The "Citrus Class" boats as they were dubbed after being plagued with problems when first going into service have settled down to be some of the most reliable vessels in the fleet, and certainly some of the most versitle, capable of working any route in the system (save for Keystone, but don't get me started on that!)
The Kittitas has had a long career on the Clinton-Mukilteo run, while the Kitsap, after being a "Bremerton" boat for years has gotten to roam a bit in recent years while filling in for the other Issquahs durning maintence.
Happy 30 Kitsap and Kittitas!
(Photo above courtesy of Brandon Moser...at right, author's photo.)
Readers north of the boarder almost all guessed the Queen of Alberni on the first go; south it was the Walla Walla.
Both were close, but in this case it was the Queen of Coquitlam, and the accident in the clue was the infamous flopping over while in drydock.
Thanks to everyone for guessing!
I've liked the City of Sacramento in whatever guise she has been in--as Asbury Park, CIty of Sacramento, Kahloke, and Langdale Queen. She was a lovely ship in any of these incarnations, although perhaps late in her career as the CoS she did have a somewhat stubbed look with that sawed off bow.
I've been after this particular postcard for quite a while and finally added to my collection recently. Dig that plume of smoke coming out of the stack!
This month brings us to Toms River, New Jersey and a house that has given Dutch Colonials a bad name for decades--the infamous "Amityville Horror" house.
Producers wanted to film the movie at the actual house at 112 Ocean Avenue (now 108) but the people of Amityville who regarded the entire haunting story as a hoax wanted nothing to do with it. As it was they were trying to put the horrific murders that had taken place at the home a few years earlier behind them. Permission to film there was denied.
Without the actual house to film at, the production company found a similar house in Toms River, New Jersery, (second from left in the Google Earth photo) which is seen in the movie stills above. Over the years even the movie house garnered unwanted attenion, forcing the owner to make some changes to the home. The entire thing was movied to allow construction of another home on the lot, and the roofline altered to take away the classic Dutch Colonial look. (Some reports state the the movie comany altered the roofline to begin with, but there is some disagreement about that.)
The real home still stands in Amityville, and long after the "horror" was proven to be a hoax (and please don't email me reguarding the veracity of the haunting or not--I don't care and as long as most credible researchers say its a hoax that's what I'm going with.) it still attracts visitors to this day. The iconic "quarter moon" windows--a common decorative feature on Dutch Colonial style homes--were removed years ago.
An interesting bit of trivia--Actress Christine Belford (who played the mother in John Carpenter's Christine, based on the Stephen King novel) spent part of her childhood in the real house, from 1960-65. Her parents divorced and sold the home to the DeFeo family--who would meet their demise at the hands of the eldest son, Ronnie.
Above, Black Ball's days were nearly at an end in 1950 when this photo was taken. At the tie up slip two docks down from Colman Dock are the Quillayute and either the Shasta or San Mateo. At the slip readying for a trip to Suquamish via Indianola is the Illahee.
Soon after the state took over ferry operations the Agate Pass Bridge opened and the Suquamish-Indianola-Seattle route was discontinued. Photo from the collection of Brandon Moser.
*Was one of three vessels on Puget Sound to sail under this name
*Was not exceeded in speed on Puget Sound until the Super Class arrived in 1967--nearly thirty years after she had been scrapped.
Good luck! EMAIL
For those keeping up on the ferries missing from the WSF Fleet currently...(Be aware this is updated monthly and may not reflect the current state of affairs.)
EVERGREEN STATE CLASS:
Evergreen State: SJI interisland;
Klahowya: Vashon-Southworth-Fauntleroy
Tillikum: Southworth-Vashon-Fauntleroy
Hiyu: Standby
SUPER CLASS
Hyak:Anacortes-San Juan Islands
Yakima:Anacortres-San Juan Islands
Kaleetan: Anacortes-San Juan Islands
Elwha: Annual Inspection; drydock until mid-April
JUMBO CLASS
Spokane: Kingston-Edmonds
Walla Walla: Seattle Bremerton
ISSAQUAH CLASS
Issaquah: Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth
Kittitas: Clinton-Mukilteo
Kitsap: Seattle-Bremerton
Cathlamet: Clinton-Mukilteo
Chelan: Drydock and painting!!!
Sealth: Anacortes-San Juan Islands/ Point Defiance-Tahlequah 3rd week in February
JUMBO MARK II CLASS
Tacoma: Seattle- WInslow
Wenatchee: Seattle-Winslow
Puyallup : Edmonds-Kingston
MONOHULLS
Skagit and Kalama: Out of service
ON LOAN
Steilacoom II-Port Towsend-Keystone.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Chetzemoka
NON-WSF FLEET
VASHON-SEATTLE PASSENGER ONLY FERRY
(King County Ferries)
Melissa Ann
PORT ANGELES-VICTORIA
Coho
ANDERSON ISLAND
Christine Anderson
LUMMI ISLAND
Whatcom Chief
SEATTLE-VICTORIA
Clipper IV
GUEMES ISLAND
Guemes
BELLINGHAM- ALASKA
Malispina
Email me your ferryboat or scenic photos, past or present from Washington, Oregon,
California, Alaska or British Columbia and I'll post it on the site!
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
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