Maritime Heritage Area for Washington State

We are connected by water. Washington State’s coastal areas have been defined by their relationship to saltwater, connected by a shared maritime heritage. Since time immemorial, water and maritime culture have shaped this place and its people, contributing greatly to the development of the region and, in more recent centuries, the nation. Today, maritime heritage remains a vibrant part of Washington’s communities.

That heritage was acknowledged on a national platform in 2019 with the Congressional designation of the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area as a landscape of nationwide significance. Now one of 55 National Heritage Areas in the country, Maritime Washington stretches from Grays Harbor through Puget Sound (including Lake Union, Portage Bay, and the Montlake Cut) north to the Canadian border. In conjunction with the National Park Service, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is proud to serve as the local coordinating entity for Maritime Washington.

Over the past three years, the Washington Trust has convened an armada of maritime stakeholders in planning for the launch of the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area. This process charted a course forward for the new program, determining how it can best benefit the communities along our saltwater shores. The Maritime Washington mission is to support a network that strengthens the maritime community and connects people with the stories, experiences, resources, and cultures of our state’s saltwater shores and waterways.

Maritime Washington’s primary goals will be to:

1.      Build a network of cross-sector partners dedicated to advancing, honoring, and stewarding Washington’s maritime stories and resources.

2.      Provide support and resources for organizations, communities, and Tribes working to preserve, enhance, and share maritime heritage.

3.      Share diverse stories and increase visibility of Washington’s maritime heritage, past and present.

4.      Encourage sustainable experiences of maritime heritage for residents and visitors alike.

5.      Preserve our region’s unique maritime identity, resources, and lifeways.

With these goals as our navigational aids, the Washington Trust and our many maritime partners completed a Maritime Washington management plan which was submitted to the National Park Service for approval in April 2022. We look forward to launching Maritime Washington events and activities later this year!

- Alex Gradwohl,
Project Manager
Washington Historical Trust