Museum of History & Industry
Sophie Frye Bass Library
2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: 206-324-1126
URL: http://www.seattlehistory.org

Guide to the Pacific Marine Supply Company Records, circa 1900-1966, circa 1980


2007.4





Finding aid prepared by Esther Benson

Finding aid encoded by Esther Benson, 2008
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection
 
Repository Name:
 

Museum of History & Industry
Sophie Frye Bass Library

2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: 206-324-1126
URL: http://www.seattlehistory.org
 
Collection Number:
 

2007.4
 
Creator:
 

Pacific Marine Supply Company
 
Title:
 

Pacific Marine Supply Company Records
 
Dates:
 

circa 1900-1966, circa 1980 (inclusive)
 
Quantity:
 

1.65 cubic feet
3 boxes, includes 50 photographs
 
Languages:
 

Collection materials are in English. 

 
Summary:
 

The Pacific Marine Supply Company Records comprise photographs, catalogs and brochures relating to the Pacific Net and Twine Company, later renamed Pacific Marine Supply Company. Also included in the collection are records relating to Pacific Marine Schwabacher Inc., catalogs for Schwabacher Hardware and a catalog for Seattle Marine and Fishing Supply.
 
Location of Collection:
 

15a.1.2
 

Historical Note

Pacific Net and Twine Company was founded in 1897 by Edward Cunningham, a Scottish Immigrant, and D.B. McBride of Portland, Oregon. The business was originally limited to selling netting and twine and was run out of a basement. The company moved to First Avenue and Jackson Street in Seattle, Washington, before moving operations to Pier 6 on Seattle’s waterfront in 1904. In 1913 the company moved again, this time to Pier 8 and added a complete marine department, which supplied the Puget Sound and Alaskan fishing industries. In 1919 the company moved once more, this time to it’s own building at 1223 Western Avenue in Seattle. A subsidiary of the company, Pacific Fishing and Trading Company, retained facilities on Pier 8. In 1927 the company changed its name to Pacific Marine Supply Company.

By 1966 the company had changed its name once more to Pacific Marine Schwabacher Inc. Pacific Marine Supply may have merged with the Schwabacher Company, or been bought out. Around 1967 the former headquarters of Pacific Marine Supply at 1223 Western Avenue became a branch office for Pacific Marine Schwabacher Inc. Pacific Marine Schwabacher Inc. dropped from Seattle listings in the mid-1980s.

Content Description

The Pacific Marine Supply Company Records are mostly comprised of black and white photographs of the company headquarters at its various locations, as well as interior photos of store showrooms and equipment displays. Also included are photographs of both the company founder Edward Cunningham and former company vice-president Bob Ladd.

The collection also contains some company publications, as well as product catalogs for Pacific Net and Twine Company, Pacific Marine Supply Company, Schwabacher Hardware Company and Seattle Marine and Fishing Supply.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into seven series as follows:

  • Series 1: Early years of Pacific Net and Twine Company, circa 1900-1919
  • Series 2: Pacific Net and Twine Co. at 1223 Western Avenue, September 1918- circa 1940s, 1980
  • Series 3: Interior Photographs of Storeroom, undated
  • Series 4: Exhibits and Displays, 1922-1926, undated
  • Series 5: Founder Edward Cunningham and Vice President Robert Ladd, undated, circa 1980
  • Series 6: Publications, circa 1920s-1966
  • Series 7: Product catalogs, 1951, 1957, undated

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information 

Source: Bob Ladd, February 8, 2007

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

The collection is open to the public by appointment.

Restrictions on Use 

The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation 

Pacific Marine Supply Company Records, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 
Cunningham, Edward
Schwabacher Hardware Co. (Seattle, Wash.)
Seattle (Wash.)
Cordage industry--Washington (State)--Seattle
Piers--Washington (State)--Seattle
Ship chandlers--Washington (State)--Seattle
Ships--Equipment and supplies
Photographic prints
Other Creators :
Ladd, Robert

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.


 

Series 1: Early years of Pacific Net and Twine Company, circa 1900-1919

19 photographs
Arranged chronologically
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
1/1

.1:  Storefront of Lipsett Cunningham and Co. Prince Rupert, B.C.
   circa 1900
 
½-3

.2-.3:  Storefront of Pacific Net and Twine Co. at 1st and Jackson
 (image/jpeg) 
   circa 1900
 
1/4-5

.4-.5:  Storefront of Pacific Net and Twine Co. with “4 masted bark” docked in foreground.
   circa 1906
 
The picture was probably taken at Pier 6.
 
1/6-7

.6-.7:  Pier 6 viewed from the side, with Pacific Net and Twine sign and boats in the foreground
   1909
 
Muirhead Photo  ( photographer)
 
1/8

.8:  Storefront of Pacific Net and Twine Co. at Pier 6.
 (image/jpeg) 
   circa 1910
 
Also pictured are cars and horse-drawn carriages parked out front.
 
1/9

.9:  Pacific Net and Twine Delivery Truck at Pier 6.
  circa 1910
 
Truck is labeled “Pacific Net and Twine Co. Western and University”
 
1/10-11

.10-.11:  Pier 6 viewed from the side, with Pacific Net and Twine sign and boats in the foreground
   1910
 
Muirhead Photo  ( photographer)
 
1/12

.12:  Pacific Net and Twine Co. storefront at Pier 8.
 (image/jpeg) 
   circa 1915
 
Also pictured are docked ships and railroad lines. Ships shown are typical fishing vessels which headquartered at the dock(from caption on back).
 
1/13

.13:  View of Pier 8 from the side, with docked ships in foreground
  circa 1915
 
Pacific Net and Twine sign is also visible.
 
1/14-15

.14-.15:  Pacific Net and Twine Co. storefront at Pier 8 looking west.
  circa 1915
 
Pier is viewed from a pedestrian walkway.
 
1/16

.16:  Pacific Net and Twine Co. storefront at Pier 8
   circa 1915
 
Webster & Stevens  ( photographer)
Also visible are train tracks and electrical lines.
 
1/17

.17:  Storefront of Pacific Net and Twine Co. at Pier 8
   circa 1915
 
1/18

.18:  View of Pier 8 from the side, with docked ships in foreground
   March 1917
 
Pacific Net and Twine sign is also visible.
 
1/19

.19:  Pacific Net and Twine Co. storefront at Pier 8 viewed from the side
   1919 May 28
 
Also pictured are parked cars, buildings, and Smith tower in distance.
 

Series 2: Pacific Net and Twine Co. at 1223 Western Avenue, September 1918- circa 1940s, 1980

Six photographs
Arranged chronologically
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
½0

.20:  Construction of Pacific Net and Twine building at 1223 Western Avenue
   1918 September 14
 
½1

.21:  Construction of Pacific Net and Twine building at 1223 Western Avenue
   1918 August 21
 
½2

.22:  Construction of Pacific Net and Twine building at 1223 Western Avenue
   circa 1918
 
½3

.23:  Pacific Net and Twine building at 1223 Western Avenue
   circa 1920
 
Half tone print
 
½4

.24:  Pacific Marine Supply Co. building at 1223 Western Avenue
 (image/jpeg) 
   circa 1940
 
½5

.25:  Ribbon “In Memory of Pacific Marine Supply Co., 1897-1964”
   1980 August 14
 

Series 3: Storeroom interiors, undated

16 photographs
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
2/26

.26:  Marine internal combustion engines display
   undated
 
oversize
 
2/27

.27:  Marine equipment display
 (image/jpeg) 
   undated
 
Webster & Stevens  ( photographer)
oversize
 
½8

.28:  Marine equipment display
   undated
 
Webster & Stevens  ( photographer)
Same image as .27 in smaller size.
 
2/29

.29:  Store with dry goods, food items and people
   undated
 
oversize
 
2/30

.30:  Storage room with boxes and barrels
   undated
 
oversize
 
2/31

.31:  Storage room with bales
   undated
 
oversize
 
1/32

.32:  Workroom with nets and equipment
 (image/jpeg) 
   undated
 
1/33

.33:  Machine shop
   undated
 
Webster & Stevens  ( photographer)
 
1/34

.34:  Workroom or shipping department
   undated
 
1/35

.35:  Marine engines display
   undated
 
Walter P. Miller  ( photographer)
 
1/36

.36:  Outboard engines and supplies display
   undated
 
Walter P. Miller  ( photographer)
 
1/37

.37:  Marine engines and supplies
   undated
 
1/38-39

.38-.39:  Marine equipment display
   undated
 
Walter P. Miller  ( photographer)
 
1/40

.40:  Marine equipment display
   undated
 
1/41

.41:  Pacific Net and Twine Co. storeroom
   undated
 

Series 4: Exhibits and displays, 1922-1926, undated

Four photographs
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
1/42

.42:  Pacific Net and Twine Co. marine equipment display at Seattle Merchants Exhibit
   1922 Summer
 
Nowell, Frank H., 1864-1950  ( photographer)
 
1/43

.43:  Pacific Net and Twine Co. marine equipment display at Seattle Merchants Exhibit
   1923 Summer
 
1/44

.44:  Pacific Net and Twine Co. marine equipment display at Green Lake Sports Show
   1926
 
Walter P. Miller  ( photographer)
 
1/45

.45:  Pacific Marine Supply Co. marine equipment display at an exposition
   undated
 
Walter P. Miller  ( photographer)
 

Series 5: Founder Edward Cunningham and Vice President Robert Ladd, undated, circa 1980

Six photographs
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
1/46

.46:  Company founder Edward Cunningham
   undated
 
1/47

.47:  Company Founder Edward Cunningham (?)
   undated
 
Graphic Photo Company  ( photographer)
 
1/48-50

.48-.50:  Rotary member and Bob Ladd at a microphone
   circa 1980
 
Grady and Jentoft  ( photographer)
 
1/51

.51:  Robert Ladd shaking hands with Ronald Reagan
   circa 1980
 
Dan Evans and others also appear in photo.
 

Series 6: Publications, circa 1920s-1966

3 publications
Arranged chronologically
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
1/52

.52:  Pacific Net and Twine Co. investment brochure
   circa 1920
 
1/53

.53:  Pacific Marine Supply Co. article entitled “Our First 60 Years”
   circa 1957
 
Article originally written for Boating Industry.
 
1/54

.54:  Pacific Marine 66 brochure
   1966
 
Distributed by Pacific Marine Schwabacher Inc.
 

Series 7: Product Catalogs, 1951, 1957, undated

Seven catalogs
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
3

.55:  Pacific Net and Twine Co. General Catalog No. 5
   undated
 


.56:  Pacific Marine Supply Co. General Catalog 17
   1951
 


.57:  Schwabacher Hardware Co. Special Catalog No. 2
   undated
 


.58:  Schwabacher Hardware Co. Special Catalog No. 1
   undated
 
Catalog has some water damage.
 


.59:  Schwabacher Hardware Co. Catalog no. 18
   undated
 


.60:  Schwabacher Hardware Co. Catalog Nos. 22, 23
   1957
 
1/61

.61:  Seattle Marine and Fishing Supply Rope and Twine Catalog
   undated