On August 18, 1838 a group of ships led by commanding officer, U.S. Navy Lt. Charles Wilkes (1798-1877) and referred to as the Wilkes Expedition or the United States Exploring Expedition left from Hampton Roads in Virginia on the east coast of United States for a round the world expedition.
From 1922 to 1969, a ferry owned and operated by Mason County, Washington crossed Pickering Passage to link Harstine Island to the mainland.