National Register of Historic Places

SIERRA (motor ship)

Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County, Washington
Listed
March 28, 1978
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78002745

About this property

Sierra is a historic motor ship used to transport lumber. Built in 1916, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Sierra was built at Matthews shipyard in Hoquiam for E. K. Wood Lumber Company and was the first motor ship built on Grays Harbor. The ship's engines were made in Sweden by Bolinder, which sent a representative to oversee their installation. Senator Miles Poindexter attended the ship's launch on August 30, 1916. Its first long voyage was to Valparaíso, Chile. Sierra was able to complete the round-trip without refueling. Sierra was used to ferry lumber between Bellingham, Washington and Hoquiam, Washington. In one month in 1920, Sierra carried a shipment of 1,200,000 feet of lumber out of Bellingham. On Feb 7, 1923, Sierra was badly damaged after colliding with the steamship Wilhemina in dense fog near San Francisco; damages were estimated at $135,000. In 1926, Sierra caught fire at Berth 77 in the Port of Los Angeles, the first fire fought by the fireboat Los Angeles City No. 2. Sierra was sold in 1927 and equipped with refrigeration equipment to carry reindeer meat from Alaska for the Arctic Transport Company. During World War II, the U.S. Army operated Sierra as a training ship. After the war, Sierra was assigned to the Maritime Commission reserve fleet at Olympia, Washington, then later sold and transferred to Lake Union. In 1964, the new owner began restoring Sierra to its original, lumber-carrying configuration.

Location

1401 Sargent Blvd.
Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County, Washington
46.97510, -123.80193

Categories

COMMERCETRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about SIERRA (motor ship)

This page lists SIERRA (motor ship). A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your SIERRA (motor ship) report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Hotel Morck
Industrial
0.8 mi
Hulbert, Edward & Laura, House
Industrial
1.2 mi
Cooney, Neil, Mansion
Industrial
2.3 mi
Hoquiam Olympic Stadium
Industrial
2.7 mi
Hoquiam River Bridge
Industrial
3.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was SIERRA (motor ship) listed on the National Register?

SIERRA (motor ship) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1978.

What type of historic resource is SIERRA (motor ship)?

SIERRA (motor ship) is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for SIERRA (motor ship)?

The period of significance for SIERRA (motor ship) is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near SIERRA (motor ship)?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near SIERRA (motor ship) will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Grays Harbor County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Grays Harbor County.

Explore Grays HarborCounty ›

More historic places in Washington

Browse all historic places in Washington.

View Washingtonhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Washington history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Washingtonhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near SIERRA (motor ship) will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report