F I R S TP R E V723NEXTLAST

The Peralta, From Disaster to Deco
Prior to the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge, tens of millions of people commuted to and from San Francisco annually by ship. The ferries that carried these passengers were often opulent ships like the Ferry Peralta. Built to order for the Key Ferry Fleet in 1927, the Peralta had steel hulls, a special teakwood finish, a mahogany pilot house, and could carry hundreds of passengers. However at her launch, the Peralta got stuck on the shipyard launching ramp. This was considered a bad omen by those in attendance.

On February 17, 1928, less than a year after launch she was sailing with commuters when her bow plunged suddenly and unexpectedly into the water. Dozens of passengers were swept from her decks and many drowned. An investigation blamed improper handling of the ferry's water ballast. A few years later in 1933 the unlucky ship caught fire and burned to the hull while tied to Key Pier. The owners of the ferry sold the charred hull to the Puget Sound Navigation Company where it was transformed into the now famous art deco ferry, the Kalakala . Happy with her new look and name, the Kalakala safely sailed the Puget Sound for many years. Shown above is one of the modern ferry boats that still serve the San Francisco Bay.
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