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Cardinal has such a rich history that it's not possible to cover everything in one brief article. Additional historical information will continue to be added and an Archive Area has been set up at the bottom of this page to store all of the the information that has been previously posted on the website. If you have any information about the History of Cardinal that you'd like to see posted in this section, please contact ECBA Website Admin. ***************************************** Early natives camped beside the turbulent rapids here 400 to 500 years ago. French voyagers who rested by the rapids during expeditions gave them their original name, "Galoop", meaning Galloping waters. However, it was United Empire Loyalists who finally settled at the rapids' site, and that settlement became the village of Cardinal. After the American Revolution, troops loyal to the King (United Empire Loyalists - U.E.L's), gathered in Lower Canada in an attempt to stage a counter revolution. In the year 1777, they fought with Burgoyne at Ticonderoga and were later defeated at Saratoga. Returning to Canada, it became apparent that something must be done to recompense the men who had given up so much for their loyalty to the King. It was decided to survey the upper St. Lawrence Valley and the Bay of Quinte areas, with a view to settlement, while some of the Loyalists turned to the east and took up residence in Nova Scotia. The north shore of the St. Lawrence River was divided into townships, Edwardsburgh being No. 6. In 1784, men of the King's Loyal Americans came to this township. These men fought under Captain William Fraser, Captain Thomas Fraser and Captain Hugh Munro. The survey of the township divided the land into lots of 200 acres. Some of the lots were subdivided into lots of 100 acres. The Village of Cardinal now covers lots 3 to 8. The grants were held by: Hugh Munro, Wm.Snyder, Duncan McAlpine, David Hunter, Fredrick Lewis, Charles Doyle, Duncan Cameron, Thomas Fraser, Thomas McIlmoyle and Joel Adams. Hugh Munro, seeing the possibilities of water power inherent in the Galops Rapids, had by 1790, settled at Point Cardinal (know for a time as Munro's Point). It was here on lot 5 that he built the first saw and grist mill. The "galloping rapids" at Cardinal were so treacherous that the boats had to be pushed upstream with poles. One of Cardinal's first settlers, Henry Lewis, established a very profitable business using yokes of oxen to pull boats through the swift waters. Some days he made as much as $20! As river traffic increased it became apparent that the method of poling boats was no longer efficient. Plans were made to build a canal that would take boaters around the Galop Rapids. Construction, done without the benefit of machinery, began in 1844. Workers used carts, horses, picks, axes, wheel barrows and shovels, and were paid 50 cents a day. The canal cut through the outer edge of the village, and the Cardinal lock became a social gathering place. Soon a deeper waterway was needed and work began on a "new" canal in 1897. The canal again cut through the village but this time it was at a point that was much deeper inland and Cardinal became an island accessible only by a swing bridge. Although this new canal was deeper, it was still not possible for ocean-going ships to pass through. The St. Lawrence Seaway was constructed and a causeway was built. Part of the canal was filled in and Cardinal was no longer an island. Archives: (Please
click one of the following links to view previous articles) Portions
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