Wherever original black & white photos have been colorized in this archive, both B&W and COL (colored) versions of the image will be presented. The color image as a mouseover, and both versions via direct links. Colors may not be totally accurate.

Russel Brothers Ltd. BUILDERS OF STEEL BOATS & ENGINES FORT FRANCES, 1907-1937       OWEN SOUND, 1937-1993 Russel Vessel Listing An alphabetical listing of most of the 1300 or more boats and craft that Russel Brothers constructed. Famous Russel Boats The back of the Canadian $1 Dollar Bill, the Maids of the Mist, the Atomic and Toronto's fireboat. Russel Brothers Company History A six page detailed account with period photographs, by Eric M. Cordrey, and more. Russel-Hipwell News & Product Brochures Company produced magazines, product literature, and 1 and 2 page ads. Logging Boat Operation Videos and explanations of how winch boats & warping tugs moved huge log booms to the mill. Russel Boat Photo Collections Collections of photos of Russel boats & ships from more than thirty separate sources. Russel Designs & Blueprints and detailed schematics. Inside Russel Bros. Photos of Factory & Employees. Russel Hull Number Index ordered by year of build. 1987 Video Interview with Tom & Fred Russel Russel boats were important. They were the first company in North America to electrically arc-weld all steel hulls. A Russel design was adopted by the British (and Canadian) Navy as its main class of small harbour tug (the "Ville" class). Russel Brothers Limited constructed MORE THAN 20% of all the Canadian war tugs built during WWII. Their logging boats were designed robustly for prolonged heavy use in remote areas, and pretty much defined this genre (the winch boats and warping tugs). This well deserved reputation for quality and value carried over into their larger tugboats and later Coast Guard ships. Russel innovative expertise was recognized when Niagara Falls needed two Maids of the Mist in 1955, and Toronto needed a fireboat in 1964, both of which are still in use today! The company exported boats into Canada's north, and internationally to Vietnam and Africa. They became masters of shipping boats in sections on rail cars and re-assembling them at the final destination. Though by no means the only activity of this eclectic and vibrant company, the boats are the focus of this unofficial archive.   Interesting Features in the Archive   1920's ERA RUSSEL ALLIGATOR   The oldest known surviving Russel boat. Taken from the bush near Timmins, transported to Marten River Provincial Park, then government relocated for permant display in Connaught, Ont. THE FIRST AND LAST OWEN SOUND RUSSEL BOATS   1938's Bluefin served as the template for the Ville class of Navy pup tugs & 1974's Beaver's Helper was a dozer boat for log booms destined for Saint John, N.B. THE CAR FERRY QUINTE   Built in 1939, and put into service on the Bay of Quinte between Adolphustown and Glenora, Ont. Featured as the Toronto Marine Historical Society Ship of the Month #300, by Gerry Ouderkirk. RADIUM CRUISER and RADIUM EXPRESS   In 1939, RBL built two specialty tugs responsible for getting radium-uranium concentrated ores south from the Canadian Arctic, for the first U.S. nuclear weapons. NAVY TUGS: VILLE, TANAC AND GLEN CLASSES   Russel Brothers built ALL of the 38 Ville class tugs produced during World War II. Also 14 of the 265 60' Tanac class fire tugs, and 11 of 20 80' Glen class large tugs. In fact, RBL was responsible for building 20% of the Canadian war vessels in total! REMEMBERING THE HALLETT   2003 article by ex Hallett deckhand Larry Fontana of Fort Frances. HALLETT 1975 RUSSEL VALUATION   Originally $43,870 in 1940, valued by E.M. Cordrey at $70,000 in 1975. RUSSEL BROTHERS FORT FRANCES LEGACY   A comprehensive overview by Arden Erickson Barnes. TUGS FOR VIETNAM AND AFRICA   Ten Tropical River Tugs for Saigon in 1947, more for Cameroon. LAKE ERIE OIL AND THE TRANSLAKE III TRAGEDY   Capsize & fatality, 1958, by Gerry Ouderkirk. LIST OF RUSSEL BOAT TYPES PRODUCED 1950 -1964   A yearly non-specific list by M. E. Croft. RECONSTRUCTION OF RUSSEL BOATS   Scow HBC 300 and tug Rupert River c. 1962 by Ted Eldred. RUSSEL SAILBOATS   Russel Brothers experimented with building two aluminum racing yawls in the 1960's. WM LYON MACKENZIE   2004 photos of Toronto's fireboat, built 1964, expected to serve until c. 2030. LOG BOOM JUMPING   In 1973, three or four 14 inch wide squared off timbers made a stout perimeter to enclose log booms. Tugs would have to enter or leave the boom interior, which was done by just running over the timbers. The boats were constantly bumping around in a sea of logs, and had to be built tough...by Yves Cloutier. LOGGING USING RUSSEL TUGS - Marathon ON   Working with Russels in Marathon and the Pic River in 1979. LOGGING USING RUSSEL TUGS - Lake Abitibi ON   Working with Russels on Lake Abitibi. LOGGING USING RUSSEL TUGS - La Mauricie QC   Russel boats in La Mauricie c. 1980, by Yves Cloutier. THE LAST RIVER DRIVE IN CANADA   included Russel boats, and occurred in Kapuskasing, Ont., 1994. NIPIGON RIVER LOG DRIVES   The Nipigon River is in Thunder Bay District in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. 64 YEARS OF THE RAPIDE DES COEURS ON THE ST. MAURICE RIVER   and yes, still working in 2019! SINKINGS AND RAISINGS OF RUSSEL BOATS   Interesting photographs, clippings & read a TSB report. RAISING AND SINKING A RUSSEL WINCH BOAT   L. O. 2 used as a diving attraction in Wakefield, QC. NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS   Ads and articles from the 1930's and 1940s, collected by Robert B. Farrow. RUSSEL DESKTOP WALLPAPERS   Russels for the digital age! 1024 x 768 pixel Russel boats for desktops. GROUP OCEAN RUSSELS   OC�AN NAVIGATION of Qu�bec, QC, have the largest collection (12) of restored and working Russel Brothers tugs! REBUILDING AN 80' RUSSEL TUG   Tug Glenmont (sort of) becomes a cruise ship, by Gerry Ouderkirk. RESTORING A RUSSEL WARPING TUG   Emma Morgan by Nick Finazzo of Pier 500 Marina, Wyandotte, MI. RESTORING A RUSSEL WINCH BOAT   P. P. M. 4 is still in active service with S. C. Richardson and Sons. 2007 TUGBOAT FESTIVAL   2007 marked the 100th Anniversary of the company's start in Fort Frances, Ont. in 1907, and the 70th Anniversary of their move to Owen Sound, Ont. in 1937. On July 28 & 29 of 2007, as part of Owen Sound's 150th Homecoming celebration, we held the Owen Sound - Russel Brothers Tugboat Festival. MODELS OF RUSSEL BOATS   Joe Fossey and Roger Hauka's R/C Villes, and others from several artisans. LOCATIONS OF RUSSEL HULLS   Russels in Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, maps from Robert B. Farrow. UNIDENTIFIED RUSSELS   There will always be some. Maybe you can help put some names on boats. Thank you's and acknowledgements   Partial list of the many (some tireless) contributors to this archive.

The Owen Sound Dollar Bill Photo Mosaic is located off main street (2nd Ave. East) between 8th and 9th streets, on the wall of Shopper's Discount Clothing Co., across from its main sponsor, Scotiabank.
The two logging boats featured on the reverse of the dollar bill were made in Owen Sound by Russel Brothers. The larger Missinaibi is now in the Museum of Civilization in Hull, QC, while the smaller Ancaster is displayed outside the
Owen Sound Marine & Rail Museum at 1165 1st Ave West. Click here for more on the Dollar Bill.

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