The asphalt plant began operation in 1937 as Duwamish Manufacturing Co. and continued until 1978.

During the 1950s, sediments were dredged from the Duwamish River to allow large ships to get up the river. Some of the sediments, believed to contain heavy metals and other pollutants, were dumped at Terminal 117.

During the 1970s, waste oil was delivered to the plant as fuel for the asphalt plant.

The Malarkey Asphalt Co. bought the plant in 1978 and manufactured asphalt roofing products. Malarkey continued in business at the Duwamish River site until 1993.

The Port of Seattle bought Terminal 117 in 1999 at the request of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said David Schaefer, a Port spokesman.

The Port of Seattle already owned much of the bank of the Duwamish River. From the center of the river, the Port owns a 500-foot-wide swath of the waterway.