CAPTURE A DREAM!: Port Stanley/Lake Erie

Port Stanley, (and Lake Erie) because of its proximity to London, has always been a destination for me. Even as a preschooler my parents would take me here on Sunday drives. I hope you will enjoy the pictures I've accumulated over the past few years of this popular beach town. Years ago it was serviced by its own train the L&PS Railway, bringing thousands of Londoners here each summer. The big dance hall, the Stork Club (gone now due to arson) used to feature all the big bands of the forties including London born Guy Lombardo.

Port Bruce shoreline ice pack in March 2021.

"The ss Laura" (from a b/w original c1905)

"Port Stanley Fleet 1906"

"Fall On The Beach"

"Old White Bike I"

"Old White Bike II"

"Port Burwell Light"

"Aging Ungracefully" Port Dover, Ontario

"Remembering Better Days" Port Dover, Ontario.

"A Fallen Cliff"

"Inn on the Harbour, Port Stanley"

"Somethin's Fishy"

"Somebody's Dream Boat Gone Chapter Eleven"

"Under the 1938 King George VI Lift Bridge"

"Spring Is On The Way"

"A Walk On The Beach"

"Yacht Basin in the 50's"

"Do You Want Fries With Your View?"

"Angry Erie" 2015

"L and PS Train To Oblivion"

"Where Am I? Pinch Me"

"Cool View"

"As Viewed From The Lake" (Red)

"As Viewed From The Lake" (Blue)

"As Viewed From The Lake" (Green)

"As Viewed From The Lake" (Yellow)

"In Port"

"Fudge and Ice Cream"

"The Pile-driver Driver"

"Mackie's in Winter"

"Lookin' Up Port Stanley"

"ICU"

"Havin' A Ball At Stanley Beach"

Imprisoned In Ice

I love the contrast of the white snow with the stark, rectangular buildings and the visual array of equipment and antennae on the fishing tug. The way the buildings are situated causes the image to be mostly made up of straight horizontal and 90° vertical lines. The earthy colours complement each other, which I think is somewhat lucky since the buildings undoubtedly have different owners. Winter or summer this vantage point, with it's symmetrical and uniformly aligned buildings, interestingly juxtaposed with nature and the fishing vessels, always draws me back.

Fishin' Ships

"Open Winter"

"The Perfect Ride"

"Remember Summer?"

"The Lakeside from Ohio" Winter 1919

Registry and Rig Information

    Vessel Name: LAKESIDE, Later renamed OLCOTT
    Nationality: CANADA
    Official Number: 90778
    Rig: Propeller

Dimensions and Tonnage

    Length: 121.00
    Width: 26.00
    Depth: 9.25
    Masts: 0
    Gross Tonnage: 348.00
    Net Tonnage: 0.00
    Hull Material: Wood
    Hull Number:

Vessel History

    Rebuilds: Rebuilt from passenger vessel to tug at Toronto, Ontario, in 1921 (118.33 x 25.75 x 9; 200 gross - 77 registered).
    History:
    Disposition: With barge FREDNOL in tow, seams opened and tug sank about eight miles south of Brighton, Ontario, Lake Ontario, on November 15, 1929; no lives lost.

Build Information

    Builder: Lane, William
    Place Built: Windsor, Ontario
    Year Built: 1888

"Busted"

U.S. tug arrested in Port Dover by the ss Vigilant for fishing in Canadian waters. 1907

"The Casino" A watercolour inspired by a Postcard. Summer 1908

"The Rides" Another postcard inspired watercolour of the Casino circa 1900.

"Port Stanley Harbour" Inspired by a post card circa 1906

I like this view because it shows the Casino and Ferris Wheel way off to the left by the beach and the ss Lakeside, the Sandusky ferry, at the dock across the creek and the steam pile driver also shown in the picture below. The fishing shanties in the foreground are all gone now.