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The first steamboat built and known as the S.S. Northland Call was built at Athabasca Landing by Cornwall's Northern Transportation Company in 1910. Constructed by J.H. Woods, this steamboat had an exceptionally shallow draft and was designed to deal with all of the rapids on the Lesser Slave River. Woods hoped his design would allow for a boat to go all the way from Athabasca Landing to Grouard without any portages. This was only accomplished once by the S.S. Northland Call in 1913. The decision was made to scrap the boat, saving its engines and drive systems.

When the Peace River Navigation company was formed in 1915 a second S.S. Northland Call had been built in the boatyards in West Peace River by George Magar who was also to serve as its Captain. Apparently the name S.S. Northland Call was kept as the new boat utilized the engine and machinery from the original S.S. Northland Call. The new S.S. Northland Call was a stern-wheeler, 100 feet in length with a shallow draft.

In its first season of operation (1915) on the Peace River the S.S. Northland Call, captained by George Magar, sunk after striking a rock which badly damaged her hull. After repairs during the winter of 1915-1916 the S.S. Northland Call was relaunched and was used by the Peace River Navigation Company on the Peace River until 1919. The boat was sold to the Peace River Development Corporation and relaunched in the spring of 1920 following a rebuild. The name of the boat was also changed to the S.S. Hudson's Hope. It would appear that the boat only lasted the 1920 season and was scrapped in 1924.

Cornwall's vision of a water transportation system linking the Peace River to the Athabasca and Mackenzie Rivers proved to be unsuccessful as the S.S. Northern Call was not an effective design.

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The S.S. Northland Call.
Circa 1916-1920
Athabasca River, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Peace River Museum, Archives & Mackenzie Centre, 76.689.007