Скачать или смотреть Point Defiance Ferry Dock Tacoma October 29, 2025

The ancestral land now known as Point Defiance was used by the Puyallup Tribe, as well as other Coast Salish peoples for generations. The Puyallup and Nisqually Tribes were particularly active in the area
The native American people called the area s-cheet-oos, which translate to “near face” or “near cliff” referring to the landform’s proximity to the land across the Narrows. Native Americans did not give up Point Defiance to the federal government via single treaty. Instead in 1866, the Point Defiance peninsula which was their land was designated as a U. S. military reserve by President Andrew Johnson.

In 1841 Charles Wilkes who was exploring the region for the United State thought this area would be an ideal location for a defensive point for Puget Sound. He named it Point Defiance. He believed that with a fort at the point and another across the Narrows, they could “defy” any attack. The name reflects the geographical feature’s strategic importance, even though it was never used for military battles. Based on his assessment, in 1866, the federal government set aside the land as a military reservation, although it was never used for military operations.

In 1888 President Grover Cleveland officially authorized the Point Defiance military reservation to become a public space. The City of Tacoma provided a streetcar line to the area. In 1905, the City of Tacoma gained full title to the area which had become a park and developed amenities like a streetcar station, boathouse, baths, becoming a major recreation hub. (source internet research)

Ferry Service to Vashon Island from Point Defiance
The first ferry service from Point Defiance to Vashon was established on May 15, 1920, with Pierce County operating the route using the ferry City of Tacoma.
In 1926, The Skansie brothers’ Washington Navigation Company purchased the rights and ferries.
In 1941, The Puget Sound Navigation Company (Black Ball Line) took over the service.
In 1951, Washington State Ferries began operating the route, taking over from a local ferry district that had been formed after dissatisfaction with the private Black Ball Line company.
(Source internet research)