Photo: The Hiyu cruises the waters of Puget Sound. Photo courtesy of Washington State Ferries.

By Abby Armato, Special Projects Specialist

Docked on Lake Union between two large vessels waiting to be scrapped floats the small but mighty MV Hiyu. Once a state ferry transporting passengers across the Puget Sound, the historic Hiyu is now an event venue that brings Seattle’s maritime history to the forefront of celebrations. But this old ferry has lived many lives before becoming an event space. In fact, the Hiyu earned herself the nickname “the little ferry that could” because of her many different lives supporting Washington State Ferries.

Built in February 1967, the Hiyu was put into service running the ferry route connecting Point Defiance and Tahlequah. She was built to replace the older MV Skansonia, who had been working the same route since 1951. While the older vessel could only carry 32 cars and had a shorter clearance, the new Hiyu could carry 40 cars and had a clearance high enough to board trucks—a huge win for truckers who had been driving all the way to Fauntleroy to catch a ride to Vashon Island. With such an abundance of space, it’s clear why she was named for the Chinook Jargon word for “many” or “plenty.”

Historic black and white photo of the Hiyu ferry.
 A historic photo of the Hiyu in service (date unknown). Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives.
Color photo of the bow of the Hiyu ferry.
The bow of the Hiyu. Photo courtesy of On the Hiyu.

By the 1980s, the Hiyu was deemed too small for the Tahlequah route and was replaced by the Olympic and eventually the Rhododendron. The Hiyu was reassigned to inter-island duty in the San Juans, but only a decade later, traffic on the islands had grown so much that she could no longer keep up. She was mothballed for more than 10 years at the Washington State Ferries’ maintenance facility. 

But this is the “little ferry that could!” So when Washington State Ferries needed a vessel to train new hires, the Hiyu was brought back out to teach important job skills. When the Christine Anderson ferry needed emergency repairs, the Hiyu was put back into service to support the Anderson Island community. When the Rhododendron suffered a rudder flop and was unexpectedly pulled from service for repairs, it was again the Hiyu that was sent to provide support during times of uncertainty. And when all four Steel Electric ferries (the Klickitat, Illahee, Nisqually, and Quinault) were suddenly withdrawn from service due to hull corrosion issues, guess who was the only backup ferry in the fleet?

In May 2016, Washington State Ferries announced that the Hiyu had officially been retired and would be put up for sale. In 2017, the Hiyu was purchased by Menagerie, Inc., who restored her to her former glory. Today, the Hiyu carries on as a venue space on Lake Union. This year, we at the Washington Trust are thrilled to host our annual spring gala (now known as the Goldfinch Gala) on board the Hiyu, celebrating all the determination, nimbleness, and service she represents. We hope you’ll join us to toast all that the Washington Trust and our programs have accomplished over the past year and to support us so that we can be the “little nonprofit that could”!

Color aerial photo of the historic Hiyu ferry docked at the Museum of History and Industry.
The Hiyu docked at MOHAI at night (where it will be docked the night of our Goldfinch Gala on May 16!). Photo courtesy of On the Hiyu.
Color photo of a crowd at an event on the deck of the historic Hiyu ferry.
The Hiyu now serves as an events venue (and will host our Goldfinch Gala on May 16!). Photo courtesy of On the Hiyu.

Join us on Friday, May 16, aboard the Hiyu for a night of celebration and support for historic preservation in Washington State! The Goldfinch Gala, our spring fundraising event, will include a sunset cruise of Lake Union, hors d’oeuvres from Kaspars Catering, a silent and live auction featuring exciting items from our preservation partners across the state, and a chance to interact with and learn more about all of the Washington Trust’s programs. Learn more and buy tickets today at preservewa.org/goldfinch-gala!