Shipbuilding in Niagara

Shipbuilding in Niagara. . Shipbuilding has a long association with the Niagara Peninsula, and is especially linked to the Welland Canals. Russell Armington established this important industry with the launching in 1828 of the Welland Canal. St. Catharines quickly became the major shipbuilding centre in Niagara. , Shipbuilders such as Abbey, Beatty, Muir, Shickluna and Simpson practiced their trade in several communities along the Welland Canal. They were respected throughout the Great Lakes for the quality design and construction of schooners, barques, barquentines, steamers, dredges, tugs, and other vessels., Simpson's Ship Yard, 1874 advertisement: Melancthon Simpson's family were involved in shipbuilding in at least a dozen Ontario communities. From the St. Catharines General and Business Directory for St. Catharines for 1874. J. Horwitz, Compiler and Publisher., In 1946 Charles Ansell, then Manager of Muir Bros. Dry Docks, established the Port Weller Dry Docks and it became an active ship repair and shipbuilding yard. Today, Port Weller Dry Docks carries on this marine tradition on the banks of the present Welland Canal, and is now the largest shipbuilder on the Canadian Great Lakes., This anchor is a symbol of these early shipbuilders and recognizes the important part this industry has played in the Canadian economy., Sponsored by Port Weller Dry Docks Ltd., in association with the St. Catharines Museum, and unveiled on "Merritt Day", November 29, 1993., Muir Bros. Dry Dock [obscured] Yard, 1882: Port Dalhousie shipbuilders who built [obscured] fleet of vessels. St. Catharines Museum, [obscured] Frank Hawley Collection., Louis Shickluna, 1871: prominent Great Lakes shipbuilder who reportedly built and rebuilt over 130 vessels. St. Catharines Museum, N 2796-from Maj. Donald C. Holmes., [last caption obscured]