Prescott, Ontario
Prescott | |
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613 | |
Website | www.prescott.ca |
Prescott is a town on the north shore of the
Prescott was founded in the early 19th century by Edward Jessup, a Loyalist soldier during the American Revolution, who named the village after a former Governor-in-Chief, Robert Prescott. Before 1834, the town was a part of Augusta township; however, in that year, the town became a police village and severed its ties with Augusta.[2] The land here was ideal for settlement during the 18th and 19th centuries as it was situated between Montreal and Kingston along the St. Lawrence River at the head of the rapids.
History
French period
Before the arrival of Europeans to the
The area became a battleground during the 1754−1763
Arrival of the Loyalists
British settlement in the area began with a group of
Fort Wellington
In 1810, Jessup and his son laid out a townsite within Augusta Township[8] near Johnstown, which they named Prescott in honour of General Robert Prescott, who had been governor-in-chief in The Canadas and had participated in British campaigns in the area, being the aide-de-camp tasked with delivering the news of the fall of Fort Lévis fifty years earlier.[9] Jessup began to take the first steps toward building a concentrated settlement by constructing a log schoolhouse along with a teacher's residence, which was built from stone.[8] With the outbreak of the War of 1812, American troops began using Ogdensburg and Fort Oswegatchie as a base to raid settlements in Upper Canada. Soon, the two Jessup home plots were expropriated by the British Army for use as barracks.[8] The army also later constructed a purpose-built fort, which was named Fort Wellington. The fort served its intended purpose of impeding American use of the Saint Lawrence for military purposes and was never directly attacked. Following the end of the war, the fort was soon abandoned and began to deteriorate.
During the
Transport industry
Prescott's harbour developed considerably in the early 19th century, supporting the growing
By the mid-19th century, however, the forwarding industry began to decline. Navigability of the Saint Lawrence had improved, allowing more Great Lakes ships to reach Montreal directly.
Project Jericho
Project Jericho, which was one of the largest and most highly publicized sexual abuse investigations in Canada, took place in the 1980s–1990s and focused on a case of multi-generational child sexual abuse in Prescott, which was "staggering in its reach and its routine violation of hundreds of victims."
St Lawrence Shakespeare Festival
The St Lawrence Shakespeare Festival (SLSF) runs annually in Prescott, Ontario, in July and August, attracting thousands of audience members each season. SLSF contracts professional actors through the Canadian Actors Equity Association, is a member of PACT (the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres), and is a member of the Shakespeare Theatre Association.[20] The offerings of the Festival are based on two mainstage shows that run from mid-July to mid-August (often, but not always, both plays by Shakespeare) as well as additional productions that are presented in shorter runs of fewer performances.[21]
Cemeteries
Prescott contains two cemeteries, Prescott Cemetery (known as Sandy Hill) and St. Mark's Roman Catholic Cemetery. Prescott Cemetery is located along Edward Street across from South Grenville District High School and is one of the oldest burying grounds in the area.[22] The land for this cemetery was given to the town in 1830, in Edward Jessup III's will, which stated the area then known as Sand Hill was to become a “burial ground for the different churches in the town of Prescott.”.[22] Prior to becoming the town's cemetery, the area was already used as a burial ground for the Jessup family. The earliest-known burial was that of Susannah Jessup's father, who died in 1798.[22] Edward Jessup I, the original recipient of the land here, was also buried in the cemetery early in 1816. Along the south side of the front of the cemetery are many unmarked graves of pioneers who died of cholera.[22] In 1929, the cemetery was expanded, and the entrance gates were added. In 1967, the stone steps leading up the hill to the Jessup family graves were placed.[22] This cemetery is still in use today.
The Roman Catholics of Prescott were initially buried in Prescott Cemetery, which had a reserved area specifically for Roman Catholic burials. During the 1850s, the Roman Catholic community desired to have their own cemetery. In 1859, a local reverend bought land from a resident for $1 for this specific purpose. Additional such land was purchased in 1875.[22] This cemetery is located north of the 401 on the west side of County Road 18 and is known as St. Mark's Cemetery. The older, back section of the cemetery was blessed in 1860, and the newer part in 1935.[22] The earliest legible tombstone in the cemetery dates to before the land was purchased and belonged to Thomas Allen, who died in 1845.[22] This cemetery is also currently still in use.
Churches
Currently, Prescott contains six churches, all of which are still in operation. The town includes a Presbyterian, Anglican, Roman Catholic, United, Pentecostal and an Evangelist church. The Pentecostal church, called Seaway Christian Church, is located on Churchill Road and the Evangelist church, called Harvest Church, is located on Edward Street; services are currently held in these churches regularly.[23][24]
St. Andrew's Presbyterian church is located on the corner of Centre and Dibble Street in Prescott. The first St. Andrew's Presbyterian, located on the same site as the current church, was constructed in 1821 and dedicated in 1822. The first church was a frame structure built on land donated by Susannah Jessup. This church was replaced in 1850 by a stone church, which burned in 1892. The present building that replaced it was constructed in 1893. Prior to this church, the Presbyterian congregation met in the schoolhouse at the corner of West and King Street. St. Andrew's is still in use today.[25]
St. John's Anglican Church in Prescott is located at the corner of James and Centre Street. The original St. John's Church on this site was a frame building constructed in 1821. The land for the church was donated by Susannah Jessup. The present church, which is still in use, was constructed in 1860 in a Gothic style to replace the original frame building. Some parts of the building are currently being renovated into apartments.[25]
The Roman Catholic church, known as St. Mark's Roman Catholic Church, was built in the 1830s on land purchased from the Jessup family. Prior to its construction, a Roman Catholic priest served the area out of homes or community buildings. The present church stands in the exact location as the original St. Mark's on Dibble Street.[25]
Currently, St. Paul's United Church is located on George Street; however, the former site of St. Paul's United Church was on Dibble Street, near St. Mark's church. Between 1854 and 1856, the Wesleyan Methodist congregation in Prescott planned, financed and erected their own church. This church became known as St. Paul's United Church. On July 28, 1979, the church was burned beyond repair and demolished.[26] Sometime after the fire, a new St. Paul's United Church was built to serve the congregation; this school is still used today.
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1991 | 4,512 | — |
2016 | 3,965 | −7.4% |
[27][1] |
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Prescott had a population of 4,078 living in 1,889 of its 1,993 total private dwellings, a change of -3.4% from its 2016 population of 4,222. With a land area of 4.94 km2 (1.91 sq mi), it had a population density of 825.5/km2 (2,138.1/sq mi) in 2021.[28]
2021 | 2016 | 2011 | |
---|---|---|---|
Population | 4,078 (-3.4% from 2016) | 3,965 (-1.1% from 2011) | 4,284 (+2.5% from 2006) |
Land area | 4.94 km2 (1.91 sq mi) | 3.11 km2 (1.20 sq mi) | 4.95 km2 (1.91 sq mi) |
Population density | 826/km2 (2,140/sq mi) | 1,273.5/km2 (3,298/sq mi) | 865.3/km2 (2,241/sq mi) |
Median age | 49.6 (M: 48.4, F: 51.2) | 50.9 (M: 49.2, F: 52.5) | |
Private dwellings | 1,890 (total) | 1,998 (total) | 2,063 (total) |
Median household income | $46,393 |
Mother tongue:[32]
- English as first language: 91%
- French as first language: 4%
- English and French as first language: 0%
- Other as first language: 5%
Notable people
- Leo Boivin, ice hockey player and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
- Jean Casselman Wadds, politician
- James Morrow Walsh, North-West Mounted Police officer
- Ben Hutton, ice hockey player
- Thomas Pope, mayor of Quebec City 1861–1863
- Alaine Chartrand, figure skater
- Sir Richard William Scott, politician and cabinet minister
- Bruce Hutchison, author and journalist
- Edward Jessup III, politician
- Hamilton Dibble Jessup, doctor and politician
- Earl Roche, professional hockey player
- John Philip Wiser, Canadian distiller
References
- ^ 2016 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
- ^ Goldie A. Connell (1985) Augusta: Royal Township Number Seven. St. Lawrence Printing Co. ltd. p. 262
- ^ "About the Township". twpec.ca. Township of Edwardsburgh-Cardinal. Archived from the original on February 24, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Grenville County History". Grenville County Historical Society. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
- ^ O'Callaghan, Edmund Bailey, ed. (1853). Documents relative to the colonial history of the state of New York. Vol. 9. Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons and Company. p. 195.
- ^ a b "Fort History". Fort de la Presentation. January 15, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
- ^ "Johnstown 1789". Ontario Heritage Trust. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Prescott Barracks". Canadian Register of Historic Places. Parks Canada. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ^ Bowler, R. Arthur (1983). "JESSUP, EDWARD". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. V (1801–1820) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- ^ "History of the Windmill". Parks Canada. August 16, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ^ "Forwarding Trade at Prescott, The". Ontario Heritage Trust. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ Lowrie, Wayne (March 6, 2019). "Forwarder's Museum may be history". Brockville Recorder & Times. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ISSN 0007-9766.
- ^ ISBN 0-919783-80-5.
- ISSN 0824-233X.
- ISSN 0824-233X.
- ISBN 0394223187.
- ^ a b c d "The Prescott Case: Key Dates and Events". Care for Kids – Jericho. Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
- ^ "Ritual Abuse Cases in Prescott, Ontario, Canada". religioustolerance.org. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
- ^ "St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival Opens for the 2016 Season". brockvilletourism.com. July 19, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- ^ "The Festival". slsf2018.wixsite.com. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Goldie A. Connell (1985) Augusta: Royal Township Number Seven. St. Lawrence Printing Co. ltd. p. 211-213
- ^ "Seaway Christian Church". seawaychurch.ca.
- ^ "Harvest Church Prescott Ontario". harvestchurchprescott.com.
- ^ a b c McKenzie, R. (n.d.). Leeds and Grenville: Their First 200 Years. McClelland and Stewart.
- ^ McGaughey, E. (1980). A Firm Foundation: A History of St. Paul's United Church. Kingston: Brown and Martin.
- 2006census
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
- 2021 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
- 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
- ^ 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
- 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.