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AULTSVILLE – The Town Lost to Progress

by: Bruce Ricketts

Aultsville, Ontario was founded under the name Charlesville in 1787. Primarily a manufacturing town (brick, pottery, window sashes and cheese), in 1856 it became a regular stop on the Grand Trunk Railway. By 1880 over 400 people called Aultsville home.

But by 1958 all that had changed.

The St. Lawrence River is a vital highway to the industrial parts of Central Canada and the NE United States. The major problem with the river were the frequent and violent rapids.

On July 1, 1958 (I remember, as a child, being at the official opening in Montreal when Queen Elizabeth II did the honours) the St. Lawrence Seaway opened continent's interior to ocean-going ships.

Unfortunately when the gates were opened and the water levels rose, the end was spelled for a number of riverside communities including Aultsville.

Very little is left to commemorate Aultsville. A small road runs off Highway 2 into the river. A keen observer can see remnants of old sidewalks and lanes if one looks  into the weeds.

aults.jpg (27734 bytes)

Map of Altsville

Picture of main street Aultsville courtesy of George Poirier

 10/15/2008

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