Pacific Northwest Maritime Heritage Project

Pacific Northwest Maritime Heritage Project
Name	Pacific Northwest Maritime Heritage Project
Formation	1998
Type	Nonprofit
Headquarters	Seattle, Washington
Region served	Pacific Northwest, United States, Canada
Leader title	Director

Pacific Northwest Maritime Heritage Project is a regional initiative dedicated to documenting, interpreting, and conserving the maritime history of the Pacific Northwest. The Project engages in archival research, archaeological survey, oral history, museum collaboration, and public programming to connect communities in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia with maritime places, vessels, and events. It works closely with museums, universities, Indigenous nations, historical societies, and government heritage agencies to preserve shipwrecks, waterfront sites, and maritime cultural landscapes.

History

The Project was founded in the late 20th century with input from scholars and institutions including University of Washington, Washington State Historical Society, Oregon Historical Society, Royal British Columbia Museum, National Park Service, and tribal partners such as the Suquamish Tribe and Lummi Nation. Early collaborations involved researchers from Harbor Historical Society, archaeologists trained at Cranfield University and Simon Fraser University, and funding from foundations like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Ford Foundation. Key initiatives documented sites associated with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Columbia River, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Inside Passage. The Project responded to state and federal policy instruments including the National Historic Preservation Act, the Abandoned Shipwreck Act, and provincial heritage statutes in British Columbia. Over time it partnered with museums such as the Museum of History & Industry, the Portland Maritime Museum, the Mystery Ship Museum network, and university centers like the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation.

Mission and Objectives

The Project’s mission aligns with goals articulated by organizations such as the World Archaeological Congress, the Society for Historical Archaeology, the American Association for State and Local History, and the Canadian Council of Archives. Objectives include documenting maritime material culture linked to explorers like Captain George Vancouver, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, and William Clark; surveying shipwrecks tied to shipping lines such as the Puget Sound Navigation Company and the Northwestern Steamship Company; and recording oral histories from mariners affiliated with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, the Seafarers International Union, and local fishing cooperatives. The Project emphasizes collaboration with tribal governments including the Puyallup Tribe, Nisqually Indian Tribe, and Coast Salish peoples to integrate Indigenous maritime heritage priorities referenced in agreements like the Boldt Decision.

Geographic Scope and Sites

The Project’s geographic scope spans the Salish Sea, the Columbia River Bar, the Queen Charlotte Strait, and coastal corridors from Crescent City, California to Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Priority sites include shipwrecks off Cape Flattery, the historic docks of Seattle Waterfront, the maritime landscape of Astoria, Oregon, the coal and canning sites of Nanaimo, and submarine features near Grays Harbor. Specific vessels and events studied include wrecks related to the S.S. Pacific (1875), the S.S. Valencia (1906), and the S.S. Princess Sophia, as well as historic shipyards like Bremerton Naval Shipyard and private yards such as Lake Union Drydock Company. The Project documents lighthouses and stations like Cape Disappointment Light, Point No Point Light, and the Race Rocks Lightstation.

Research and Documentation Methods

Methodologies draw on standards from the Council of American Maritime Museums, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, and scientific protocols practiced at academic centers including Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria, Oregon State University, and University of British Columbia. Techniques include remote sensing with equipment produced by manufacturers who supply institutions such as NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), diver-based survey teams following guidelines from Diving Safety Officer programs, dendrochronology analyses comparable to studies at Smithsonian Institution, and GIS mapping used by the U.S. Geological Survey. Archival research leverages collections at the National Archives and Records Administration, the British Columbia Archives, the Library of Congress, and local repositories like the Seattle Public Library. Oral-history protocols reference the Vancouver Maritime Museum and sample interviews with former crews of vessels registered with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

Public Programs and Education

Public programming includes exhibits co-curated with the Seattle Aquarium, school curricula developed with the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, docent-led tours at sites such as Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, and traveling displays circulated to institutions like the Taylor Shellfish Hatchery and the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. The Project sponsors lectures featuring historians from the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, workshops in partnership with the Boy Scouts of America sea program, and internship placements with universities including Portland State University. Educational outputs have been featured in media outlets like KCTS-TV, CBC Radio, and publications from the Maritime Heritage Foundation.

Conservation and Preservation Efforts

Conservation work follows standards endorsed by the American Institute for Conservation, the Canadian Conservation Institute, and the National Marine Sanctuaries Program. Activities include in-situ protection of wreck sites, stabilization of threatened artifacts recovered with support from laboratories at Conservation Corps Northwest and university conservation labs, and site stewardship agreements with ports such as the Port of Seattle and Port of Astoria. The Project has advised on legal protections under instruments administered by the Archaeological Institute of America and coordinated salvage oversight with agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers when interventions intersect with coastal infrastructure projects.

Partnerships and Funding

Partnerships span cultural institutions, Indigenous governments, and research organizations including San Juan Preservation Trust, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, College of the Atlantic, and heritage NGOs such as Heritage BC and the National Maritime Historical Society. Funding sources have included grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, provincial grants from Heritage BC, project-specific awards from the J.M. Kaplan Fund, and corporate philanthropy from maritime firms operating in the Port of Vancouver (British Columbia). Collaborative memoranda of understanding with entities such as the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, the Parks Canada Agency, and municipal governments enable long-term stewardship and public access.

Category:Maritime archaeology Category:Maritime history of North America