KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
The ferry Kalakala, shown here in happier days when it plied the waters of Puget Sound as a Washington State ferry. The Kalakala spent decades beached in Kodiak’s Gibson Cove as a seafood processing plant, before being towed back to Washington. Money never came for repairs, though, and the current owner announced plans to scrap the aluminium streamliner later this month. Photo Kalakala Foundation
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — The historic ferry Kalakala has reached its final destination.
The News Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/1xLaDYb ) the owner plans to have the rusting hulk scrapped later this month in Tacoma.
The 276-foot ferry went into service in 1935 and carried cars across Puget Sound until 1967. In the days before the Space Needle, the silver art deco style vessel was the post card symbol of Seattle.
Then, it was towed to Alaska and used as a fish processing plant, first in Dutch Harbor, and then for decades in Kodiak’s Gibson Cove.
It was towed back to Seattle in 1998, but plans by several owners to restore it never came up with enough money.
The Kalakala ended up on property owned by Karl Anderson. He has spent about a half million on it and says it will cost another half-million to prepare it for demolition.
