Welcome to RTHS

The Rideau Township Historical Society (RTHS) was formed in 1974, the same year the historic townships of North Gower and Marlborough were joined to form Rideau Township. The RTHS mission is to "preserve the past to enrich the future" by increasing awareness of and access to the history of the former Rideau Township, which was amalgamated into the City of Ottawa in 2001.

The symbols in the RTHS crest (see above) reflect the pursuits of the early settlers in the area. As illustrated in the images at right, river transport and commerce, forestry, agriculture and livestock were the essential ingredients that enabled the founding townships of North Gower and Marlborough to realize Peace, Plenty and Progress.

Crest Image Graphic

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RTHS News, Events & Interests

Featured Article

The Rideau Canal at Manotick: Early Years

This article by Ron Wilson was originally published in the RTHS newsletter in May, 2009

Long Island Lock at Manotick
Long Island Lock at Manotick

The Rideau Canal opened in 1832, but the bulkhead dam at Watson’s Mill was not built until 1858. This raises the question of how the canal worked in the Manotick – Long Island area in the intervening years.

In fact Colonel By’s design of the canal in the Manotick – Long Island area did not contain a dam at the Watson’s Mill site. He used weirs elsewhere.

A weir is a low head dam used to increase the depth of water in a channel for some purpose. For example a weir could be used to create a mill pond to run a water wheel or yield a section of river navigable. Its not clear when a weir becomes high enough to become a dam.

Before the canal the water flow in the Manotick area was different than now. There were 3 channels instead of two, and there were three islands instead of two. The islands were Long Island, Nicolls Island, and Little Island. The map below shows the area in 1831. (Map from “A History of Long Island, Manotick, 1827 to 1997 by Catherine Carroll & Barbara Humphreys.) Little Island existed because the water levels were higher in both the west branch and Mud Creek before the dam was built at the Watson’s Mill site.

Rideau Canal at Manotick-01

May on the RTHS Facebook Page

The RTHS Facebook page continues to add new posts daily (Monday to Friday). A sampling of posts in May include:

  • Manotick Hotels
  • The Presence of the Past in Rideau Township:
    • 2659 Roger Stevens Dr. -- The Hackett Farm.
    • 4148 Donnelly Dr., Burritts Rapids -- the Fry House.
    • Lots 20 &21 Concession A, North Gower -- "Riverlane Farm"
  • Road renaming in Rideau
  • "Pee-Bo-Skip" and other curious school behaviour in the mid-1800s
  • North Gower Continuation School (1936-37)
  • S.S.#3 Marlborough (Pierce's Corners Public School) (1944-45)
  • S.S.#4 Marlborough (Malakoff) (1922)
  • S.S.#10 North Gower (Manotick Public School) (1950-51)
  • S.S.#2 North Gower (Watterson's Corners) (post-1872; pre-1893)
  • North Gower Township honours Reeve John Craig (1894)
  • Vigilantes in Manotick (1962)
  • Celebrating Manotick's 125th anniversary (1984)
  • The Lindsays and Lindsay's wharf
  • 1800s Lighting (from "Carsonby: a Community History - 1969)
  • Eloquent tribute to an early North Gower doctor (Dr. A. Jamieson) (1893)
  • The flourishing community of Reeve Craig.
  • Tales of North Gower and area (1937)
  • Dora Stamp, Rideau builder
  • The Carleton Golf & Yacht Club story
  • Tales of North Gower and area (1937)
  • Rules for teachers (1872 and 1915)

https://www.facebook.com/rideautownshiphistory/

Preserving the Past to Enrich the Future