This historic photograph captures an early coastal steamer at the Kelsey Bay landing, with Mount H’Kusam rising across Johnstone Strait.
The vessel appears to be the S.S. Cassiar, a Union Steamship Company vessel that served the British Columbia coast in the early 20th century.
Historical records confirm that Cassiar made regular stops at Kelsey Bay, including weekly service documented in 1920.
If correct, the photograph likely dates from the 1910s or early 1920s, when coastal steamships were a vital connection for the isolated Sayward Valley.
But is this really the S.S. Cassiar? We’d love to hear from anyone who can confirm—or dispute—the identification.
