The S.S. San Mateo

THE STEAM FERRY
SAN MATEO

Officicial Number: 222386 Radio Call Letters: WG5465 Built: San Francisco, CA 1922. Length: 230' 4"Beam: 63' 8" Draft: 12' Auto Deck Clearance: 11' 6" Speed: 13 knots Horsepower: 1,400 Propulsion: triple expansion steam engine Autos: 50 Passengers: 659Gross Tonnage: 919
Name Translation: from tehe Spanish, "Saint Matthew. A city in the Bay area shares the name.
Drawing by Johan Iversen.

The S.S. San Mateo arrives at Kingston in 1964. Though gone from Puget Sound for well over a decade, people in the Puget Sound area still fondly remember the old steamer. Photo by D. Worthington/Author's Collection.

    Like her sister, the San Mateo was often used as a fill-in ferry,when traffic was at it's peak on the Sound and extra space was needed. The time she did spend on the Sound she became a well-loved ferry. People responded to the sound of her steam engines and whistle, the stained glass windows of her interior, the mahogany pew-like benches in her passenger cabin.
      In 1947 the San Mateo started on the Seattle-Suquamish route as a running mate to the Illahee. In 1948 she moved to the Kingston-Edmonds route for three months, then was put back on the reserve list.   WSF used both sisters a bit more than Black Ball had. The San Mateo was assigned to regular service from late sping to early fall between 1952 and 1954 on the Fauntleroy-Vashon . In 1955 she worked the Bremerton route from June unitl September while the Kalakala was assigned to the Port Angeles-Victoria run. In 1956 sge worked as the "extra" boat on the Kingston-Edmonds route, and then moved back to Fauntleroy-Vashon- Harper in 1957-58. In 1959 she moved back up to Edmonds as the "extra ferry", where she remained until her 1969, alternating between Edmonds and the Seattle-Winslow routes.     When the all steel Kulshan arrived from San Deigo the San Mateo was to be taken out of service as soon as the new ferry was ready. Packed to her limit, the San Mateo made her final run from Edmonds to Kingston on Labor Day of 1969.
            She remained at Eagle Harbor until 1971, when the Washington Parks Department bought her to turn her into a museum. She was towed to Lake Union, and for the next thirty years money was funneled into the vessel and restoration work was started on and off.
       Briefly in 1977-79 there was talk of reactiving the ferry, as the loss of the old stand by wood-diesels and the delays in getting the Issaquah Class ferries on the water had WSF completely lacking an   "extra" ferry. Eventually the Issaquah came on-line, and there was no need for the San Mateo. Talks of turning her into a McDonalds fell through, and it looked as if the San Mateo was destined to be scrapped.
      In 1994 she was purchased by a Canadian man and towed up to the Fraser River. Gary Bereska's plans included a dance studio, museum and other uses, but sadly he did nothing to the vessel. The San Mateo, pilfered of many of her fittings sat and slipped further and further into decay. Eventually she crossed the line of being completely impractical to restore.
     Her ownship now somewhat in doubt, it appears that the San Mateo may likely be hauled off for scrap once the parting out of the Queen of Sidney is finished. It's a disappointing ending to a ferry that was historicaly significant and beloved by so many.

At left, a close up of the clearstory windows in the main passenger canbin of the San Mateo. Above, the ferry as she looked on San Francisco Bay. Both photos from the author's collection.

Tied up at the Vashon Island dock, the San Mateo is in the company of two other WSF pensioners: the Klahanie and Kehloken. Author's collection.

The top photo is another fine view of the ferry in its prime. Above, the San Mateo in 1990 on Lake Union, falling into disrepair and negelect. The ferry was at this time, however, very much restorable. Courtesy Sandra Gleason.

The San Mateo's whistle, which you hear on this page, has either been stolen or gone missing. The 47-foot high smokestack was removed from the vessel to prevent it from falling on its own. It too has gone missing. The clearstory windows were allegedly stolen from one of the wheelhouses where they had been stored for "safekeeping." . Author's collection.

The main passenger cabin in its prine, and mouse over for how it looked as of 2000. Author's collection and courtsey of John White.

The S.S. San Mateo as she looked in the winter of 2000, having been moved to the Fraser River. Her new owner failed to secure any kind of funding for the vessel or provide any kind of protection for the ferry. Consequently she was vandalzied and fell into further decay. Restoration might have been possible at this point, had immediate action been taken.

Five years later, when the author took this photo in the winter of 05, the ferry looked notably worse. Routinely flooded by the Fraiser River, the passenger cabin is peeling away from the joists and cross beams. Too far gone now for any hope of restoration, the vessel will probably continue to decay until the superstructure collapses. Ironically, the retired B.C. Ferry Queen of Sidney is offering the San Mateo some protection from the elements. It is a shame to see these two historically significant vessels forgotten and cast aside.

This photo, taken by Connor Park on 30 May 2007 shows the San Mateo listing precariously. It appears now that the Queen of Sidney is the only thing keeping her from falling over completely. Phtoto courtesy of Connor Park.

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