The Old Town canoe with serial number 128794 is a 16 foot long, AA grade, Otca model with open mahogany gunwales, mahogany decks, mahogany thwarts, mahogany seats, a keel, and a floor rack. It was built between January and May, 1940. The original exterior paint color was a dark red. It shipped on July 10th, 1940 to Rochester, New York. The back side of the card indicates that the paint had peeled and references a letter from August 7th, 1940. Replacement refinishing materials were sent on October 26th, 1940. Scans showing both sides of this build record can be found by following the links at the attached thumbnail images below.
These scans and several hundred thousand more were created with substantial grants from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association (WCHA) and others. A description of the project to preserve these records is available at
http://www.wcha.org/catalogs/old-town/records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will donate, join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See
http://www.wcha.org/about-wcha to learn more about the WCHA and
http://www.wcha.org/store/membership to join.
It is also possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Canoes with a long family connection are extra special. These canoes were built to be used so I would encourage you to take it out on the water. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
