_{The Kehloken undergoing maintenance in the early 1950’s not long after state ownership. The top of the 47-foot tall stack of either the San Mateo or Shasta can be see at left, looking like it is coming out of the Kehloken’s deck. Author’s photo, colorized by the author.}

CLASS: Wood Electric

BUILT: 1926, General Engineering & Drydock Co., Alameda, CA

PREVIOUS/LATER NAMES: a. Golden State, b. Kehloken

OFFICIAL NUMBER: 225772 CALL SIGN: WH6755

L/B/D: 240 x 60 x 13 GROSS/NET TONS: 780/481 PASSENGERS/AUTOS: 770/50

PROPULSION: Ingersoll Rand Diesel electric, 1200 HP SPEED: 10 knots

NAME TRANSLATION: “swan”

FINAL DISPOSITION: Gutted by fire, 19 September 1979.  Later cleaned up and towed out to Possession Point, Whidbey Island, and sunk as an artificial reef.

HISTORY

On 30 November 1937 an all-wood ferry sailed into Puget Sound after completing a long voyage up the Pacific Coast from San Francisco.  Built in 1927 for the Golden Gate Ferry Company, her former owners probably had no idea that the ferry would be serving the public well into the 21st century–though admittedly not in her originally intended capacity.     

Her new owners, the Puget Sound Navigation Company, aka the Black Ball Line sent the Golden State into the yard for reconditioning and to make repairs from the trip up the coast. The ferry emerged from the yard in her new livery—gleaming white superstructure, black hull and guards, buff trim and crimson smokestacks.

On 7 January 1938, the ferry with her new Chinook jargon name name Kehloken was assigned to the Suquamish-Indianola-Seattle. The ferry worked this route for the next few years until after the Steel Electrics were brought up from San Francisco when she was replaced by the Illahee, at which time the ferry was moved to the Seattle-Winslow route where she worked with near sister Klahanie.

The Kehloken was on the WInslow route at the outbreak of WWII. Shortly thereafter, the ferry carried out one of the saddest duties of her long career as she was loaded with Japanese residents of Bainbridge Island who were being sent to internment camps during WWII.

For the next ten years the Kehloken worked for between Seattle and Winslow.  Only when traffic became too much for her capacity did she finally leave the run in 1950 to the Southworth-Vashon- Fauntleroy route.

With newer, larger vessels coming into the fleet, the Kehloken went on supplemental duty starting in 1959, working the summer season and evening commuter runs on the Vashon route until 1969.  She then went on Kingston route working weekends and summers until 1972.  Kehloken’s last revenue- generating sailing was from Fauntleroy as the #4 vessel at 4:50 p.m. on Friday, 08 September 1972.*

For a few years she lingered at Eagle Harbor. The State was unwilling to put money into the nearly 50-year-old, all wood vessel with a carrying capacity of around 35 cars.

She was sold for $25,000.00 in 1975.  Her new owner towed the ferry over to Lake Washington to be converted into a clubhouse and restaurant.

After four years of lingering on Lake Washington she was set ablaze in September 1979 and burned to the waterline. The hulk was cleaned up and taken over by the Department of Natural Resources.  What remained of the Kehloken was towed out to Possession Point on Whidbey Island and intentionally sunk for use as an artificial reef.

Today, the M/V Kehloken is a popular spot for scuba divers.

* Courtesy of Rex Carlaw, who was a witness to the last sailing.