Inner Harbor Hulks #

Within the vicinity of the Woolen Mill, Canadian Dredge & Dock, and Normandy Hall lie the remnants of Kingston’s Inner Harbor, a place steeped in maritime history. The Cataraqui River, with its leisurely flow, has long served as a natural waterway for trade and travel. This Inner Harbor, an offshoot of Lake Ontario, stretches nearly five miles north to Highway 401 and is a vital part of the Rideau Canal, connecting Kingston to Ottawa. Over 930 square kilometers of rugged Canadian Shield terrain drain into Lake Ontario through the Inner Harbor, creating a unique estuarine environment where sediment from upstream mingles with the lake’s inlet.

The excavation of Normandy Hall in 1953 uncovered the skeletal remains of four vessels. Initially believed to be French ships from the 1758 capture of Fort Frontenac, closer inspection revealed them to be abandoned barges resting in shallow waters north of the Tete-du-Pont Barracks. Calls to remove these eyesores date as far back as 1861, with Kingstonians of the era describing them using terms like “Asiatic cholera” and “malarious exhalation,” emphasizing their hazardous nature. The Cataraqui Prow sits in the Marine Museum of Great Lakes.

Throughout the late 19th century, additional hulks began accumulating near the Cotton Mill, including the schooner BELLE. The coal miner strike of 1902 led to the intentional grounding of eight hulks near the Cotton Mill, later known as the Woolen Mill. These vessels were stripped for firewood, including the steamer INDIAN and the converted sidewheel-steamer turned-barge, CITY OF KINGSTON.

The Kingston & Pembroke established two pile-wharves, extending into the harbor, to facilitate mineral transfers from northern mines to ships. However, these pile-wharves deteriorated by the turn of the century. Although no formal ship graveyard existed in Kingston, some vessels were scuttled in Lake Ontario off Amherst Island and near Nine-Mile Point. Others only made it as far as the Inner Harbor, where, by 1910, numerous skiffs, yachts, and steamers, some up to 50 years old, were abandoned.

In 1911, the ambitious idea of creating a Foot-of-the-Lakes Terminal was proposed to elevate Kingston’s status among lake ports. To achieve this, substantial government funding was sought to dredge the Inner Harbor to a depth of 22 feet, connect Belle Island to the mainland with dredged sludge, and replace the Cataraqui Penny Bridge. However, the project faced numerous obstacles, and despite a $1.8 million plan, it never materialized.

By 1923, City Council faced the challenge of dealing with up to 40 hulks before any ambitious terminal project could progress. The Canadian Pacific Railway agreed to remove the pile-wharves in 1929, hoping to make the Inner Harbor a prime winter lay-up site for lake vessels. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, some vessels were towed to lake graveyards and sunk, while others remained susceptible to arson if left in place.

Several smaller hulks remained near the shore, gradually succumbing to rot in the silty harbor waters, possibly serving as pier extensions or breakwaters. In the 1950s, newer floating hulks accumulated near Canadian Dredge & Dock, including the coal barge THERESA T., government tender CONCRETIA, and the CD&D barge C.D.110, formerly the steamer RAPIDS QUEEN.

The completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway brought a flurry of activity to CD&D, but Kingston’s standing as a port dwindled after its construction. CD&D’s surplus fleet became an eyesore in the harbor.

In 1994, an archaeological and historical study funded by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, led by Jonathan Moore and managed by Maurice Smith, charted the remains of 14 vessels. Only three were identified: barge GLENGARRY, barge CHICAGO, and coal-schooner ABBIE L. ANDREWS. Today, weed growth, landfill, sediment, and shallow depths make many of these hulks inaccessible, rendering them invisible relics of Kingston’s maritime past. What was once seen as eyesores and hazards is now viewed with intrigue, curiosity, and melancholy nostalgia, serving as mysterious reminders of Kingston’s marine history.