Artifact Archive

The Alaska Steamship Line was established in 1894, primarily for transporting passengers and fishing products to and from Alaska. Over its lifetime, the line carried everything from dog sleds to mining equipment and even cattle to the 49th state. During WWII, the government took control of the ships for the wartime effort.

The logo, a modified totem pole, was designed to attract tourists. As one brochure stated in a section called Let's Talk About the Weather, Alaska has "two, not four seasons" and the "refreshing summer rains."

The company's offices were located in Seattle, at Pier Two Alaska...