Thea Foss Waterway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thea Foss Waterway |
|
|---|---|
| City Waterway | |
 Thea Foss Waterway
Location in Washington (state)
|
|
| Location | Tacoma, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°15′44″N 122°26′14″W / 47.2623214°N 122.4373462°W |
| Type | Inlet |
| Etymology | Thea Foss |
| Part of | Commencement Bay |
The Thea Foss Waterway is a special part of Commencement Bay in Tacoma, Washington. It's like a narrow arm of the sea that reaches inland. This waterway helps separate downtown Tacoma from the busy Port of Tacoma. It used to be called the City Waterway.
Contents
History of the Waterway
The area around Tacoma was first settled in 1853. That's when an early sawmill started working there. The waterway became very important for moving wood and other goods.
Tacoma's Port Grows
In the 1870s, Tacoma's deepwater port started to grow very fast. Many sailing ships and steam tugs came to visit. The Northern Pacific Railroad arrived in 1874, which helped the port grow even more.
Trains carried goods like tea, wheat, lumber, coal, and apples. Trade with countries in Asia became very big. In the 1890s, a new railway line was built over the Cascade Mountains. This helped Tacoma become a major trading city.
Thea Foss and Her Company
The waterway is named after a very important person, Thea Foss. She started her company, Foss Maritime, right on this waterway in 1889. She began with just a few rowboats.
Over time, her company grew to include many steam tugs. Foss Tug became the most important towing company in the Puget Sound area. Today, Foss is the largest tugboat company on the Pacific Coast.
Building the Port
At first, railroads owned the land along the waterway. But the leaders of Tacoma wanted to control the land themselves. They wanted to build a bigger and better port.
In 1919, the Port of Tacoma was officially created. This was done to handle more ships coming through the Panama Canal. The port expanded into the river delta, becoming very large. Another major railroad, the Milwaukee Road, also arrived, bringing even more trade.
Busy Waterfront Life
The area around the waterway became very busy. Many sawmills and cedar shingle mills were built. There were also boat yards, wharves, and large buildings for storing grain and other goods.
Railroad tracks stretched out along the flat land near the water. Factories for processing fish were also set up on the shore. The waterway was a hub of activity for trade and industry.
