Seattle, Washington story
A Fire on the Water
Moored at the Historic Ships Wharf is a vessel that once held the city's safety in its pumps. Built in 1909 for the Seattle Fire Department, the Fireboat Duwamish is the second ol…
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Moored at the Historic Ships Wharf is a vessel that once held the city's safety in its pumps. Built in 1909 for the Seattle Fire Department, the Fireboat Duwamish is the second oldest fireboat in the entire United States. For decades, it was a powerhouse on the water, battling blazes along the shoreline.
In 1994, it was saved by the Shipping and Railway Heritage Trust to ensure that Seattle's maritime firefighting history wouldn't be forgotten. Today, it serves as a public museum ship. If you visit between April and October, you might even find a volunteer guide on board to show you how this National Historic Landmark kept the city from going up in smoke.
Updated June 2026