Fisher, Tom

Occupation: Riverboat operator / early marine transportation

Associated Places: Douglas, Alaska; Juneau, Alaska

Biography

Tom Fisher was an early resident of the Juneau–Douglas area and participated in the development of local marine transportation during the late nineteenth century.

By 1888, Fisher and Frank Tibbits installed a boiler and engine in a Columbia River–type sailboat and enclosed the vessel so it could carry approximately twelve passengers. The converted vessel was named the Marion.

The Marion served as one of the early small passenger vessels operating in the waters around Douglas and Juneau, reflecting the importance of locally modified craft in the development of transportation between mining camps and settlements in Southeast Alaska during the territorial period.

During the early years of Juneau and Douglas, small vessels like the Marion played an essential role in transporting residents, workers, and supplies between communities before larger steamships and regular ferry services became common.

Sources

Survey and Inventory of Douglas Historic Cemeteries