Muskoka Steamship & Historical Society New ... - Real Muskoka

New Sailing Season
Begins June 1st!
Muskoka Steamship & Historical Society
Issue 66, Spring 2008
www.realmuskoka.com

About Us
Board of Directors
Muskoka Steamship & Historical Society
275 Steamship Bay Rd.
Gravenhurst, Ontario
P1P 1Z9
www.realmuskoka.com
Charity Registration # 13261 7770
President—Murray Walker
Honorary Chairman—Gordon C. Shaw
Vice President—Blair McMurchy
Treasurer—John Callaghan
Membership Committee Chairman/Secretary—John Glendinning
Other Directors
John Lee, Ross Siemms, Hank Smith, Mary Storey, Rick Terry,
Murray Hogarth, Paul Dickie, Jim Lewis, Stan Meek
General Manager—John Miller
Directors—Muskoka Steamships
President—Rick McGraw
Vice President—Blair McMurchy
Secretary—Gordon C. Shaw
Treasurer—Stan Meek
General Manager—John Miller
Director—Murray Walker
This Issue’s Editors
Ann Curley & Christi Gardner
275 Steamship Bay Rd
Gravenhurst, Ontario
P1P 1Z9
acurley@realmuskoka.com
Submissions are welcome, but may be edited
for clarity and brevity.
Summer Issue submission deadline: June 30
In This Issue
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Murray Walker
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS
John Glendinning
MUSKOKA STEAMSHIPS
Greetings for 2008 - Christi Gardner
MUSKOKA BOAT & HERITAGE CENTRE
Ann Curley
FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE
Lorraine Wheeler and Mary Story
NEW EXHIBIT
Mary Storey
VOLUNTEERING AT MBHC
Louise Boese
DID YOU KNOW.
The Naiad - Ron Sclater.
Muskoka Steamship & Historical Society
The Real Muskoka Experience
Muskoka Steamships
185 Cherokee Lane
Gravenhurst Ontario
P1P 1Z9
Phone: 705-687-6667
Toll Free: 1-866-687-6667
Fax: 705-687-7820
We’re On The Web
www.realmuskoka.com
Muskoka Boat & Heritage Centre
275 Steamship Bay Rd
Gravenhurst Ontario
P1P 1Z9
Phone: 705-687-2115
Fax: 705-687-9408
Page 2 The Real Muskoka Story

and will be followed with a Association who have contributed
President’s Message
mid summer salute to race
boats in Muskoka.
greatly to the special display of Dispro
history now being featured in the
Centre, and who will be celebrating
While winter is a time
of much reduced visitor activity, staff
and volunteers have been busy
preparing for the 2008 season.
th
We look forward to the 30 Anniversary of their
welcoming hundreds of members of Organization at their annual meeting
the Antique and Classic Boat Society to be held here in April.
(ACBS) as they make us part of their
annual “Spring Tour” in late April. Thanks for the many fine comments
The ships have already booked a
record number of weddings for the
sailing season and regular passenger
bookings also look promising.
Many members of ACBS are
members of our Historical Society and
we encourage new membership as
visitors learn more about our wide
interests.
that we have received about the recent
expansion of “The Real Muskoka
Story”. We are pleased that members
are receiving increased benefits from
their membership.
The Heritage Centre will feature a A special welcome is extended to - Murray
special show of Disappearing members of the Dispro Owners
Propeller Boats beginning in late April
Membership
Matters
Cruise will be held this year on please remember that you must be an
Saturday June 14, with two cruises active member to attend and vote at
scheduled on the Wenonah II. This is the AGM as well as be eligible to
always a very fun event, and a notice receive the benefits of membership.
will be included with this newsletter We are continuing to work on ways to
that will give information on where attract new members and to bring back
After a very long winter, we are once
again on the verge of a new and
exciting summer season for the
Muskoka Steamship & Historical
Society. To those of our members who
head to the sunny south and are now
getting back home, welcome back!
you need to contact to reserve your
spot on the ship. Please be sure to call
and let us know that you are coming.
nd
We are planning to hold our 2 annual
Members Dance in the late summer.
Please look out for future
those who may have not renewed. Do
you have a friend or family member
who you think would enjoy being a
Society member? Please let us know
and we can send them a membership
package. Please see details in our
Member Get a Member flyer.
The upcoming season will be another
full and exciting one for our
membership. The Annual General
Meeting this year will be held on
rd
Friday May the 23 at the Muskoka
Boat & Heritage Centre. You will find
enclosed in the package with this
newsletter the official notice and
agenda for the meeting as well as a
proxy form and nomination and
consent form. This years meeting is
being held a week later than has been
the custom over the last few years. We
are hoping that this will allow more of
our Members to attend. I would
encourage all members who are able
to attend to do so. This is an excellent
opportunity to come and hear about
how the Society has done over the last
year as well as hear of our future plans.
announcements coming your way.
In addition to the special Member
Only Events, there are a large number
of events and programs that are
already scheduled for the Heritage
Centre and Muskoka Wharf. You will
find a number of them listed on the
Calendar of Events. Once again, those
members who have supplied their
email address will be receiving
regular updates of the activates which
we will be holding throughout the
year. If you do not receive the email
updates and would like to, please
contact us so that we can add you to
our distribution list.
As you know, our renewal notices for
the new season went out with the last
newsletter. We have received a good
Remember that your membership now
entitles you to free admission to the
Heritage Centre. Be sure to bring a
friend or family member and
introduce them to all that the Society
offers.
Do you have any comments or
suggestions about your membership?
Are we doing a good job, or are there
ways that we can make your
membership more enjoyable? Do you
have any good ideas? Would you like
to get involved with the Membership
Committee? Please feel free to contact
us through the Heritage Centre. We
value your feedback and we are
always interested in hearing from you.
Happy Sailing!
The always popular Members' Day
response from returning members. To
those who have not already renewed,
John Glendinning
Membership Committee Co-Chair
Page 3 The Real Muskoka Story

Muskoka Steamships
Winter is finally over and we are summer is shaping up to be
gearing up for the 2008 sailing season! both a busy and beautiful one!
Please visit our website at We hope to see everyone out on
www.realmuskoka.com and have a a cruise throughout the season.
look at all the interesting new events - Christi Gardner
and cruises that we have planned. The
2008 season will begin June 1st! Our
Muskoka Boat
& Heritage Centre
collection and the largest collection of Centre in mid September. Community
Disappearing Propeller Boat papers, representatives from all across
pictures, parts and records from the Ontario will be on site to experience
beginning of construction of these our Steamships and Heritage Centre.
boats to present will be exhibited on In late December the Royal Ontario
our second floor. This exhibit Museum will bring the Canada Games
th
celebrates the 30 Anniversary of the
Dispro Owners Association and the
ACBS theme for the July 5 annual
Smaller exhibits are always finding a
summer show.
special spot in the Muskoka Boat &
Royal Ontario Museum Star Lab
Portable Planetarium will amaze and
educate our guests from August 4 to 15
on the second floor.
The Muskoka Studio tour artisans will
be back this summer showcasing their
one of a kind creations as they
celebrate their 30 year anniversary.
Heritage is alive at the Muskoka Boat
& Heritage Centre with a variety of
new exhibits for all to experience this
season.
at Play exhibit which showcase early
pioneer games.
War Knitting Exhibit – is located on
the main floor and features a variety of
knitting that was used to treat the
injured soldiers during World War 1.
This is a hand on exhibit and we
encourage you to try on the various
bandages as well as take a turn a
rolling bandages.
Heritage Centre that will enhance the
experience of our guests. We have
added an area upstairs that allows
children to try on some captain’s hats
and coats. We hope to create
additional areas for the children so
that the Muskoka Boat & Heritage
Centre comes alive for them.
The Greatest Little Motor Boat Afloat
– Never seen before and first ever
Community In Blooms Provincial
Awards will be held at the Heritage
- Ann Curley
These interesting items are part of the War Knitting exhibit at Muskoka Boat & Heritage Centre
Volunteering
at MBHC
Louise Boese, Volunteer
Coordinator
It finally is beginning to feel like these plans! Volunteers are an
spring and with it, an anticipation of integral part of the high quality of
the busy season ahead! Committee life we enjoy in our communities.
members and I have been meeting to They certainly are a big “part of the
brainstorm ideas for the 2008 picture” at the Heritage Centre and
Volunteer Program, with the theme on the ships! Why not consider
of “Retention, Recognition and joining our Team! It would be great
Recruitment”. We are looking to hear from you at the Heritage
forward to being able to implement Centre, 705-687-2115!
Page 4 The Real Muskoka Story

For Your
Reading Pleasure
New Exhibit
use the books by appointment or each
and every Thursday, year round. Through the Narrows to Lake
Muskoka which explains the history
Some of the more recent acquisitions and geography in the Narrows Area of
By Lorraine Wheeler and Mary Storey include:
Post Cards from the Lake of Bays, a
book filled with post card images
Lake Muskoka, just north of
Gravenhurst
The Reading and Research area of the
Rendezvous Room at Muskoka Boat
and Heritage Centre is pleased to
including resorts, islands, steamships
and the Portage Flyer railway.
The Companion Guide in Muskoka
Gidley-Grew and Bonnie Boat Co.,
the story of these boat building
companies and the families who
started them in the Georgian Bay area
announce that they are open for
business. The collection houses 175 District Post Office 1861- 1999,
books on the steamship, antique boats, listing all post offices, summer post The COD, Canadian One Design
hotels and Muskoka themes. offices, postmasters and the postal Racing Inboard Runabouts, its history
Members are welcome to come and history of Muskoka and development.
1900's rowing skiff also made by the Owner's Club and the theme of this
Disappearing Propeller Company of year's Antique and Classic Boat
Port Carling. Society Summer Show of “Go Slow
Boats”.
The Greatest Little Motor Boat Afloat
Follow the storyline from Port
Carling, where the first boars were
For the first time ever, the largest
display of Disappearing Propeller
Boat historical documentation,
memorabilia, and boats will be on
display at the Muskoka Boat and
Heritage Centre this spring. From the
beginning of May to the beginning of
August, The Dispro Owners
Association has prepared a large
exhibit of engines, devices, lights and
built, and on to Lindsay to
Tonawanda, N.Y. and finally to
Greavette's in Gravenhurst. Visitors
can view the history, photos, and
souvenirs showing how W.J. Johnston
invented the disappearing propeller
device. When visiting the display
leave lots of time to view the video of
the boats in motion and listen for the
sound of the various engines.
parts from these unique boats. Central
Although approximately 3000 of
to the exhibit will be Bull's Eye, a
these boats were built, the club reports
1924 John Bull model Dispro recently
there are approximately 300
acquired by the Heritage Centre.
remaining today. The display
Sharing the spotlight will be an early
celebrates thirty years of the Dispro
Engine name plate from an early Dispro
built in Port Carling
Left: Two ladies in a Dispro. Photo Courtesy
of Muskoka Steamship & Historical Society
Archives
Page 5 The Real Muskoka Story

out in the bow in an open steering Eventually, Naiad was sold to the
Salute to Steam
station. At the bow, a miniature brass
cannon was located and used to
announce the Senator's arrival at Sans
Ontario Northland Railway in
Temagami where she was finally cut
up and lost. However, through the
TreasureAnother
Souci. efforts of a wise collector, her engine
was retained along with about 3
It is with great pleasure that our
Archive has received, on loan, a
treasured collection of images of one
of our steamers. However, this time,
these photographs show the ship out
of the water.
Naiad was sold in 1939 to Cameron
Peck of Chicago and Lake of Bays.
Peck had collected a grand variety of
steamers and launches for his
collection at Baysville. In fact, Wanda
III had already been taken by Peck to
Lake of Bays from Lake Rosseau.
meters of her bow. The engine is in the
possession of the Society and the bow
rests in storage in Weston. Wouldn't it
be wonderful to see the two reunited
and restored at the MBHC!
Our Archive has received a number of
Naiad (meaning Water-Nymph) was
originally built in 1890 for Senator
William E. Sanford of Hamilton and
Sans Souci Island, Lake Rosseau by
the Polson Iron Works of Toronto. It is
said that the design was provided by
Queen Victoria as she had planned a
similar craft for use on the Thames
River. This may explain the rather
unusual location for the ship's Master
It is through the courtesy of Ivan
Conway of Gravenhurst that we have
been able to view the winter journey
taken by Naiad during the winter of
1940. Removed at Gravenhurst she
was taken overland by sleigh, through
the town, to Bracebridge and along
the highway to her destination at
Baysville. Several of these shots show
her perilously leaning
toward the lower side
of the highway.
artifacts which enhance our ability to
tell our Muskoka story. We would
welcome your stories, images and
artifacts that tell of your experiences
here in Muskoka. Cottage pictures,
wooden boat images and family
histories are all welcome.
- Ron Sclater
Naiad as she is pulled by sleigh
along the highway to Baysville.
Spring Cleaning on our
Whistles compliments
of Derek Snyder
Derek performed High
Speed polishing and
buffing on each of the
whistles.
dereksnyder@hotmail.com www.muskokametal.com
Both Naiad and Wanda III can be
seen sailing together on Lake of
Bays.
Special Thanks to these Friends of the Society
Rodney Box Murray Hogarth James & Doreen Smith
John & Cathy Callaghan John Klink John & Mary Storey
Fred Cass Greg & Pat Martin Mary Tupper
Gary Clark Donald McCartney Bruce & Trudy Twibble
Michael & Jennifer Cummins Jeff & Rose Ann Mitchell Ian & Stephanie Watt
Ian & Barbara Dickson John & Sarah Nagel Brian & Diane Yeates
Gord & Dale Durnan Sylvia Purdon Alan & Patricia Young
Tim DuVernet Ted & Loretta Rogers Fred & Sarah Neal
Bill Feikert John & Lynne Rooney Gary & Janice Getson
Ken & Maureen Fowler Peter Sharpe
Jim & Marilyn Goodwin Ross & Nancy Siemms
Page 6 The Real Muskoka Story

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Page 7 The Real Muskoka Story