Bill Conrad kindly shared a microfilm with 22 issues of the Charles River Canoeist from 1901. These offer some interesting insights about how popular canoes were in this area at that time. About 30,000 people would visit Norumbega Park on a peak day and there were an estimated 5000 canoes housed in that area. J. R. Robertson and Waltham had large advertisements along with Spaulding & St. Lawrence from New York and for "The Spinney Pole." The classifieds mention Robertson, Gerrish, and Nutting canoes along with a help wanted advertisement from the Mather Launch & Canoe Co. for "Five or six A1 canvas canoe builders." The articles included a mention that "the canoes this year are painted in a great variety of colorings" along with a description of the Hurry Scurry race format and some glowing comments about C. B. Robertson (although I might not have bragged about nearly drowning three times). Fun stuff,
Benson

Benson









