This photograph shows the Howard M. Hanna Jr. at Collingwood’s town dock in September, 1914.
This vessel was ordered by the Richardson Transportation Company and was built in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1908. On April 28, 1908, the 480-foot vessel was officially launched. During November in 1913, a huge storm swept through the Great Lakes, sinking at least 12 ships and damaging at least 30 more.
The Howard M. Hanna Jr. was in Lake Huron at the time of the storm, and was greatly damaged. The ship was towed to Collingwood and arrived on August 21, 1914. It suffered smashed windows, a cracked hull, and water damage. All were repaired by the Collingwood Shipbuilding and Engineering Company and the Howard M. Hanna Jr. was able to resume service in 1915.
The ship underwent many ownership and name changes throughout its life span. After it was fixed, the Howard M Hanna Jr. joined the Great Lakes Transit Company and was renamed Glenshee by James Playfair. It was then transferred to Canada Steamship Lines and was renamed Marquette in 1926. The name was changed again to Goderich in the following spring. After almost 40 years, Goderich was bought by The Algoma Central and Hudson Bay Railway Company in 1963, and was named Agawa. Five years later, in 1968, the vessel was sold to the Goderich Elevator Company for use as a storage barge. It worked there for 15 more years under the name Lionel Parsons. After 75 years of service, Lionel Parsons, was pulled to Thunder Bay where it was scrapped on June 3, 1983.
Remember This is a weekly series of historic photographs submitted by the Collingwood Museum to CollingwoodToday.ca. These photographs were originally collected and documented by the Huron Institute in an historical catalogue entitled Huron Institute Paper and Records: Volume III. Much of Collingwood’s early history has been preserved due to the dedication and foresight of the early museum’s founders, namely its secretary-curator David Williams, upon its establishment in 1904.
