SS Keewatin
Encyclopedia
Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario which amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Port Arthur was the district seat of Thunder Bay District.- History :...
/ Fort William
Fort William, Ontario
Fort William was a city in Northern Ontario, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. It amalgamated with Port Arthur and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Ever since then it has been the largest city in Northwestern...
and Port McNicoll
Port McNicoll, Ontario
Port McNicoll is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in the Simcoe County township of Tay.-Busy terminal:The community of Port McNicoll was established in 1908 as a Great Lakes port on the southern shores of Georgian Bay...
in Ontario, Canada. She carried passengers between these ports for the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
's Great Lakes Steamship Service. The Keewatin also carried packaged freight goods for the railway at these ports.
Built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited was a British shipbuilding company in the Govan area on the Clyde in Glasgow. Fairfields, as it is often known, was a major warship builder, turning out many vessels for the Royal Navy and other navies through the First World War and the...
in Scotland as Hull No. 453, the Keewatin was launched 6 July 1907 and entered service in the following year. She ran continuously for almost 60 seasons, being retired in 1966.
Like many passenger ships of that era on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, the Keewatin and sister ship SS Assiniboia operated under stringent regulations imposed for wooden cabin steamships following the SS Noronic
SS Noronic
The SS Noronic was a passenger ship that was destroyed by fire in Toronto Harbour in September 1949 with serious loss of life.-The ship:SS Noronic was launched June 2, 1913 in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada...
disaster in 1949. Doomed by their wooden cabins and superstructure, these overnight cruisers lasted through the decline of the passenger trade on the lakes in the post-war years. As passengers opted for more reliable and faster modes of travel, the Keewatin and her sister ship were withdrawn from the passenger trade in 1965, continuing in freight only service for another year.
The Keewatin was moved to Douglas, Michigan
Douglas, Michigan
Douglas is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,214 at the 2000 census...
in 1967 where she is moored in the Kalamazoo River
Kalamazoo River
The Kalamazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is long from the junction of its North and South branches to its mouth at Lake Michigan, with a total length extending to when one includes the South Branch...
near Blue Star Highway and serves as a museum ship acros the river from Saugatuck, Michigan
Saugatuck, Michigan
Saugatuck is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 925 at the 2010 census. The city is within Saugatuck Township, but is administratively autonomous....
.
Scheduled in 2012 to be moved to a Canadian port for restoration and permanent display.
Amenities
The S.S. Keewatin was a luxurious ship for its time. The ship boasted running water and electric lights. The ship had 105 staterooms on two decks. Seven deluxe suites had private baths. The dining room had gold leaf around the ceiling as did most of the public areas. In the Mens Lounge there are hand-carved oak paneling. The ballroom served many purposes other then being a dance area.Route
The Keewatin was originally designed to complete the link in the Canadian Pacific Railway's continental route. She served this purpose by linking the Railroad's Port McNicoll on Georgian bay and Fort William on Lake Superior. The ship took 2 days to make the trip each way, including half a day traversing the Soo.Specifications
| Length | 350 feet | Engine | 3,300 hp coal fired boiler | |
| Speed | 14 knots | Consumption | 20 tons of coal a day | |
| Crew | 86 | Displacement | 3,856 tons | |
| Passengers | 288 |
Museum Ship
After languishing for a few years, the SS Keewatin was bought by West Michigan entrepreneur Roland J Peterson Sr. The ship is now the Keewatin Maritime Museum, and is permanently docked in Douglas, MichiganDouglas, Michigan
Douglas is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,214 at the 2000 census...
. Visitors can see passenger staterooms, Captain's suite, quadruple expansion engine, coal bunkers, officers cabins and the bridge crew quarters, dining and lounge areas, food preparation areas and the wheelhouse.