The Keewatin

The KEEWATIN was built for the Canadian Pacific Railway, in Scotland at the same time as her sister ship ASSINIBOIA. They were to join three other smaller ships two of which were also built in Scotland on the Clyde in the town of GOVEN.  Delivered to the Great Lakes in 1907, this state of the art passenger/ freighter combined steamer was destined to make history. For over 50 years she served as a railway link, connecting the Georgian Bay and upper Lake Superior railheads. The older CPR ships, the Athabasca, the Alberta and the Manitoba were scrapped in the 1950′s. Assiniboia burned and sank on the East Coast of the United States while being converted into a restaurant in 1967. She is the last of the Classic Great Lakes Passenger Steamships still in existence. In fact, she is the last Edwardian passenger liner in the world·

• Keewatin sailed her maiden voyage from Greenock, September 14, 1907, arriving in Montreal, Canada, September 23, 1907.
• Separated into two sections in Quebec City for passage through the rapids above Montreal and the Welland Canal. Reunited at Buffalo, New York.
• Arrived Owen Sound Christmas day 1907
• Went into regular service between Owen Sound and Port Arthur & Fort William in Lake Superior on October 7, 1908.
• New depot facilities opened May 1 1912, shifting the Keewatin’s home to Port McNicoll, Ontario.
• Retired from service on November 29, 1965. and sold by Canadian Pacific for scrap
• Purchased by RJ Peterson of Douglas Michigan in January of 1967
• Left Port McNicoll June 23rd 1967 at 2 pm in the afternoon. Arrived in Lake Kalamazoo, Douglas Mi on June 27, 1967.
• Left Douglas Michigan Monday June 4 2012 at 11am. Arrived in Port McNicoll Saturday June 23 at 2 pm 2012.
• Officially opened to the public May 11, 2013.

Ship’s Details:

• Overall Length: 350 feet
• Beam: 43. 5 feet
• Depth: 26 ft. Draft: 16 feet
• Gross Tonnage: 3,856 tons
• Top Speed 16 knots
• Cruising Speed: 14 knots
• Passengers: 288 (berthed)
• Officers and Crew: 86
• Engines: quadruple expansion steam engines, with hand-stoked coal-fired Scottish boilers, producing 3,300 horsepower.