Archive for January 2019

Construction of the first Narrows Bridge, in glorious color, January of 1940. The towers were set up and the cable spinning process had started. See more featured images and posts…

At 7:57 a.m. on the morning of January 30, 1947 a malfunctioning switch at the Centennial Flour Mill ignited flour dust in the building setting the massive structure located on Bayside Drive (now Schuster Parkway) on fire. Fanned by stiff winds, the fire defied the combined efforts of all the Tacoma Fire department units, including…

On the evening of December 27, 1936, ten year old Charles Mattson was kidnapped from his home at gunpoint in front of his brother William, 16; sister Muriel, 14; and her friend Virginia Chatfield, 14, of Seattle. This is a copy of an earlier photograph of Charles Mattson in a sweater and shorts standing next…

Publicity for March of Dimes. Stepping off with their best foot forward are volunteers for the January, 1966, Mothers March (of Dimes.) Posed on the steps of Jones Hall located on the University of Puget Sound campus are four UPS students who are helping the campaign: Gay Brazas, Blake Barfuss, Steve Kneeshaw and John Gruen…

In January of 1955, announcer Bob Gleason (left) and an unidentified butcher stood behind a counter on the Shop Rite Food Centers set in the KTNT studio while the production staff broadcast a live commercial into Tacoma's homes. Bob Gleason was the program director of KTNT- Channel 11's noontime homemaker's show. To the far left…

These power and utility poles in front of the Liquefied Gas Corporation, 9611 E Marginal Way, could not stand up to the winds that hit the Seattle-Tacoma area on January 15, 1951. With peak winds of 65 mph, the winter storm disrupted power service throughout the area. During the early morning hours, the temperature increased…

With a thunderous roar, the loamy soil on the bluff overlooking Old Tacoma broke loose at 9:50 a.m. on January 10, 1923. Tons of earth crashed down the steep slope, sweeping along with it the home of the W. E. Claytons. The wood frame home which had stood at 2502 N 29th St was crumbled…

Tom Ross, a member of Tacoma's "dry squad" demonstrates the fine art of bar leaping on January 14, 1923. Because Washington had been dry since 1916, beer parlors were supposedly converted into soft drink parlors. However, it was estimated that 150+ stores, soft drink parlors, and hotels sold booze undercover. Officer Ross' technique would have…