Postcard Memories is a weekly series of historic postcard views and photos submitted by Marcel Rousseau.
Some were previously published by the Orillia Museum of Art and History and in the book Postcard Memories Orillia.
The Islay, (pronounced Eye-la) was originally named the Orillia and was launched by Captain Charles McInnis in 1885.
McInnes purchased Strawberry Island that same year and turned the island into a large summer resort. He ran excursions from his island to Orillia, Barrie and Beaverton with stops at Hawkestone and Brechin.
The Orillia was the fastest steamer on Lake Simcoe and was 85 feet long with an 18-foot beam.
In 1895, McInness lengthened the Orillia to 116 feet and installed new engines built by Bertram Engineering Works, Toronto and renamed his steamer the Islay.
The Islay was licensed for 350 passengers in 1914 and was condemned as a passenger vessel in 1915. It was subsequently beached at Couchiching Beach Park where it burned to the water's edge on Feb. 2 1919.
