Our History

The Foss Waterway Seaport and the Foss Waterway Development Authority are partnering to create the Seaport as a permanent education and activity venue on the Tacoma waterfront. The Seaport is a 501c3 non–profit organization, established in 1996. The Development Authority is the government agency that manages and develops all City of Tacoma–owned property on the Thea Foss Waterway. As part of an agreement, both organizations have committed to seek funding from public sources, private individuals, foundations and corporations to realize the full vision for the Seaport project.

The Seaport itself was founded in 1996 as the Commencement Bay Maritime Association to carry on the work begun in the early 1990's by Life on the Sound founders Phyllis Harrison and Mike Vlahovich to create community space to celebrate the art, culture, crafts and skills of Puget Sound's maritime community. Later the project became known as the Working Waterfront Maritime Museum. The name Foss Waterway Seaport was adopted in 2005 when the vision for the project grew beyond a heritage museum.

The centerpiece of our home is a 107 year–old wheat transfer facility, known as the Balfour Dock building. It is one of two remaining wooden warehouses originally built as a mile–long complex in 1900 (pictured below). These warehouses were built to accommodate cargo carrying, square–rigged ships that frequented the port during the early years of Tacoma's history. These wharves hosted many beautiful sailing vessels, as well as steam– and diesel–powered cargo traders well into the twentieth century. The Balfour Dock building was last commercially active in the 1970's. The building is owned by the Foss Waterway Development Authority on behalf of the City of Tacoma and is leased to the Seaport organization for $1/year. This arrangement allows Seaport partners to raise and invest resources in a sustainable community–use project at a prime downtown location.