TacomaLibrary_NW_History

Young evangelist Mary Agnes Vichestain on a 1926 visit to Tacoma in full preaching pose. Described as a modern girl preaching the old-fashioned gospel, Pittsburgh's Mary Agnes Vichestain, age 18, preached to a full house at the Gospel Tabernacle on July 8, 1926. Accompanied by her newspaper publisher father, V.H. Vichestain, Miss Vichestain stopped in…

Merchandise display at the Winthrop Hotel, Evergreen Room, in July of 1952. Nalley's celebrated not only their successful line, but also their solid blue collar labor pedigree by displaying the various unions of its employees. Nalley products pictured are Lumberjack Syrup, Mayonnaise, Potato chips, honey, ketchup, salad dressing, relish, pickles, mustard, shoestring potatoes, "Esquire Sauce,…

On July 1, 1940, there was a parade in Tacoma to celebrate the openings of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and McChord Field. The most unusual float was that of Tacoma's YMCA, Phalanx Club. Four young men, their bodies silvered, rode on a float while holding up a large globe. Here are the men - minus…

Firemen practice their life-saving techniques by catching an enthusiastic volunteer. The volunteer in this picture from June of 1950 has just jumped from the drying tower next to station No. 5 at 1453 South 12th Street. Fire Station No. 5 was built in 1935. Its number was changed to Station No. 4 in 1974. It…

On June 22, 1925, Hazel Green, right, and Arline Abel posed boldly in front of the Rialto Theater, clutching pipes in their mouths. They were demonstrating the newest fad, how young ladies were discarding their cigarettes in favor of pipes. The women were performers in the Ziegfeld Follies "Phantograph" advertised on the sign boards. The…

Forrest M. LaSuer, secretary of the Tacoma Moose Lodge, won a membership drive contest in June 1949. Harold Jordan, secretary of the Kelso-Longview Moose Lodge, lost the contest and was required to push LaSuer in a wheelbarrow, wearing a feed-sack dress with bonnet. LaSuer enjoyed the ride - he is wearing his own bonnet and…

Mary R. Kobetich branch at 212 Browns Point Blvd NE, opened in June 1980. See more featured images and posts…

Grace R. Moore branch library at 215 S 56th St, dedicated 6/16/1950. See more featured images and posts…

An unidentified little girl clutches a box of crackers while Jean Brown examines an item from her cold storage locker at the University Place Thomas Brothers' Foodliner supermarket, 8425 - 27th St W, in June, 1954. Because large home freezer units were not readily available, supermarkets were adding frozen food lockers for shoppers' convenience. A…

Harness horse trotters (from left to right) "Captain King", driven by Bud Kennedy, "Fez Hanover", driven by Sam Askew, and "Maxie Hal", driven by Jerry Buck worked out in June of 1948 to prepare for the coming racing season at the Washington Harness Track. The half-mile track was located in South Tacoma near the McCord…