Who remembers The Tonimar ???

[Just Sold]

WeirsBeachBoater

Thanks for the history and current location of the Tonimar.

I do remember her being berthed in a boat house in Alton Bay and recently took some boat house pictures which I posted here. When taking the photo's I wondered if one of the boat houses I photographed was the Tonimar's old home.

Enough has changed along the shore there so I cannot remember the exact location or even if the boat house is still standing. Maybe someone else knows that answer.

[WeirsBeachBoater]

Unfortunately I am not the owner of the Tonimar... I wish I was. But I am trying to dig up some more of her history as it has intrigued me. There isn't many boats on the lake of her age that are still active. The current owners are The Largey family if I am not mistaken.

[mcdude]

[mcdude]

“The TONIMAR” Excerpt from “Winnipiseogee Heritage” prepared by the Junior History Class at Alton High School - circa. 1975. Page 13 - No copyright.

“Captain Lawrence Beck started operation the mailboat out of Alton Bay in 1929. The mailboat went into operation on June 15 and ran to September 15, making about 35 stops, which included summer camps, islands and other places having no postal service. The route eventually averaged about 60 miles per day, starting at 8:00 a.m. and finishing at 3:00 p.m.

In 1941 Mr. Beck purchased a new boat, the “Tonimar’; in Bay Head, N.J. It was sailed up the Atlantic coast to Portsmouth and then transported on a 16 wheel tractor trailer to Wolfeboro.

The mailboat carried about 35,000 pieces of mail during the three months’ summer season. It was literally a floating post office, with sale of stamps conducted on board. Mail was run through a cancelling machine, then sorted into pigeonholes for the various camps, islands and other stops. Mailsacks bulging with letters from parents of homesick campers took up much of the space on the boat.

Captain Beck recalled weathering a twister a few years ago on Winnipesaukee. Important in such emergencies was the navigation and communication equipment. There was a depth finder, compass and radio on three frequencies.

Captain Beck and the mailboat retired in 1966, after twenty-nine years of faithful service.”


Postmark - 1959

[WeirsBeachBoater]

Got to love the lines and the heritage of this boat.

[Just Sold]

And here is the "Tonimar" on August 12, 2005 at the Gilford Town Docks. Now called the "Great Escape"

[gtxrider]

We took the tour on what we called the Mail Boat back in the 60's! It seemed like a week on the boat that day! It was a good thing that when we stopped in Wolfeboro my grandmother picked up some goodies in the YUM-YUM Shop or we would have starved.

It was a ride unlike any I have had on the lake getting to all the out of the way places and islands while she made her rounds delivering the mail.

Now for a verse of "MEMORIES".

[mcdude]

Came across this postcard just today. The Legionnaire, The Tonimar and the Sophie C all on one postcard.

[mcdude]

[Skip]

I wonder if anyone will try to call that number...

[upthesaukee]

Whodda thunk it was no longer in service!!!!! Musta gone outta business!!! couldn't afford the stamps and gas!!!!!

[WeirsBeachBoater]

Where did you come across that historical piece?

[gtxrider]

Did email kill the mail boat?

We used to be able to tell time when the Mount and Mail Boat came down the bay. Good thing I got a have a watch these days.

[mcdude]

WBB:
It was for auction on e-bay. Someone else won th auction so I wrote to them on e-bay's "contact member" function. He is from South Carolina but vacations in Alton Bay. I told him it would be great to see it on a forum thread so he made a color copy and mailed it to me! You'd be surprised at how much unsolicited historical material people e-mail to me! McD

[mcdude]

Wolfeboro - The U.S. Mailboat delivers the morning mail at CANOPACHE LODGE and COTTAGES - Wolfeboro - This Lake Winnipesaukee Resort offers housekeeping cottages and rooms in the Lodge for spring, summer and fall vacations. Overnighters welcome too.

[Tallyho]

I spent my summers at Alton Bay starting in 1952, and I remember the Tonimar very well. She left early and returned late. Occaisionly we would get to see the former steam yacht Swallow on a trip "down the bay".
Mcdude, thank you for your superb articles about the lake and the early railroads. I think that I can date your Canopache Lodge postcard to 1959 or therabouts. The boat tied to the pier looks like a Thomphson of that era, and the outboard motor on it is an Evinrude, or Johnson 50 hp, v-4, which came out in 1959.

[mg2107]

Her owner when she was a mail boat was Captain Lawerence Beck. He was a real character and a great guy. They don't make um like that any more.Always had a cigar and a story. Lived in Alton all his life. His wife ran a guest home in the summer on main st. in Alton.
He had a large boat house at the Woodlands in West Alton where he dry docked her and worked on her in the winter. Kept her in the boat house in the bay in the summer. Hired Alton high school boys to help him with the mail runs in the summer. I'm sure he looking down with pride that his Tonimar is still on the lake.

[Just Sold]

TallyHo,
Was your place on the east side of the bay with a boat of the same name as you? The boat is still there today in the covered dock next to the Collins' place. I loved boat and remember the cottage as well from my youth. Never got a real close up look though. I did see the boat at Shibley's at the Pier last year.