The S.S. VIRGINIA V made her maiden voyage on June 11, 1922 as part of the Mosquito Fleet that connected coastal towns along South Puget Sound. The fleet transported crops and livestock from farms on Vashon Island and ferried people between growing port cities of Seattle and Tacoma. The VIRGINIA V herself maintained the route between Seattle and Tacoma from 1922 to 1938. Today, the S.S. VIRGINIA V is the last of the Mosquito Fleet. Her all-wood construction and steam engine make her a National Historic Landmark vessel.

Founded in 1976, the mission of The Steamer Virginia V Foundation is to promote the Puget Sound's maritime heritage through the restoration, preservation, operation, and interpretation of the National Historic Landmark vessel S.S. VIRGINIA V.