McNeil Island Historical Society

a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity

The Steilacoom

Steilacoom’s keel was laid in 1942 at M.M. Davis Shipyard, Solomons, MD., for WWII. She’s made of Naval Stores Longleaf pitch pine. She was delivered to the Department of Justice on 01 JAN 1943 as T-86; an Army Vessel. She transported troops, swept for mines, laid cable and towed through the end of the Korean War, when she was returned to the DOJ and went to the Federal Bureau of Prisons for service at Alcatraz. As that penitentiary was closing she was sent to McNeil Island in 1960 with Warden Paul Madigan. In 1961 T-86 was overhauled and christened Steilacoom in honor of the Tribe and its namesake, the first incorporated town in Washington, c. 1854. 

Steilacoom had a storied career at McNeil Federal Penitentiary, receiving numerous merit citations for rescues of inmate escapees, civilians and vessels. An extremely well designed vessel, she was the favorite of the captains for how well she handled, and became the storm boat for the island. She also carried many famous passengers, including former gangster, Ma Barker Gang member and Public Enemy #1, “Creepy Al” Karpis. He happened to teach Charles Manson how to play guitar before they both rode Steilacoom away to freedom; which was very fleeting in Manson’s case.
Many political activists also visited McNeil from aboard Steilacoom, and Jane Fonda was at the forefront. Of course there were good things too; among many was the famous group the 5th Dimension who played their hit  “Age of Aquarius” after reaching the prison shore on Steilacoom. 
She also carried Aretha Franklin, the band Chicago, the Harlem Globetrotters, governor Dixie Lee Rae, and others including members of our Historical Society who lived and or worked on McNeil. Aboard Steilacoom, inmates sat across from the other passengers, shackled by belly and leg chains. A teachable moment for all aboard.
The federal prison closed in 1980, disbursing devastated families and friends across America, who could no longer return to their former home.

Steilacoom continued in service when the state took over the island, turning the prison into the McNeil Island Corrections Center. The McNeil Marine department remodeled Steilacoom in 1989 adding an overhanging roof and rounded wheelhouse to better combat the elements. She remained at McNeil through 2005, and the Correction Center itself closed in 2011. Again, heartbroken families were displaced across the state and nation. Another wave of melancholy for families who could never return to their island home. 

Happily the Historical Society which was founded in 2010 to preserve McNeil’s unique history, acquired Steilacoom in late November 2018, after finding her sitting neglected with all her internals stripped for a prior owner who had planned to modernize her to run on solar power off a cell phone. Since that did not happen she languished a near derelict. We are fortunate we acquired her when we did, but she had to wait through Covid to make real progress. 
Steilacoom’s hull and mechanical systems have been rebuilt and restored. We are currently resealing her 82 year old decks and next plan to upgrade her electrical system to the new ABYC standards. Adding lithium batteries and an inverter will be expensive but Steilacoom definitely deserves all the love and support for her many decades of strong, steady service.

Please Donate to keep this incredibly historic WWII vessel cruising on Puget Sound as McNeil Island Historical Society’s floating History Museum. Steilacoom is a poignant living history reminder of a bygone Maritime era. As our museum she will carry vintage artifacts to many ports to keep both McNeil Island and maritime memories alive.