Passenger Ships on the Lower St. Clair River

Passenger Ships on the Lower St. Clair River. . Who could have imagined thousands of people travelling the St. Clair River on passenger ships? In the late 1800s the era of steamships had arrived, carrying passengers and cargo. Two of the most famed fleets were the Red Star Line and the White Star Line. At one time, 31 shipping lines large and small operated along the river. These ships provided a very affordable mode of transportation for entertainment throughout the summer months., The five massive vessels of the White Star Line (Greyhound, Owana, Wauketa, City of Toledo and Tashmoo) sailed on the St. Clair River between Windsor and Sarnia. The ships could accommodate hundreds of passengers each day. A popular trip was between Port Lambton and Stag Island with stops along the way on both sides of the river. It was estimated that at the height of its summer excursion business, the fleet catered up to 750,000 passengers each year. When the ships docked at Port Lambton, passengers were given the opportunity to stroll along the village streets. The local restaurants and hotels catered to the pedestrian traffic and gained a widespread reputation for serving excellent fresh fish dinners. The stores stocked their shelves with a variety of souvenirs some of which were hand-crafted by local Indigenous People. By the end of World War II, automobiles became the primary mode of personal transportation and the passenger ship business gradually disappeared, marking the end of an era.