Our History

ACOMPOSITE

The Lost Villages of Mille Roches, Moulinette, Wales, Dickinson’s Landing, Farran’s Point, and Aultsville; the hamlets of Maple Grove, Santa Cruz and Woodlands; and the farming community of Sheik’s/Sheek’s Island, were not lost through carelessness, they were disposed of  with Government approval “for the common good”. Over 6500 people were displaced in the name of progress for the sake of the St. Lawrence Seaway and International Hydro Electric project. Casualties of progress, the villages and hamlets disappeared beneath the waters of the newly created Lake St. Lawrence, but they stayed alive in the memories of their former residents.

Many of  these inhabitants moved into the new towns of Ingleside (New Town #1) and Long Sault (New Town #2), and it was there, twenty years later, that the Historical Society was born. The desire of newcomers to know about the background of these seemingly traditionless towns sparked the desire of residents from the Lost Villages to show and tell the proud heritage to which the new towns were heirs. In 1977, The Lost Villages Historical Society was founded.

Much of the content of these village history pages has been derived from the knowledge of our members. We would especially like to  thank our former President and now MPP, Mr. Jim Brownell, for his valued contributions.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Cruickshank, Brigadier-General Ernest A, The King’s Royal Regiment of New York, The Ontario Historical Society, 1931. Special Thanks to: George Anderson, Lyall Manson, and Marion Weatherhead.

CBC Archive Footage

St. Lawrence Seaway: Let the Flooding Begin