Title

Steamboat Reindeer

Creation Date

circa 1886

Description

The Reindeer (also known as the Hawkeye), c.1886. The boat was first known as the Hawkeye and was a private launch owned by a group of tourists from Iowa. This group colonized a small tract of land in the Village of Excelsior on Gideon's Bay which they christened Iowa City Park. Their leader, Col. John W. Porter bought her and launched it in Lake Minnetonka in 1880. Captain John Davis was hired to operate her as a charter boat when not in use by the Iowa City Park residents. The group was disbanded in 1883 due to Col. Porter's death. The boat was sold in 1883 to William H. Jacoby and W. E. Aldrich and was rechristened the Reindeer and was placed under the command of Captain Dr. George F. LaPaul. In 1884 Jacoby was listed as the sole owner and his son Charlie became the new commander. Jacoby sold the boat in 1892 to James L. Hopkins. In less than two weeks Hopkins bought the Alert from Henry W. Gibson and Gibson got the Reindeer as part of the deal. The last mention of Gibson operating the boat was in 1893. By 1897 she was renamed the Archie and was last mentioned in 1909 when Lew McCormick bought the Ypsilanti installing the boiler and engine from his old boat the Archie. ADOOB by Scott McGinnis. There are two pictures on the back of this one showing the steamboats Nautilus and Clyde.
SP-BB11c
 

Geographic Notes

Lake Minnetonka