City of Medicine Hat (sternwheeler)
Encyclopedia
The City of Medicine Hat was a paddle steamer
sternwheeler that worked on the Saskatchewan River in Medicine Hat, AB and Saskatchewan
, Canada from 1907 until its final and ill-fated voyage in June, 1908.
in full spring flood. Unfortunately, the high water concealed telegraph wires just beneath the surface, which became entangled in the ship's rudder, rendering the steering the vessel impossible. The ship foundered and struck the south-most pier of the newly constructed Traffic Bridge. The crew and passengers were able to escape the sinking ship and no casualties were reported. However, the City of Medicine Hat was ruled a total loss.
in Saskatoon, SK.
This discovery led to a full-scale, five-day underwater excavation, which was conducted from September 8 to 12, 2008. A number of artifacts were uncovered from the water.
Peel, Bruce Braden (1972). Steamboats on the Saskatchewan. Western Producer. ISBN 0919306314
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
sternwheeler that worked on the Saskatchewan River in Medicine Hat, AB and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada from 1907 until its final and ill-fated voyage in June, 1908.
History
Designed by her Captain, Horatio Hamilton Ross, the City of Medicine Hat was built over the winter of 1906/07. Ross and his investors raised $28,000 in order to construct the ship, which was outfitted with oak and brass, an ornate music box, and a number of amenities. The ship was christened and launched in the spring of 1907 and embarked on pleasure cruises and shipping ventures throughout the season.Captain Horatio Hamilton Ross
The City of Medicine Hat was the third sternwheeler built by Scottish nobleman Horatio Hamilton Ross. Ross came to Canada in the late 19th century and established a steam-shipping empire across the prairies.Final Voyage
In the spring of 1908, Ross decided to sail the City of Medicine Hat from Medicine Hat, AB to Winnipeg, MB, with a number of friends and crew onboard. Having reached the small community of Saskatoon, SK on June 7, Ross attempted to navigate the ship safely through the rail bridges that spanned a South Saskatchewan RiverSouth Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan....
in full spring flood. Unfortunately, the high water concealed telegraph wires just beneath the surface, which became entangled in the ship's rudder, rendering the steering the vessel impossible. The ship foundered and struck the south-most pier of the newly constructed Traffic Bridge. The crew and passengers were able to escape the sinking ship and no casualties were reported. However, the City of Medicine Hat was ruled a total loss.
Archeological Project
In 2006, Saskatoon Fire and Protective Services divers discovered a large kedge anchor during a routine training dive. The anchor, presumed to be from the City of Medicine Hat due to its exact likeness to the ship's anchors seen in photographs, was conserved and is now on display beneath the Traffic Bridge at River LandingRiver Landing
River Landing is an ongoing redevelopment district in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan that will create a commercial/cultural development along the bank of the South Saskatchewan River in downtown Saskatoon.River Landing is divided into two phases...
in Saskatoon, SK.
This discovery led to a full-scale, five-day underwater excavation, which was conducted from September 8 to 12, 2008. A number of artifacts were uncovered from the water.
Documentary
A film crew consisting of director Leanne Schinkel, producer Nils Sorensen, and editor Corby Evenson recorded the entire excavation for a feature-length documentary entitled The Last Steamship: The Search for the SS City of Medicine Hat. The film was released on September 3, 2010.Further reading
Barris, Theodore (1977). Fire Canoe: Prairie Steamboat Days Revisited. McClelland and Stewart. ISBN 0771010257Peel, Bruce Braden (1972). Steamboats on the Saskatchewan. Western Producer. ISBN 0919306314
External links
- The Last Steamship: The Search for the SS City of Medicine Hat, Documentary website
- The (Second) Golden Era of Steamboats on the South Saskatchewan, Esplanade Archives Times Interactive Exhibitions