Originally published in Lake of the Woods Area News, Volume 55, Number 2, Spring 2025
Heralding what is hoped to be a new era of prosperity and of advancement for the boat-building industry in Kenora, the christening of the Minne-wa-wa, the magnificent new cruiser of Mr. E.W. Kneeland of Winnipeg by Mrs. Robert Rogers on Saturday, was an outstanding event of the season.
— Kenora Miner and News – June 1930
On Saturday, May 31, 1930, crowds gathered at the end of Kenora’s Main Street dock to view what was described as “the last word in luxury and boat construction.” As the bottle of champagne was broken across her bow, the Minne-wa-wa was blessed with good luck and safety before setting off on her maiden voyage of a six-hour tour around Lake of the Woods.
The story of the Minne-wa-wa began in the fall of 1929 when Elbert W. Kneeland, president of the Kneeland Grain Company of Winnipeg and a summer resident on the lake, commissioned the J.W. Stone Boat Manufacturing Company of Kenora to build the 69.5-foot cruiser, the largest built by their company.
The boat was so large that J.W. Stone had to build a new slip with a steel cradle. A letter from Stone to Art Chaloner, who was acting on Kneeland’s behalf, provided an update on the work: October 24, 1929: We have the old building torn down and are starting to build the dry dock on which we will build the boat. Have plans laid out on the floor and will be making sections soon. Also have material for hull ordered.
The hull was constructed of heavy steam-bent white oak with 1-1/2″ cypress planking. The deck was also of oak. The launch boasted two magnificent staterooms, a mahogany-finished salon, sleeping accommodations for 16, lavatories with electric toilets and a shower/bath, and crew quarters. The kitchen was outfitted with a stove and refrigerator. It was powered by two 175 horsepower Scripps twin engines and had a cruising speed of 15 mph. As for the workmanship of the Stone Boat company, Canadian Motor Boat wrote in their February 1931 issue that “they can build anything that floats.” Kneeland had acquired, for a reportedly cool $40,000, the most elegant boat to grace the lake at that time.
As such, she was often chosen to entertain important guests to Lake of the Woods. In 1937, Lord Tweedsmuir, then Governor General of Canada, and his wife were given a tour of the lake aboard the Minne-wa-wa. And in August 1941, when the Duke of Kent, brother to King George VI, arrived for a royal visit he was also hosted on the Minne-wa-wa.
The entries in the boat’s logbook indicate that the vessel was used by the Kneelands and their guests primarily for casual and enjoyable outings on the lake:
July 8, 1930 – Bottle Bay—caught 10 lb. musky.
August 1931 – French Narrows, cloudy, rough sea—1 pickerel, 1 bass, caught by Chas + Nancy.
In 1944, F.F. Montague acquired the two islands owned by the Kneelands which were situated between Gun Club Island and Treaty Island—the smaller one to the west where the camp was located and the larger island to the east where a large boathouse for the Minne-wa-wa was built. It seems that in addition to purchasing the properties, Montague also acquired the Minne-wa-wa.
The boat’s logbook indicates this and records that two years later, she was reconditioned and repainted. The entry on August 4, 1947 reads: “The Minnewawa rides again.” The Montague family entertained large parties on the boat. Upwards of 30 people signed the logbook on many occasions.
Ownership details after the Montague years remain foggy. At some point, while under subsequent ownership she was renamed Lady Jeane. Eventually the boat was returned to the boathouse on the Montague’s island. She appeared abandoned. One youth of the day recalls swimming under the boathouse door to view the boat. Another recalls, in a summer of low water in the 1950s, getting under the boathouse door in a boat. They found the boat in a sorry state with the remains of a party (bottles, paper plates, cigarette butts) strewn in the boat and boathouse.
It was some years later that the beautiful boat perished in a boathouse fire, some say in August 1963, others in 1973—a sad ending to such an impressive example of local boat-building skill.
NOTE: If you have more information about the Minne-wa-wa/Lady Jeane, please contact the Lake of the Woods Museum.
