The Story of the Chestnut Canoe (Paperback)

If you have ever wanted to know the history of Canadian canoe builders around Peterborough, Ontario, this book is a must read. From the inspiration of the Aboriginal dugouts and birch bark canoes; through the all-wood Peterboroughs and Lakefields; and influenced heavily by the wood canvas canoes of Maine builders Gerrish, E.M.White and B.N.Morris; Ken leads us to Chestnut - a proud, often controversial survivor in the Canadian canoe world.

It is refreshing to read the history of John Stephenson, Thomas Gordon, Daniel Harold, and William English, and the great impact they collectively had on canoe evolution in the Peterborough region. These early builders took the native dugout and applied English construction techniques, to deliver canoeing to the elite during the Victorian era of canoeing. Chestnut took the next step, and brought the Canadian canoe to the everyday man, by building over 60 models of practical, working canoes - taking over where these pioneers left off.

In an admission of guilt that will make a Mainer both strut proudly and raise his hackles at the same time, Ken openly proclaims that Chestnut stole their first design from Maine builder, B.N.Morris. In a further act of business guile, William Chestnut managed to convince ten of Old Town Canoe's experienced builders to leave Old Town for Chestnut, across the border in Fredericton, New Brunswick. This act led to the first of many legal battles the Chestnut name has continued to fight, even to this day. Chestnut patented the process for building a wood and canvas canoe in Canada in 1905, leading eventually to the merger of the Peterborough and Chestnut canoe companies, and to some interesting partnerships along the way.

History of the Chestnut family provides a nice perspective on the forces behind Chestnut Canoe. The insight that Ken offers on these dynamic Canadians, provides the backdrop for a canoe company that fought on for many years, building canoes, snowshoes and even toboggans, before finally succumbing to the economic pressures of the age of aluminum and fiberglass in 1961. The rise and fall of Chestnut, along with their predessors in the Peterborough area, captivates the reader, and ultimately leads you to the present day. Chestnut was ultimately split up and sold piece-meal at the bitter end, and Ken describes his current operation, where he builds Chestnut canoes on original forms and ships Chestnut labeled canoes, even though the trademark is not in his hands at this time. The Chestnut trademark at the time of publication anyway, is still in dispute.

Bonus chapters on Omer Stringer and Bill Mason supply another look at two of Canada's paddling giants. Personal observations that Ken shares with the reader will draw memories out of many of us, recalling our own often brief experiences with these remarkable men. I still smile at the flashes of the past brought out by these short but honest recollections of the most influential paddlers Canada produced in this century.

For anyone interested in historic canoe catalogs and the detail that comes with them, there are over fifty pages dedicated to catalog reprints, with most pages containing two or three condensed catalog images. These are some of the most interesting of the catalog pages from 1903 to 1936, and are supplimented by a detailed chart with form measurements for every canoe listed between 1905 and 1955! Not stopping with just the technical facts, Ken goes on to describe the major models and popular options available over time, and includes a few surprises that I'll leave for your to discover on your own.

Over one hundred and sixty pages of paddling history and controversy, fact and speculation, are compiled into this truly interesting book that belongs on the shelf of every wooden canoe enthusiast. This book is destined to be a classic, and will surely provide material for many nights of relaxation in your own "Chestnut Pub," discussing the history of this venerable canoe company with friends who share our love of wooden canoes.