Anderson Island, Washington

Anderson Island is the most southern island in Puget Sound. It's a 20-minute ferry ride from Steilacoom, Washington. The land area is 7.75 square miles with a population of 1354. In 1841 an expedition named the Island Anderson Island. In 1870 tow Danish brothers were the first to settle on the island. There are two lakes on the Island, one is a private access only lake, Lake Josephine. The 2nd lake, Florence Lake, is host to swimming and all kinds of water sports including water skiing. In Oro Bay is a grounded ferry, the Ocean City. It is 189 feet in length and can carry 50 cars. It was built in 1928 for the Reading Railroad. In 1950 the State of Virgina acquired the ferry. In 1984 the Palmer Ferry service, a private ferry service operating out of Steilacoom and serving the southern Puget Sound Islands, purchased the ferry. It was to supplement their 30-car ferry. However, Pierce County acquired the ferry operations, and the Ocean City never served the Puget Sound Islands as a ferry.