May 19, 2026
R.P. Elmore is believed to be the oldest surviving vessel from Puget Sound’s famed Mosquito Fleet. Originally built in 1890 as a freight and passenger vessel serving Port Townsend during the Yukon Gold Rush era, the Elmore spent decades working the waters of the Pacific Northwest at a time when small steamers were the lifeline connecting coastal communities around Puget Sound.
The vessel may also have been among the first on Puget Sound converted to diesel power—marking an important transition in maritime history as working waterfront technology rapidly evolved in the early 20th century.
After surviving a devastating fire in 1922 that burned her nearly to the waterline, the Elmore was rebuilt and transformed into a hardworking tugboat. For decades afterward, she continued her working life hauling logs, barges, and fish throughout Puget Sound.
More than 130 years after she first entered the water, the R.P. Elmore remains a powerful reminder of the resilience, craftsmanship, and working maritime culture that helped shape the Pacific Northwest.
Now hauled out in Port Townsend following an extensive restoration completed a decade ago, the Elmore awaits her next chapter—and a new steward to help carry her history forward.
Learn more about the vessel’s remarkable history at this year’s Festival, where Stewart Pugh will present on the many lives of the R.P. Elmore.
