Identification & Site Information
•Vessel Name: Parthia
•Year of Build: 1896
•Official Number: 103641
•Built At: Garden Island, Ontario
•Vessel Type: Tug (Towboat)
•Hull Material: Wood
•Builder: A. Brian
•Original Owner: Dexter D. Calvin & Co., Garden Island, Ontario
Power
•Propulsion: Sidewheel
Hull Dimensions
•Length: 126.8 feet
•Beam: 38.3 feet
•Depth: 7.1 feet
•Gross Tonnage: 198 tons
•Net Tonnage: 84 tons
History & Final Disposition
The Parthia was built in 1896 as a sidewheel tugboat at Garden Island, Ontario, by A. Brian. The vessel was owned by Dexter D. Calvin & Co., a prominent shipping and shipbuilding firm based on Garden Island, which played a key role in Great Lakes maritime trade during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
By the early 20th century, the Parthia had outlived its usefulness. The vessel was abandoned and scrapped between 1914 and 1916. This was part of a broader trend during this period, as older wooden vessels were retired from service and replaced by more modern ships.
Final Disposition
•Date: c. 1914-1916
•How: Abandoned and scrapped at Garden Island
Notes
This information comes from the collection of C. Patrick Labadie, a notable maritime historian and collector who specialized in Great Lakes shipping and shipwrecks. The Parthia remains a part of the maritime heritage of Kingston and the Great Lakes region, reflecting the rise and fall of wooden steam-powered vessels in this important trade route
