Washington's new ferry should be named for the Hoh Rainforest

Washington is getting a new ferry! The ship will be built in 2022 and launch in 2024. The Washington State Department of Transportation has asked for help from the public to name the vessel. We propose that the ferry should be named for the Hoh Rainforest, one of our great state treasures.

With origins in the Quinault language of the Hoh (Chalat') tribe, this name remains consistent with the current fleet naming conventions as exemplified by the Chimacum, Spokane, and Chetzemoka. By selecting a recognizable native name for a prominent natural feature, we hope to bring cultural awareness to the broader public of this beautiful area as well as the native peoples who have been the historic stewards of the land. According to the National Parks Service, while the exact etymology of the word has been "lost to time", a likely root of the word come from "the Quileute word 'Ohalet' which means 'fast moving water' or 'snow water'". This can also then be interpreted to pay homage to the many rivers and glacial waterways which grace this beautiful state. The name is unoffensive to all, as indicated by the 200+ year history of the Hoh tribe, rainforest, and river bearing the name. The pronunciation is also simple enough for people of all ages to grasp.

The Hoh rainforest from whence we have borrowed the name shares its name with the Hoh river, both on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. The Hoh Rainforest or "The Hoh", is a recognizable destination that visitors travel to from all over the state and world. Appropriately, the Hoh is predominantly accessed by several of the ferry routes which this ferry could service. By naming this ferry after one of the largest temperate rainforests in the world (and one of the last remaining in the United States), we are also hopeful that it will bring recognition to the Hoh, as well as the Olympic National Park that it resides in, further encouraging support for the forest and the park.

Voice Your Support

If you would like see the new ferry named for this beautiful, unique state treasure, please voice your support on social media. One of the criteria for Washington's ferry naming process requires that we "provide evidence of public support for the name". Please use the tag #HohFerry along with more fun and creative tags so we can track the progress of this idea.

Social Media Links

Things to know about the Hoh