Other Names
- SEAMAN
History
The CITY OF MEAFORD, originally built as the steamer SEAMAN, was a wooden propeller vessel that operated as a passenger and package freight “coaster” on the Great Lakes. It was constructed in 1906 by L. Chisholm in Meaford, Ontario. The ship had dimensions of 111 feet in length, 24 feet in width, and 9 feet in depth, with a gross tonnage of 328.
In 1907, the SEAMAN was renamed CITY OF MEAFORD. It was initially owned by J. Perkes & Son and later transferred to the Collingwood Steamship Co. in 1917. The vessel was licensed to carry up to 128 passengers in 1914.
Tragically, on May 18, 1919, the CITY OF MEAFORD was destroyed by a fire while docked at Collingwood, Ontario, in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. The exact details regarding the loss of life and the cargo being carried at the time are not available. The following year, the remains of the ship were dismantled.
The SEAMAN/CITY OF MEAFORD was a significant vessel in the Great Lakes region, serving as a transportation link for passengers and freight. Its loss due to fire represents a somber chapter in the maritime history of Collingwood and the broader Georgian Bay area.
