Detroit Boat Company

[Kathryn Klos]

Denis and I spent a few hours researching in the Burton Collection of the Detroit Historical Society, and learned that the Detroit Boat Company began business in 1906 and went out of business in 1916. There are a few more leads we need to follow, and we'll pass along what we find.

Also looked into Charles J. Molitor, and found some answers-- most of which led to more questions--- which may turn up interesting information. It looks like he gave up his canoe livery business within a couple years of the fire that destroyed the BN Morris factory, despite his subsequent involvement with Old Town Canoe.

Friday, Denis and I will check out Belle Isle... unless, like today, it's raining buckets.

Hysterical for things historical--
Kathy

 

[Dan Miller]

You didn't happen to come across anything about Detroit Boat Works while there, did you?

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Detroit Boat Works and Detroit Canoe and Oar

Hi Dan--

I'll give you what we've found so far. There were some things we found in the card file that have to be sent from another place in the library, and we didn't have time to wait for that. They have something on Detroit Boat Works (an article of some sort) in "Detroit of Today" circa 1893 that should be interesting. The other thing we hope to see is "Detroit Boat Works-- Brief History" circa 1892. But we won't have the opportunity on this visit to follow up on these leads because the library is closed for the holiday on Friday too, not open on weekends, and we have to head north on Sunday.

Looking through the city directories:

1900 Detroit Boat Works doesn't list canoes as one of the boats they offer. Their address is listed simply as "south Jefferson near Belle Isle Bridge." I hope to follow up on that address more exactly, to determine how close that would come either to the location of the Detroit Boat Company, or to where CJ Molitor eventually had his canoe livery.

Detroit Boat Company's address was 1250 Jefferson (in 1906) and the Molitor Canoe House, described as being on Jefferson near the Belle Isle Bridge, was at 1472 Jefferson (in the rear of a penny arcade).

1901 Detroit Boat Works-- lists Frank E. Kirk as president.
1902 Detroit Boat Works isn't listed.

We found Detroit Canoe and Oar Works listed in 1901 at 140-43 Benton, with Jasper N. Dodge as president. By 1905 there was no listing for Detroit Canoe and Oar, but Dodge was listed as president when checking his name in the second half of the directory. I've noticed that sometimes a person's profession will stay the same in these reverse-directories, unless it is given updated information. But Detroit Canoe and Oar reappears in the 1906 directory, still with Mr. Dodge at the helm. By 1906 the Detroit Canoe and Oar listing disappears again, but is listed as Dodge's place of employment. By 1908, Dodge is listed as a "canoe maker" with no company affiliation, and by 1909 he is gone.

I plan to follow-up on whether the Detroit Boat Works building was later inhabited by Detroit Canoe Company... the officers aren't the same, so one didn't morph into the other but perhaps one sold out to the other.

Would also be interesting to know if Jasper Dodge went to work for anyone we know.

Does this information fit with what you know, Dan?

Happy Thanksgiving!
Kathy