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Famous
Peabody's of the Past
The KALAKALA story
begins with another ship in San Francisco . . .
April 29, 1926,
4:30 PM, Keel laid for the PERALTA at Moore Dry Dock, Oakland California.
October 14, 1926
PERALTA launched. The PERALTA and her later sister ship, the YERBA BUENA
are the last two steam ships built in San Francisco Bay.
1927 Peralta
is put into service for Key Transit Co. in San Francisco. The Key Line
operated trolley cars that would descend from town out onto the pier and
into a terminal building, where passengers could step from their trolly
and onto a ferry boat with out getting their head wet.
KALAKALA's original incarnation as San Francisco Bay
Ferry, PERALTA - Vernon J. Sappers Collection
May 6, 1933 -
10:30 PM, An arson fire burns the Key Line terminal in Oakland where
the PERALTA is moored. Her boilers cooled down for the night, she has
no power to leave her berth. Three Key Line employees, trapped in the
blazing terminal, break one of the windows and jump to the PERALTA, rescuing
the day's receipts ($8000). They cut the mooring lines and give her a
push, but she does not drift far. The men are rescued, but soon her superstructure
is a roasted, tangle, smoldering mess. With the Golden Gate and Bay Bridge
under construction, the California legislature out laws ferry service
and the PERALTA is passed on to the insurance underwriters.
The
PERALTA fire - artist's rendition
September 1933
Capt. Alexander Peabody, Puget Sound Navigation Co. aka the Black Ball
Line, purchases the hull of the PERALTA for $6,500.
October 12, 1933
The tug CREOLE begins towing the hull of the PERALTA up the coast to Puget
Sound arriving at Lake Washington Shipyard in Houghton, near Kirkland,
WA, Oct. 20th.
After dinner one
night, the blue prints for the new ferry are laid out on the Peabody's
dining room table. Mrs. Peabody says 'She ought to be more rounded!' and
the design is radically altered to become the World's First Streamlined
Vessel.
Boeing engineer and
airplane model maker, Louis Proctor, moonlighting for Capt. Peabody, shapes
a 5' builders model of the new streamlined design.
Mrs.
Peabody poses with the builder's model from which the KALAKALA was built.
Seattle PI Collection / MOHAI.
November 1934
Lake Washington Shipyards, Kirkland, WA, construction begins on the World's
First Streamlined Vessel! Construction and the shipyard work is supervised
by James Murphy and naval architect Helmuth W. Schmitz, who completes
the blue print drawings.
PERALTA hull at Lake Washington Shipyard, November
1934 - John F. Snapp photograph
William Thorniley,
fun loving publicist for the Black Ball Line, names the new ferry "KALAKALA"
which means 'flying bird' in the local Chinook Indian language. Thorniley
launches a national promotional blitz beginning with bill boards that
simply say KALAKALA! Later they say "KALAKALA, Seattle, WA", and finally
concluded with a picture of the vessel as well.
July 1, 1935
The Kalakala's maiden voyage is delayed. On July 2nd she is moved to Todd
Shipyard in Elliot Bay and for finishing touches
July 3, 1935 12:45
PM, the KALAKALA commences her maiden voyage with great fanfare. With
confetti and ticker tape, an estimated 100,000 citizens crowd Coleman
Dock and the adjacent water-front to witness this remarkable event. Under
command of Capt. Wallace Mangan the KALAKALA makes a speed of 17.3 knots
and is expected to do better after refinements are made. On board are
500 guests of the Puget Sound Navigation Company. 8000 people greet her
as she makes port in Bremerton at 4:00PM. At 4:30PM she departs with 2000
school children for a cruise of the sound and upon her return she is open
to the public from 6:00 till Midnight when she leaves to return to Seattle.
This
photo shows how revolutionary the KALAKALA was in 1935, compared to the
BAINBRIDGE, a typical ferry of the day. Don Gray Collection.
July 4, 1935
The KALAKALA starts daily service from Seattle to Bremerton. Starting
at 6:30 am, she makes six round trips daily. Fares are 45 cents for passengers
and $1.10 for autos and driver. Every evening at 8:30 she leaves Seattle
for a 'Moonlight Cruise' that lasts until 12:30am. Cost is $1.00 per couple
to dance to Joe Bowen and the "Flying Bird Orchestra". the red
velvet chairs in the forward cabin are moved aside to provide a dance
floor and music is electrically piped throughout the ship to all decks.
1935 Postcards
circulate around the country, showing off Seattle's newest ferryboat.
The KALAKALA is an international sensation. News reels, magazines and
Sunday supplements carry stories. The Seattle Chamber of Commerce predicts
that the success of the KALAKALA will lead to contracts for new ships
in local shipyards.
An early promotional postcard of the KALAKALA
August 1935
Orthopedic Hospital provides a party and excursion aboard the KALAKALA.
Entertainment is provided and prizes are given out. All proceeds go to
the hospital. This party also coincides with Potlatch week, a local celebration.
Local newspapers note that most visitors are coming to see the KALAKALA,
which they describe as already world famous.
November 4, 1936
KALAKALA and the ferry CHIPPEWA collide in Rich Passage and tears a 40-foot
hole in the latter. The KALAKALA is only dented and breaks some windows.
Five cars on the CHIPPEWA are demolished.
The
KALAKALA featured in National Geographic Magazine, 1938.
Late 1930's
More defense workers commuting to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard cause increase
in the number of runs to Bremerton.
July 2, 1940
To celebrate the opening of the Tacoma Narrows bridge, the KALAKALA is
chosen to make the final run at the narrows. This also celebrates her
5th anniversary. Four months later the infamous "Galloping Gertie"
bridge crashes into the water.
The KALAKALA makes the final run across the Tacoma
Narrows - Tacoma Public Library
1941 The KALAKALA
is estimated to have already carried six million passengers since starting
service. Car capacity is now considered to be 85 cars.
December 7, 1941
Pearl Harbor is bombed by Japan! Bremerton Navy Yard is instantly working
around the clock to repair our damaged navy. Because of tremendous naval
yard expansion the KALAKALA carries as many 5000 shipyard workers and
sailors per trip. The KALAKALA /CHIPPEWA schedule increases from 14 round
trips daily to 23 by adding two more ferries, the WILLIPA and the ENETAI.
As thousands of workers commute to Bremerton day and night, vandalism
plague's the KALAKALA to the tune of $500 a month. Chairs are broken and
thrown overboard along with life rings and rope (A critical wartime material).
At one point pranksters light a fire under the chair of a sleeping worker.
Navy Shore Patrols are stationed abroad to stop damage and beer sales
are stopped. The showers onboard the KALAKALA are turned off and the taproom
is closed. The men's lounge remains and becomes a good place to catch
a nap.
1942 Passengers
have to check in all cameras and binoculars because of the close proximity
of the Bremerton ferry dock to the naval shipyard. The MALTA joins the
Bremerton run. 29 trips are run daily with the KALAKALA being the leading
carrier. For her relentless war effort, he KALAKALA earns the nickname,
'The Workhorse of Puget Sound'.
1943 The KALAKALA
rams a barge off Glover Point, knocking two railroad cars into Puget Sound.
The KALAKALA is barely damaged - and found not to be at fault.
1944 As the
ferry CITY OF SACRAMENTO leaves Seattle to deliver the crew of an aircraft
carrier, the KALAKALA happens to leave at the same time. Capt. Ole Rindal,
usually the skipper of the KALAKALA, but today on the SACRAMENTO, urges
Chief Engineer Henry Mehus to give him full steam and a race between the
two vessels occurs. CITY OF SACRAMENTO wins the race when Rindel, because
of a high tide, cleverly cuts inside Orchard Rocks to beat the KALAKALA to
Bremerton. Capt. Rindal is called on the carpet, not for safety reasons,
but for publicly embarrassing the flagship of the fleet.
1945 The KALAKALA
begins weekend excursion cruises between Seattle and Victoria, BC. On
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays she would leave Lenore Street Dock at 9
AM, and return at 10:15 PM, with a 2 hour 15-minute stay in Victoria.
August 1945
To celebrate V-J Day, the Black Ball Line honors it's employees with two
free evening cruises on the KALAKALA.
February 4, 1946
The KALAKALA receives the first commercial radar, FCC license # 001.
March 1947
The KALAKALA and other ferries are tied up during an engineer's strike
- the first in several events that eventually lead to the state takeover
of the ferry system.
The
KALAKALA, Willapa and Illahee idled by the engineer's strike in 1947.
August 1949
The KALAKALA rams Colman Dock. Witnesses declare that it looked like she
would continue up Marion to 1st. Ave. The KALAKALA suffers a small hole
and is taken out of service for only one day. Colman Dock is closed for
six months.
December 30, 1950
The Puget Sound Navigation Company receives an offer from Gov. Arthur
Langlie of the state of Washington to purchase the nation's largest privately
owned ferry system for $3.5 million. The Black Ball Line is allowed to
repurchase the CHINOOK (for $3.5 million!) and transfers her to the Vancouver
- Nanaimo run for the Black Ball Line still operating in British Columbia.
June 1, 1951
The KALAKALA becomes a Washington State Ferry
June 1955 WSF assigns the KALAKALA to the Port Angeles-Victoria
run restoring service at the request of the Governor and the premier of
B.C. The KALAKALA is greeted by a fireboat with all nozzles spouting on
her initial entrance to Victoria Harbor. Thousands of people attend. A
Kiltie band piped the passengers ashore. Mayor Claude Harrison presents
Capt. A. F. Eikum with a bronze plaque commemorating inauguration of WSF
service across the strait. Four round trips are planned daily. Departing
Port Angeles at 6 AM, 10 AM, 2 PM and 6 PM.
The KALAKALA in Victoria as a Washington State Ferry
1956 The original
propeller is replaced with a larger 5-blade propeller. The KALAKALA 's
legendary vibration is reduced by 40%.
1960 The new
100 car COHO replaces the KALAKALA on the Port Angeles-Victoria run. The
KALAKALA returns to the Seattle-Bremerton run, relegated to standby service
in winter months.
1962 The KALAKALA
is festooned with banners at port and starboard promoting Century 21 for
the Seattle World Fair.
Festooned with
banners for the Seattle World's Fair, 1962. Joe Williamson Collection
- Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society
1963 In a
poll, Seattle World Fair visitors vote the KALAKALA the second biggest
attraction, after the Space Needle.
March 1964,
On Good Friday, the great Alaskan Earth Quake creates a huge tsunami that
decimates all shore based seafood canneries.
1964 The KALAKALA
is at Todd shipyards for repairs when a fire breaks out. Although many
ships are burned, the KALAKALA 's drydock is towed to safety and she suffers
no damage.
The KALAKALA narrowly
escapes the Todd Shipyard Fire of 1964. Tugboats tow her drydock to safety.
Mid 1960s
The KALAKALA works seven-day service during the summer months and is moved
to weekend work off-season. Because cars are getting bigger her bow doors
are removed and the bow and stern openings are cut wide to load two lanes
of cars at a time.
February 21, 1966
The KALAKALA rams the brand new WSF ferry terminal in Seattle. The rammed
slip is out of commission for two months. The KALAKALA returns to service
in a few weeks.
July 1966
the 160-car superferry HYAK starts on the Bremerton-Seattle run. The HYAK
's speed and capacity enables her to replace the KALAKALA and one other
Bremerton ferry, the WILLAPA.
October 2, 1967
The KALAKALA completes her final run as a WSF ferry and is moored at Eagle
Harbor in Winslow. She is sold to high bidder Robert Ressoff of American
Freezerships Co., and be converted to a crab-processing vessel for Dutch
Harbor, Alaska.
The KALAKALA moored
at Eagle Harbor in 1963 along with WSF"s "extra boats,"
clockwise from KALAKALA: KLAHANIE, CHETZEMOKA, VASHON, SKANSONIA, CROSLINE
and SAN MATEO. Harre Demoro photo.
August
1968 The ANDREW FOSS tows the KALAKALA to her new home in Alaska.
She was towed instead of sailing under her own power because it was less
expensive than to travel under her own power.
Summer, 1970
The KALAKALA is purchased by W R Grace Co. and moved to Ouzinkie, Alaska
where she processes crab for 5 months. Her mighty engine runs for the
last time as she has a 'problem with one of the pistons.'
November 1970
The KALAKALA is moved to Gibson Cove in Kodiak, Alaska. On Thanksgiving
Day, on a high tide she is floated onto a pre-made bed of sand and bulldozers
backfill around her with tons of rock to hold her like a building. She
is converted to process shrimp. Still wanting to float on the subsequent
high tides, problems ensue when water and offal lines break. Shrimp boats
cannot easily unload.
An
early photo of the KALAKALA aground in Kodiak.
1972 WR Grace
Co. sells the KALAKALA to New England Fish Company.
1980 New England
Fish Company goes bankrupt, sells the KALAKALA to Alaska Food Products
Company. Captain Peabody dies at the age of 85.
1982 Alaska
Food Products Company defaults on loans and goes bankrupt. State of Alaska
assumes ownership of the KALAKALA and tries to sell her.
1984 Pete
Bevis, on his first commercial fishing trip, first lays eyes on the abandoned
streamlined KALAKALA in Gibson Cove. Pete, a sculptor, is fascinated with
'those elegant curves and wondrous portholes'!
1986 City
of Kodiak purchases the KALAKALA from the State of Alaska and tries to
sell her.
1988 Pete Bevis boards the KALAKALA for the first time and offers
the City of Kodiak $1,000 cash for a six month option to refloat her.
His offer is turned down.
1991-92 Pete
Bevis forms the nonprofit Kalakala Foundation. Philip Crifasi of Tinton
Falls, NJ personally
completed all the due-diligence for getting the Kalakala afloat by
corresponding with all public and regulatory agencies. She was
considered by the State of Alaska Historical Society as potentially
eligible for National
Historic registration. This presented many complications for unearthing
the vessel. But, Mr. Philip Crifasi succeeded in this effort that made
it all possible to bring her back to Seattle. This truly opened the
final efforts to Peter Bevis, but Philip had a financial plan different
than Bevis. Crifasi stepped down to let Bevis proceed without him.
Crifasi still had the best financial master plan that would have made it
succeed in Seattle. Bevis failed financially and the Foundation he
created went Bankrupt and was forced
to sell September, 2003 to "Lost Horizons".
1995 Bevis
returns to Kodiak with the first "dream team" and starts preparing the
KALAKALA for refloating. Technically, they are trespassing, but they are
left alone and allowed to proceed with the clean up.
June 24, 1998
On Capt Alexander's birthday, with over 700 tons of debris removed and
repairs completed, the KALAKALA is refloated. She undergoes additional
preparations in Women's Bay, including the refabrication of her bow doors.
The
KALAKALA floats free again! Seattle Times photo.
October 20, 1998
At the height of the storm season, the KALAKALA begins the tow home across
the Gulf of Alaska. Odd Johnson, skippers the tug NEPTUNE owned and operated
by Fred Dahl of Dahl Tug and Barge.
November 8, 1998
The KALAKALA triumphantly reenters Elliot Bay after 32 years. She is moored
at Bell Street, Pier 66 where thousands wait in line over the Holidays
for a chance to tour her once elegant decks.
The Kalakala enters Elliot Bay, November 6, 1998
March 17, 1999
The KALAKALA is moved from Bell Street Pier to north Lake Union where
restoration continues with an all-volunteer crew.
July 4, 2000
The City of Seattle and Coast Guard shut down the KALAKALA 's onboard
fundraisers for lack of a second fire escape from the bow. The Foundation's
operating cash is severely impacted. The city declares the KALAKALA is
sticking out 32' too far and will have to move or face $75/day fines.
Port Angeles and San Francisco offer her a home. Seattle risks losing
the KALAKALA for a second and final time.
April 2001
The city of Seattle declares the KALAKALA poses no actual hazard to navigation
and can stay put. The Kalakala Foundation board unanimously declines all
offers to move the KALAKALA out of Seattle, and brings together local
business people to create the Kalakala Foundation's new Business Plan
itemizing restoration costs and projecting income from future operations.
September 15,
2001 The Kalakala Foundation Board of Trustees unveils the the new
Business Plan at our annual meeting. The plan calls for the KALAKALA to
be used as a museum of the Art Deco Era, exhibition space, with events,
catering, tours, merchandising and reopening the famous double horseshoe
lunch counter. The Seattle waterfront at Pioneer Square is selected as
the best place on planet earth for her home-port. The plan demonstrates
her ability to generate revenue in excess of her operating costs and restoration
debt service.
November 6, 2001
The Seattle City Council issues a
Proclamation,
recognizing the third anniversary of the KALAKALA 's homecoming, commending
the heroic efforts of Pete Bevis and the Kalakala Foundation, and voices
unanimous support of the restoration objectives. All members of the City
Council and the Mayor of Seattle sign the Proclamation.
September 10,
2002 The Port of Seattle Commissioners turn down a proposal to create
a permanent home port for the restored KALAKALA at Pier 66 - the Bell
Harbor Cruise Ship Terminal and Conference Center. The Foundation had
been working on the proposal with Port staff and Port hospitality contractors
for several months. The proposal would have netted the Port over $ 5.5
million in revenue in return for backstopping tax exempt bonds to fund
the restoration of the historic ferry.
October 15, 2002
The Maritime Heritage Foundation formally requests temporary moorage for
the KALAKALA at the former Naval Reserve Building at South Lake Union
- where Seattle's historic ships fleet is currently moored on city property.
The KALAKALA faces eviction from her market-rate moorage by year-end.
October 24, 2002
The City of Seattle rejects the request to provide the KALAKALA temporary
moorage at the Maritime Heritage Center on South Lake Union. The Mayor
of Seattle, Greg Nickels, asks the Parks Department to work with the Kalakala
Foundation to establish a permanent homeport at the Washington Street
Boat Landing at the foot of Pioneer Square.
December 31, 2002
The KALAKALA faces eviction from her location at North Lake Union. The
City of Seattle rejects the Kalakala Foundation's request to moor at Sand
Point based on inability to provide a $1 million performance bond - which
the underwriters will not write. The Kalakala Foundation board of trustees
gives executive director one more month to find a solution that will save
the Kalakala, or else the vessel will have to be put up for sale.
January 31, 2003
The Kakalaka Foundation board of trustees publishes a request for proposals,
officially putting the vessel up for sale to pay off the creditors.
Feburary 21, 2003
The RFP deadline passes with no viable offers.
March 14, 2003
The Kakalaka Foundation board of trustees files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
The court will appoint a trustee to oversee the liquidation of the Foundation,
and determine the future of the KALAKALA.
September 13,
2003 The KALAKALA is sold at auction. In subsequent days, the first
and second bidders are declared by the auction house to be in default.
September 29,
2003 The auction house declares KALAKALA is sold to the third bidder,
"Lost Horizons."
October 10, 2003
The federal bankruptcy judge approves the sale of the KALAKALA to Steven
Rodrigues' company "Lost Horizons." Rodrigues pledges to restore
the ferry to her former glory and operate her as a waterfront attraction,
visiting the ports of Puget Sound.
March 9-10, 2004
The KALAKALA is towed to a new temporary moorage in Neah Bay, Washington
where she is moored courtesy of the Makah Tribal Council.
The
KALAKALA heads through the Ballard Locks, March 9, 2004. Art Skolnik Photo.
September 24th, 2004
The KALAKALA is towed to her new home in Tacoma, WA.
The
KALAKALA heads down the pugeot Sound September 25th, 2004.
The
KALAKALA heads down the pugeot Sound September 25th, 2004.
September 25th, 2004
The KALAKALA
1:30pm: The Kalakala has arrived in
her new home. For the next year she will undergo repairs to the hull,
outer skin, and interior, along with a new paint job. The Kalakala's
moorage and main office are located at 1801 Taylor Way in Tacoma on the
south shore of the Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma.
The
KALAKALA arrives at her new home in Tacoma, WA September 25th, 2004.
October 14th, 2004
The Kalakala, now berthed in Tacoma's Hylebos Waterway, has finally
been welcomed and is being given moorage for $1 a month. Craig Mar Chun
(center, blue shirt) and Karl Anderson (left background, on wooden
walkway) helped the famous ferry find another home.
The
KALAKALA at her new home in Tacoma, WA October 14th, 2004.
2005-2006
We will be taking the Kalakala to Martinac Shipyard, Tacoma, WA. for
painting the Kalakala exterior and some of the interior during
2005-2006.
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