Photos of Old Niagara

The Town of Niagara or Niagara-on-the-Lake has a rich and varied history steeped with mystery and intrigue.

However the only intrigue here is to enjoy the photos and perhaps you may see yourself or a relative and wish to comment. (:-)

All of these photos are from the collection of James Smith, a Niagara native.

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Thursday 12 January 2012



I have to start some where, so here is a message to myself with my best picture of the Toronto to Niagara steamer S.S.Cayuga. She ran from 1909 to 1957. -Jim


Charles: Here is the amazing thing Jim. We did not own a car since my Dad, C W Pedley was blind and Mom had never learned to drive. 


We were moving to Niagara in August, 1957! Dad happened to notice an ad for the Cayuga in Toronto and instead of taking a train or bus, we thought it would be fun to take the Cayuga! It was! We saw NOTL for the first time from the Cayuga!




 When we arrived at the dock, all kinds of kids were in the water waiting for passengers to throw coins in the water. They would dive for them before they got too far down and make spending money! Some of those kids I then went to Niagara District Secondary School with that September.


The current was strong compared to the lakes in Eastern Ontario where I had lived but that year I learned to cope with the current and swim off the Cayuga dock at least when it was not in port. I believe she ran a few more times that year and that was it.


So what a privilege to ride on one of the last cruises of the Cayuga! My mother, Lilian Pedley, says it was the LAST, but being 93 and me, such a youngster at only 68, in 2011-12, I think I am right and it ran til the end of the season. [Any other thoughts about this, anyone?]


Does anyone else remember the Cayuga? I bet a Google search might turn up some more info or photos.


Thanks Jim for this fantastic memory!
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3 comments:

  1. ledenby12 January 2012 at 14:59

    What a beauty she was. I'm sad that I have only seen her in pictures.
    Paul

    ReplyDelete
  2. jessie12 January 2012 at 16:44

    i do agree she is a beauty

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous8 July 2012 at 10:33

    Yeh, I remember. She would slow down when entering the mouth of the Niagara River and the gang that hung out at the "Shack" would relish in jumping into the large waves from her bow wake.
    I was one of those kids diving for money. We younger kids were relegated to the stern of the Cayuga where we (kind of) apprenticed before being allowed to move to the bow area where the real money was to be had. You also had to stand up to the older guys, who didn't like sharing their booty with young upstarts. I remember Irwin Bonet(?) stood up for me also (have always been grateful), and I was reluctantly allowed to join the bow divers; although they still wouldn't allow me to be part of the group that hung out in the tree house of the old willow tree near the entrance to the marina.
    All that is now water under the bridge, so to speak.

    ReplyDelete

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