Brockville Museum, The Mill and Brock trail

The Brock trail runs along the banks of the beautiful St. Lawrence River. The city was named after General Isaac Brock. It is also home of the famous "Pink Pills for Pale People" manufactured by George Fulford. His home is still standing today. 

The Brock Trail is a 8 km scenic pathway, part of the Ontario Waterfront Trail that runs along Brockville's beautiful waterfront and through city parks. The trail also moves north following Butler's Creek and Buell's Creek with the trail ending on Centennial Rd. at the southern border of the Mac Johnson Wildlife Area. 

Brockville Railway Tunnel

Trails are paved and can accommodate bicycles, roller blades, wheelchairs, and strollers. You might also want to visit the Brockville Railway Tunnel, Blockhouse Island, or one of the other parks along the river. Swimming, scuba diving, or just relaxing in one of the riverfront parks are popular activities. 

 

I had to wait until the rain stopped as the skies opened up when I pulled in the parking lot.  It was a very muggy day, so everyone was relieved by the downpour.  Kids were jumping in puddles, even some of the young moms gave up trying to hide under the trees and just allowed themselves to get drenched.

Once the last spell had lifted, I got out of the car and proceeded to the trail.  Just east of the parking lots is a large mill pond first created in the 1790s to serve Daniel Jones saw mill, located near the mouth of Jones' Creek.  

In the 1850s an additional grist Mill was operated by the Shepherd family.  The pond lasted for over 90 years, ans was drained about 1884 to allow for the construction of the CPR rail line to the waterfront.

A little further you can see the Isaac Beecher House.

The land was first granted to United Empire Loyalist Daniel Jones in 1790.  In 1824, Isaac Beecher bought the Jones property and in the 1840 he added the large stone house.  Beecher a tanner by trade owned the house until his death in 1870.  In 1897 the house and surrounded property was sold to the central Canada coal company in 1976 the City of Brockville with the assistance of the Brockville and district historical society bought the site to establish a permanent museum.

In 1981 after restoration and renovation, the Beecher house doors were opened as the Brockville Museum.

During the pandemic a lot of these indoor attractions are closed off from the public - if you're passing through you'll want to check out Brockville.  The homes especially are so unique.  A lot of the historical value is still kept in the small town.  I loved it.

Upper Canada Village (Battle of Crysler's Farm)

If you have never been to Upper Canada Village, I encourage you to spend a day here.  The park incorporates a strong memorial to the Battle of Crysler's Farm (yea that's the correct spelling :) which occurred in November 1813 ('The war of 1812")

In November 1813, an American army of some 8000 men commanded by major General James Wilkinson moved down the St Lawrence Seaway on their way to Montreal.

 

Wilkinson was followed and harassed by a British soldiers consisting of about 800 regulars, militia and Natives commanded by Lieut.-Col Joseph Morrison.  On November 11 Morrison's force was attacked by a contingent of the American army numbering about 4000 men commanded by Brigadier-General J.P. Boyd.

The hard fought battle resulted in the withdrawal of American troops from the battlefield.  This victory combined with the defeat of another invading army at Chateauguay on October 26 saved Canada from conquest in 1813!

Further historical sites at the village is a look at a rural English-Canadian life setting during the year 1866 with over 40 historical buildings including several working mills (woollen, grist and saw mills), and trades buildings (blacksmith, tinsmith, cabinetmaker, bakery and cheese-maker).

The park also is situated on the shores of the St. Lawrence seaway so there's plenty of spectacular views and places for picnics here and there situated on the property.

Located in Morrisburg, Ontario.  As the village was closed when we were there, please check first before heading out as I believe it's now open to the public for summer hours. 

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Other parts of the Crysler Park at Upper Canada village include a marina, a pond, a train that takes you through the park and plenty of space for a picnic.

Cornwall Historical Walking tour (St. Lawrence Seaway)

Cornwall is a very historical town - as part of the historical walking tour is the eastern entrance to the Cornwall Canal.  The completion of the Cornwall canal in 1843 provided a gateway to Canada’s interior for world trade and immigration.

This location were I was at, known as Locks 15, 16 and 17 were redesigned years later.  Lock 16 became a dry dock and was used for winter docking and repairs, while Locks 15 and 17 raised and lowered ships along the canal system.

 

The Cornwall canal was closed in 1958 and was replaced by the St. Lawrence Seaway – after which the canal was largely filled in around 1971 and 1972.

While I was there, there were plenty of provincial officers speaking to the local teens who were disregarding social distancing and making quite the ruckus for the neighbours who live nearby.

I didn’t want to stick around too long, but only long enough to hear a lot of unhappy back and forth as they were told to spread out or go back home.

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A few other historical mentions in Cornwall that I had checked out as well before heading out to Morrisburg the next morning.

I actually felt sorry for this engine as it sits in a large open park space right in the centre of two busy streets(Brookdale and 9th street) in Cornwall.  It looks really out of place.  Locomotive #17 was built in 1962 and was given as a gift to the City of Cornwall in 1977 from the Cornwall Street Railway, Light and Power Company.  It was the last electric-power engine in Canada according to Heritage Cornwall.  After years of neglect (it's been painted a few times in 1981 and again in 2006), and city council bouncing back and forth with whether to spend the 100,000 set aside to refurbish the locomotive engine, it may finally be donated to Smith Falls Museum who has expressed interest in giving it a proper home and the means to fix her up as good as new.

The RCAF - Royal Canadian Air Force has erected this fighter plane on  September 22, 1974 in dedication "to those Canadians who in war and peace earned for our country a proud place for man's conquest of the skies" Per Ardua ad Astra (last owned by RCAFA424 left wing)

Toronto's Historical Waterfront - Harbourfront Centre

One of the most interesting and historical places in Toronto is the Historical Waterfront or "Harbourfront" Centre.  

For over 40 years now this has been a place to 'go down to' check out the attractions and take in some art, food and music culture across the 10 acres of waterfront.

Back in the 70s, the central lakefront was nothing more than a wasteland of deteriorating industrial buildings - until Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau set out to make a change.  His vision was to bring the world to the waterfront of Toronto.  Since 2005, the Harbourfront Centre has been working on a series of projects that continue to transform the waterfront.

Part of Harbourfront Centre's charm is that it has retained and restored the original industrial buildings, creating a spacious campus-like site. 

The Bill Boyle Artport, formerly a trucking warehouse, is the central hub of Harbourfront Centre, housing administrative offices, multiple performance venues, exhibition spaces and our Craft & Design Studio. 

 

There's a constant shuffle of people along the harbourfront all year long.  You have to think of it as a central hub filled with every attraction imaginable to welcome people from all over the world.  This is the inception of how  the Historical Waterfront (Harbourfront Centre) began.

The Harbourfront stage is an outdoor venue, and has hosted Toronto audiences to artists that wouldn't normally be seen in commercial venues.  Artists like Celine Dion, Oscar Peterson, Philip Glass and Jim Carrey.

The COVID pandemic has closed off so many public venues that we didn't realize just how lucky we were to have access to so many attractions in the city.  

Restaurants to satiate any cuisine, waterfront parks such as Sugar Beach and the Queen Quay West park located on the waterfront.  

Boat rentals and boat cruises, art galleries and festivals; winter skating under the Gardiner bridge.  

In the summer, there are tall ship festivals that dock for a few weeks, and evening boat cruises with casinos and dinner menus included. 

If you come down and relax by the water in a high back colourful Adirondack chair, bring a book and stretch out your feet.  You'll be amazed how peaceful and quiet it can be in a one the largest populated cities on earth.

 One last thing to mention, if you ever do visit Toronto's historical waterfront - be very careful when you visit "Beavertails".  It is famous for it's Sundaes, and of course Beavertails which are dangerously delicious!

Beavertails - courtesy of 'tripadvisor.com'