"... a living river by the door..."

"... a living river by the door...". Robert Louis Stevenson. , Early Settlements popped up at waterfalls along the Napanee River. Lumber and grist mills could be powered by the energy of the falling water. The river became the lifeblood for the villages that grew around those early mills. Eventually water power was replaced by fossil fuels, allowing industry to move elsewhere. Many mills and factories along the riverbank became silent. , A new generation of residents seeking a rural lifestyle have renovated the waterfront mills into unique homes and businesses. The Napanee River remains a vital part of our heritage. It is a special natural place , a place where people of all interests and ages are drawn to enjoy its scenic beauty. , Yarker , First named Simcoe's Falls after Upper Canada's first Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe, the name Yarker was adopted in 1859. Village history is captured beautifully on a riverfront wall sculpture and plaque. , Camden East , The settlement was named Clark's Mills after mill owner and first postmaster Samuel Clark. In 1866 the name was changed to Camden East. From 1976 to 1998 Harrowsmith Magazine was produced in this village. , Strathcona , The settlement was called Yankee Mills when American mill owners paid workers in US dollars. The hamlet is home to Strathcona Paper Co., first established by the Thomson brothers as the Napanee Paper Co. in 1873. , Colebrook , At one time the tiny village produced 750,000 feet of lumber per year. Colebrook was home to the Wartmon Pump Co. producers of a unique wooden well-pump from 1870 to 1959. , Napanee , With a busy harbour, the village of Napanee served as the terminus for log drives along the river. Timber was loaded onto schooners for shipment or tied together in large rafts and floated to the Rathbun mills in Deseronto. , Deseronto , Mohawk Loyalists from New York's Mohawk Valley settled here after the American Revolution. In 1880 the name was changed from Mill Point to Deseronto in honour of Captain John Deserontyon, leader of the Mohawk Loyalists. The Rathbun Family business empire employed 4,000 people, processing everything from lumber to railway cars during Deseronto's Industrial heyday (1870-1910). , Newburgh , In 1846 villagers dropped the less-respectable name of Rogue's Hollow and adopted Newburgh after a town on the Hudson River. The Thomson brothers established their first paper mill in Newburgh, gaining recognition for their innovations in Canada's pulp and paper industry. , Friends of the Napanee River acknowledge the support of: The Town of Greater Napanee Chamber of Commerce, Bon Eco Design, The Township of Stone Mills, The Community Foundation for Lennox and Addington, The Lennox and Addington Stewardship Council, and B.M.R. Mfg. Inc.