Puget Sound mosquito fleet
The Puget Sound mosquito fleet was a multitude of private transportation companies running smaller passenger and freight boats on Puget Sound and nearby waterways and rivers. This large group of steamers and sternwheelers plied the waters of Puget Sound, stopping at every waterfront dock. The historical period defining the beginning and end of the mosquito fleet is ambiguous, but the peak of activity occurred between the First and Second World Wars.
Steamboats at Colman Dock, Seattle, circa 1912: Indianapolis is the large steamer on the right.
Yesler, Crawford and other wharves in 1882, with a number of steamers visible, including Teaser in foreground
King & Winge shipyard, in West Seattle, looking south, circa 1915 (but possibly earlier): The sternwheeler Vashon is on the marine railway at right. The lookout tower of the original clubhouse of the Seattle Yacht Club, originally just south of the shipyard, can also be seen.
Steamboats at Galbraith Dock (Pier 3), Seattle, circa 1912, Vashonian in center, Norwood at right
The steamboat George E. Starr operated in late 19th century as part of the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet and also operated out of Victoria, B.C. Geo. E. Starr also served for a time in California and on the Columbia River.
George E. Starr
Geo. E. Starr under construction. This shows the heavy wooden ribs used to construct the hull of the Geo. E. Starr. This is also a good image of an early shipyard on Puget Sound. A hand-turned windlass, used to haul vessels out of the water and up onto the ways, can be seen in the foreground of the image. (Seattle Public Library dates this 1879, which contradicts Newell, cited in this article for the date of launch.)
Hulk of George E. Starr.
