The last Titanic-era steamship, the S.S. Keewatin, is expected to arrive at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes dry dock this fall.
Preparations for the ship’s arrival are underway and some of the Keewatin’s accessories have already arrived.
Nine lifeboats currently sit outside the museum along Kingston’s downtown waterfront.
“This is a harbinger of more to come, namely the great big ship that they belong to, the S.S. Keewatin,” said Chris West the Marine Museum’s board chair.
While the 350-foot ship is expected to arrive this fall, it will still be some time before the public will be able to board and tour it.
“The staging of the ship is a huge job, just getting her ready as a museum piece,” said West.
West anticipates the ship should be ready by the spring of 2024 in time for the upcoming tourist season.
The S.S. Keewatin is expected to become another key draw in the Limestone City, joining attractions like the Kingston Penitentiary tours and Fort Henry.
“This just builds on what Kingston already has and extends it even further, it gives people more reasons to tack another day onto their stay in Kingston,” said West.
The S.S. Keewatin is currently in Hamilton undergoing repairs before its final journey to Kingston.