The Tacoma Theater's Electric Sign Crumbles
A fierce windstorm tears down the landmark illuminated sign on St. Helens Avenue.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The large illuminated sign of the Tacoma Theater, which extended across Ninth Street at St. Helens Avenue, was weakened by last night's gale and one end crashed to the pavement. The lower end of the sign was completely ruined, and most of the incandescent lamps were broken. The sign was later cut down and dragged away. It will be replaced by one of newer design.
“The lower end of the sign was completely ruined, and most of the incandescent lamps were broken.”
The Tacoma Theater, a former cultural anchor, is long gone, reflecting the volatility of early 20th-century urban architectural trends. Today, the corner of Ninth and St. Helens remains a dense urban corridor, though the 'new design' signs of the past have been replaced by modern LED displays and digital signage.
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