Foss Maritime photograph collection, circa 1960s-1990s

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Foss Maritime Company
Title
Foss Maritime photograph collection
Dates
circa 1960s-1990s (inclusive)
Quantity
10 boxes of slides and photographs
Collection Number
PH2016-090
Summary
Photos and slides of boats, company presentations, and construction from the Foss Maritime Company
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Foss Maritime Company was started by a Norwegian immigrant in Tacoma, Washington in 1899, when Thea Foss bought a used rowboat, hoping to rent it out to help with the family’s finances. She sold it and used the money to buy several more boats which she used to rent out as well as delivering supplies and customers on the Tacoma area water routes.

Eventually Thea's husband Andrew began building boats and the fleet was increased to 200 boats. Thea then expanded the business by transporting logs with towboats, under the name Foss Launch and Tug Company. By 1904, the company boasted 10 launches, a shipyard, a 60-passenger oil powered boat, and a small rescue craft to help disabled vessels. After Thea Foss died in 1927, the family continued to operate the company. In 1987 Foss Maritime was bought by Saltchuk Resources, Inc., a privately owned family investment company that primarily focuses on maritime transportation.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Slides and photographs of construction and operation of tug boats and scenes from maritime Alaska.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Donor copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections. Donor did not own copyright to the materials. The copyrights probably reside with the Foss company or with the individual photographers.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Donor: Raymond Jarris (The collection was given to him by the Foss Safety Director), November 11, 2016.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1 Slides
Foss historical photos and advertisements, Alaska slides, Fal gulf, and ship assists
2 Photographs
Photograph series "Foss SF" and photographs of Foss ocean transportation. Slides of cargo vessel "Westward"
1969-1999
3 Slides
Slides of port cities in Alaska and ship assists
1960s-1980s
4 Slides
Ocean Div. Concrete tech job, DMS slides, line handling, boat "Thea Foss", and Foss railcar
1970s-1990s
5 Slides
Richard Prudhoe Bay, Misc. cargoes and projects, storage facilities, barges in tow, individual cargo vessels
1960s-1980s
6 Slides
APL ship, Foss tractor tugs Henry Foss, Wedell Foss, and Arthur Foss
1970s-1990s
7 Slides
Dillingham Maritime presentation "Enhanced Earnings through Marketing and Asset Management", McAllister Tugs and Barges, and tank barge "McAllister # 128"
1970s-1990s
8 Slides
Presentation: "Vessels of 1990s and beyond", Foss forest products, gulf of Alaska, miscellaneous maps
1970s-1990s
9 Slides
Foss Harbor Services, ocean towing, shipyard, Dillingham Maritime Services presentation slides, Dillingham Shipping and Pacific Div.
1980s-1990s
10 Photographs
Photographs of construction of vessels "Lindsey Foss" and "Garth Foss"
1993

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Barges--Photographs
  • Boats and boating--Design and construction--Photographs
  • Harbors--Alaska--Photographs
  • Tugboats--Photographs

Personal Names

  • Foss, Thea Christiansen, 1857-1927--Archives

Corporate Names

  • Foss Maritime Company--Archives
  • Foss Maritime Company--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Alaska--Photographs

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photographs
  • Slides (photography)

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Foss, Thea Christiansen, 1857-1927, (creator)

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)