W.H. Merritt Gallery: Wall of Ships

There’s More to the Story

Learn more about the operations of the Welland Ship Canal by viewing documents below or visiting the Welland Canals Gallery located in the Museum’s Lobby.

Information on the Ship Models

  • Model of the Annie and Jane, built c. 1955. Built by John Smith. The Annie and Jane was the first ship through the First Welland Canal in 1829.
  • Model of the Driftwood, built 2019-2022. Built by Tim Morrison and Malcolm Morrison. The Driftwood is based on the canallers built at the Shickluna Shipyard c. 1870s.
  • Model of the Dalhousie City, built c. 1967. Built by John Thiessen. The Dalhousie City was a passenger steamship that most frequently sailed from Port Dalhousie to Toronto between the 1890s and the 1950s.
  • Model of the Northumberland, built c. 1967. Built by John Thiessen. The Northumberland was a passenger steamship that most frequently sailed from Port Dalhousie to Toronto between the 1890s and the 1950s.
  • Model of a Tall Ship, built, c. 1860. Built by James Pearce. This tall ship model was believed to have been carved by James Pearce while at sea in the 1860s.
  • Model of the Algoway, built, c. 1999. Built by Bruce Sheppard. Sheppard was the former Commodore of Algoma’s Great Lakes Fleet and the Algoway was the first ship under his command.
  • Model of the John A. France, built, c. 1960-1961. Built by Walter Sockovie. The John A. France was a ship of the Misener line.
  • Model of the Scott Misener, built c. 1955. Built by Walter Sockovie. The Scott Misener was a ship of the Misener line.

Archival Document: Operational Orders of the Welland Canal

View the operational orders of the Welland Canal for 1957.

Archival Document: Traffic Control Manual

Read through the Canal traffic control manual from the 1950s.