Oscar B Ferry

Puget Island, Wahkiakum County, Washington. The last ferry on the Lower Columbia River; 365 days a year.

Details

Map. Puget Island, Wahkiakum County, Washington. Larger map

Where: Terminal of State Route 409, Puget Island, WA. Directions
When: Departs on the hour and quarter past the hour, 365 days a year.
Getting there: From the Town of Cathlamet, go south on Main Street / SR 409 and go straight, cross bridge between Cathlamet and Puget Island, continue on SR409 for approximately 4 miles to terminal of SR409.
Fees: Bicycles $3; foot passengers $2; motorcycles $4; passenger cars and pickups under 22 feet $6; larger vehicles priced by length; no debit or credit cards.
Hours: Washington side on the hour from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Oregon side on the quarter after the hour from 5:15 a.m. to 10:15 p.m.
Access: There are no ferry closure alerts at this time.
Walk-in or reserve: Tickets sold per trip; no reservation required.
Phone: 360-795-7867
Website: co.wahkiakum.wa.us
Managed by: Wahkiakum County.
Established: June 1925.
Coordinates: 46.136750, -123.378028.

The last ferry on the Lower Columbia River; Wahkiakum County welcomed the Oscar B on February 27, 2015, and it operates at least 18 runs per day.

1925The Cathlamet steamed down from Portland and began ferrying people and cars between Cathlamet, Puget Island, and Westport. historylink.org
1939The Puget Island-Cathlamet Bridge opened and the two-ferry operation came to an end; the run between Puget Island and Westport continued. historylink.org
1949The Danielsens put their new all-metal, 14-car ferry Almar on the Westport-Puget Island run. historylink.org
1959Jessie Danielsen ended the ferry service and sold the Almar; Puget Island was without ferry service for five months. historylink.org
1962Wahkiakum County commissioned the steel ferry Wahkiakum, named after the county; it made the one-and-a-half-mile run up to 18 times a day for the next five decades. historylink.org
1969The state accepted the Puget Island ferry as part of State Route 409; since then the state has covered 60 to 80 percent of the operating costs. historylink.org
2015Wahkiakum County welcomed its new ferry, the Oscar B. co.wahkiakum.wa.us
2025The Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce and Little Island Creamery hosted a memorable celebration of the interstate ferry. wahkiakum.us

Adine Bergseng, Deckhand on the ferry for many years (1910-1996).
Arthur W. Houchen, Took over the Cathlamet Ferry Company from the Coates family and ran the ferry operation (until 1936).
Darrel Boylan, Began tug-and-barge ferry service between the island and Westport in April 1960.
Ellis N. Coates, Co-incorporator of the Cathlamet Ferry Company with his parents (1902-1930).
Elmer Danielsen, Bought the ferry business from Houchen (1906-1978).
Gary Bergseng, Succeeded his father as captain of the Wahkiakum (1966).
George Bergseng, Hired with his father Oscar to operate the county's leased tug and barge.
Jessie Hepburn Danielsen, Received the ferry operation in the divorce (1906-1989).
Lillie Rose Coates, Co-founder of the ferry service (1879-1968).
Melvin Coates, Certified river pilot who operated the ferries with his father (1905-1965).
Oscar Bergseng, Ferry hand who became a fulltime ferry pilot in the 1940s (1902-1985).
Walter Coates, Founder of the service; a certified river pilot who operated the ferries (the seven years that the Coates family owned the service).