The ferry "Kalakala" began service in 1935. Its streamlined design made it internationally famous and popular with visitors and residents alike. The ferry made six daily runs between Seattle and Bremerton, and made summer evening excursions around Puget Sound. Unfortunately, the ferry vibrated badly; it was difficult to handle and expensive to repair. Service ended in 1967, and the ferry became a shore-based seafood processing plant in Alaska. In the 1990s, a group of devoted "Kalakala" fans dug the old ferry out of the gravel and returned it to Seattle.

This 1946 photo shows the Kalakala docked on the waterfront. The ferry's name means "flying bird" in the Chinook trade language used by traders and Puget Sound Native peoples.

Handwritten on sleeve: Kalakala ferry.
Webster & Stevens number: 46-513