Jeffrey Townsend
New Member
I recently acquired an Old Town Canoe with the number 119001 16 serial number. I'm assuming the 16 stands for 16' but can anyone provide any additional information about it? Thank you
16' Old Town Canoe 119001 16 information
- Thread starter Jeffrey Townsend
- Start date
Welcome and congratulations, the Old Town with serial number 119001 is a 16 foot long, CS (Common Sense or middle) grade, square stern model with red western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, a keel, outside stems, and a floor rack. It was built between September, 1936 and May, 1937. The exterior paint color was dark green with tropical green. It was shipped on June 4th, 1937 to Seminole, Oklahoma. A scan showing this build record can be found below.
This scan 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 https://www.woodencanoe.org/about to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/shop to donate or join.
It is possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
This scan 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 https://www.woodencanoe.org/about to learn more about the WCHA and https://www.woodencanoe.org/shop to donate or join.
It is possible that you could have another number or manufacturer if this description doesn't match your canoe. Feel free to reply here if you have any other questions.
Benson
Jeffrey Townsend
New Member
Thank you Benson although one of the digits is really hard to read. It is definitely not a square stern, I believe it might be 119091. Do you have the information on that model? I'm sorry and thank you.
The Old Town canoe with serial number 119091 is a 16 foot long, CS (Common Sense or middle) grade, HW model with red western cedar planking, open spruce gunwales, oak decks, oak thwarts, oak seats, a keel, and sponsons. It was built between September, 1936 and February, 1937. The original exterior paint color was bright red. It shipped on March 6th, 1937 to New York City. A scan of this build record can be found below.
The information at https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/791/ may help if some of the digits are hard to read. Please attach pictures of the serial numbers from each end if this description doesn't match your canoe. Thanks,
Benson
The information at https://www.wcha.org/forums/index.php?threads/791/ may help if some of the digits are hard to read. Please attach pictures of the serial numbers from each end if this description doesn't match your canoe. Thanks,
Benson
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Jeffrey Townsend
New Member
Thank you, that sounds a lot more like it. I am unsure of the color as obviously that could have been changed. I'll work on the number with a mild stripper tomorrow to remove some of the heavy varnish and see if I can indeed verify the 9. Thank you very much for your help.
Nick Dennis
WCHA UK
Benson I am intrigued by the had written annotations against keel, sponsons and railed. All appear names of French origins rather than Tom, Dick & Harry. Any clues? Was that the name of the person who fitted them?
Thanks,
Nick
Thanks,
Nick
Yes, this was during the era when piece work was just starting to be phased out so money was often associated with who did what. French names are not unusual since Maine has a huge population of French Canadians. Many of the children in my classes at Old Town's elementary school spoke English as a second language. See https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/ne_findingaids/36/ and https://www.amazon.com/Nos-Histoires-lIle-History-Memories/dp/B000M08B6S for more details on this topic. Let me know if this doesn't answer your question,
Benson
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MGC
Scrapmaker
The history of the Acadians is not as well known as it should be.
As Benson notes, the state of Maine has more than it's share of FC's as do many other New England states. I always scan the build sheets to see the names with French Canadian ties.
FC's are also found in the deep South. Louisiana Cajun culture is in part attributable to re-settled Acadians.
Le Grand Dérangement (the Great Expulsion) amounted to an ethnic cleansing of the Acadian region.
As Benson notes, the state of Maine has more than it's share of FC's as do many other New England states. I always scan the build sheets to see the names with French Canadian ties.
FC's are also found in the deep South. Louisiana Cajun culture is in part attributable to re-settled Acadians.
Le Grand Dérangement (the Great Expulsion) amounted to an ethnic cleansing of the Acadian region.
Nick Dennis
WCHA UK
Merci Benson!
