Customer Reviews

The Steamboat Era In the Muskokas: Volume II: Golden Years to Today

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This volume explains the colorful history of the steamboat era in the Muskoka region in Ontario from the turn of the century until the last steamboat tied up for the last time in 1958. There are also descriptions and photographs of the many luxury hotels that lined the lake shores and were served by the steamers. The final chapter describes the Segwun, built in 1887 and the lone survivor of the steamboat era, tied up at the Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst as a floating museum, rotting away day by day and how, what started out to be only simple repairs just to keep her afloat, turned into a full-fledged restoration project and eventual return to service. Today, she proudly steams on three lakes as the only coal-fired passenger steamer in Canada and the oldest engine-powered vessel in North America. No maritime liberary is complete without this book.

This volume, and it's volume #1, are truly a surperlative product. They are well researched, and wonderfully printed volumes, and well illustrated with images not found anywhere else. I have a collection of probably over 200 books about paddle steamers all over the world, a favorite subject of mine. Muskoka, Muskokas, who cares, it's about the boats. The people, the area: they are only there to justify steamboats' reason for being. These two books are certainly within my top 10 favorites.

This area of Ontario name is derived from an Indian Chief. There was only one person so the name can not carry an s. He was a wonderful person and deserves to be honoured. He taught many pioneers how to live in their new home area. Media has sadly slipped into the error of calling the area The Muskokas. It is wrong. Please continue to call it by its correct name. It is Muskoka. Thank you.