ca. 1936. Boats moored at a marina.

Facilities - Transportation Facilities - MarinasVessels - Boats

ca. 1936. Tacoma Fire Company, Fireboat No. 1 on Commencement Bay.

Vessels - Boats - Firefighting BoatsGovernment - City of Tacoma - Fire Department - Fireboat

Passenger steamer, the " Arcadia", one of the Mosquito Fleet vessels, steams out of Commencement Bay with carriers from the Times newpaper aboard. The event is the annual Times carriers picnic. (T. Times, 7/12/1937, p. 5).

Ferries--1930-1940; Mass transit--1930-1940; Transportation--1930-1940; Newspaper carriers--Tacoma; Newspaper vendors--Tacoma; Recreation--Tacoma; Tacoma Times Publishing Co. (Tacoma);

The bow of the passenger steamer " Arcadia" pulls up to a wharf. On board, carriers from the Times newspaper wave to the photographer. The event was the Times carriers picnic. Industries in the background include Western Ornamental Iron. The Arcadia was often rented for outings. By 1941, demand for the steamer had decreased so much that she was retired, the last of the fleet of pioneer steamers.

Ferries--1930-1940; Mass transit--1930-1940; Transportation--1930-1940; Newspaper carriers--Tacoma; Newspaper vendors--Tacoma; Recreation--Tacoma; Tacoma Times Publishing Co. (Tacoma);

Ferry strike. Two ferries near a ferry slip with its empty roadway. (T.Times).

Ferries--Tacoma--1930-1940; Marine terminals--Tacoma; Strikes--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1937. Ferry strike showing automobiles at slip. Small trucks and automobiles line the road to the ferry dock. (T. Times).

Ferries--Tacoma--1930-1940; Marine terminals--Tacoma; Strikes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Admiral T. T. Craven and Mrs. Isabel Anderson at the launching of two new U.S. Navy Destroyers, "Cushing" and "Perkins," at Bremerton Navy Yard on December 31, 1935. Mrs. Anderson is holding the encased christening bottle. The "Perkins" was named after her father, George Hamilton Perkins, a Civil War hero. (Bremerton Sun).

Launchings--Bremerton--1930-1940; Warships--Bremerton--1930-1940; Craven, T.T.; Anderson, Isabel;

On July 26, 1935 close to 100 of the finest power boats in the Pacific Northwest left Tacoma for Nanaimo, B.C. in the 8th annual international cruiser classic. Known as the "Capital to Capital" race, most of the previous competitions had been on courses charted from Olympia to Juneau or from Olympia to Victoria. The 1935 race started at the municipal dock in Tacoma, under the 11th Street Bridge, and threaded a course of 150 nautical miles through Puget Sound, and the San Juan and British Columbia Islands. Crews got very little sleep as the boats raced throughout the night and into the next day. Vessels could choose their own departure time, basing the time they calculated they would reach certain spots. Contestants did not stop at the control points along the course; they had to pass close enough to each point, however, to be identified. (T.Times 7/25-27, 1935 & 7/29/1935, pg. 1)

Regattas--1935; Yacht racing--1935;

This 35 foot cutter, the White Cloud, moored at the Tacoma Yacht Club, was Tacoma's only entry in the Los Angeles (actually Santa Monica) to Honolulu trans Pacific sailing race beginning July 4th, 1936. Skipper Radner R. ("Rad") Pratsch felt confident about his entry although his sailboat was just over the minimum size limit. He posed on his sailboat June 1, 1936 with his daughter Carol prior to leaving for Seattle to pick up his crew and continue down to California for the beginning of the race. Pratsch was a veteran sailor and a rear commodore of the Yacht Club. He was also the owner of the Realart Theatre at 5415 South Tacoma Way and a 25 year Tacoma resident. (T. Times 6/1/1936, pg. 1)

Sailboats; Sailboat racing; Yachts; Pratsch, Radner R.;

In June of 1937, the Coast Guard Patrol Boat #402 was assigned permanently to Tacoma's Harbor. Seven members of the crew posed on the deck of their ship. They are, front row left to right, Chief Boatswain's mate T.J. Firth- commanding, Chief Machinist's Mate Floyd L. Harmon, J.J. Pinton- Seaman First Class, A.E. Davis, Seaman 2nd Class and ship's cook. Back Row: Jacob Rockov, Fireman First Class, I. W. Tucker-Boatswain's mate, A.E. Godfrey- Machinists mate First Class. The CG 402 was built on the Atlantic Coast and had previously been a rum chaser during Prohibition. She was the fastest craft in Tacoma. (T. Times 6-3-1937, pg. 8).

Vessels; Government vessels; Sea Scouts (Tacoma); Piers & wharves--Tacoma;

ca. 1937. U. S. Coast Guard ship 402 moored beside a wharf below the 11th Street Bridge. By June of 1937, the CG 402 had been permanently assigned to Tacoma. In peace time, they operated under the direct orders of the Treasury Department; but in wartime they answered to the secretary of the Navy. The 402 had been built on the Atlantic coast and during Prohibition, the speedy vessel had served as a rum chaser. The 402 was surplussed by the Navy in 1946 to the Boy Scouts. She is still in use, as of August 2001, as the Sea Scout Ship Charles N. Curtis #110. She is moored on the Thea Foss Waterway. (T. Times 6-3-1937, pg. 8-article).

Vessels; Government vessels; Sea Scouts (Tacoma); Piers & wharves--Tacoma;

Fireboat on Puget Sound. Artistic view of four men watching a firefighter demonstrate the maneuverability of a large water jet mounted on the fireboat. Tideflat industry in the background.

Vessels - Boats - Fireboats - Tacoma

The passenger vessel "Chickawana" is dockside while passengers wait to depart on May 24, 1924. She was used to transport people from Dash Point to Tacoma and back again while mustering a speed of 10.5 mph. 75 passengers could fit on board and enjoy the fresh air and marine views. The passengers on this date consisted of the nine salesmen of the Younglove Grocery Co. (standing in left foreground on float) and store and factory employees of the firm. The salesmen were being honored with a cruise to Delano Beach where a chicken picnic lunch, games, buffet dinner and dancing in the lodge took place. The wholesale store and factory were closed all day so that all employees could attend this special event. The "Chickawana" traveled home in moonlight to cap a fun-filled day. G50.1-070 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 5-25-24, 8-E)

Passengers; Boats; Younglove Grocery Co. (Tacoma)--Employees;

Photographer Marvin Boland's notes indicate that this is the "waiting room" for the Steilacoom ferry as pictured on July 21, 1924. Long wooden benches are positioned below windows and there appears to be a drinking fountain against one wall. Staircase leads below. G66.1-093

Ferries; Waiting rooms; Benches;

The Washington Navigation Co. had requested photographs be taken of several ferries in May of 1927. The "Liberty" is pictured above, with several men standing on deck, on May 13, 1927. She carried at least two lifeboats and operated on steam. The "K' on her funnel possibly stands for Kitsap County Transportation Co. G78.1-109

Ferries--1920-1930;

This is possibly the ferry "Suquamish" as pictured on a foggy day in May, 1927. Photograph taken on behalf of the Washington Navigation Co.

Ferries--1920-1930;

Three unidentified men stand inside the Tacoma Fire Boat No. 1, Tacoma's first fire boat, on June 10, 1929. The vessel had been successfully christened with ginger ale by Mrs. Dyer Dyment on June 8th and launched smoothly from the Coast Line Shipbuilding Co. plant. Shortly after launching the fire boat was moved to the Port of Tacoma piers where five gasoline engines were to be installed. Once operational, the fire boat would have speeds up to 18 mph and would be capable of issuing 10,000 gallons of water per minute from four centrifugal pumps. (TDL 6-8-29, p. 1-article; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 6-9-29, p. 1-article) TPL-9899; G26.1-039

Boat engines; Fireboats--Tacoma--1920-1930;

In 1931, the Foss Launch & Tug Company operated the largest fleet of tugs on the Puget Sound out of their waterfront office building at 400 Dock Street. This photograph from July of 1931 shows twelve Foss tugs (and a small service boat) lined up by size next to the company's office building. The largest tug, at the far left, is the Andrew Foss, 97 feet long, built in 1905. The smallest tug, at the far right next to the service boat, is the Peggy Foss, 32 feet long, built in 1912. On Monday November 23, 1931 a fire destroyed the Foss company offices. They rebuilt at the same site, but in 1943 they moved to the Middle Waterway. TPL-7092

Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats--Tacoma--1930-1940

In November of 1930, the Washington Navigation Co. (WNC) ferry "Relief," shown above docked at Gig Harbor, was one of several ferries owned by the company plying the waters of the Puget Sound. She had been launched on July 17, 1930, at Skansie Shipbuilding in Gig Harbor. The "Relief" was 72-feet long with a 32-foot beam and 85 hp diesel engine. Befitting her name, she was used as a relief ship when other ferries were laid up for repairs. The Washington Navigation Co. was founded by Mitchell Skansie of Skansie Shipbuilding around 1926. When Pierce County could no longer afford to run its own ferry service to Gig Harbor, the service was contracted out to WNC. By the 1930's, the company had several ferries running on many routes in the South Sound. The company was almost ruined by the Great Depression and the opening of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940. When the bridge collapsed a scant seven months after construction, the ferry runs were restored and WNC began a bidding war with Puget Sound Navigation Co. for state ferry contracts. (Neal & Janus "Puget Sound Ferries"; TNT 7-17-30, p. 5-article) G66.1-089

Ferries--1930-1940; Washington Navigation Co. (Gig Harbor);

Starboard view of the ferry, "The City of Tacoma," with several men on upper deck. A copy of this photograph was made on May 23, 1927 as requested by the Washington Navigation Co.; original date of print not known. The ferry made her maiden voyage in late December of 1921. G66.1-092

Ferries--1920-1930;

View of the ferry "Gig Harbor." Copy of photograph made on May 23, 1927, per request from the Washington Navigation Co. Date of original photograph is not known. Several passengers enjoy the fresh air and passing scenery aboard the ferry as she makes her way through calm waters. G66.1-086

Ferries;

Powerful winch used by Foss Launch & Tug Co. to raise the sunken steamer, "Rubaiyat," in March of 1924. The ship had sunk the previous year as she headed for Seattle. Four people aboard the vessel drowned. The tug, "Andrew Foss," is in the background. The winch, from the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, had a six-foot in diameter drum with a two-inch steel cable. The winch enabled the hull, not seen since the September 30th sinking, to be visible . Four tugs towed the "Rubaiyat" toward the shore on March 12, 1924, and allowed her to rest just south of the Sperry Dock in about 60 feet of water. G50.1-147 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 9-30-23, p. 1-article on capsizing; TDL 3-13-24, p. 10)

Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hoisting machinery;

Members of Tacoma's Drama League spend a lazy August day in 1925, paddling an Indian dug-out at the Olympus Manor on Hood Canal. A float plane rests on the water behind them. The Olympus Manor was begun in 1918 by local art instructor, world traveler and friend of the famous Orre N. Nobles. It was located on Hood Canal two miles northeast of Union. By the 1920's, the 16 room retreat was frequented by the local summer art colony and scores of the famous. It was decorated with Nobles' invaluable collection of Tibetan and Oriental art, furniture and artifacts. The two story retreat was destroyed by fire in 1952. No one was hurt, but the building and its priceless collection was destroyed and never rebuilt. (Shelton-Mason County Journal 7/31/1952; 8/7/1952) (photograph from the Erna Tilley Collection)

Olympus Manor (Hood Canal); Tacoma Drama League (Tacoma); Canoes; Nobles, Orre--Homes & haunts;

ca. 1920. Foss launch identified by William L. Case as the "Tyee." The Foss family rowboat rental business, started by Thea Foss in 1889, was thriving at the turn of the century. With an eye for opportunity, Thea branched out into the business of supplying anchored and arriving ships in Tacoma with provisions. With the purchase of the family's first launch, sons Arthur and Wendell Foss were able not only to bring supplies, but also to ferry ship's personnel to land. By 1912, the company owned seven launches, the "Tyee" being one of the smallest. (photograph courtesy of the William T. Case collection) ("Foss: A Living Legend" by Bruce Johnson and Mike Skalley)

Launches--Tacoma; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1886. Several long boats (Indian canoes) rest on the beach at about Fifth and Pacific in Tacoma in this photograph from the mid 1880s. Long boats could transport a whole family with supplies for a season of fishing. This group of boats is probably preparing to head upstream on the Puyallup River where members of the Puyallup tribe worked in the hop fields of the Puyallup Valley. The Puyallups are part of the Puget Sound Salish original peoples. They were hunters, gatherers and fishermen, although they inhabited permanent houses along the riverbanks and along the Sound. Salmon was their main food and figured strongly in their culture. Under the Treaty of Medicine Creek, the tribe ceded much of their territories but retained fishing rights. Rutter Collection TPL-564

Longboats--Tacoma--1890-1900; Indians of North America--Tacoma--1890-1900;