Yeoman Point (also spelled Yoman Point) extends into the waters of Balch Passage on Anderson Island in Pierce County, bearing a name bestowed by Charles Wilkes during his United States Exploring Expedition of 1841 when he systematically named geographic features throughout Puget Sound including Oro Bay, Yoman Point, and Otso Point on Anderson Island. While specific documentation identifying who or what "Yoman" refers to remains elusive in available historical records, the name likely honors either a member of Wilkes' expedition crew, a British naval officer encountered during the expedition's visits to regional Hudson's Bay Company posts, or possibly references the naval rank of yeoman—a petty officer position aboard ships of that era. The spelling variations (Yoman versus Yeoman) found in different historical documents and modern maps reflect the inconsistent transcription practices of 19th-century cartography. Yeoman Point serves as the location of Anderson Island's ferry dock, making it the primary arrival point for the 20-minute Pierce County ferry crossing from Steilacoom that provides the main public access to this southernmost island in Puget Sound. Anderson Island itself was named by Wilkes to honor Alexander Anderson, chief factor at Fort Nisqually who extended generous hospitality to the expedition when the Vincennes and Porpoise visited in April 1841, creating lasting connections between the exploration effort and the Hudson's Bay Company personnel who facilitated American surveying activities throughout the region.
Yeoman Point's role as the ferry landing creates a focal point for island access and activity, with the tide station at this location providing important data for mariners navigating Balch Passage and the surrounding waters. While the immediate ferry dock area remains primarily functional rather than recreational, the point provides access to Anderson Island's network of beaches and parks that attract visitors seeking quieter alternatives to the more urbanized areas of Pierce County. Jacob's Point Park, one of the South Sound's largest protected marine parks, encompasses 100 acres of peninsula extending into Oro Bay with one mile of protected beach where visitors discover bricks from the historic Anderson Island Brick Works scattered among shells, driftwood, and intertidal life. Andy's Marine Park offers a postcard-worthy setting with 0.75 miles of public beach along Puget Sound, accessed via a serpentine trail through old-growth Douglas fir forest that leads to a spit, lagoon, and driftwood-strewn shoreline particularly beautiful during evening hours when sunsets illuminate the Olympic Mountains. Kayaking around Anderson Island's 7.75 square miles of coastline rewards paddlers who launch from various points including areas near the ferry landing, allowing exploration of protected coves, observation of harbor seals and river otters, and experiences of relatively undeveloped shoreline that contrasts sharply with central Puget Sound's urban character. Beachcombing attracts those seeking agates, interesting rocks, shells from diverse mollusks, and the historically significant bricks that continue to wash up from kiln sites dating to the island's late 19th and early 20th-century industrial period when brick making ranked among major economic activities alongside wood sales, farming, and fishing.
Dining options on Anderson Island serve the small population of approximately 1,302 residents and ferry visitors arriving at Yeoman Point's dock facility. Riviera Lakeshore Restaurant sits a short drive from the ferry landing, offering hearty meals with views overlooking Lake Josephine and Mount Rainier visible on clear days, serving breakfast plates with eggs, bacon, hash browns, and pancakes, lunch options including burgers, sandwiches, soups, and daily specials, dinner entrees featuring steaks, grilled salmon, and comfort food preparations, and hosting community events like karaoke nights and live music that create social gathering opportunities for island residents and visitors. Anderson Island Café, located at the island's hub alongside the general store, provides meals including breakfast items, lunch sandwiches and salads, daily specials that change with seasonal availability, baked goods made fresh, and beverages including coffee and soft drinks. Anderson Island General Store stocks groceries, snacks, basic supplies, prepared foods, and essentials that allow residents and visitors to provision themselves for beach explorations and picnics at the island's various shoreline access points. Visitors arriving at Yeoman Point should note that island businesses typically close by 8 PM, with weekend summer hours sometimes extending to 9 PM, requiring advance planning for meals and supplies during extended island visits. For those waiting for ferries in Steilacoom, Steilacoom Pub and Grill sits up the hill from the mainland ferry terminal, serving fish and chips made with cod, burgers with various toppings, chicken wings with sauces, sandwiches and wraps, and local beers on tap, providing convenient dining while awaiting one of the 10 to 14 daily ferry runs that connect Anderson Island to the mainland via Yeoman Point's dock, the gateway that Charles Wilkes named in 1841 and that continues to serve as the island's primary connection to the broader Pierce County community.
