TacomaLibrary_NW_History

An exuberant Frankie Walker, age 4, sits proudly on the small, two-wheel bicycle that he received for Christmas in 1939. He successfully rode his bike the second time he tried. Frankie, the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Walker of 4608 S "K" St., liked to ride as fast as he could, but he usually…

Garbage truck men, working for the City of Tacoma, Refuse Collection Division, test the latest type of collection truck, the "Refuse Getter." Before the rear tray loading equipment was adopted by the city, collectors had to lift heavy garbage cans over the top of high-body trucks. See more featured images and posts…

In January of 1943, Gust Lewis Formuzis used the rope tying skills that he had acquired in over 25 years at sea to create handmade bell ropes for the ships built at the Todd Shipyard. Mr. Formuzis, of Greek heritage, had served in both the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy before settling in…

Toy Terrier standing on its hind legs with its paws around a bottle of beer that it's drinking or opening. See more featured images and posts…

Members of the Washington Co-op Egg & Poultry Association display their dividend checks in front of the Association's headquarters on January 12, 1928. See more featured images and posts…

Police Sergeant Sherman Lyons and Officer Clarence Rolfson watch as a city jail trustee splinters a pinball machine with a sled hammer. The two big automatic payout marble boards and several small slot machines were seized by police here over the last few months. On January 6, 1939 operators of all known or suspected speakeasies…

Washington Co-op Farmers Association "Co-op Eggs" streamlined delivery van parked in front of Safeway Store at Puyallup Avenue and Bay Street. Man unloading crates of eggs is believed to be the driver, Harry Stearns. See more featured images and posts…

Three boys, in military helmets and hats, pose in Wright Park during 1943's Christmas vacation with their inflatable rubber raft. See more featured images and posts…

Enthusiastic members of the newly formed (South) 38th Street Boosters Club wanted to let prospective customers know that they were ready to "talk turkey" (sales lingo meaning to "make a deal"), so they held a turkey derby in December of 1939. Members attempted to coax 30 turkeys to race to a feed bag at the…