The Port Townsend Ship Canal (also known as the Portage Canal) is a

canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...

connecting

Port Townsend Bay Port Townsend Bay, also called Port Townsend, is a marine inlet off Admiralty Inlet at the northeastern extreme of the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washing ...

and

Oak Bay Oak Bay is a municipality incorporated in 1906 that is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is one of thirteen member municipalities of the Capital Regional District, and is bordere ...

Jefferson County, Washington Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,977. The county seat and only incorporated city is Port Townsend. The county is named for Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson County wa ...

. Built in 1915, the canal separates Indian Island from the

Quimper Peninsula The Quimper Peninsula is a narrow peninsula forming the most northeastern extent of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state in the northwestern United States of America. The peninsula is named after the Peruvian-born Spanish explorer Manuel Quim ...

of mainland Washington. State Route 116 crosses the only bridge over the canal. There are no

locks Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

History

Historically, Indian Island and

Marrowstone Island Marrowstone is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The population was 844 at the 2010 census. All Marrowstone addresses are in Nordland, Washington, and the ZIP code for Marrowstone Island is 98358. ...

were known collectively by settlers as the Craven Peninsula and later as the Scow Peninsula. This

peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...

was attached to the mainland by a wide gravel ridge that lay above the waterline at high tide. The Chimakum would use this relatively narrow stretch of land as a canoe

portage Portage or portaging (Canada: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a ...

between Port Townsend Bay and Oak Bay, a route which became known in English as the Chimacum Portage. The

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

first proposed a canal at this location in 1850. A site survey was completed in 1889. In 1914

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...

appropriated $64,000 for the project and construction commenced. The canal was then built by

dredging Dredging is the excavation of material from a water environment. Possible reasons for dredging include improving existing water features; reshaping land and water features to alter drainage, navigability, and commercial use; constructing da ...

and blasting the Chimacum Portage, giving rise to the "Portage Canal" name. The waterway officially opened on July 8, 1915, at a total cost of $73,330. Its initial dimensions were long, wide, deep. Ferry service across the canal began in 1920. It began transporting cars in 1923 and was made free of charge in 1937. The

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

later started its own ferry after building a base on Indian Island. Ferries were eventually replaced by the Portage Canal Bridge, dedicated January 11, 1952. The bridge now carries

Washington State Route 116 State Route 116 (SR 116) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Washington, serving Indian and Marrowstone islands in Jefferson County. The two-lane highway travels east from SR 19 in Port Hadlock-Irondale across the Portage ...

and remains the only crossing of the canal.

References

Canals in Washington (state) Transportation buildings and structures in Jefferson County, Washington Canals opened in 1915 {{Washington-stub