apartments,1001 No. Yakima Ave., decided to stage their own parade on April 8th, 1937. Using dandelions to pinch hit for daffodils, the kids, fully costumed and made up, carried a sign stating "See the Daffodil Parade on Saturday." Ready to start their parade are, front row (l to r), bicycle cowboy Bruce Bowman, Dolores Detlofson, Sharon Lloyd Detlofson and Robert Hagstrom. Back row (l to r), Sonny Gange, Queen Marilyn Powell, Parade press agent Jacqueline Brown, Drum Major Roberta Powell, and parade clown Roy Howell. (T. Times 4/9/1937, pg. 18)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bowman, Bruce; Detlofson, Dolores; Detlofson, Sharon Lloyd; Gange, Sonny; Powell, Marilyn; Brown, Jacqueline; Powell, Marilyn; Howell, Roy; Buckingham Apartments (Tacoma);

The Tacoma Times-Metropolitan Park District First Annual Bicycle Race Meet and Parade was held on August 5, 1938 at the Stadium Bowl. Three boys posed with their decorated bikes after the parade. The bicycle on the right is decorated with red, white and blue crepe paper bunting and sports several American flags. An Uncle Sam look-alike is the rider. The boy in the middle pays tribute to Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan with his "Corrigan's Special." In 1938, after many governmental refusals for a transatlantic flight permit, Corrigan set off to fly from New York to California in a fog and ended up in Ireland, supposedly due to a compass failure. The man who thumbed his nose at government officials became a national folk hero. The third bike has a sign "Quick Oats." Hundreds of children competed in the street parade and all-city meet. More than 300 prizes were awarded, including wrist watches and medals and as grand prizes, new bicycles. (T.Times 8-5-38, p. 1-article; T. Times 8-6-38, p. 1-article)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma);

The First Annual Tacoma "Bike Meet" was held on Friday August 5, 1938. Hundreds of young Tacomans decorated their bicycles to participate in the parade that started downtown and ended at the Stadium Bowl. After the parade, there were competitive races held on the Bowl track. A Tacoma boy dressed like the comic strip character "Major Hoople," in baggy pants and a stuffed shirt, tips his hat as he stands astride his scooter "Leapin Lena." A young boy, in black mask and hat as the Lone Ranger, sits on a rocking horse, a banner with "Hi Ho Silver" on it, flies behind him. The boy on the right has a new take on "paper boy," his clothes are made out of the Tacoma Times. By the end of the day, three lucky Tacoma youngsters had won new bicycles as prizes.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma);

First Annual Bicycle Race Meet and Parade held August 5, 1938 at the Stadium Bowl. Seven girls in costumes and dresses pose with their trophies, medals and prizes. One small girl with ringlets holds a loving cup, while the older girls show off their prizes. The prizes include a new bicycle, sunglasses, a jacket, shoes and a watch.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma);

First Annual Bicycle Race Meet and Parade, held August 5, 1938 at the Stadium Bowl. A long line of costumed riders and their decorated bikes pose after the parade. Prizes were given for best decorated entries, funniest costumes, craziest looking bicycles and oldest bicycles. Over 1500 youngsters took part in the day's fun.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma);

The First Annual Bicycle Race Meet and Parade held August 5, 1938 at the Stadium Bowl. Five girls pose at the end of the parade with their decorated bikes. Thirteen judges or officials, with lapel ribbons, stand behind them. Sheriff John C. Bjorklund is one of the judges and stands on the back row, one from the right.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma);

First Annual Bicycle Race Meet and Parade held August 5, 1938 at the Stadium Bowl. A large group of people in Stadium Bowl field getting ready for the races. Bikes are still covered with flowers and streamers from the parade.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma);

Hundreds of costumed children on gaily decorated bicycles filled the streets of Tacoma on August 5, 1938 as they took part in the First Annual Bicycle Race Meet and Parade. The parade started at 8th & Commerce, wound through the downtown streets and ended at the Stadium Bowl. The riders were cheered by thousands of spectators. Kids without bicycles could get loaners so that they could take part in the races held in the Stadium Bowl. Prizes were given for best decorated bikes, funniest costumed riders, craziest looking bicycles and oldest bicycles. The top prizes were new, 1939 Schwinn "World" bicycles with all of the latest accessories. (T. Times 7/25/1938, pg. 1- 8/6/1938)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma);

First Annual Bicycle Race Meet and Parade held August 5, 1938 at the Stadium Bowl. "Major Hoople" on "Leaping Lena" shaking hands with a boy on another decorated bike, most resembling a Daffodil Parade float. Major Amos B. Hoople was the cartoon star of the newspaper comic "Our Boarding House," created in 1921 by Gene Ahern. Hoople was a long winded stuffed shirt, usually identified by his overflowing midsection. The comic strip took place in Martha Hoople's boarding house and ran for six decades. The boys are tentatively identified as William Kennedy of 5318 So. Fife and Albert Dock of 5315 So. Junnett.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma);

Two young boys, dressed in shorts and sporting skinned knees, pose on their decorated bicycles at the first annual Bicycle Race Meet and Parade held August 5, 1938 at the Stadium Bowl. The boys are tentatively identified as Junior Holquist, age 6, from Sprague St. and Bob Lasham, age 5, from 2709 S "J" St. The meet was jointly sponsored by the Tacoma Times and the Parks Department.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma);

First Annual Bicycle Race Meet and Parade held August 5, 1938. Bird's-eye view of parade of bikes and people downtown. The parade started at 2:30p.m. Friday afternoon as hundreds of young people pedaled their decorated bikes from 8th and Commerce through downtown streets and ended up at the Stadium Bowl.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Children riding bicycles & tricycles--1930-1940; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma);

Float constructed for the celebration of the P.W.A. $2,700,000 grant to begin construction on a bridge across the Narrows. Standing on a truck bed, construction workers display a sign: " We Pledge our Cooperation - Structural Iron Workers Union Local 114." Floats preceded the event at the Stadium Bowl, attended by over 5,000. (T. Times, 7/1/1938, p. 1).

Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Celebrations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Narrows Bridge Celebration (Tacoma); Structural Iron Workers Union, Local 114 (Tacoma);

A parade of trucks, panel vans, and automobiles on Pacific Avenue passes the Peoples Department Store. More than 500 automobiles and trucks participated in the parade celebrating the P.W.A. $2,700,000 grant to erect the Narrows bridge. The grant would cover about 45 % of the cost and funds would need to be raised to cover the remainder. (T. Times 7/1/1938, pg. 1)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Narrows Bridge Celebration (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Department stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Peoples (Tacoma);

A parade of automobiles on Pacific Avenue passes Peoples Department Store celebrating the grant from the Progress Works Administration to build a bridge over the Narrows. Huge "Your Credit Is Good" sign on Schoenfeld's in the distance. More than 500 automobiles and trucks paraded through city during the celebration. They ended at the Stadium Bowl, where a crowd of 5,000 heard speeches by Governor Clarence Martin, Senator Homer T. Bone, Representative John Coffee and Senator Lewis B. Schwellenbach, among others. (T. Times, 7/1/1938).

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Narrows Bridge Celebration (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Department stores--Tacoma--1930-1940; Peoples (Tacoma);

Celebrating P.W.A. funding to begin Narrows Bridge construction, a parade of automobiles and motorcycles are seen crossing a bridge. More than 500 automobiles and trucks participated in the event organized by a committee of local business districts. The parade began at Union Station and wound through Tacoma streets until it reached the Stadium Bowl where a crowd of 5,000 listened to speeches from local dignitaries. (T. Times, 7/1/1938)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Narrows Bridge Celebration (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Narrows Bridge celebration. Parade on South Tacoma Way, led by Standard Oil gasoline fuel truck, passes Ludwig's Drug and Lang Hardware. More than 500 cars and trucks participated in the event organized by a committee representing the business districts.

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Narrows Bridge Celebration (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940;

This group of elaborately costumed Tacomans took part in the annual Toyland Parade on the morning of November 27, 1936 through the streets of downtown Tacoma. The first float in the parade carried Santa Claus in a giant sled pulled by 2 white reindeer. The Toyland Parade was the official opening for the Christmas shopping season. (T. Times 11-28-1936 p.11)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Costumes; Masks

The 1936 Toyland Parade kicks off the day after Thanksgiving in a dense fog. The parade celebrates the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. It is made up of 10 elaborate Mother Goose floats, three marching bands and 75 costumed characters, such as these clowns. This is a cropped version of D733 image 3. (Tacoma Times 11/28/1936, pg. 11)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The 1936 Toyland Parade, the second annual parade held the day after Thanksgiving, kicks off in a pea soup Puget Sound fog. Pictured are some of the 75 costumed characters that march along with the parade. These clowns hold a sign stating "clowns from Toyland." The 1936 parade is 1/3 larger than the previous year and attended by thousands of anxious school children and their parents, awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus. (T. Times 11/28/1936, pg. 11)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The 1936 Christmas Toyland Parade kicked off in a genuine Puget Sound fog that almost demanded street lights. The Old Lady who lived in a shoe is almost obscured by the dense fog. This float is one of ten elaborate floats inhabited by Mother Goose characters. The parade also included 3 bands- Stadium High School, Lincoln HS and a union band. More that 75 fantastically costumed mannequins with large paper mache heads marched along with the parade. (T. Times 11/28/1936, pg. 11)

Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma--1930-1940; Floats (Parades)--Tacoma--1930-1940;