History of the Kehloken Ferry

History of the Kehloken Ferry: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 the 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 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 supplemental duty starting in 1959, working the summer season and evening commuter runs on the Vashon route until 1969. She then went on the 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 four years of lingering on Lake Washington 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.

GPS Coordinates: To Buoy (N. 47 53.80 W. 122 23.14); To Wreck (N. 47 53.82 W. 122 23.56).