An authentic maritime heritage and education attraction for Olympia’s evolving waterfront
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Our immediate goal is to complete the Parthia Exhibit. Donate now by clicking on the Donate button!
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The South Sound Maritime Heritage Association (SSMHA), a nonprofit organization founded in 1974, and the originator of the Olympia Harbor Days tugboat festival and races, has acquired the historic tugboat Parthia. Working with other partner groups, the SSMHA has completed restoration of the 1906 tugboat as a covered, outdoor shore-side heritage and educational exhibit on the Olympia waterfront.
The 50-foot Parthia was built in the early 1900s by James Hall, of the widely-known Hall Brothers shipbuilding family of Port Blakely and later Winslow, Washington. Purchased in 1934 and operated by the Delta V. Smyth Tug and Barge Co., and later in 1961 by Foss Launch and Tug Co., the hard-working tug was a common sight on Olympia’s waterfront for nearly four decades. After her sale by Foss in 1975, she passed to a series of private owners, and became a familiar, race-winning participant in the annual Olympia Harbor Days festivals beginning in 1986.
Opportunity statementFollowing the 2016 Harbor Days festival, Parthia was sold to a new owner who took her to Pleasant Harbor on Hood Canal. Unfortunately, in early August 2017, the venerable tug accidentally sank at her private moorage. The SSMHA was informed that her owner would donate Parthia to anyone or any organization that would salvage her. Not wanting to lose an important icon of Olympia’s working waterfront history, the Association called on friends in the Puget Sound maritime heritage and industry community to help raise, refloat, and return the tug to Olympia. This was achieved when Parthia arrived at the Port of Olympia Swantown Boatyard in mid-November 2017.
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Project vision
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In late September 2017, after careful consideration, the SSMHA board voted unanimously to acquire Parthia through donation. And following initial conversations with potential government, individual, and other project partners, an Association task force began to develop a lasting legacy plan for the historic Olympia tugboat.
The project goals were to (1) restore the tug to her 1950s working appearance, and (2) find an appropriate site on the city’s continually evolving waterfront, to exhibit her as a maritime educational exhibit, and public attraction for South Sound residents, students and tourists. Goal 1 has been substantially achieved, and goal 2 was met when the Port of Olympia approved the plan to display the Parthia on Port property adjacent to Olympia Farmers Market. We look forward to putting some finishing touches on Parthia, erecting the covered exhibit pavilion, and installing educational information panels and landscaping. |
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Parthia being built on the ways in 1906 in Winslow, on Bainbridge Island.
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Hull sanded , stern view, 2018.
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Parthia Today
Photo Credit: Karla Fowler ©2026.
A detailed story about Parthia’s rescue and restoration appeared in Volume 1 of Tugs in the Capital City, published in 2018.
Preserving Parthia: The Rest of the Story
After restoration, the SSMHA’s plan is to exhibit her shore-side on Olympia’s waterfront as a maritime history and education exhibit. She would be a fitting tribute to the individuals, families and companies in the Pacific Northwest that helped build the region’s strong maritime and timber economy. By the 1920's, these businesses included three tugboat companies that dominated Budd Inlet towing: Capital City Tug Co., owned by Volney Young; Delta V. Smyth Tugs and Barges, owned by Smyth; and Olympia Towing, owned by the Willie Family. Their tugs served other working waterfront companies and labor organizations like the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 47. By the 1960's, the maritime trade in Olympia was changing. Plywood plants and area mills closed, although demand for log exports from the Port of Olympia for the Asian trade continued.
A perennial participant and winner of five Olympia Harbor Days tugboat races, the venerable tug had been sold to a new owner. in After she sank in 2017, that owner offered to donate the 50-foot long Parthia to anyone who would salvage her. Not wanting to lose an icon of the city’s working waterfront history, the SSMHA decided to acquire the tug. Chuck Fowler and Bob Peck, both SSMHA past presidents, were asked to lead the initial Parthia rescue, return and restoration effort.
After restoration, the SSMHA’s plan is to exhibit her shore-side on Olympia’s waterfront as a maritime history and education exhibit. She would be a fitting tribute to the individuals, families and companies in the Pacific Northwest that helped build the region’s strong maritime and timber economy. By the 1920's, these businesses included three tugboat companies that dominated Budd Inlet towing: Capital City Tug Co., owned by Volney Young; Delta V. Smyth Tugs and Barges, owned by Smyth; and Olympia Towing, owned by the Willie Family. Their tugs served other working waterfront companies and labor organizations like the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 47. By the 1960's, the maritime trade in Olympia was changing. Plywood plants and area mills closed, although demand for log exports from the Port of Olympia for the Asian trade continued.
A perennial participant and winner of five Olympia Harbor Days tugboat races, the venerable tug had been sold to a new owner. in After she sank in 2017, that owner offered to donate the 50-foot long Parthia to anyone who would salvage her. Not wanting to lose an icon of the city’s working waterfront history, the SSMHA decided to acquire the tug. Chuck Fowler and Bob Peck, both SSMHA past presidents, were asked to lead the initial Parthia rescue, return and restoration effort.
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After her sinking in Hood Canal and the decision to acquire Parthia, the SSMHA began her 105 day-long salvage process. The effort involved both donated volunteer and paid work, and ended in mid-November when the 111-year-old tug arrived by boat transport truck at the Port of Olympia’s boatyard.
The rescue process began when Fowler contacted Frank Immel, a friend with Seattle’s Global Diving & Salvage Company, who was also president of Puget Sound Maritime in Seattle, a regional nonprofit historical organization. Immel had crewed on the Parthia for several years, during trips around the Sound and in the San Juan Islands with one of her former owners, the late Scott Bokland of Vashon Island. With this personal connection to the tug, Immel volunteered to lead the salvage effort. He traveled to her Pleasant Harbor sinking site, and with the help of Scott’s son Simon, they spent a combined total of 20 hours pumping her out. Once refloated, Parthia was turned broadside to the shore at low tide, her open hull seams were patched, and the tug readied for safe towing. After Parthia’s refloating, the initial plan was to have the owners of vintage tugs that had participated in past Harbor Days events use their retired workboats for the 100-mile long tow from Pleasant Harbor in Hood Canal to Olympia, but logistical and scheduling difficulties prevented this approach. However, after hearing about the problem Olympia businessman, former tugboat owner and Harbor Days participant John Warjone came up with another solution. |
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Together with his retired business owner friend Rick Panowicz, and Rick’s nephew, tug captain Rob (Chip) Panowicz, they proposed to use Rick’s 47-foot trawler yacht Jean Marie to tow Parthia from the site of her sinking on Hood Canal north to Port Townsend for haul-out. Chip, a licensed, experienced tug master with Sause Brothers Ocean Towing of Coos Bay, Oregon, would prepare the tug for towing, and be at the helm of Jean Marie during the 36-mile-long transit.
As part of the overall tug rescue plan, Warjone contacted his boat hauling company owner friend, Mark Cohen of Associated Boat Transport of Marysville (WA), and arranged for donation of the 100-mile-long highway haul of the tug from Port Townsend to Olympia. In all, in November rain, high wind and sea conditions on Hood Canal, the well-planned boat tow and subsequent truck haul were completed successfully on Nov. 16. The whole operation took a total of ten hours during a two day period. During the next seven months, under the supervision of SSMHA volunteer and retired Washington State construction manager Gary Larson, the venerable tug was pressure washed inside and out, a few seams re-caulked and planks replaced, bow bumper restored, primer paint applied, and other improvements made. Professional shipwright and SSMHA member George Kurzman rebuilt the wheelhouse to her 1958 design as it was when operated by Olympia’s Delta V. Smyth Tugs & Barges company. |
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From 2018 to2020, potential waterfront exhibit sites for Parthia were proposed by SSMHA and were being reviewed. Olympia architect Ron Thomas has contributed the design of a protective timber and steel canopy for the tug. In addition, informational panels interpreting the colorful working history of the tug and the Olympia waterfront, and donor recognition, are being incorporated into the structure’s design.
As a true working waterfront historical icon, it’s vital to save, and restore Parthia as a publicly-visible, heritage and educational attraction for South Sound residents, students, and visitors. And the South Sound Maritime Heritage Association is dedicated to achieving this worthy goal.
As a true working waterfront historical icon, it’s vital to save, and restore Parthia as a publicly-visible, heritage and educational attraction for South Sound residents, students, and visitors. And the South Sound Maritime Heritage Association is dedicated to achieving this worthy goal.
