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Tacoma Historical Society

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Tacoma Historical Society

Tacoma Historical Society preserves, presents, and promotes Tacoma's history.

Tacoma Historical Society presents rotating exhibits at its Tacoma History Museum at 406 Tacoma Avenue South in Tacoma's Stadium District. Tacoma Historical Society works to forge connections between past and present generations, fostering an appreciation of the past and a sense of place within our community’s history.

08/23/2026

Waiters at the "Firs" stand at attention prior to the banquet honoring the Tacoma City Baseball Champions on August 23, 1922. Long rows of tables are set with a large trophy at the end of one table. The "Firs" was a rustic building located two miles south of the Roy "Y" on Mountain Highway. It was built in 1922 of vertical log construction and open beam ceilings and served as an inn, restaurant and cabaret. 52 years later it would be destroyed by fire and not rebuilt.

Photograph courtesy Tacoma Public Library

08/22/2026

The Dravis Engineering & Marine Works company was located in two buildings on Dock Street, 1107 Dock St., almost underneath the 11th Street (now the Murray Morgan) Bridge over the City Waterway. A Richards Studio photographer took these exterior and interior photographs on August 22, 1954. The building has since been demolished.

Owned and operated by Frederick Dravis, they handled marine and general machine design, construction and repair. Established in 1912, they were formerly known as Hicks-Bull Machine Co., Inc. The State of Washington had licensed them as mechanical engineers but they were also machinists and surveyors.

Photographs courtesy Tacoma Public Library

08/21/2026

These pictures of the Bonneville Hotel were taken on August 21, 1965. The hotel had two different addresses, 42 St. Helens and 102 Tacoma Ave S. Originally named the Rochester Hotel after its construction in 1888, it was renamed the Bonneville in 1906 in honor of novelist Washington Irving's character, Capt. Bonneville. Although renovated in the 1920's, and later purchased by Norton Clapp from the Hugh Wallace estate, the hotel finally closed in August, 1964, after its manager left. It would be demolished in November, 1966.

Photographs courtesy Tacoma Public Library

08/20/2026

On August 20, 1933, members of Tacoma's Polish community gathered together at the Polish Hall, 1650 East 30th, to celebrate the 43rd anniversary of the founding of the early Polish migration to Tacoma. The celebration was organized by Walter Danisjewski, who was president of both the Polish American Citizens' Club and the Polish National Alliance No. 156. Mr. Danisjewski declared that the picnic would honor Steve Maciejewski and the early Polish settlers who founded the first Polish Roman Catholic parish in Washington state in 1892 in Tacoma.

Photograph courtesy Tacoma Public Library

08/19/2026

These two aerial photographs of downtown Tacoma were taken on August 19, 1937.

Photographs courtesy Washington State Historical Society

08/18/2026

Hawaiian musicians prepared to entertain the 500+ employees and their guests of the new Liberty House/Rhodes department store at an employees' luau held at the Top of the Ocean on August 18, 1974. Rufus Kaukani and his Polynesian troupe were part of the evening's show. Liberty House/Rhodes was a division of Amfac Merchandising, a subsidiary of Amfac of Honolulu. Amfac had stores in Hawaii and Northern California and the new Tacoma store, located at the Tacoma Mall's west end addition, would continue the Pacific islands influence.

Photographs courtesy Tacoma Public Library

08/17/2026

The first major Tacoma Boat Show in several years was held the week of August 17-22, 1948 in the lobby of the Hotel Winthrop. Western Boatbuilding displayed their Torpedo Flyer speed boat, and Pleasurecraft brought a fully rigged sailing dingy with a 19-foot mast. There were several models of boats on display - any others that our followers can identify?

Photograph courtesy Tacoma Public Library

08/16/2026

On August 16, 1945 Bruce Temple, a diver for the King County Sheriff's Department came to Tacoma to look for a murder weapon. A suspect in the killing of Walter Foley, who was a 22-year-old University of Washington student and undercover agent for the State Liquor Board, told the Sheriff's Department that he had disposed of the gun that he had used to shoot Foley by dropping it off the 11th Street Bridge. Holding the dive helmet on the right is LeRoy R. Vaughn of the Tacoma Fire Dept.

Mr. Temple spent half an hour on the muddy bottom of the City (now Foss) Waterway, 40 feet below the surface of the water, only to encounter four feet of silt. Prior to the diver's attempt, a magnetic location device developed for the U.S. Navy for underwater searching was employed for the first time. Both attempts were fruitless; the gun was not found and was believed buried under the silt.

Photograph courtesy Tacoma Public Library

08/15/2026

On August 15, 1945, thousands of Tacomans filled the streets to officially celebrate the end of the war in the Pacific with a parade. The hastily organized event featured over 2,000 participants and several bands, including those from Fort Lewis and McChord Air Base. Marching groups on the 18-block parade route included men and women representing every branch of the service, veterans organizations, shipyard and defense workers, fraternal lodges and Boy Scouts. Confetti rained down upon parade participants from the office buildings on Pacific Avenue. The streets were already littered with tons of paper from the prior night's impromptu celebrating of the war's end when downtown streets were jammed with cars and pedestrians. August 15 and 16 were proclaimed holidays with city, county and federal offices closed as well as most businesses.

Photographs courtesy Tacoma Public Library

08/14/2026

S.H. Kress & Co. store invited everyone to visit their newly remodeled store on August 14, 1958. Kress had been a downtown fixture since 1925. George Kirkebo & Son began remodeling the store in 1957 using the designs of architect Karl Swedberg. This view of the store's interior shows wide aisles of costume jewelry, hosiery and makeup. Balloons provided a cheerful atmosphere while signs advising the availability of layaway plans and quick self-service were posted throughout the store.

Kress offered specials during their grand opening: brass hostess carts for $9.99, Ronson electric shavers for $8.88, and provided free delivery within the city for purchases over $5. A unique drawing gave away a free live alligator each day; winner need not be present.

The Kress building still stands today at 934 Broadway, having been remodeled again into office space.

Photograph courtesy Tacoma Public Library

Address

2122 Commerce Street
Tacoma, WA
98402

Opening Hours

Wednesday	11am - 3pm
Thursday	11am - 3pm
Friday	11am - 4pm
Saturday	11am - 4pm

Telephone

+12534723738

Website

https://www.TacomaHistory.org/

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