Valley of the Meramec Vintage Boat Display

The Valley of the Meramec Chapter is sponsoring a vintage boat display to include eight wood/canvas canoes in conjunction with the Lafayette Square Historic District 37th Annual House Tour on June 2-3. The tour will take place in the Lafayette Square Historic District in St. Louis (centered around Lafayette Park) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The boats will be displayed in Lafayette Park near the old boathouse and lagoon. Other activities include the house and garden tour, the Perfectos Vintage Base Ball, Antiques on the Park and a Plein Air Art Exhibit. We would love to have any fellow canoe enthusiasts in the area stop by and visit us.

 

Vintage Canoe and Boat Display

The Valley of the Meramec Chapter hosted a vintage canoe and boat display at the Lafayette Square House Tour in St. Louis, Mo. on June 2-3. Set against a small lake in the oldest public park west of the Mississippi (1830) the chapter members and friends presented an array of vintage canoes, a handmade stripper canoe and a Penn-Yan car topper to the delight of the house tour crowd. The exhibit was well attended and garnered a lot of interest from fellow canoe enthusiasts and initiated quite a few novices to the beauty of these old boats. Display boards touted the history of many canoe builders--Morris, Old Town, St. Louis Meramec, Shell Lake, Carleton, Thompson and Penn Yan-- and told the story of the canoe in America and its importance to St. Louis and the Meramec River. Chapter members Wally Hauck and John Strasser with help from friend and neighbor Ron Taylor constructed mahogany canoe stands especially for the display.

 

Valley of the Meramec Display

Here are more photos from the display (and construction of the canoe stands).

 

Canoe stands

Several photos show particularly good looking sling stands for the canoes. Assuming these were designed and shop built, would anyone like to share the plans? Thanks.

 

Interesting motor mount on that 3rd photo...........motor looks like a 1929 Sears and Roebuck SM5.......... I have the smaller wrap around tank on a motor that I have its the 3HP version of the same motor nice canoes and paddles also.........first paddle looks like it could be sassafrass!.....Just finished one very similar.
Love it when pictures are posted..............gives me a chance to compare what I have!

 

More Photos of Valley of Meramec Canoe Display

Here are a few more photos of the canoe display presented by the
Valley of the Meramec Chapter in Lafayette Park. It's a shame we could not offer canoe rides to go along with the carriage rides! Wally is working on replacing the gunwales on the '27 OTCA. And the end of the day Sunday was a mini-paddle-by in the lake......Not sure we will do this every year, but it was fun to have an excuse to just sit in the park for two days!...
Marty Hauck

 

Canoe Motor

The motor pictured is marked MB (1 cyl) Serial NO# 571-10.
Don't know much more about it---just loved the shape.
Think it's called a Water Witch and I thought it dated to the 30's.
Nice to know it may be even older.