The area covered by the St. Lawrence Branch – Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry (SD&G) – is replete with historical attractions relating to the history of the Loyalists. If you find yourself in our neck of the woods, you’ll certainly benefit from visiting at least a few of these sites:

• Glengarry, Loyalist and Nor’Westers Museum, Williamstown. A local history museum whose mandate covers the Loyalists who settled in this region.
• Sir John Johnson Manor House, Williamstown. A home owned by Loyalist leader Sir John Johnson, built in 1784. Now owned by Parks Canada, the manor house is currently undergoing renovations by a charitable organization whose aim is to convert part of the structure to a working inn.
• Carman House Museum, Iroquois. A heritage house museum originally built circa 1815 by the Loyalist Carman family.
• Cornwall Community Museum, Cornwall. This heritage house was built by William Wood, a Loyalist and member of the King’s Royal Regiment of New York. The museum displays the original Historic Sites and Monuments Board plaque, from the 1930s, which recognizes the significance of Loyalists to the region.
• Bethune-Thompson House, Williamstown. A house owned by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, constructed in 1784 by Loyalist Peter Ferguson. It is likely the earliest surviving dwelling in Ontario. It is occupied by an historian who opens the house to visitors at specific times.
• Loyalist chapel, St. Andrew’s West. A replica of the original church that was constructed in 1784. The replica was built in 1991, and is situated in a fascinating historical burying ground.
• Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg. A living history village created from buildings moved from the zone flooded by the St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project in the 1950s. The village contains several buildings connected with the Loyalists of the area, including Schoharie barns and most importantly, the French-Robertson House which was partially built by KRRNY man Captain Jeremiah French.

In addition to the attractions described above, there are several provincial plaques in our region that are connected with our Loyalist history:

• “Founding of Cornwall” (Lamoureux Park at the foot of Augustus Street, Cornwall)
• “Capt. Samuel Anderson” (1900 Montreal Road, Cornwall)
• “United Empire Loyalists” (Cornwall Public Library at 45 Second Street East, Cornwall)

The historical content of this page was researched and presented by Stuart L. Manson. It is subject to copyright; no reproduction without permission.