Merrickville

The arrangement of the locks here is unique along the waterway with a small basin set between each lock. These basins were built to allow the locks to follow a natural depression in the ground and therefore minimize the amount of excavation necessary. Before the work could begin, the land had to be cleared of its forest cover as was typical of most of the Rideau sites. Merrickville, however, is one of the few villages on the waterway which had been settled before the construction of the canal. It had been established in 1794 when the American William Merrick came from Massachusetts to set up grist and lumber mills at the falls here. Throughout the 19th century, Merrickville continued to be an important industrial centre on the Rideau with grist, shingle and wool-carding mills. Some of the abandoned mill buildings still stand on the small island beside the locks. The products of the mills formed part of the cargoes carried on the waterway with vessels plying their way between the river settlements.

Between 1826 and 1832, an old Indian canoe route along the Rideau and Cataraqui Rivers was transformed at the command of the British

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The 202 km (126 miles) of waterway was made navigable by 47 locks grouped in 22 stations with their associated dams and weirs. The work was designed and superintended by the Royal Engineers, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John By; the actual construction was done by local contractors.

Despite the blockhouses along the waterway, the role of the Rideau has always been peaceful. It was a busy waterway, carrying settlers and supplies into the growing settlement of the interior until the middle of the 19th century, when larger locks were opened on the St. Lawrence. At the same time, since the possibility of war between Britain and the United States was now unlikely, the British Board of Ordnance signed the system over to the colonial government of Canada in 1856. The period of the Canal's military administration was over.

Local commercial traffic remained important until the advent of the automobile and better roads about the time of World War I. Since that time recreational boating has grown steadily so that now the system,

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 18, 2019

2. Merrickville Marker

Back, not transcribed since it is mainly informational

Entre 1826 et 1832, une ancienne voie d'eau utilisée par les Indiens le long des rivières Rideau et Cataraqui fut transformée à la demande du gouvernement britannique en un réseau de voies navigables

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 18, 2019

3. Merrickville Marker

Rideau Canal Lock and Blockhouse in background

Le réseau de 202 km (126 milles) a été rendu navigable par la construction de 47 écluses regroupées en 22 postes. Les travaux ont été planifiés et surveillés par les Royal Engineers, sous le commandement du lieutenant-colonel John By. Ils ont été exécutés par des entrepreneurs locaux.

Malgré les blockhaus qui se trouvent le long du réseau, le Rideau n'a jamais été troublé par la guerre. Ce fut un cours d'eau achalandé transportant colons et approvisionnements à l'intérieur des terres jusqu'au milieu de XIX^e siècle lorsque les grandes écluses du Saint-Laurent furent ouvertes à la navigation. Au même moment, la menace de guerre entre la Grand-Bretagne et les États-Unis s'étant estompée, le British Board of Ordnance céda le réseau au gouvernement colonial du Canada en 1856. Cela mit fin à l'administration militaire du canal.

Le trafic commercial local demeura important jusqu'à l'apparition de l'automobile et la construction de meilleures routes, à l'époque de la Première Guerre mondiale. Depuis, les plaisanciers se sont faits