History
In 1861, landowner Harvey Pike cut the first ditch connecting Lake Washington's Union Bay and Lake Union's Portage Bay, but gave up and deeded his land to the Lake Washington Ship Canal Company, which built a transiting rail line for portaging goods between the lakes. This rail line continued use until 1878. In 1883, David Denny and Thomas Burke had a canal built for floating logs.
Cheshiahud lived and carved canoes on the shores of Portage Bay for many years from 1885. In 1909, the Pay Streak, a vaudeville and sideshows section of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exhibition, ended in a gondola ramp and esplanade on the north shores of Portage Bay.
For 14 years following World War II, the SV Fantome was stranded in Portage Bay pending payment to King County of back taxes.
Read more about this topic: Portage Bay
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