Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston
53 Yonge Street K7M 6G4 Kingston, ON, Canada

#MarineMuseumThanks Jonathan Moore of Parks Canada for joining us last evening to share the story of Canada's War of 1812 shipwrecks and the work to designate them as a national historical site. Next speaker night 'Lady Franklin and the Lost Franklin Expedition' is 27 January at 7pm with Dr Erika Behrisch. Register here: https://www.canadahelps.org//marine/events/erika-behrisch/ #kingstonmuseums #ygk #speakerseries #NauticalNights Visit Kingston QueensEvents.ca

#TriviaTuesday - can you name all of Kingston's War of 1812 shipwreck historic sites? No? Then you should probably sign up for this presentation - you wouldn't want to be THAT person! Join us tomorrow evening for Jonathan Moore's #NauticalNights presentation exploring the preservation efforts of local underwater archeological sites and their designation as national historic sites.... Register by tomorrow at 5pm here: https://www.canadahelps.org//marine/events/jonathan-moore/ #ygk #ygkHistory #KingstonMuseums #history #KingstonON #MuseumsCanada #MuseumsOntario #MuseumsFromHome #Canada #VisitKingston #GreatLakes #historicsite #shipwrecks #Warof1812 #underwaterarcheology Brock University Parks Canada Canadian Heritage

Everyone knows signs make things official... But we want to see your official excitement! #mondaychallenge - take a selfie and share using #MarineMuseumReturns! Please note we are still located at POH and are temporarily closed to the public as per Province of Ontario Covid19 mandate.... #kingstonmuseums #visitkingston #wecandoittogether #MarineMuseumThanks

Underwater archeologist, Jonathan Moore, starts off our 2021 Winter Speaker Series on 13 January at 7pm with a focus on Kingston's War of 1812 shipwrecks, now national historic sites. Register online for this presentation, or the $30 Winter Package for a limited time here: https://www.canadahelps.org//marine/events/jonathan-moore/ Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries & Historic Sites Visit Kingston QueensEvents.ca Parks Canada

And the results are in! Well done to everyone on this round! We'll be back to our regular schedule #captioncontests next week along with our trivia and weekly challenges - stay tuned #MuseumsFromHome #ygk #Greatlakes

Have you ever heard of a horse that can walk on water? Perhaps this is the first time you’re hearing about this maybe it isn’t but either way, this boat is definitely worthy to be part of our #WhatAmI challenge! The first documented horse-powered boat was built in 1791 on the Delaware, and the success of this vessel meant that they quickly became popular, used throughout the US and across Canada to Halifax. ... These horse-powered ferries, commonly known as team boats would utilize horses or mules as they walked across a treadmill-like technology to transport people short distances. Although these boats were generally pretty small in size, larger vessels were built that could carry up to 200 people. Talk about some heavy horsepower! Image Credit: Queen's University Archives

Luckily for those on Wolfe Island, they didn’t have to wait long for a new ferry be put into service. Built in the Collingwood shipyards during the last days of the Second World War, this vessel was originally named the Ottawa Maybrook, but eventually renamed to be the Wolfe Islander II. As the original Maybrook was not intended for ferrying people and vehicles, but rather as a 206 ton and 164 ft Coastal Freighter, the Shipyards had to do extensive modifications to be conver...ted into a side-loading ferry. The Wolfe Islander II was in service from 1946 to the late 1970s, taking route between Kingston, Wolfe Island and Garden Island. In 1976, a newer and more modern ferry, the Wolfe Islander III arrived in Kingston, taking over the route. As a result, the Wolfe Islander II was kept around until 1985, when, on September 21, the ship was scuttled in the St. Lawrence River for divers. Here is today’s #CaptionContest ! Any guesses of what this diver might be thinking as they visit the wreck of the Wolfe Islander II?

Brand new line-up of speakers for our virtual 4th annual #NauticalNights Winter Speaker Series! Including Jonathan Moore of Parks Canada, Erika Behrisch of RMC Canada CMR, Jim McRae, John Brebner, Stephen Medd, Mark Bourrie and our very own Rob Mazza. For a limited time we are offering registration for 7 speaker nights (the entire series) for the price of 6! This promotion ends 13 January at 5pm. Simply select Nautical Nights - Winter Package and proceed to 'Get Tickets' via ...one of the 'Register here' buttons for a presentation below. An an email with the links to each event will be sent to you on 13 January by 6pm. Full details here: https://www.marmuseum.ca/education/nautical-nights Queen event's Visit Kingston Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries & Historic Sites

Today, Kingston’s waterfront is a generally busy spot, especially on summer days! Confederation Park, where we now see locals and tourists gather to watch the sunset, enjoy ice cream, or generally embrace the scenic views, used to be a place full of action and trade! There are several reminders of the compelling history that occurred within this location, such as Market Battery and City Hall. Even a look across the water depicts some of the more iconic heritage sites in Kings...ton, such the ones seen in this image Fort Henry and Cathcart Tower on Cedar Island! Today’s #MondayChallenge invites you to piece together the images posted throughout the week to help identify the painting in its entirety! Stay up to date with our posts this week and keep your guesses coming in as we explore how early Kingstonian's interacted with this evolving landscape! RMC Museum Visit Kingston

You see our updates, and you read our newsletter, but now you can hear latest news straight from the Captain's Mouth! Museum Board Chair, Chris West, shares our latest news and where we're at with our move back to 55 Ontario St. with Bill Hutchins of Global Kingston. Thanks for the interview! If you would like to support the Museum's urgent need for restoration funds, you can do so online: http://marmuseum.ca/donating/ways-of-giving... https://globalnews.ca//kingstons-marine-museum-of-the-grea

MacDonald’s work depicted several aspects of life at sea, from Officer’s portraits, to women’s experiences, and even the lives of survivors picked up by Naval Vessels. His pieces are raw, revealing and realistic, providing new insight into the lives of those who so bravely served in the Battle of the Atlantic. Join Dr. Clarabut TONIGHT at 7pm for the final feature of our Nautical Nights Autumn 2020 Series Through Grant’s Eyes, exploring the life and works of Grant MacDona...ld. It's not too late to register! See the link below to receive the link to tonight’s live stream. https://www.canadahelps.org//mar/events/michelle-clarabut/ See you soon! RMC Museum Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries & Historic Sites Kingston Yacht Club

Large passenger ships, such as FRONTENAC were not the most effective vessels for carrying people to and from shorter distances. Kingston and the surrounding ‘Thousand Islands’ region therefore required ferry services to transport families back and forth to acquire goods, or for leisurely visits. Perhaps the most well-known ferry service in the Kingston region is that to and from Wolfe Island. The first ferry to Wolfe Island was originally named THOMAS FAWCETT and was built i...n 1904, only to be later named SS Wolfe Islander in 1905. This vessel was of special significance to those living on the Island, because it connected them to Kingston however, this connection was quickly severed in 1946 at the announcement of the ferry`s closure. Quick thinkers and kind souls quickly offered taxi services that allowed people to continue to travel from mainland to island until Wolfe Islander II came into service later in the year. Today`s #TriviaTuesday question for you is: On which national holiday did the SS Wolf Islander end in its service?

The history of the boat was poorly documented between the years 1940-1958. What is known is that the Mowat Boat was owned by a George Offen, until once again it was sold, this time to a woman named Marion Mills. Mills began restoring the boat giving her the name Lake-ly. Although the vessel continued to be used for shipping purposes, significant changes were made in response to changing technologies. Mills converted her new boat to motor-power. In order to make room f...or the new motor, the Lake-ly underwent some physical changes, such as a strengthening and therefore re-designing of the boat’s hull. After 10 years of restoration and use, Mills was finally ready to sell Lake-ly. In 1968, the vessel was sold for $175 to Angus Mowat.

Grant MacDonald’s appointment as an official war artist was not unfostered; by the time of his enlistment in the Royal Canadian Navy in 1943, he had received critical acclaim for his drawings from institutions in London, New York and Montreal. Join the Marine Museum, Kingston Yacht Club, and Dr. Michelle Clarabut in Part III of our Autumn 2020 Nautical Nights Series, Through Grant’s Eyes, to learn more about Grant MacDonald, his experiences and his extraordinary collectio...n. Register for our virtual event happening December 9 at 7pm: https://www.canadahelps.org//mar/events/michelle-clarabut/ Looking forward to seeing you then! Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries & Historic Sites RMC Museum Kingston Yacht Club Visit Kingston

The Mowat Boat finally became property of the Marine Museum in 1989! In 2003, the Marine Museum diligently undertook an effort to restore the vessel to the Angus Mowat-era. A team of enthusiastic volunteers (Gordon Bales, Danny Brooks, Ivan DeRome, Gerald Gamble, and Ron Lees) undertook the project under the leadership of Peter Cobbett. The restoration project took from Spring to Autumn of 2003, and although there were many elements to replace, there were also several ori...ginal parts that were able to be reinstalled! It is thanks to the hard-work of the Mowat Boat’s several owners, and especially to the care of these volunteers, that the Marine Museum is able to display such a compelling part of local marine history!

Part II of our Autumn 2020 Mini Speaker Series continues tonight with guest Speaker Sherry Pringle. Join the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, the Kingston Yacht Club and guest speaker, historian and published author Sherry Pringle in an eye-opening discussion of the women who contributed to the Second World War. Centered around Pringle’s book ‘Extraordinary Women, Extraordinary Times,’ this discussion draws on the research and experiences of 60 women who became involved in... the Second World War on the Homefront, also including experiences of women who came to Canada after the war. Join us virtually on Zoom at 7pm to learn more about this incredible part of local history. It's not too late to register here: https://www.canadahelps.org//marine/events/sherry-pringle/ Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries & Historic Sites Visit Kingston RMC Museum Kingston yacht Sherry Pringle Author/Artist

This week’s #TriviaTuesday question for you is: What boat design was the original Mowat Boat inspired by? (Hint: named after narrow waterways in between Upper and Lower Michigan!) The Mowat Boat was not always referred to by this name. In fact, when it was first built in 1910 by fisherman Scott Hutcheson, the boat did not have a name at all. This was common for simple fishing vessels during this era, and often they would be recognised by physical characteristics instead o...f by name. This 28-foot wooden boat never ventured far from the waters near Prince Edward County. Hutcheson, born and raised in Barcovan Beach, could be considered an amateur boat builder who was simply building a boat he needed using locally-sourced cedar, pine, and oak. This was not the first boat he built and sources say that Hutcheson used what would become the Mowat Boat until it was sold in 1940.

A very big THANK YOU to Sherry Pringle for her wonderful presentation last evening on Kingston's WRENS. Some truly inspiring stories our local women. More information about Sherry's work is available on her website: https://sherrypringle.ca/ THANK YOU also to everyone who joined us for Part 2 of our #NauticalNights Autumn Mini-Series. We invite you to join us for Part 3 featuring Grant Macdonald on 9 December at 7pm. Register online to receive the link to the event: https://www.canadahelps.org//mar/events/michelle-clarabut/

While the world suffered through the madness of the Second World War, what was life like for the Canadian women of war? 'Extraordinary Women, Extraordinary Times' reveals previously unheard of personal accounts of courage, survival and endurance. Sixty Canadian women will mesmerize and beguile you with their heroism, contributions and suffering as they share firsthand accounts of ferrying planes, decoding top secret messages, fighting with the Polish Resistance, or surviving ...the hell of Auschwitz. Join us tomorrow at 7pm alongside our guest speaker Sherry Pringle to uncover the bravery and heroism displayed by women during the Second World War. Register now here! https://www.canadahelps.org//marine/events/sherry-pringle/ RMC Museum Kingston Yacht Club Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries & Historic Sites Sherry Pringle Author/Artist Visit Kingston

It was no coincidence that this vessel was named after its most recent owner, Angus Mowat. Mowat was 17 years-old at the time she was built in 1910. In fact, he remembered visiting the shore and watching Scott Hutcheson work away on the vessel and was enthralled by the work and craftsman ship Hutcheson dedicated to his boat. Taken on as a passion project, that soon turned into hours and weeks of labour, Angus Mowat decided to restore Mowat Boat to the best of his ability.... In his cabin near Harrowsmith, Ontario, Mowat worked for three years restoring the vessel, completed in 1971. As a tribute to the efforts of Hutcheson, Mowat only used hand-tools, despite the fact that electronic tools were readily available! Mowat named the boat Scott Hutcheson, and used it as a yacht until his passing in 1977.

This week, the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes is eager to showcase a unique vessel in our collection the Mowat Boat! Although the Mowat Boat’s time at the museum has only started in 1989, it has a very compelling history that began in 1910! Interestingly, the Mowat Boat is a vessel whose history started - and continued - not too far from Kingston. Originally built in near Trenton, much of the Mowat’s restorations took place in Brighton, Harrowsmith and Kingston. This w...eek’s #MondayChallenge encourages you to reflect on local history. Is there anything new have learned recently about your local community/Kingston? Interestingly, the Mowat Boat is a vessel whose history started - and continued - not too far from Kingston. Originally built in near Trenton, much of the Mowat’s restorations took place in Brighton, Harrowsmith and Kingston. Challenge yourself this Monday, and learn something new about the history of your community!