The Steamer Virginia V

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, transportation around Puget Sound differed greatly from today. With few cars and only a minimal road network, Puget Sound served as the highway, and moving people, goods, and livestock between waterfront communities depended on countless small, privately owned ferries that plied the waters. So numerous were these vessels that a reporter, observing the activity in Elliott Bay, said they “were swarming like mosquitos.” The boats became known as the Mosquito Fleet. SS Virginia V is one of the last Mosquito Fleet vessels and the only remaining steam-powered ferry from that era.

Seattle, Washington · United States