Afloat on the Yellowstone Trail
By Curt Cunningham
November 2016

The Yellowstone Trail across Washington State offers travelers a rich and diverse experience, blending history, geography, and culture. As you journey west toward Seattle, you traverse the state's breadbasket, an expanse of fertile farmland that supplies much of Washington's agricultural bounty.

The route then takes you over the rugged Cascade Range, offering breathtaking vistas as you descend its steep western slopes toward the Puget Sound region. Historically, one of the final challenges of the trip was the four-mile ferry crossing over Lake Washington to Seattle. This lake, covering 33 square miles and stretching 22 miles long, was an important waterway long before modern transportation routes existed.

The first people of the area used boats for thousands of years to cross the water and the incoming European settlers of the mid 19th century followed suit. Beginning in the 1870s, steamers, modeled after the famous Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet, began ferrying passengers, freight, and even horse-drawn wagons across the lake. By 1900, Lake Washington bustled with activity.

Steamers crisscrossed the water, but their frequent stops and limited capacity led to the establishment of a public ferry service by King County. In 1901, the county launched the King County of Kent, the first double-ended, side-wheeled ferry on the lake, running directly between Kirkland and Seattle.

Although the ferry faced some setbacks—including an infamous incident where it got stuck in the mud during its maiden voyage with local dignitaries onboard—it marked the beginning of a more efficient transport system across the lake. Despite the growing public ferry service, competition remained fierce.

Entrepreneur Captain John Anderson, a pioneer in boat operations, strategically outmaneuvered the county ferries by arriving minutes before the scheduled ferries to poach passengers. By 1908, Anderson had bought out most of the competing independent boats and established his Anderson Steamboat Company. His Urania and Fortuna were the fastest boats on the lake. Although Anderson faced resistance from Kirkland's business community and was eventually banned from the local dock, his influence on lake transportation was undeniable.

By 1922, King County, facing financial difficulties, appointed Anderson to run the ferry system. As automobiles became more common, ferry services evolved. In 1913, Anderson modified the Urania to accommodate four cars, but this method was cumbersome. The need for specialized ferries was clear. That same year, the wooden Leschi became the first Seattle-built automobile ferry, ushering in a new era of lake transportation.

By 1915, the S.S. Lincoln, built at the Anderson Shipyard, began its service between Kirkland and Madison Park. The largest ferry built for Lake Washington at the time, the Lincoln could carry 40 cars and operated without incident or mechanical failure for 25 years.

The completion of the Lake Washington Ship Canal in 1916 lowered the lake by nine feet, connecting it to Puget Sound and creating new opportunities for boat traffic. Though there was a proposal in 1919 to reroute the ferry service to South Lake Union via the Montlake Cut, this plan was never realized. However, the link between Lake Washington and Puget Sound continued to influence transportation.

The Lake ferry operations weren't without drama. On November 24, 1919, during an early morning crossing, two robbers attempted to steal a safe from the Lincoln's purser's office. Thanks to a tip from two women who overheard the plot, detectives were onboard to thwart the heist. The ensuing chase and gunfire made for a harrowing experience for passengers that day.

Other mishaps were more humorous. In 1934, a truck from a local hog farm rolled off the ferry into the lake when the driver forgot to set the parking brake. It took divers three weeks to locate the vehicle in the murky depths of Lake Washington. As road networks improved, the demand for ferry services waned.

By 1921, residents of Bellevue and other nearby towns were pushing for a bridge across Lake Washington to shorten the trip to Seattle. Early proposals involved using wooden hulls as floating platforms, but it wasn't until 1940 that the Lake Washington Floating Bridge finally opened, providing a direct connection across the lake. Even though tolls made ferries a viable alternative for some time, the end of tolls in 1950 marked the final blow to the ferry system.

Today, Kirkland’s waterfront area, once bustling with ferry activity, has transformed into Marina Park. While the old ferry dock is long gone, a clock that once guided commuters still stands at the intersection of Kirkland Avenue and Lake Street, a quiet reminder of the region’s vibrant ferry past. The Yellowstone Trail remains a historic route, and though it no longer relies on ferry crossings, it continues to offer travelers a glimpse into Washington's past and its evolving infrastructure.