A historic tug boat called the Parthia will soon be a roadside display near Olympia Farmers Market.
On November 4, the South Sound Maritime Heritage Association (SSMHA), in partnership with the Port of Olympia, will begin the construction of a pavilion to house the Parthia. SSMHA is best known as the producer of the annual Olympia Harbor Days festival.
Bill McGregor, a member of SSMHA and a longtime former Port commissioner, said during a meeting with the Port Commission on Monday, October 21, that a golden shovel event would mark the start of the project.
The 50-foot Parthia has been listed on the Washington Heritage of Historic Places and National Registers of Historic Places since December 2023.
According to SSMHA's website, it was built in 1906 by the Hall Brothers shipbuilding family, originally from Port Blakely. The Parthia has had several owners, such as Delta V. Smyth Tug and Barge Co., which operated the boat from 1934 to 1961.
The boat also became a usual participant in Olympia Harbor Days when it began in 1986.
The boat sank at a private moorage in Pleasant Harbor in Brinnon, Jefferson County, before being donated to SSMHA in September 2017. The Parthia is currently berthed at the Swantown boatyard.
SSMHA has been working since to restore the boat before it could be displayed as an exhibit. SSMHA secured $140,000 from the state legislature to fund the construction of the pavilion. The group is continuing to work to fund the project through community contributions, as the total cost is around $250,000.
Maritime historian Chuck Fowler of SSMHA said that Ron Thomas of Thomas Architecture Studios and Drew Phillips from Forma Construction designed the exhibit.
The design will feature a cradle to hold the boat and interpretative signage.
According to Fowler, people will not be able to board the Parthia due to insurance concerns, but photos of what it looks like inside will be on display.
Fowler added that they envision linking the Parthia with another historic tug boat, the Sand Man. The Sand Man is usually moored at the Olympia Oyster House but is currently at Swantown for repairs.
McGregor commented that they do not own Sand Man but will collaborate with its owner to help restore it.
Linking the two tugboats through a heritage walk aligns with statewide plans for the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area under the National Park Service.
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1Cochamamba9
... and how much $$$ will the money losing Port of Olympia contribute to this project? In reality, the taxpayer that has had no input will be involuntarily contributing to this political pet project!
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