Welcome to the Recreational Ships page! On this page you will see some cool pictures of the pleasure crafts and passenger ships that people travelled on in the 1900's. It sure would be nice if one of these ships came by and rescued me right now! I'm stranded here on one of the 30,000 Islands in Georgian Bay and I need your help to get off. If you can answer the question at the bottom of this page you will find a clue that will help me get off this island. Don't forget to check out the cool links on this page to find more clues!

Georgian Bay has long been known for its rugged beauty. Many people visited the Midland area in the early 1900's to vacation among the islands and enjoy a natural getaway. This is George Chew's boat, the Audrey C, docked in Midland. George Chew owned the Chew Lumber Mill in Midland. He named his boat after his daughter.
#1991-0001-0134 or #PA-179286

Did you know?

James Playfair, who owned a lumber mill in Midland and was involved in many of the town's businesses, had a great love for ships. In addition to the many cargo fleets he operated James Playfair enjoyed travelling on his own personal yachts. His purchased his second yacht, the Pathfinder from another business man in the U.S. for one dollar and "future considerations".

Houseboats, like the Hiawatha, that appeared in the early 1880's were a popular alternative to island cottages. These peculiar looking vessels were towed by steam tugs to sheltered places among the islands where families and friends could vacation.

Those who sought a more luxurious vacation may have travelled on the North American. This giant lake liner made calls to Midland in the 1950's.
#1991-0001-0130 or #PA-179221

The Assiniboia was a passenger and freight ship that ran between Port McNicoll and the head of Lake Superior. If you look closely at this picture you can see the freight doors open on the lower part of the hull. Cargoes such as coal would have been loaded and unloaded through these doors. Passengers arriving by train boarded the ship after the freight was loaded. On November 28, 1965 the last passenger trip was made by the Assiniboia under Captain Ernest H. Ridd.

#1991-0001-0032 or #PA-177783

How much did James Playfair pay for his second yacht the Pathfinder?

a)$1,000,000

b)$5,000

c)$1

Cool Links

Recreational Activities in Early Midland

Links Around the World

A collection of Marine Art

John's Nautical Links List

Further Reading and Bibliography

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.