The Lakeside was no ordinary vessel. Born in 1888 as an excursion steamer and transformed into a hardworking tugboat later in life, this wooden propeller-driven ship lived a life as colorful as the waters it traversed. From the bustling shores of Detroit to the turbulent waves of Lake Ontario, the Lakeside (also known later as the Joseph L. Russell) embodied both the romance of early steam navigation and the grittier demands of working vessels.
But like many storied ships, the Lakeside ended her journey in tragedy, foundering in a storm near Cobourg, Ontario in 1929. Let’s dive into the fascinating life of this ship and how it found its final resting place beneath the waters of Lake Ontario.
Built for Fun: The Excursion Steamer Lakeside
The Lakeside was built in Windsor, Ontario in 1888 by William Lane, commissioned by the Lakeside Navigation Co. of Walkerville. She was originally an excursion vessel, designed to carry passengers on pleasant trips across the lakes. With a length of 121 feet, a beam of 26 feet, and a depth of 9.3 feet, she was a sturdy ship, but it was her distinctive and melodious two-part whistle that made her a true standout. That whistle, in fact, was so iconic that it’s now housed at the Marine Museum of Upper Canada in Toronto—a tribute to a bygone era of lake travel.
The Lakeside was powered by a screw propeller, with an engine built by Kerr Brothers of Walkerville, capable of producing 240 horsepower at 100 rpm. This gave her the ability to smoothly glide from city to city, providing excursions from Detroit to Cleveland and, later, from Toronto to Port Dalhousie, offering passengers scenic views and a bit of leisure as they traveled across the water.
Rise and Fall of a Tourist Favorite
In the late 19th century, the Lakeside was the darling of the excursion trade. By 1889, she was running regular routes between Toronto and Port Dalhousie, providing easy access to the increasingly popular Niagara region. For a time, the Lakeside was owned by the Niagara, St. Catharine & Toronto Navigation Co., reflecting her importance in linking tourists to some of Ontario’s most scenic spots.
However, despite her early success, the Lakeside encountered her share of challenges. In 1905, she sank at dock in Port Dalhousie—not the most glamorous incident for a vessel that had once been synonymous with leisure. But the Lakeside wasn’t done just yet. After repairs and some downtime, she continued her service, albeit in a more rugged form.
The Transition to Tugboat: Enter the Joseph L. Russell
By 1920, after decades of serving as an excursion vessel, the Lakeside was repurposed in Toronto’s Keating Channel as a tugboat. With a complete rebuild and a new name—Joseph L. Russell—the ship’s leisurely days were over. Tugboats are the workhorses of the waterways, and this ship took on the role of towing and assisting other vessels.
Under the ownership of John E. Russell, the Lakeside transformed from a pleasure craft into a tough, hardworking vessel. The rebuild gave her new dimensions: 118.4 feet long with a 25.9-foot beam, and a new 9’ x 14’2” firebox boiler from Bertram Engine Works in Toronto. The days of carrying tourists were over; the Joseph L. Russell had become an integral part of shipping and transportation in the Great Lakes.
The Final Voyage: Foundering in a Gale
Like many ships before her, the Lakeside—now Joseph L. Russell—met her end in the cold waters of Lake Ontario. On November 15, 1929, she set out from Montreal bound for Toronto, towing the barge Augustus. It was a routine job for a seasoned tug, but fate had other plans.
Caught in a violent gale off Point Peter, the Joseph L. Russell found herself in peril. Despite the crew’s best efforts, the ship foundered, sinking beneath the waves. Fortunately, the crew was rescued by the steamer S.S. Glenella, but the Lakeside was lost forever.
The sinking wasn’t entirely unexpected for a wooden vessel operating in such treacherous waters. By 1929, the era of wooden steamers was largely over, and the Lakeside was among the last of her kind still in operation. But even as she went down, her legacy lived on in the whistle, now on display at the Marine Museum of Upper Canada.
Spike’s Take on the Lakeside
You can almost hear Spike, the all-knowing observer of lake life, chuckle at the story of the Lakeside. “A pleasure boat turned tough tug?” Spike would say with a grin. “Now that’s a ship that knew how to roll with the punches.” After all, Spike’s seen more than his fair share of ships that couldn’t adapt. But the Lakeside? She transformed not once but twice—first from a gleaming passenger steamer into a weathered tug and then into a legend of Lake Ontario.
He’d also point out the wisdom of having a good whistle. “If you can’t outrun the storm, you might as well go down with style and a tune in the air.”
Legacy of the Lakeside
Though she now lies at the bottom of Lake Ontario, the story of the Lakeside lives on in the memories of those who sailed on her, worked with her, and now dive to explore her remains. The ship’s journey from an excursion steamer to a tugboat and, finally, to a tragic shipwreck is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of Great Lakes vessels.
The Lakeside’s transformation throughout her life—from leisurely lake excursions to towing heavy barges—mirrors the broader changes in Great Lakes shipping as the golden age of sail gave way to more practical, workhorse vessels. But even as her final moments saw her lost to the waves, the Lakeside remains a symbol of an era when ships were built for both beauty and utility.
Final Resting Place
The Lakeside foundered off Point Peter, near Cobourg, Ontario, on November 15, 1929. The site of her wreck has become a point of interest for divers and historians alike, though she rests in a deep part of Lake Ontario. The Lakeside’s whistle, preserved at the Marine Museum of Upper Canada, is a reminder of the melodious sound that once signaled her passage through the waters of Detroit, Toronto, and beyond.
In Conclusion
The Lakeside might be gone, but her story is far from over. Whether you’re fascinated by the elegant excursions she once offered or intrigued by her gritty years as a tugboat, there’s no denying that the Lakeside was a ship of many lives. Now, resting beneath the waters of Lake Ontario, she remains a lasting symbol of the Great Lakes’ rich maritime heritage—proving that a ship’s true legacy doesn’t sink when it goes down.
