MV Kalakala

MV Kalakala, pictured in Elliott Bay promoting the Century 21 Exposition/Seattle World's Fair (1962)
History
NamePeralta
OwnerKey System
BuilderMoore Dry Dock Company
Yard number170
Launched1926
In service1926
Out of service1933
FateSeverely damaged by fire, later restored
NameKalakala
OwnerPuget Sound Navigation Company
Launched1935
In service1935
Out of service1967
FateScrapped in February 2015
General characteristics
Displacement1,475 tons (light)
Length276 ft (84 m)
Beam55 ft 8 in (16.97 m)
Depth21 ft 6 in (6.55 m)
Installed powerBusch-Sulzer direct drive diesel engine 3,000 hp (2,200 kW)
Propulsion10 cylinder engine, single screw
Speed17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph) (max)
MV Kalakala (ferry)
Port side view of Kalakala as seen in Neah Bay in 2004
Built1926
NRHP reference No.06000177
Added to NRHPMarch 22, 2006

Motor Vessel Kalakala (pronounced /kəˈlɑːkəˌlɑː/)[1] was a ferry that operated on Puget Sound from 1935 until her retirement in 1967.

MV Kalakala was notable for her unique streamlined superstructure, art deco styling, and luxurious amenities. The vessel was a popular attraction for locals and tourists, and was voted second only to the Space Needle in popularity among visitors to Seattle during the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. The ship is known as the world's first streamlined vessel for her unique art deco styling.

After retiring from passenger service in 1967, the ship was beached in Kodiak, Alaska, and converted to a shrimp cannery. In 1998, the ship was refloated and towed to Puget Sound with the owner hoping to restore the ship. During this time, the ship continued to deteriorate, with the Coast Guard declaring the ship a hazard to navigation in 2011. Unable to raise the funds required for restoration, the ship was scrapped in 2015.

  1. ^ Pickens, S.J. (May 9, 2010). "Construction 1933 to 1935". Kalakala, The World's First Streamlined Vessel. Kalakala Alliance Foundation. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved September 3, 2012.