"Well hello there land lovers! It is me, Jimmy and I'm trying to find my way home to Midland, Ontario and I need your help. Some time ago my ship wrecked and left me stranded here among the 30,000 Islands of Georgian Bay. If you can answer the questions on the pages that follow you will find clues that will help me get back home. When you click on the pictures below you will be taken to more pages to learn about the many different ships that have travelled the waters around Midland.

Midland Bay is located in the south east corner of Georgian Bay. At the foot of Midland Bay lies the naturally protected harbour of the town of Midland, Ontario Canada. Ships from all over the world found their home on the waters surrounding Midland and many were built here during the town's prosperous ship building years. Each had a unique purpose and each has a unique story.

Sailing Vessels, like those pictured here, were a familiar site on the Great Lakes by the end of the 19th century. They carried a variety of cargoes between Canadian and American ports.
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Steamships, like the City of Midland pictured here, began to appear in the 1870's. These ships were used to carry both freight and passengers to the developing settlements and ports around the Bay.

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At the beginning of the 20th century many people began coming to Midland to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Those who came to vacation among the 30,000 islands traveled on a variety of recreational and passenger ships. Here is a picture of J.W. Bald's pleasure boat Doris.
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As trading routes on the Great Lakes continued to expand, ship building became an important industry. Many cargo freighters like those pictured here were built in Midland in the 1920's.

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All icons and graphics are for viewing purposes only, any downloading of them will be in violation of copyright laws.

Good quality copies of J.W. Bald's photo can be obtained from the Huronia Museum c/o Bill Smith 1-705-526-2844 or through the National Archives of Canada, just refer to the archive number at the bottom of each picture.