In 1876 Nelson Bowdish and his twenty-year-old son, Edward, established a boat building shop in Skaneateles. An organ builder by trade, Nelson Bowdish was also a skilled photographer and landscape artist. Little is known about the type of boats initially built by the company. However, an ad which appeared in an 1886 edition of the local newspaper indicated that the firm specialized in fine rowboats, canoes and small steam launches; and had been renamed Bowdish & Company.

The following year the Bowdishs were granted two patents for construction techniques employed in the building of boats. The first of these, known as the compressed expansive seam, involved the insertion of a wooden filler strip within the grooved edges of adjoining planks in an attempt to produce a water tight joint.

The second patent involved the use of metal connecting devices to attach the ends of the ribs to the keel and gunwales or deck of the boat; and another to secure the thwarts. The brackets were typically made of brass. Both of these patented construction features are hallmarks of Bowdish construction, and readily enable the identification of their work.

In 1888 the name of the business was again changed to become Bowdish Manufacturing Company, reflecting its reorganization as "a stock company with a capital of $50,000 "to manufacture…patent steam generators and boats and castings". The capital was acquired in part to construct a new two-story factory on Railroad (now Fennel) Street in Skaneateles, to provide additional capacity for the rapidly expanding business.

The sole Bowdish Manufacturing Company catalog known to exist was published in 1891, and gives a glimpse into their product line. The boat listing includes steam launches, canoes (both sailing and paddling), and St. Lawrence skiffs. Many of the illustrations that follow in this section were taken from that catalog.

Later in 1891 Edward Bowdish severed his association with the Bowdish Manufacturing Company, and opened a shop elsewhere in Skaneateles. Apparently Nelson also departed and moved to Clayton, NY where he became superintendent of the St. Lawrence River Skiff, Canoe and Steam launch Company. He eventually returned to Skaneateles where he engaged in his life-long hobby of oil painting. He died there in 1916.

The economic Depression of 1893 overtook many American businesses, including that of Edward Bowdish. He sold his firm to James Ruth and Edward Smith, two employees of the Bowdish Manufacturing Company. They renamed their newly acquired business the Skaneateles Boat & Canoe Company. Edward Bowdish moved to New York City where he became a commercial artist for the Otis Elevator Company. Eventually he too returned to Skaneateles where he continued to paint scenes of the lake and surrounding community. He died there in 1938.

The few known surviving examples of Bowdish boatbuilding are characterized by an extremely high level of quality in terms of materials employed and workmanship executed. The sailing canoes, in particular, are frequently referred to as "minature yachts", reflecting the exquisite level of joinery they possess. Few firms could rival the quality of product they turned out.

For more information about the Bowdish Company, click here and read Jack McGreivey's article.