Qualla: Anderson Island

Anderson Island: Introduction

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Drums600 (talk) (Uploads), Public domain. The ferry from Steilacoom makes the crossing in about twenty minutes, depositing passengers on an island where time moves differently than on the mainland shore visible to the east. Anderson Island is the southernmost in Puget Sound, separated from the Key Peninsula by Drayton Passage and from Steilacoom by the south basin of the Sound. No bridges connect it to anywhere; the ferry is the lifeline, and its schedule shapes island life. About 1,000 people call Anderson Island home, their community centered on the quiet that water creates around them.

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Image: Drums600 (talk) (Uploads) | Public domain

Anderson Island: Island Geography

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Anderson Island lies just south of McNeil Island, which houses a state correctional facility and is off-limits to casual visitors. To the northwest, the Key Peninsula extends into the Sound, separated from Anderson by Drayton Passage. The Nisqually Reach defines the island's sout...

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Image: Joe Mabel | CC BY-SA 3.0

Anderson Island: Ferry Rhythms

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Drums600 at English Wikipedia, Public domain. The Steilacoom-Anderson Island ferry sets the pace of island life. The boat runs frequently enough for commuters to work on the mainland, but its schedule still requires planning that mainlanders don't think about. Miss the last ferry and you're staying the night; arrive early fo...

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Image: Drums600 at English Wikipedia | Public domain

Anderson Island: Quiet Retreat

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Ben Cody, Public domain. No hotels operate on Anderson Island - the accommodation options are bed-and-breakfasts, their character matching the island's intimate scale. The places to stay are someone's home with rooms for guests, breakfast included, the hospitality personal rather than commercial. It's a ...

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Image: Ben Cody | Public domain

Anderson Island: Neighbors Across the Water

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Steilacoom, the mainland town where the ferry docks, claims to be Washington's first incorporated town, its history predating Seattle's. The connection is practical for Anderson Islanders - Steilacoom provides the services the island lacks - but also historical, both communities ...

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Image: Joe Mabel | CC BY-SA 3.0