Cities have symbols that define them. For Seattle it is the Space Needle. Before the Space Needle, it was the Kalakala. I was the worlds first, and probably only, streamlined ferry. It was sold in 1967 to an Alaskan cannery. It eventually ended up with a blown engine and was used as a stationary cannery until the cannery owners went bankrupt. In 1988 Peter Bevis discovered the Kalakala and spent years trying to save her resulting in her eventually being towed back to Seattle. Alas, all the effort went for naught and the Kalakala was sold at an auction today and will eventually end up in SanFrancisco, where her hull, but not the streamlined superstructure, originated. It's not right. So it goes. (Thanks to Blaine England for bringing the auction to my attention.)

Here are some excellent postcards of Kalakala in her prime...

~ ~ ~ KALAKALA ~ ~ ~

Digging Out the Kalakala

Kalakala Foundation

For sale: One historic ferry, goes by Kalakala

Kalakala sold for $140,000