Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, also known as Grays Harbor Historical Seaport is a

government authority In the fields of sociology and political science, authority is the Legitimate expectation, legitimate Power (social and political), power of a person or group over other people. In a civil State (polity), state, ''authority'' is practiced in ways ...

created in 1986 by the city of

Aberdeen, Washington Aberdeen () is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 17,013 at the 2020 census. The city is the economic center of Grays Harbor County, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis. Aberdeen is occasi ...

, as a

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

corporation. It was created to commemorate

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

's centennial of statehood. Operations began in 1987 with the purpose of building and operating a full-scale reproduction of the 18th-century brig ''Lady Washington''. Additional goals were to build and operate a maritime museum to promote tourism and economic development in the Grays Harbor area, and to provide educational programs for schools and communities.

Fleet

The authority owns and operates a fleet of vessels. Current vessels: *''

Lady Washington ''Lady Washington'' is a ship name shared by at least four different 80-100 ton-class Sloop-of-war and merchant sailing vessels during two different time periods. The original sailed during the American Revolutionary War and harassed British shi ...

'' a 1989

replica A 1:1 replica is an exact copy of an object, made out of the same raw materials, whether a molecule, a work of art, or a commercial product. The term is also used for copies that closely resemble the original, without claiming to be identical. Al ...

of the 18th century brig of the same name. *''Capt. Matt Peasley'' and ''Hewitt R. Jackson'' are replica

longboat A longboat is a type of ship's boat that was in use from ''circa'' 1500 or before. Though the Royal Navy replaced longboats with launches from 1780, examples can be found in merchant ships after that date. The longboat was usually the largest boat ...

s from the ship ''

Columbia Rediviva ''Columbia Rediviva'' (commonly known as ''Columbia'') was a privately owned American ship under the command, first, of John Kendrick, and later Captain Robert Gray, best known for going to the Pacific Northwest for the maritime fur trade. "R ...

'' Former vessels: *''

Hawaiian Chieftain ''Hawaiian Chieftain'' is the name of a sailing vessel briefly known as the ''Spirit of Larinda''. Built in 1988 in Lahaina on the island of Maui, the ''Hawaiian Chieftain'' is a contemporary interpretation of a traditional design. She is uniq ...

'' a square topsail ketch, sold in 2021 after being retired in 2020 due to

electrolysis In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a technique that uses direct electric current (DC) to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction. Electrolysis is commercially important as a stage in the separation of elements from n ...

weakening its steel hull.

Seaport Landing

The Seaport Landing is a 38 acre riverfront property formerly used as a sawmill by

Weyerhaeuser Weyerhaeuser () is an American timberland company which owns nearly of timberlands in the U.S., and manages an additional of timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada. The company also manufactures wood products. It operates as a real e ...

and donated to GHHSA in 2013. Plans are to build a mixed-use waterfront development with six major project elements *Environmental remediation. Addressing the impacts resulting from over 100 years of industrial use. Notably diesel and oil in groundwater, shoreline hazardous waste and wood waste accumulation. *Interpretive center An interactive learning center designed for school age children and families to learn about the maritime history and ecology of

Grays Harbor Grays Harbor is an estuary, estuarine bay located north of the mouth of the Columbia River, on the southwest Pacific coast of Washington (U.S. state), Washington state, in the United States of America. It is a ria, which formed at the end of the l ...

. *Waterfront trail and park Multi-purpose trail with activity nodes and interpretive elements that integrates habitat enhancement along the shoreline. *Commercial businesses Riverfront accommodations for tourists and dining for visitors and locals. *Moorage improvements Construction of a floating dock adjacent to an existing fixed pier to improve accessibility to the tall ships during the range of tides. Creation of a public boat launch operated by the city of Aberdeen. *Education programs Renovation of existing industrial building for use as a maritime trade school in partnership with Grays Harbor Community College.

Other Projects

* The Spar Shop - The Spar Shop provided at-risk youth with job shadowing and vocational training opportunities. The 10,000-square-foot drive-through shop featured the largest tracer-lathe in North America. They could turn logs up to 40 inches in diameter and 122 feet in length. Its current status is unknown, but it will be part of the new Seaport Landing. * The Seafarer Collective - (formerly Sea School Northwest) The Seafarer Collective (TSC) is a vocational training program for aspiring mariners. They offer a Entry-Level Merchant Mariner Course, Recreational Marlinspike Course, and a USCG-Approved Online Able Bodied Seaman Certificate Course.

References

External links

Official website
Port authorities in the United States Historical Seaport Authority Historical Seaport Authority Government agencies established in 1986 1986 establishments in Washington (state) {{Washington-stub