Pacific Marine Supply Company Records, circa 1900-1966, circa 1980

Overview of the Collection

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)
Collection Number
2007.4 (collection)
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.
Repository
Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library

P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public by appointment.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Pacific Net and Twine Company was founded in 1897 by Scottish immigrants Edward Cunningham and D.B. McBride. 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 DescriptionReturn to Top

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.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from the collection in digital format by clicking on the camera icons in the inventory below.

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

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

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

Location of Collection

15a.2.5 (oversize Box 2)

Location of Collection

15a.2.8 (Boxes 1 and 3)

Acquisition Information

Source: Bob Ladd, February 8, 2007

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

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

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

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
1/2-3 circa 1900
1/4-5
.4-.5: Storefront of Pacific Net and Twine Co. with “4 masted bark” docked in foreground.
The picture was probably taken at Pier 6.
circa 1906
1/6-7
.6-.7: Pier 6 viewed from the side, with Pacific Net and Twine sign and boats in the foreground
Muirhead Photo (photographer)
1909
1/8
.8: Storefront of Pacific Net and Twine Co. at Pier 6.
Also pictured are cars and horse-drawn carriages parked out front.
circa 1910
1/9
.9: Pacific Net and Twine Delivery Truck at Pier 6.
Truck is labeled “Pacific Net and Twine Co. Western and University”
circa 1910
1/10-11
.10-.11: Pier 6 viewed from the side, with Pacific Net and Twine sign and boats in the foreground
Muirhead Photo (photographer)
1910
1/12
.12: Pacific Net and Twine Co. storefront at Pier 8.
Also pictured are docked ships and railroad lines. Ships shown are typical fishing vessels which headquartered at the dock(from caption on back).
circa 1915
1/13
.13: View of Pier 8 from the side, with docked ships in foreground
Pacific Net and Twine sign is also visible.
circa 1915
1/14-15
.14-.15: Pacific Net and Twine Co. storefront at Pier 8 looking west.
Pier is viewed from a pedestrian walkway.
circa 1915
1/16
.16: Pacific Marine Supply Co. storefront at Pier 8
Webster & Stevens (photographer)
Also visible are train tracks and electrical lines.
circa 1927
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
Pacific Net and Twine sign is also visible.
March 1917
1/19
.19: Pacific Net and Twine Co. storefront at Pier 8 viewed from the side
Also pictured are parked cars, buildings, and Smith tower in distance.
1919 May 28

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

Six photographs
Arranged chronologically
Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/20
.20: Construction of Pacific Net and Twine building at 1223 Western Avenue
1918 August 21
1/21
.21: Construction of Pacific Net and Twine building at 1223 Western Avenue
1918 September 14
1/22 circa 1918
1/23
.23: Pacific Net and Twine building at 1223 Western Avenue
Half tone print
circa 1920
1/24 circa 1940
1/25
.25: Ribbon “In Memory of Pacific Marine Supply Co., 1897-1964”
1980 August 14

Series 3: Storeroom interiors, undatedReturn to Top

16 photographs
Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/26
.26: Marine internal combustion engines display
oversize
undated
2/27
.27: Marine equipment display
Webster & Stevens (photographer)
oversize
undated
1/28
.28: Marine equipment display
Webster & Stevens (photographer)
Same image as .27 in smaller size.
undated
2/29
.29: Store with dry goods, food items and people
oversize
undated
2/30
.30: Storage room with boxes and barrels
oversize
undated
2/31
.31: Storage room with bales
oversize
undated
1/32 undated
1/33
.33: Machine shop
Webster & Stevens (photographer)
undated
1/34
.34: Workroom or shipping department
undated
1/35
.35: Marine engines display
Walter P. Miller (photographer)
undated
1/36
.36: Outboard engines and supplies display
Walter P. Miller (photographer)
undated
1/37
.37: Marine engines and supplies
undated
1/38-39
.38-.39: Marine equipment display
Walter P. Miller (photographer)
undated
1/40
.40: Marine equipment display
undated
1/41
.41: Pacific Net and Twine Co. storeroom
undated

Series 4: Exhibits and displays, 1922-1926, undatedReturn to Top

Four photographs
Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/42
.42: Pacific Net and Twine Co. marine equipment display at Seattle Merchants Exhibit
Nowell, Frank H., 1864-1950 (photographer)
1922 Summer
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
Walter P. Miller (photographer)
1926
1/45
.45: Pacific Marine Supply Co. marine equipment display at an exposition
Walter P. Miller (photographer)
undated

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

Six photographs
Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/46
.46: Company founder Edward Cunningham
undated
1/47
.47: Company Founder Edward Cunningham (?)
Graphic Photo Company (photographer)
undated
1/48-50
.48-.50: Rotary member and Bob Ladd at a microphone
Grady and Jentoft (photographer)
circa 1980
1/51
.51: Robert Ladd shaking hands with Ronald Reagan
Dan Evans and others also appear in photo.
circa 1980

Series 6: Publications, circa 1920s-1966Return to Top

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”
Article originally written for Boating Industry.
circa 1957
1/54
.54: Pacific Marine 66 brochure
Distributed by Pacific Marine Schwabacher Inc.
1966

Series 7: Product Catalogs, 1951, 1957, undatedReturn to Top

Seven catalogs
Container(s) Description Dates
Box
3
.55: Pacific Net and Twine Co. General Catalog No. 5
Catalog has some water/mildew damage.
undated
3
.56: Pacific Marine Supply Co. General Catalog 17
1951
3
.57: Schwabacher Hardware Co. Special Catalog No. 2
Many pages of the catalog have been pasted over or cut out.
undated
3
.58: Schwabacher Hardware Co. Special Catalog No. 1
Catalog has some water damage.
undated
3
.59: Schwabacher Hardware Co. Catalog no. 18
undated
3
.60: Schwabacher Hardware Co. Catalog Nos. 22, 23
1957
1/61
.61: Seattle Marine and Fishing Supply Rope and Twine Catalog
undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Cordage industry--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Piers--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Ship chandlers--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Ships--Equipment and supplies

Personal Names

  • Cunningham, Edward

Corporate Names

  • Schwabacher Hardware Co. (Seattle, Wash.)

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photographic prints

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Ladd, Robert (creator)