Looking for information on an lot town I just was given

[Joelloyd]

The Old town serial # is 135502 16 and also has the name Nelsen stamped on one of the ribs, my uncle gave the canoe to me yesterday and I drove it from Winchester Wi. To St. Louis Mo. He said he bought it in 1956 from a man who had been using it for some years. Any and all information would be greatly appreciated as I intend on restoring the old town to as close to original condition as possible.
Thanks, Joe

 

[Dave Osborn]

Hi Joe....
Can't tell you much about your canoe, but I can tell you that I bought a canoe in Winchester just this morning! You are in luck in St. Louis, as members Wally Hauck and John Strasser live there and will be able to be a resource for you.

 

[Joelloyd]

Hi Joe....
Can't tell you much about your canoe, but I can tell you that I bought a canoe in Winchester just this morning! You are in luck in St. Louis, as members Wally Hauck and John Strasser live there and will be able to be a resource for you.

Wow it certainly is a small world! Winchester Wi. Is not very big on the map but must have a great canoe population, do these st. Louisans have old towns? Thx for the reply, Joe

 

[Benson Gray]

The Old Town canoe with serial number 135502 is a 16 foot long, CS (Common Sense) grade, Yankee model with open spruce gunwales, ash decks, ash thwarts, ash seats, half ribs, a keel, outside stems, and a bang plate along the full length of the keel. It was built between May and July, 1942. The original exterior paint color was dark red. It was shipped on July 16th, 1942 to East Haddam, Connecticut. A scan of this build record can be found by following the link at the attached thumbnail image below.

This scan and several hundred thousand others 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/ot_records/ if you want more details. I hope that you will join or renew your membership to the WCHA so that services like this can continue. See http://www.wcha.org/about-the-wcha/ to learn more about the WCHA and http://store.wcha.org/WCHA-New-Membership.html to join.

It is also possible that they could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. The messages at http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=2842 and http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?7032 describe two other similar canoes that shipped to the same location. There is no mention of anyone named "Nelsen" on the build record. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.

Benson

 

[Walter Hauck]

HI Joe, Come by the studio sometime or give me a call 314 421 9966. I have a 1940 16 feet Old Town CS Yankee I'm working on right now. Trying to get it ready to take down on the Eleven Point by the end of the month and look for some trout. My studio is down town just north of the Landing on Broadway. Hope you give me a call. Wally