TEMAGAMI CANOE COMPANY

Wood-canvas canoe builder

Photo: old canoe shop of Temagami Canoe Company

               Winter photo

Temagami Canoe Company, located in the village of Temagami, is Canada's second oldest canoe builder.* It is dedicated to wood-canvas canoe construction.

Although it says on the building facade that it was established in 1929, it was actually started in 1928 by William "Bill" Ernest Smith. The following year it became a business partnership with the addition of Henry Black, a Chicago freight agent with the Pennsylvania Railroad. They signed the papers on October 10, 18 days before the crash on Black Monday.

The company was bought by Steve and John Kilbridge in 1978 from Smith. Today it is operated by John. The old shop (left) was built in 1931. It still contains the old boiler for generating steam to run the saws and soften the ribs for bending.

Contact John Kilbridge at 705-569-3777 or canoes@onlink.net.

Photo: Temagami Canoe Company logo

Photo: Temagami Canoe Company logo

Company logo since 1985, as used for the brass deck plate on each canoe.

Original logo created in the 1930s and discontinued about 1985.

* Canada's oldest canoe builder operating today is Miller Canoes of Nictau, New Brunswick, founded in 1925.

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