Gone for Real: The Arson, The Casino Dream, and the Final Voyage of Niagara’s Ghost Ship

A visual rendition of Niagara's most famous 'optical illusion' as seen from the QEW.

Oooooh my goodness! If you’ve ever driven the QEW lately and felt like something was "missing" from the horizon, you aren't imagining things. For over 25 years, the weathered masts of La Grande Hermine were the ultimate Niagara landmark. I drive past this spot constantly, and it always felt like a little piece of a pirate movie was tucked away in Jordan Harbour. Well, as of late 2024, the "Ghost Ship" has officially moved on. lol!

It’s the end of an era for Niagara commuters. While the ship is gone, its history—and the series of business failures and mysteries that kept it there—is a story worth telling. This wasn't an ancient relic; it was a monument to a vision that simply didn't float.

STEEL INSIDE THE WOOD

An interpretation of the engineering truth: The 1914 steel freighter hull nested inside the wooden shell.

The biggest misconception about the ship was its age. Despite the 16th-century appearance, the vessel was actually a 1914 steel-hulled freighter that once worked in the industrial ports of Quebec. In the early 1990s, it was "dressed up" with a wooden shell and dummy masts to look like the ship Jacques Cartier sailed to Canada.

The Ship of Many Names: Long before it was the "Ghost Ship," the hull lived several different lives. Built in Trois-Rivières as the steam ferry S.S. Le Progrès, it spent decades hauling passengers. In 1930, it was renamed S.S. La Vérendrye, and by 1956, it was converted into a diesel-powered coastal freighter named La Marjolaine, hauling pulpwood along the St. Lawrence River.

The Failed "Montreal Dream": It even survived a "pre-ghost" disaster. In the early 1980s, before its conversion, it served as a floating restaurant in Montreal and Quebec City. That venture failed, and in 1995, the ship actually sank to the bottom while docked in Quebec. It was refloated and towed hundreds of kilometers to Jordan Harbour in 1997.

The Casino Legend: When Pete Lederman brought the 42.7 m (140 ft) vessel to Niagara, his intent was commerce. He envisioned a floating complex with a restaurant, boutique, and eventually—according to local legend—a casino. While rumors often mention "fire-ravaged slot machines," the truth is the business never officially opened. The ship was a monument to a "casino dream" that was never dealt a hand.

The Accidental Sanctuary: For over 20 years, the ship was a documented nesting site for Barn Swallows and Canada Geese. The removal in 2024 had to be timed specifically to avoid nesting season, ensuring the local wildlife wasn't harmed when the 110-year-old steel skeleton finally came down.

Historical Timeline:
1914: Built as the steam ferry S.S. Le Progrès in Quebec.
1991: Converted to a replica historic sailing vessel.
1995: Sank in Quebec City; refloated and towed to Niagara in 1997.
2003: A suspicious fire (arson) destroyed the decorative wooden exterior shell.
2021: Masts removed at a cost of roughly $106,000 for safety.
2024: The hull was dismantled and removed from the harbour bed.

Visual Archive: Archival Field Research

THE ARSONIST: A NIAGARA COLD CASE

On a freezing night in January 2003, the sky over Jordan Harbour turned a violent orange. The fire was so massive it was visible for miles along the QEW, pulling commuters to the shoulder just to watch the wood-clad ship burn. While the fire destroyed the decorative wood, it left the heavy steel masts standing for another 18 years, creating the "charred skeletal" look that drew photographers for decades.

The arson effectively killed any hope of the ship being used for business. Despite a formal police investigation and years of rumors involving vandals, the case remains unsolved. No one was ever charged. It’s a silent chapter of Niagara history that literally went up in smoke.

THE FINAL VOYAGE: A QUIET FAREWELL

For nearly 30 years, La Grande Hermine fought a losing war against the waves. But in October 2024, the battle ended. Acting under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act, the Canadian Coast Guard designated the ship a "vessel of concern." The structural integrity had reached a breaking point, posing a legitimate threat to public safety and the environment.

The removal was an industrial feat handled by Scruton Marine. A specialized 15-man salvage team used two large barges and a massive material handler equipped with scrap metal shears to cut through the 110-year-old steel like paper. The industrial process was a final, stark contrast to the pirate ship illusion we all loved.

Field Footage: The Demolition (Late 2024)

A visual rendition of the final skyline: The horizon is now vacant after nearly three decades.

By December 2024, the harbour bed was empty for the first time in decades. The skyline commuters had grown used to seeing was suddenly, jarringly vacant. The "Ghost Ship" had finally vanished for real.

Today, if you glance toward the water between Toronto and Niagara, you won’t see the masts or the rusted silhouette. The "Niagara Optical Illusion" is gone, replaced by the calm, open waters of Jordan Harbour. It serves as a final reminder that even the biggest dreams can eventually be reclaimed by time.

Thank you for following along with these local history deep dives. If you enjoy these stories, feel free to browse my digital products at SofistiKateIt—they're inspired by the same character and grit you see right here. Your support keeps the research moving!

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Resources

Niagara This Week. (2024). La Grande Hermine Dismantled and Removed.

Clifton Hill Blog. (2025). Abandoned Ship Niagara: The Final Chapter.

Scruton Marine. (2024). Jordan Harbour Salvage Operation Specs.

CityNews. (2024). Jordan Harbour Salvage: Field Footage.