Nowitka's engines were over 70 years old, and had been originally built for a ferry crossing the St. Lawrence River.

[2] The blunt-ended bow of Nowitka allowed the vessel to be readily capable of pushing barges, which increased the vessel's utility and effective cargo capacity.

Nowitka was last used to haul supplies to construct a bridge at Brisco, BC.

[1][3] Following construction of the bridge at Brisco, Nowitka was taken out of service in May 1920, and abandoned near the sawmill wharf at Golden.

Nowitka was the last steamboat to operate on the Columbia River in the Columbia Valley, although gasoline and diesel powered vessels did run later on the river.