POLITKOFSKY at sea, Puget Sound, Washington, ca. 1895

• Main Author: Hester, Wilhelm, 1872-1947
• Other Authors: United States--Washington (State)--Seattle
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Yukon; Steamboat; Hayward; St Michael; Yukon river; Alaska
• Online Access: http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org:80/cdm/ref/collection/hester/id/629

The POLITKOFSKY was a side-wheel steamboat that operated as a tug in Puget Sound, formerly known as the Russian naval gunboat of the same name, and later nicknamed the POLLY. It was built in 1863 in Russian America, placed into service in 1865, sold into American service in 1867, converted to a barge in 1897 the Alaska Gold Rush. It was moored at St Michael at the mouth Yukon River ca. 1899, and later sunk in shallow water. A storm hull broke up its hull in 1915. PH Coll 318.546 The POLITKOFSKY was sold to Hayward M. Hutchinson, an American contractor, who purchased a large part of the Russian-American Company merchandise and Abrahamirsch, his partner. On January 15, 1868, the Politkofsky became an American vessel as authorized under the Transfer Treaty of Russian America to the United States. She was sold to George Meigs who ran a lumber mill in Port Madison on the Puget Sound. in 1869. Source: The Russian Steamer POLITKOFSKY: A Russian-American Legend, Bureau of Ocean Energy Managment, U.S. Department of Interior.