This is a photo of the beautiful Log canoe “Nannie” in front of the Altvater home in Tunis Mills with the Tunis Mills wooden bridge in the background. circa 1905-1910. The tall mast atop the log canoe’s rear sail actually belongs to a Bugeye/Schooner docked at the Tunis Mills bridge. The “Nannie belonged to Charles Decker Altvater. Charles was a carpenter with plenty of work in St. Michaels. Like many others in this period, Charles converted the “Nannie” to power and died in 1915.
A large majority of the Chesapeake Bay workboats in the late 1800s and early 1900s were sailing log canoes. In the early 1900’s, many like my grandfather Gus Mielke’s were converted to power. In so doing, the bow and stern were reversed. Small cuddy cabins were also added. The sheer, unmatched, majestic beauty of a log canoe is never more evident than in this example. What lines! No wonder there is an undying interest in log canoes and their competitive racing!
Photo courtesy of Charles Decker Altvater’s grandchildren, Phil and Rebecca Walker.
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