Arikah Map

Brockville, Ontario

Brockville (2001 population 21,375, metropolitan population 44,741) is located in the Thousand Islands region on the St. Lawrence River in Eastern Ontario, Canada.

Known as the "City of the 1000 Islands", Brockville is located directly opposite Morristown, New York on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, about half-way between Cornwall in the east and Kingston in the west and a little over an hour from the nation's capital, Ottawa.


Contents

History

Brockville, Ontario:Canada's first railway tunnel, opened in 1860.
Enlarge
Canada's first railway tunnel, opened in 1860.

This area of Ontario was first settled in 1784 by hundreds of American refugees who later became known as United Empire Loyalists for their political position on the side of King George III during the American War of Independence. This struggle between Britain and the 13 American colonies took place in the years 1776 to 1783 and seriously divided loyalities in some colonies such as New York. When the war ended with the capitulation of the British forces in 1782, those colonists who remained loyal to the crown were frequently subject to reprisals and dispossessed of much of their property. Many "Loyalists" chose to flee across the St. Lawrence River and this region of Canada was settled by English speaking refugees.

The rocky bay on the St. Lawrence was a natural landing site, and the first to settle there was a disbanded ensign from the state of New York, William Buell Sr. (1751-1832) in 1785. The initial settlement was located not far from an Indian campground and was sometimes known as Buell's Bay or Elizabethtown.

The settlement became known as the Village of Elizabethtown as it was located in the township of the same name. Disputes among the earlty settlers gave the community the nickname "Snarlingtown". Among the sources of dispute was a permanent name for the community. In 1811 there was an attempt to change it to Williamstown, after William Buell. Another founding family, the Jones family wanted it called Charlestown after Charles Jones. Some histories state that to settle the dispute, the matter was referred to British Major-General Isaac Brock, the national hero of the War of 1812-14 who named it Brockville. The official version is that the name was adopted after his death in battle at Queenston, Upper Canada in his honour.

Brockville became Ontario's first incorporated town in 1832, one year before Toronto. It was granted the status of a City in 1962. Its coat of arms features a beehive surrounded by a golden chain and bears the motto Industria, Intelligentia, Prosperitas. This is an official heraldic design. Brockville is one of the few cities that has a recognized heraldic flag. The town became a local center of industry including shipbuilding, saddleries, tanneries, tinsmiths, a foundry, a brewery, and several hotels. By 1854, a patent medicine industry had sprung up in Brockville and bordering Morristown, NY featuring products such as Dr Morse's Indian Root Pills, Dr. McKenzie's Worm Tablets and later, Dr. William's Pink Pills for Pale People.

In 1885, Brockville was included on the line of the new Grand Trunk Railway, connecting Montreal to Toronto. At the same time the north-south line of the Brockville & Ottawa Railway was built as a transportation link to join the St. Lawrence River ship route with the timber trade of the Ottawa Valley. A well-engineered tunnel for this railway was dug and blasted underneath the middle of Brockville from 1854 to 1860. This was the first railway tunnel of its kind created and opened in Canada, and remains in place for visitors to see and experience.

Brockville became known for an incident at the close of the American Civil War. In June of 1866, Irish-American "Fenians" raided across the Niagara River into Ontario and from Vermont into Quebec. Premier John A. Macdonald called out the militia soldiers to protect Canada. The Infantry Company and Brockville Rifles were called upon to protect Brockville. These Fenian Raids resulted in American threats of reprisal and were an important factor spurring the creation of the Dominion of Canada.

Industry

Brockville is now home to several industrial manufacturers including ceiling fan manufacturer Canarm.

The Brockville Procter & Gamble site is the world supplier of Swiffer cleaning products. It is the employer of over 600 workers.

Canadian retailer Giant Tiger has opened a new distribution centre for frozen products in Brockville.

Home to the Canadian headquarters for design, product research and development for all Black and Decker products. In addition, the facility also acts as a distribution centre for the eastern region of Ontario.

Tourism

Brockville, Ontario:A Canadian Pacific Railway Caboose or "Van" donated to Brockville by CPR for display. It is located near the Railway Tunnel.
Enlarge
A Canadian Pacific Railway Caboose or "Van" donated to Brockville by CPR for display. It is located near the Railway Tunnel.

As the City of the 1000 Islands, Brockville is home to St. Lawrence River tour boats offering scenic trips on the river.

The Brockville area is the launching point for some of the best fresh-water wreck diving in the world. Numerous sunken ships have been discovered below the waters of the St. Lawrence and a number of dive operators with fully equipped boats are ready to take divers to these sites.

The historic Fulford Place is located in the east end of Brockville. This was the palatial home of Senator George T. Fulford, whose success in marketing Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People around the world made him one of the area's richest industrialists before his death in 1905. The house is open daily for tours at 287 King St.

Sports

Brockville has had a very rich sports heritage in relation to communities of its size in Ontario. Several local clubs, organizations and high schools have achieved success on provincial, national, and even international stages that many other similar sized communities would be hard-pressed to match.

The Brockville Rowing Club is one of the oldest and most successful rowing clubs in Canada and have several times captured Royal Canadian Henley Championships. The club has even sent crews to London, England where they have captured a Royal Henley World Championship. This success often comes against much larger clubs from large Canadian centers such as Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Several former BRC members have gained entrance into Ivy League schools, such as Harvard, Princeton and Cornell. Additionally, some athletes have received prestigious NCAA athletic scholarships, enabling them to attend the powerhouses of Michigan, Syracuse, Iowa and Merceyhurst since 1999. Close to 100 Brockville Area Youth annually have the unique opportunity to participate in a national level rowing program in a small town setting.

Thousand Islands Secondary School is home to an extraordinary high school track & field and cross country running program. The "Pirates" have captured numerous Canadian championships and have won 3 straight overall provincial (OFSAA) Ontario championships in track & field and cross country running in an association of over 1000 schools since 2004. With over 15 former students currently on NCAA athletic track & field scholarships in the United States, TISS has been awarded over $1,000,000 in student athletic scholarships. The TISS team travels all over North America including Ohio, Florida, New Hampshire, and British Columbia, consistently winning major international championships and accolades. The unique accomplishments of the school have inspired the community to undergo plans to construct a $1.3 million athletic center at the school which would be one the best in Canada when completed, truly a major accomplishment for such a small urban center.

The Brockville Bunnies Youth Baseball Program is also a very elite level program that operates out of this small Eastern Ontario city. With provincial championships and several pro and Olympic graduates, the Bunnies provide Brockville youth with excellent opportunities in the sport.

The Brockville Blazers Basketball team, and the newer sports team, the Brockville Blues, provide basketball coaching and training for girls and boys across the area. The amouunnt of skill, (especially from the girls team) has been evident in the standings they place year in and year out in the OBA championships. Through the work of great coaching and desire, an excecptionable female basketball player named Stacey Dales (a graduate of TISS highschool) has gone on to play for the Oklahoma Unniversity Sooners, coming in a close second for the NCAA title in her graduating year. She also has the highest Canadian woman's draft pick for the WNBA, where she has played for the Washington Mystics, and is currently playing for the Chicago women's team.

The Upper Canada Swim Club is another local youth organization that operate at a level of competition that is unlike most small Canadian cities.

There are several golf courses in the Brockville area for a variety of skill levels. Sunnidel Golf is a par three course designed for an easy going fun round. It is a great place to learn and to have some fun. The Brockville Highlands is a full length 18 hole course but has some to be desired. The course has a small membership and is open to patrons willing to pay green fees. The Brockville Country Club poses greater difficulty to the average golfer. The membership is comprised of an older demographic and is semi-private. The course is open to green fees however certain playing restrictions are imposed.

Education

There are four high schools located in and around the City of Brockville. They include Brockville Collegiate Institute; with an enrollment of approximately 500, it is a predominantly university preparatory school with a strong rowing and football program. The BCI Stage Crew is a team of students who are particularly proficient in many aspects of technical theater. Due to the auditorium at BCI (one of the few left of it's kind), the BCI Stage Crew has a long tradition of experienced Technical Directors and Crew members alike, some who have gone on to work professionaly in the Theater and Concert showbusiness circuits.

Thousand Islands Secondary School, with an enrollment of 1160, is both a university and college preparatory school with excellent tech facilities and athletics programs, most notably the track and field, girls basketball, boys soccer, and cross country running teams. St. Mary Catholic High School, with around 600 students, has given back to the community with excellent organizations that foster community involvement and charity. St-Mary has also has great athletic success with their girls basketball programs, winning the all Ontarios back to back years in the late 90's.

Grenville Christian College is located just east of the city and is a university prepatory school that houses around 250 students from around the world.

St. Lawrence College (Brockville Campus) has been graduating post secondary students since the 1960s that has an enrollment of around 800.

The strongest public schools in the city are Toniata Public School and Vanier Public School that serve the north end of the city, while the Catholic schools of St. John Bosco and J.L Jordan have produced many inspirational Canadian citizens[citation needed].

Media

The city's main daily newspaper is the The Recorder & Times.

Two radio stations are licensed to the city:

Brockville has been known to foster innovation through a variety of musical forms. The annual Sears Festival attracts crowds to see the rising stars of Brockville's youth. The BCI stage and concert band compete at various levels and have become renowned for their unique and vibrant style. Many local bands have also experienced success including Days Ransom, Selling Causes and Three For Silence.

References

    Brockville, Ontario:Victoria Hall, Brockville
    Enlarge
    Victoria Hall, Brockville
    Brockville, Ontario:Brockville is the county seat for Leeds-Grenville
    Enlarge
    Brockville is the county seat for Leeds-Grenville
    Brockville, Ontario:The Saint Lawrence Seaway separates downtown Brockville from Morristown NY
    Enlarge
    The Saint Lawrence Seaway separates downtown Brockville from Morristown NY

    Civic

    Culture and tourism

    History

    Sports and hobbies

    Coordinates: 44°35′N 75°41′W

    Categories


    Articles with unsourced statements | Cities in Ontario | Leeds and Grenville, Ontario | Cities on the Saint Lawrence River

    Find

    Find

    Find