Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Miss Simcoe
- Type: double-deck wooden screw ferry
- Year Built:
- Builder:
- Dimensions:
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Off Sunnyside Beach, Lake Ontario
- Original Owners: Toronto Ferry Company, later TTC
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Miss Simcoe was a double-deck wooden screw ferry that operated in Toronto’s ferry system.
Description
Miss Simcoe was decommissioned after an inspection in 1929, deemed unfit for continued use. The ferry was part of a fleet operated by the Toronto Ferry Company, later known as the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).
History
Miss Simcoe operated from approximately 1918 until its retirement in 1929. The ferry was part of the Toronto ferry service, which provided transportation across the waters of Lake Ontario.
Significant Incidents
- In late 1929, Miss Simcoe was ceremonially burned off Sunnyside Beach as part of a public spectacle, alongside other retired ferries.
- The event was designed to entertain crowds, featuring flames, smoke, and fireworks.
Final Disposition
The burning of Miss Simcoe was part of a tradition of retiring obsolete ferries at Sunnyside Beach, symbolizing the end of their service while providing community entertainment.
Current Condition & Accessibility
As a result of the ceremonial burning, Miss Simcoe no longer exists as a physical vessel.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”miss-simcoe-1929″ title=”References & Links”]
The ceremonial burning of Miss Simcoe reflects a unique aspect of Toronto’s maritime history, merging civic ceremony with leisure culture and marking the transition of ferry services in the early 20th century.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Ceremonial Burning at Sunnyside, 1929
Identification & Vessel Background
- Name: Miss Simcoe (double-deck wooden screw ferry)
- Service: Operated by Toronto Ferry Company, later TTC (c. 1918–1929)
- Condition: Decommissioned after 1929 inspection; deemed unfit for continued use
Final Disposition – Flame, Fireworks & Crowd Entertainment
- In late 1929, Miss Simcoe was burned at stake in Lake Ontario off Sunnyside Beach as part of a public spectacle, alongside Miss York and other retired ferries. This practice followed earlier ceremonial burnings of the Jasmine (August 2, 1929), John Hanlan (1929), and Clark Bros. (1930) (Angelfire, Wikipedia).
- The event was orchestrated to entertain crowds who gathered on the beach and boardwalk of Sunnyside Amusement Park. Flames, smoke, and features like fireworks created dramatic lakefront displays (torontojournal.com).
Cultural & Historical Context
- During the Sunnyside Amusement Park era (1922–1955), dramatic vessel burnings became part of public summer events. Fireworks and spectacle accompanied each burning, drawing tens of thousands of attendees (Wikipedia).
- These burnings were municipal and ceremonial, reflecting a theatrical view of decommissioned vessels, not a response to navigational hazards.
Summary Table
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Vessel | Miss Simcoe, wooden double-deck ferry |
| Operator | Toronto Ferry Company / TTC |
| Retired | 1929 (structurally worn and unsafe) |
| Burning Date | Late Summer 1929 |
| Location | Off Sunnyside Beach, Lake Ontario |
| Purpose | Public entertainment; ceremonial removal |
Significance
- The ceremonial burning of Miss Simcoe is part of a broader tradition of retiring obsolete ferries at Sunnyside Beach in the early 1930s.
- These public vessel burnings symbolized the end-of-life for wooden ferries while offering community entertainment, merging civic ceremony with leisure culture in Toronto’s waterfront history.
Recommended Further Research
- Consult Toronto Daily Star and Telegram archives (summer–fall 1929 editions) for event coverage of Miss Simcoe‘s burning.
- Explore City of Toronto Archives photographic files pertaining to ferry retirements and Sunnyside public events.
- Review secondary sources like “I Remember Sunnyside” by Mike Filey or Toronto Harbour Commission publications for detailed newspaper excerpts.