My oldest brother just died at 52 and left behind the family canoe. It’s in real ruff shape but I took it anyways. It’s aluminum with a label in it that says RICHLAND MFG CO LEBANON, MO. I can’t find anything online about the maker. Flipping through old photos, 1973 is the earliest with the canoe ini it. Can anyone help me to locate information on it? I can supply pics
Thanks,
Timothy A. Gray
check out…
– Last Updated: Sep-21-15 12:38 PM EST –
Osagian canoes.
Might be an Osagian or a forerunner of Osagian, which was manufactured in Lebanon, Mo. for many years.
May still be made there; don't know?
BOB
Richland canoe?
– Last Updated: Sep-23-15 6:04 PM EST –
Is it possible that you could be a little confused? Rich line was an aluminum boat company in the Missouri Ozarks in a town called Richland. They built canoes and Jon boats. They operated in the 50's, 60's and early 70's. They eventually went out of business but some of there employees went on to start applebee, another aluminum boat company/canoe maker. Eventually Applebee employees moved on to start most of the aluminum boat companies that now dominate the area. Lowe, Generation 3, Osagian, Tracker,Sundance and probably several more that I don't recall right now all got there start with people who learned the craft of aluminum boat building at Applebee and Rich line. Today these companies all base there operations in or around the nearby town of Lebanon Mo, also known as the aluminum boat capital of the world. As you can see there have been many aluminum canoe companies in the Lebanon/Richland area but I have never heard of a company called Richland, dosent mean there never was one, some were very small and obscure. just more likely that the boat may be a rich line. I will try ask around and find out more info.
If your boat is a rich line it is truly a predecessors of most of the aluminum boats that are around today, almost a piece of history. Bet there arent many of those still floating around. (see what I did there?) Then again those things last forever.
John R
