Kootenay Lake Historical Society Kootenay Lake Archives
Kootenay Lake Archives

 

Return to the Opening Page
Visitor Information
SS Moyie History
Specifications
Photographs of the Moyie
Restoration Projects
Upcoming Events
Visitor Comments
Related Links
Send us e-mail.

 

Under each of the windows in the ladies' cabin there is a cavity in the wall so that the windows could be raised or lowered for opening. Over the Moyie's long career all kinds of objects had fallen into these spaces. Occasionally, a tie used to hold back the curtains fell in. These provided restoration workers with a faded but accurate sample of the material used.


Ladies' Saloon Restoration Project

Modern synthetics seldom look or feel like those from the late 1800s or early 1900s. Colours, patterns, weaves and textures can be very different. Choosing the right fabric can be difficult, and at times expensive.The restoration crew faced yet another challenge—restoring the setee.

Careful removal of the outer layers of the settee revealed the original tufted mohair that had been installed in 1898. The beautiful crimson colour was faded in some places, but the workers were delighted to find that in other places it still sparkled like new.

The frames of seats were original, but the upholstery was not. On removing it, they saw they clear outlines of where armrests had once been. They would have to be replicated. A beautiful, near perfect match to the original mohair was available in Holland. A picture of the setee in the steamer 'Kokanee', built two years before the Moyie, provided an excellent reference for how exactly the setee was upholstered. However, restoring each seat was an expensive proposition. A "Sponsor a Seat" program funded the upholstery, and a Canadian Parks Partnership grant made it possible to buy the fabric. With the new upholstery and armrests, the settee was finally returned to the state it was originally meant to be in, and another key part of the restoration fell into place. Information provided by "SS Moyie Memoirs" Memoir #2.

< Back to Restoration pages

 

 

Click for a larger image.
Paint samples labeled to differentiate various stages in the Moyies' history.
Click for a larger image.

The Ladies' Saloon as it appears today.

 

 

 


Designed by:
All material copyright Kootenay Lake Historical Society unless otherwise indicated.
Last update: November 16, 2003