The Old Old Town finds a new home:
In June of 2006 I Emailed Scott Barkdoll at his new shop in Shoreham, Vermont and inquired as to the fate of the Old Town. I received this reply:
"Hi James:
I have been terribly delinquent in letting you know that just before we left Michigan the 18-foot Otca sold to a very nice woman with a cottage in Hessel. It was fully restored for her last year and painted white with a blue Greek spiral and is a stunning canoe which will be loved and used--and will stay in Michigan. She would probably love to talk with you...I suspect she will love the stories that go with that canoe."
That very nice woman turned out to be Nancy Ayres of an "old money" Indianaoplis family with a summer home on the Les Cheneaux Islands along the Upper Peninsula on Lake Huron. It is one of those places where the boat house is bigger and fancier than most cottages. I sent her the story of the Old Town essentially as I have told it to you, including Adam's article in "Wooden Canoe". Scott had sent me a photo of the restored beauty but I wanted photos of it its new home. She promised to send me some when she went up the next summer but never did. I later learned that she had given the canoe to a friend and island neighbor (of another "old money" family but this time from Virginia). I contacted the new owner and she thanked me for the story of the canoe and promised to send some photos but hasn't. My ultimate aim is to do another article for "Wooden Canoe" about the Old Town's restoration and new home. We shall see.
Next: The garage sale canoe.
Emailed August 23.
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