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The Kehloken

Orignial Name: Golden State Built: Alameda, CA 1926. Official Number: 226772  Radio Call Letters: WH6755 Length:239' 8"  Beam: 60' 3"  Draft:12' 6" Auto Deck Clearance:11'   Speed: 10 knots Horsepower: 1,200   Propulsion: Diesel Electric (DC) Autos: 50  Passengers: 770 Gross Tonnage: 780 Meaning of "Kehloken" : Chinook jargon, "swan" Drawing courtesy of Johan Iversen.

Heading to Edmonds for extra service, the Kehloken was getting a little long in the tooth by the time Harre Demoro snapped this photo.  .  Author's collection.

On 30 November, 1937 an all-wood ferry sailed into Puget Sound.  Built in 1927, her builders probably had no idea that the ferry would be serving the public well into the 21st century. (Although admittedly the Kehloken is not currently serving in her originally intended capacity.)            Emerging from the yard in her new colors--white superstructure, black hull, buff trim and crimson smokestacks,  and with flying the Black Ball flag, the ex-Golden State went to work on 7 January, 1938 on the Suquamish-Indianola-Seattle run with her new name: Kehloken.  She worked this route for a few years until replaced by the Illahee, at which time ithe ferry was moved to the Seattle-Winslow route.      While at work on the route the ferry  carried out one of the saddest duties of her  long career--she was the ferry that was loaded with the Japanese residents of Bainbridge Island that were sent to interment camps.    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 vessels coming into the fleet, the Kehloken went on supplimental 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.Her last sailing was on Labor Day of 1972 , from Edmonds to Kingston.   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.       She was  sold for $25,000.00 in 1975.  Her new owner   towed  the ferry  over to Lake Washington  to be converted into a club house and restaurant.        After fours of lingering on Lake she was set ablaze in 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.

The  Golden State at dock.  Her days on the San Francisco Bay were drawing to a close when this photo was taken.    Courtesy of Brandon  Moser.

Black Ball made very few changes to the  Golden State.  Under the new name Kehloken, they enclosed the  small open ends of the cabin.  This snapshow shows the doors being open, indicating that the ferry is either approaching the dock or it is summer and the crew is making an attempt to cool off the passenger cabin.  Author's collection.

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The original 1979 news clipping shows the Kehloken in flames.  Courtesy of David Ruble. Below, the remains of the Kehloken the next day.

The Kehloken became a roamer late in her career with WSF.  Here she is in the tie-up slip at Kingston.  Author's collection.