This is a view of South Lake Union Park created in the first decade of this millennium opening in 2010. The Navy owned the land and the old Armory building was built by the WPA and today houses the MOHAI collection (Museum of History and Industry). There are 6 slips for historic vessels. Part of this park is the Center for Wooden Boats–a collection of about 150 small wooden boats. In the 1990s when I served on the Virginia V Board of Directors, there was a movement afloat (pardon the pun) to create an umbrella organization encompassing what is left of Seattle’s historic fleet–the Maritime Heritage Foundation–which floundered and failed. It was to comprise the Virginia V (the last wooden passenger steamship in the US; the NW Seaport’s (formerly Save or Ships or “SOS”) fleet of five vessels: the Arthur Foss (1889); Wawona (it sunk), the lightship Swiftsure, fireboat Duwamish, and halibut schooner Tordenskjold; the CWB, a Native canoe group; and I recall select members of the Classic Yacht Association. Above is a photo I took about a year ago from the footbridge across the lagoon–one can see the Virginia V, Arthur and Swiftsure; and below is the Lake Union Park from two overhead perspectives–compliments of Google Earth:
My proposal is to revitalize this Heritage Project but the supervisory body would be the National Park Service and it would be modeled after the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park. Below is a photo taken last year and is what San Francisco has done with their collection. The three masted lumber schooner–C. A. Thayer–is perfectly restored and is the sister ship to the Wawona–sunk at South Lake Union through neglect. It’s time to buckle down, raise some money and save the Arthur, before she too sinks.
Here’s some of the advantages to my idea:
- The structure of this park would be modeled after the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park –misery loves company, right?
- The centerpiece would be a fully restored Arthur Foss–the last surviving vessel to participate in the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. The Arthur was also the last ship to escape from Wake Island when Pearl Harbor was bombed, beginning America’s involvement in WWII. The Arthur was also the movie set for “Tugboat Annie.”
- Klondike Gold Rush–Seattle Unit–National Historic Park and the Alaska counterpart in Skagway would be the administrative hosts.
- Arthur Foss would be declared a National Monument (it’s currently on the National Historic Register) using the 1906 Antiquities Act qualifying her for emergency funds.
- The Armory building (MOHAI) would host offices to manage this fleet and interpret the vessels.
- The current Klondike headquarters in Pioneer Square is less accessible and has had a recent lease issue–MOHAI would be the perfect new home. Besides having a maritime office/interpretive center here; Klondike would still maintain the Pioneer Square location.
When I joined the Navy in 1963–as a 17 year old, I marched in this building. It was a Naval Station then.
A better look at the steamship Virginia V, Arthur and Swiftsure. Arthur runs a Washington 600 hp slow turning direct reverse engine (although it boasts a sailing clutch today). Katahdin also has a Washington Ironworks engine (6-R-13). There are about 8 of these engines left–I’ve parts for 1000 years of rebuilds. :
One of my original ideas was to cut the house off the Kalakala and drag it onto this site and use it as a museum building–nope–no one listened to that idea–and another Seattle icon was lost–cut up for scrap. Folks….we’re sinking our history here. It’s time to muscle up some money and save what’s left.
Some additional considerations:
- Acquiring or leasing the FVO (Fishing Vessel Owner’s) marine haul-out facility to actively demonstrate how vessels are maintained. A small shipwright shop, two piers and two lifts are sitting idle currently. This would become a working museum similar to the SF or Mystic Seaport museums.
- Foss closed their shipyard located on the south shore of the ship canal facing Ballard. The city of Seattle requires any developers to maintain a maritime presence there. What would be better than the two oldest tugboats left in the United States; both Foss boats at one time, and in running condition, being permanently moored there and open to the public.
- I would donate the Katahdin, an 1899 built tug to be moored at this location on permanent display. Here is Katahdin moored at Foss:
Use the search symbol or the Katahdin link at the top of this post for the 125 year history of Katahdin–now the oldest running tugboat in the United States. When the Arthur gets running again, I’ll be the second oldest. I’m now the longest owner of Katahdin at 31 years. I’ve restored her twice, lately with Port Orford cedar. I have “invested” over $1M during these 30 years, and lived on her for about 10 years in Alaska working small villages as a dentist. She’s had eight owners. Here’s Arthur and Katahdin in Port Townsend about 1998 and another with the Elaine in 1952 on the Seattle waterfront:
And being built on the Duwamish waterway in 1899.
Katahdin was built in 1899 on the Duwamish waterway. Here Martin Hansen (right) stands with two shipwright: Heckman and H. Henneger. She had reverse bulwarks and a lot of “tumblehome–inward curvature of the bulwarks or side rails and some in the bow-stem. I’ve identified only three butt seams–most of these planks run the entire length from stem to stern–about 80′. The Department of Natural Resources in Washington needs to set aside lumber for such restorations. We also need to keep ship carpenters–shipwrights–trained. The Sabino, Mystic Seaport’s only steam passenger launch just lost their last steam engineer and now runs on propane. Virginia V assures me that they are training new engineers.
All historic vessels could be rotated from South Lake Union to the Foss mooring facility, the FVO repair marine lift, and have access to both Lake Union and Lake Washington to be seen by the public but also Puget Sound salt water environments–good for wooden boats.
Here is the FVO marine lift–Ballard Bridge view:
And from the east pier–two marine lifts–large & small:
A machine shop–stripped of copper by druggies. All the initial restoration of Katahdin was accomplished in this building in 1996-7.
Move over Mystic Seaport. Katahdin first hauled out here in 1994:
This was a daunting task. My reasoning is that if I sell this to a private party, she will eventually sink. These are the last of our historic fleet.
This is a sketch by Nita Foraker done sometime in the 1980 of the 6 remaining historic tugs owned by Foss–at least two of these are now gone. Katahdin is far left. Next is Wallace which was driven to the East Coast via the Panama Canal! She languishes there–they owner died of a heart attack after arriving. Lorna (stern out) sank in Canada about 5 years ago–along with her Atlas engine–sad. Parthia outboard I’ve lost track of. Background–the Joe: Joe’s house burned off 10 years ago and has been rebuilt. Henrietta is owned by Foss still and was just completely rebuilt in Port Townsend:
That’s my idea. I’ve visited Senator Lisa Murkowski, Patty Murray’s staff (still waiting Patty), Superintendents of Klondike, SF Maritime, former W. Regional Director Mike Reynolds, NPS Director Sams and Secretary of the Interior Haaland. Of course, the political landscape changes so it’s time to lay the groundwork now–get our ducks in a row (haw, haw, chuckle). Mike told me “get me the money and I’ll get you the park.” Let’s do it!
This NPS Klondike National Park Maritime Museum could be Seattle’s next Pike Place Market.
PS: I’ve also talked to Teddy Roosevelt:
Stay tuned and roll up your sleeves!