Nowitka (sternwheeler)
Encyclopedia
Nowitka was a sternwheel steamboat that operated in British Columbia
on the Columbia River
from 1911 to May 1920. The name is a Chinook Jargon word usually translated as "Indeed!" or "Verily!".
Nowitka was built at Golden, BC
for the Golden Columbia River Lumber Company. Nowitkas engines were over 70 years old, and had been originally built for a ferry crossing the St. Lawrence River. The engines had been previously installed in other sternwheelers on the upper Columbia River, including the first Duchess, the second Duchess and Ptarmigan
. The blunt-ended bow of Nowitka allowed the vessel to be readily capable of pushing barges, which increased the vessel's utility and effective cargo capacity.
_unloading_at_edgewater,_bc_1914.jpg)
Nowitka was placed on the Columbia River
route that began at Golden and ran south, at least during high water, to Columbia Lake
, the ultimate source of the Columbia River. Nowitka was last used to haul supplies to construct a bridge at Brisco, BC.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
on the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
from 1911 to May 1920. The name is a Chinook Jargon word usually translated as "Indeed!" or "Verily!".
Design and construction
Golden, British Columbia
Golden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located west of Calgary, Alberta and east of Vancouver.-History:Much of the town's history is tied into the Canadian Pacific Railway and the logging industry...
for the Golden Columbia River Lumber Company. Nowitkas engines were over 70 years old, and had been originally built for a ferry crossing the St. Lawrence River. The engines had been previously installed in other sternwheelers on the upper Columbia River, including the first Duchess, the second Duchess and Ptarmigan
Ptarmigan (sternwheeler)
Ptarmigan was a sternwheel steamboat that operated in British Columbia on the Columbia River from 1903 to 1909.-Design and Construction:Ptarmigan was built at Golden, BC and was the last vessel built for the Upper Columbia Navig. & Tramway Co., of which Capt. Frank P. Armstrong was the principal...
. The blunt-ended bow of Nowitka allowed the vessel to be readily capable of pushing barges, which increased the vessel's utility and effective cargo capacity.
Operations
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
route that began at Golden and ran south, at least during high water, to Columbia Lake
Columbia Lake
Columbia Lake is the primary lake at the headwaters of the Columbia River, in British Columbia, Canada. It is fed by several small tributaries. The village of Canal Flats is located at the south end of the lake....
, the ultimate source of the Columbia River. Nowitka was last used to haul supplies to construct a bridge at Brisco, BC.
Removal from service
Following construction of the bridge at Brisco, Nowitka was taken out of service in May 1920, and abandoned near the sawmill wharf at Golden. Nowitka was the last steamboat to operate on the Columbia River in the Columbia Valley, although gasoline and diesel powered vessels did run later on the river.Further reading
- Faber, Jim, Steamer's Wake—Voyaging down the old marine highways of Puget Sound, British Columbia, and the Columbia River, Enetai Press, Seattle, WA 1985 ISBN 0-9615811-0-7
- Timmen, Fritz, Blow for the Landing, 75-78, 134, Caxton Printers, Caldwell, ID 1972 ISBN 0-87004-221-1