It’s Wayback Wednesday, sponsored by Jamie Lockwood, broker/owner of Sutton Group Muskoka Realty!
The SS Bigwin is one of the few remaining steamers plying the waters in Muskoka.
A small ship, just 66-feet long, the Bigwin joined the Huntsville & Lake of Bays Navigation Company in 1925 when she was purchased from a private owner.
A few years into her service, she was transferred to the Bigwin Island Boat Livery, ferrying guests to Bigwin Island Resort. But with the later decline of the resort, she was neglected and for many years sat submerged in her slip at the Inn.
A huge fundraising and restoration effort by Lake of Bays cottagers, residents and organizations, brought her back to life. They were able to purchase the ship in 1991 and later, with the help of the fire department, raised and floated her to dry dock at South Portage. Restoration began in 2002.
In 2004, the Lake of Bays Marine Museum and Navigation Society purchased property in Dorset where restoration continued.
In July 2013, she was relaunched into service.
In this 1944 image, the SS Bigwin is picking up passengers at Glenmount on Lake of Bays.
Photo courtesy of CN Images of Canada Collection. Details from ssbigwin.com.
See more Wayback Wednesday photos here.
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