This is a large model of the laker the "E.B. Audrey Hall." By 1918, 182 meter (600 foot) lakers were the largest ships on the Great Lakes and became the standard for all Great Lakes fleets for the next 35 years. The real "E.B. Audrey Hall" was owned and operated by Hall Transportation Corp on the...

This model is a replica of the "Bluenose I" schooner which was originally built in Nova Scotia in 1921. The model was made by Ken Shepherd who came from Nova Scotia to find work in Welland during the 1930's. It is carved from a single block of wood. This model was purchased by H.H. Hilder, a...

The original "Bluenose" was captained by Angus Walters and sailed in a series of schooner races, beating the "Elsie" in 1921, the "Henry Ford" in 1922 and the "Gertrude L. Thebuad" in 1923, all American vessels from the famous Glouster shipyards near Boston. Her final race in 1938 was another...

Clippers were fast sailing ships of the 19th century. They were generally quite narrow and built mostly in British and American shipyards. They weren't well suited to carry large amounts of freight and were therefore primarily used for the transportation of low-volume, high-profit goods such as...

This passenger ship model is made of metal and is patterned after ships that were constructed by Cunard Line in the first half of the 20th century. Mr. J.R. Sidey had it made 60-70 years ago for display in his store. Cunard Line is a British cruise line that was founded by Canadian born Samuel...

This is a model of the Bangor-class minesweeper "HMCS Digby - J267" that served from 1942-1945 during World War II. It was built in 1943 by the donor, Capt. J.W. Sharpe, who was also the Commanding Officer of "HMCS Digby."

This ship is modelled after the Great Lakes freighter "The SS Edmund Fitzgerald", which was built in 1957, and shipwrecked in a storm on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. This shipwrecking is one of the most famous on the Great Lakes and was commemorated in Gordon Lightfoot's 1976 song "The...

This model is a representation of an English Man O' War, a type of armed vessel that could carry up to 124 guns. It was first developed in England during the 17th century. The model was constructed in 1986 from a kit by Charles Conner, the brother of the donor Patricia Conner. The four flags are...

Made in 1918 by a retired sailor at Sailors Snug Harbour, a home for retired sailors in Staten Island, N.Y., this model was donated by Mr. and Mrs. J. Walter. At the time of its donation it was the 23rd artifact to be donated to the Port Colborne Museum's collection which now numbers over 16,000.

This is a model of the wooden auxiliary schooner the "Gaspe Trader" which was originally built in 1918 by H.A. Ellis of Barachois, Quebec. Auxiliary sailing vessels are ships that are primarily powered by sail but also have engines that can be used when needed.

The "Golden Hind" was sailed by Francis Drake during a voyage that lasted from 1577-1580 and would make him the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. She was originally named "Pelican" but Sir Francis Drake renamed her mid-voyage in 1577. After the completion of the voyage, Queen Elizabeth...

This is a handcrafted model of a fishing ship. Commercial fishing began in the 1880's on the Great Lakes. Catches increased with the invention of more modern fishing equipment, but the golden days of commercial fishing were over by the late 1950's. The model was donated from the estate of Louisa...

This is a 7-foot scale model of "HMCS Haida" a World War II and Korean War veteran destroyer called the "Fightingest Ship" in the Royal Canadian Navy. The Haida was commissioned in August of 1943 and was retired after 20 years of service. She is now permanently berthed at Ontario Place in Toronto....

The "Halvemaen" was a ship of the Dutch East India Company. It was commissioned by the Dutch Republic in order to find an eastern passage to China, and was captained by Henry Hudson. Two replicas of this ship have been built, the first in 1909 by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the second in...

This model is a replica of "HMCS Humberstone," a Castle Class Corvette that served from during World War II from 1944-1945. For most of the war she served as an ocean escort in the Atlantic. It was constructed for the Museum by Joseph Vella of the "West Island Ship Modellers Club."

This is a large framed glass diorama of a Misener Ship Model. It was built in 1992 by the donor Gordon Conyou who worked for 22 years with Misener. The colourful, hand painted scene depicts a waterway in a mountainous rural area and a blue and white painted laker passing by. The ship was built in...

This is a wood painted model of the ship the "Northern Queen" that was donated by Beryl Pickersgill. It came from Mrs. Pickersgill's mother's side of the family's home in Goderich. Its restoration was completed on March 16, 1982.

This is a model of the Corvette "HMCS Orillia - K119" which served from 1940-1945 during World War II. It was built in 1944 by the donor, Capt. J.W. Sharpe, who was also the Commanding Officer of the "HMCS Orillia." The brass plaque inside of the case reads "HMCS Orillia 1944, Lt. J. Sharpe,...

This model is a replica of "HMCS Port Colborne," a River Class Frigate that served from 1943-1945 during World War II. Some of its duties during the war included operating in the English Channel during the invasion of Normandy, serving off the coasts of France and Gibraltar, and escorting merchant...

This is a model of a propeller powered ship that was handcrafted c. 1890 by P.J. Carr. With the start of widespread application of steam powered engines to ships in the early 19th century more ships began to move away from their traditional wind powered sails. Due to the poor design of early...

This model is a representation of the turn of the century Italian ocean liner the "Saturnia". The hull, masts, lifeboats and cabin are constructed of wood with metal railings. The smoke funnel and vents located on the top deck, bow of ship and stern are made of plastic. The rigging attached to...

This model is a representation of a schooner that sailed on the Great Lakes. Schooners have been in use for centuries having being first developed by the Dutch in the 16th or 17th century, and then being further refined in North America since the early 18th century. The model is currently on loan...

The "Sovereign of the Seas" was a 90-gun First Rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy. It was built by Charles I in 1635 in order to bolster the reputation of the English crown, and was completely destroyed in an accidental fire in 1697. This replica of "Sovereign of the Seas" was built...

This model is a representation of a 16th Century Spanish Galleon, a multi-decked sailing ship used for both war and trade. The model was constructed from a kit in 1986 by Charles Conner, the brother of the donor Patricia Conner. The three flags are made of paper, the rigging and anchor rope is...

This is a model of the ship "St. Helena" that was built by the donor Robert Humpage in 1976. The model was once operated by remote control. The actual "St. Helena" sailed on the Welland Canal. The model is made of wood, while string is used for the ropes. The anchors, chains and rope-winder are...

This model was purchased around 1980 by the donor Jim Gallant from a model builder in Goderich Ontario. The actual "Susan Hoey" was built at Grosse Ile, Michigan and was owned by the Gaelic Tugboat Company which had offices in the same area. The Hoey was built in 1952 and then rebuilt in 1985. Its...

This is a model of a tugboat that was handcrafted c. 1890 by P.J. Carr. Tugboats such as this have been operating on waterways for nearly 200 years. They are often used to maneuver large vessels that cannot safely move themselves in crowded harbours or canals, or to move ships that lack their own...

This model was donated by Miss Erie Carter. It had originally belonged to her father DeWitt Carter who bought it second hand and had it restored approximately 65-70 years ago. It is a model of a warship that was constructed of bone by a French prisoner-of-war during the Napoleonic Wars. Bone...

This is a model of a Welsh salmon fishing boat called a "coracle." "Coracles" are designed to sail on fast flowing rivers and are usually made of a framework of split and interwoven willow rods tied with willow bark. They have been used for centuries being first noted by Julius Caesar in 55 BC...

This is a model of the ship "MS Nedlloyd Rouen" that was made in 1990 by the donor Ted Koszucki. The "Nedlloyd Rouen" was a container ship based out of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The deck of the model is covered with containers which would have been unloaded directly onto tractor-trailers. Real...

This model originally belonged to the Merritt Family. Merritt was the family name of the donor's mother. The Merritts were farmers at Attercliff, near Dunnville. The model was kept on the mantelpiece at the farm and was donated by Ross Bartlett.

The "John A. Kling" was a self-unloader which could carry most types of dry bulk cargo such as coal, gravel, etc. It was built in 1922 by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company of Wisconsin. The "Kling" was owned by Reiss Steamship Company, and was named for Mr. John Adam Kling, who consolidated four...

This pair of large Shadowboxes depicts the sailing ships the "Sun Rise" & the "Sun Set". They underwent conservation treatment by conservators at the Ministry of Citizenship & Culture Conservation Facilities in 1985. These shadowboxes were donated by Miss Erie Carter, who was the daughter of...

The building of model ships is a rather old tradition that has been practiced for over 4000 years. However, the art of bottled ship making began much more recently due to the poor quality of early bottles. The first bottled ships began to be seen around 1850, and they have remained a popular...

Kept from 1809 to 1816, this brown suede-covered journal with gold lettering on the spine, provides insight into the daily lives of early Upper Canadian settlers. James Macklem (1759-1838), a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1789. By 1795, he arrived at Chippawa, on...

30 May 1813 A Proclamation dated 30 May, 1813 by Lt. Col. James P. Preston of the invading American Army upon the taking of Fort Erie during the War of 1812. He warns Canadian residents to resist taking up arms against him. He also invites the residents to voluntarily sign their names to a parole,which will...

The brown, hard covered Graybiel ledger, with handwritten ink entries from 1791 to the mid 1800s, is believed to have originated in Pennsylvania with the Graybiel Family and ended in the Niagara Peninsula with John Graybiel Jr. (b.1809) According to the ledger, John Graybiel Sr. (1752-1801), took...

1875 An oil painting of Gravelly Bay and Sugarloaf Hill in Port Colborne. It is most likely a view taken from near Tennessee Avenue and Steele Street. The War of 1812 Veteran "Big John Steele", John Steele's log Tavern Inn, built 1824, is in the forground and Christian Zavitz's log home is located at...

c. 1812 These five musket balls were found on Nickel beach at a home on Lakeshore Road East, Port Colborne Ontario. It is believed that during the War of 1812 many military stores and munitions were secreted or buried in haste to prevent their seizure by advancing American troops. This would most likely...

c. 1812 Two cannonballs, one smaller and lopsided was found in a backyard on Catharine Street in Port Colborne and the other larger one was found elsewhere in the city. It is believed that military stores and munitions were often kept in the Sugar Loaf area and would be quickly buried or secreted to...