| History of Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada |
In the centre of downtown Smiths Falls is a 19th century stone building which once housed a mill. It is now home to the Rideau Canal Museum. (left).At the time of construction of the Rideau Canal a small settlement had been established around a mill operated by Abel Russell Ward, who had bought Smyth's land. Colonel By ordered the removal of Ward's mill to make way for the canal. He settled with Ward for £1,500, one of the largest claims made by mill owners on the canal. The disruption of industry caused by the building of the canal was only temporary, and Smiths Falls grew rapidly following construction. An article in Smith's Gazetteer in 1846 described the town as a "flourishing little village pleasantly situated on the Rideau River and on the Canal, fourteen miles (21 km) from Perth. It contains about 700 inhabitants. There are fifty dwellings, two grist mills (one with four run of stones), two sawmills, one carding and fulling mill, seven stores, six groceries, one axe factory, six blacksmiths, two wheelwrights, one cabinet maker, one chair-maker, three carpenters, one gunsmith, eleven shoemakers, seven tailors, one tinsmith and two taverns." A 36-foot (11 m) drop in less than a quarter of a mile posed an obstacle to navigation at Smiths Falls. A natural depression to the south of the river was used to create a flight of three locks, known as Combined Lockstation today. The natural course of the river was dammed to create a basin upstream of the locks. At the upper end of the basin a fourth (detached) lock was constructed. |
The canal, which flows through the centre of town, has shaped the history and the spirit of this pretty community. (left)A mile below the Combined Lockstation is a flight of two locks called Old Slys Lockstation. This station is named for the original settler at this location, William Sly. A dam and waste weir control water levels upstream of the locks. Defensible lockmasters houses were built at all three stations in Smiths Falls. The house at Old Slys was built in 1838 and the houses at Combined and Detached around 1842. Only the house at Combined has a second storey, which was added late in the 19th century. The defensible lockmaster's house at Detached Lockstation was torn down in 1894. Entry of the Railroads. In the 1850s the major railroad companies were looking to build main trunk lines linking Toronto, Kingston and Montreal. The two major companies at the time, the Brockville & Ottawa and the Grand Trunk, were competing for the easiest routes to lay track. For a number of geographical reasons, and also due to the proximity of the Rideau Canal, the town of Smiths Falls became a major focal point for both railways. Both the Canadian Pacific and the Canadian Northern (later Canadian National) established stations in the town, however, with the creation of VIA Rail the CN station was abandoned and all passenger traffic routed though the CPR station. The CN station has been renovated and is now home to the Smiths Falls Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario. During World War II, Axis prisoners-of-war (POW) were transported to Canadian POW camps via the railway. It was near Smiths Falls that German soldier Oberleutnant Franz von Werra jumped from a POW train and escaped to the United States, eventually reaching his homeland. [2] Von Werra was, reputedly, the only escaped Axis POW to successfully return home during the war and his story was told in the book and film entitled The One That Got Away.[3] The North American premiere of the film occurred on Thursday, 6th March 1958 at the Soper Theatre in Smiths Falls.[4] |
The Hershey's Chocolate Shoppe, visitor's entrance where
tourists can visit and tour the plant.Business and Manufacturing The town is on the Rideau Canal system for recreational boating, and is served by the Smiths Falls-Montague Airport for general aviation. It is also a major railway junction point, and its station receives regular passenger service to Ottawa and Toronto from VIA Rail. Several manufacturers are based in Smiths Falls, perhaps the most well-known being the Canadian operation of The Hershey Company. Its location on the Rideau Canal, with several large lakes in the vicinity, makes it a tourism hot spot. However, it was reported on February 16, 2007 that the company will close its plant as part of a restructuring plan which will result in the loss of 600 jobs. The announcement was made official on February 22, but operations will continue until 2008. Hershey has announced they will instead open a factory in Mexico where they can have cheaper labour. In late 2006, the plant was temporarily closed due to a case of possible salmonella contamination. The Ontario Provincial Police Eastern Region Communications Centre is also located in Smiths Falls. Its communications operators answer emergency 9-1-1 and administrative phone lines, dispatching OPP officers as required. The Rideau Regional Centre, located in Smiths Falls, has for many years provided institutional care for more than 3000 mentally disabled people. The province is currently in the process of closing this institution; this will mean the loss of the area's largest employer, with over 800 people facing unemployment. Sports and Recreation In 1906, a hockey team from Smiths Falls launched an unsuccessful challenge to win the Stanley Cup.[5] Smiths Falls was home to a professional baseball team, the Smiths Falls Beavers, for one season in 1937. The team was a part of the Canadian-American League. The town is currently home to the minor-league Smiths Falls Bears ice hockey team. It also has an active minor hockey program for children, youths and adults. The Smiths Falls and District Soccer Club offers recreational soccer for ages 5 to adult. Smiths Falls hosts Canada's oldest triathlon, which began in 1979. |
| Schools St. James The Greater Catholic Elementary School St. Francis de Sales Catholic Elementary School Duncan J. Schoular Public School Chimo Elementary School St. Luke's Catholic High School Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute Notable People NHLers Terry Karkner, Rob Dopson and Gary McAdam Hospitals Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital Local Media The Record-News - weekly newspaper Smiths Falls This Week - weekly newspaper CJET-FM - Jack FM, adult hits radio station CKBY-FM - Y101, country music radio station Nearest Towns Carleton Place, Ontario Kemptville, Ontario Kingston, Ontario Ottawa, Ontario Perth, Ontario Prescott, Ontario Westport, Ontario Nearest Settlements Jasper, Ontario, Southeast Lombardy, Ontario, Southwest Kilmarnock, Ontario, East on the Rideau River Merrickville, Ontario, East on the Rideau River |