The Point Defiance–Tahlequah ferry is a
ferry route across
Puget Sound
Puget Sound ( ) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected m ...
between the
Point Defiance Point Defiance may refer to:
* Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Washington, USA
** Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (PDZA) is the only combined zoo and aquarium in the Pacific Northwest, located in Tacoma, Washington, ...
ferry terminal in
Tacoma and
Tahlequah, Washington, on the southern tip of
Vashon Island
Vashon is a census-designated place (CDP) in King County, Washington, United States. It covers an island alternately called Vashon Island or Vashon–Maury Island, the largest island in Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet. The population was 10,6 ...
. Since 1951 the only ferries employed on the route have belonged to the
Washington state ferry system, currently the largest ferry system in the United States. Point Defiance-Tahlequah is the shortest route in the system.
Description
This ferry route is 1.7 miles long, with terminals at
Point Defiance Park
Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Washington, United States, is a large urban park. The park includes Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the Rose Garden, Rhododendron Garden, beaches, trails, a boardwalk, a boathouse, a Washington State Ferries ferry doc ...
in
Tacoma and on Vashon Island, at Tahlequah.
[Demoro, Harre, ''The Evergreen Fleet'', at pages 34–35]
Vessels
Until 1967, the wooden ferry
''Skansonia'' (capacity: 308 passengers, 32 autos) was regularly assigned to the route. In 1967, ''Skansonia'', built in 1929, was replaced with
''Hiyu'' (capacity: 200 passengers, 40 autos), which had been built specifically for the route.
[ However, traffic soon outpaced the ''Hiyu'', which was replaced by the ''Olympic'' and later the 48-car ferry . Since 2012, has served the route.
]
See also
* Washington State Ferries
Washington State Ferries (WSF) is a government agency that operates automobile and passenger ferry service in the U.S. state of Washington as part of the Washington State Department of Transportation. It runs ten routes serving 20 terminals ...
* Ferries in Washington State
Notes
References
* Demoro, Harre, ''The Evergreen Fleet: A Pictorial History of Washington State Ferries'', Golden West Books, San Marino CA (1971)
* Kline, Mary S., and Bayless, G.A., ''Ferryboats: A Legend on Puget Sound'', Bayless Books, Seattle, WA (1983)
* Newell, Gordon R. ed., ''H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest'', Superior Publishing, Seattle WA 1966
External links
*
Ferry routes in western Washington (state)
History of King County, Washington
History of Pierce County, Washington
Transportation in King County, Washington
Transportation in Pierce County, Washington
Vashon, Washington
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