The First Steamship on Lake Ontario

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted May, 2009

Plaque Location

The County of Lennox & Addington
The Township of Loyalist
In Bath, at the roadside in Finkle's Shore Park
2 km west of Road 7
on the south side of Highway 33, street number 697

Coordinates: N 44 10.066 W 76 47.516

Plaque Text

In the early 1800's Kingston was a shipbuilding centre of note. The FRONTENAC, the first steamship to navigate Lake Ontario, was built here at Finkle's Point, Ernestown (now Bath), and launched September 7, 1816. Designed to carry freight and passengers, it was a boon to travellers, greatly reducing the difficulties and the cost of travel between Kingston and York (now Toronto). More sophisticated ships soon rendered the FRONTENAC obsolete and it was sold in 1825. Two years later it burned and sank in the Niagara River, but passenger steamships plied the lake for many years until rail and road travel became more effective.

More
Boating

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Posted July 22, 2011
Very interesting. Is there any information on where the name Finkle came from or who it was? Thank You
Peter

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