A tour of DUNDAS

Any tour of Dundas County has to include the St. Lawrence River, agriculture and the food it yields. Yes, Upper Canada Village, is a world class tourist site, but there is much, much more to see.

IROQUOIS has it all for the river and history buff. Nowhere along the Canadian side of the St. Lawrence will you be able to get as close to ships sailing the River than the Iroquois Locks, and nowhere else will you be able to view the immense size of one of the River’s dams. In Iroquois you can directly compare Lock 25, on the old Galop Canal with the modern Seaway.

As one of the towns relocated to create the Seaway, the visitor will also get an understanding of the full impact of the project, when they realize that the grounds of the small aircraft landing strip, camp grounds, bike path and waterfront park were once the town’s downtown.
Finally, if you need a break, Iroquois has, to my mind, the best free beach in Eastern Ontario, where you can view the ships go by under the shade of its trees.

Shipwreck
If you like the idea of exploring a shipwreck without having to put on diving gear, continue on to Cardinal, where you will not only see what a truly massive building project the Galop Canal was, but will also find the remains of the ferry “Weehawk,” built in 1926, along with its sister vessel “Walsh.” The vessels were sold to the St. Lawrence Seaway Corp. in 1958, and sailed between Roosevelt Town and Cornwall Island while the south span of the Seaway International Bridge was being built. With the bridge completed, the ferries were sold to scrap metal dealer Percy Larose of Cardinal and placed in the Galop Canal for demolition in 1961. A serious car accident prevented Larose from dismantling the ferries. The “Walsh” was eventually demolished, but the “Weehawk,” was abandoned.

Time to Dine
If you have had enough heritage and enjoy fresh produce, turn back on County Road 2, through Iroquois and turn north on 16 (aka Brinston Road) to Dentz’s.

Once you finish here you are only a few kilometres from Upper Canada Creamery. Turn north or left on Brinston Road to the first intersection, Waddell Road and go east.
Now head north to Dundela, the home of the McIntosh Apple.
Take County Road 18 to Williamsburg.

Break Time!
When you reach Williamsburg, the site of Dr. Locke’s world famous clinic, turn on 31 and follow the signs to StoneCrop Acres, Winery and Vineyard, for a much deserved flight of wine or cider or two, accompanied by what I consider to be the best wood fired pizza in Dundas, in the barn sized tasting room, decorated with paintings of people enjoying a tipple. Check the Winery’s website for their upcoming special events. If you want to make a night of it, you can book their Guest House.

Head back to Morrisburg…
…and if you are travelling on a Sunday, drop into MacHaffie’s, where, if you can’t find something to buy, you aren’t trying! But, remember when it comes to flea markets to be wary. I always get a chuckle when I see dealers earnestly offering empty “antique” beer bottles, for more than you would pay for full ones at the beer store!

OR

If you like to mix heritage, children’s activities and the outdoors, visit Prehistoric World, located on Upper Canada Road, just northwest of the historic Village.

Visit the British Homechild Museum, dedicated to the more than 100,000 children sent from the British Isles, between 1869 – 1948. They were sent to Canada to be contracted or indentured to homes and farms. Check before going too see if the museum is open, if not, the station built between 1866 and 1889, and relocated, is finest example of the Grand Trunk’s stations, still standing in SDG.

End at the Crysler Battlefield Monument.
On November 11th, 1813, approximately 3,000 American troops were defeated by about 1,200 British, Canadian and Indigenous forces, in an action American military historian Colonel J.R. Elting said is “regarded as the nadir of the history of the American army.” The defeat ended just one of the several attempts by the U.S. to claim Canada. With renewed threats of American expansionism, the historic cannons pointing south with the flags flying proudly in the wind, are a poignant reminder of Canada’s sovereignty.

So while Upper Canada Village may be the crown jewel of local tourism, it’s far from the only gem in Dundas County’s treasure chest. Whether you’re tracing the path of warships and wayfarers, walking through the echoes of drowned towns, tasting the region’s freshest fare, or sipping wine beside a vineyard sunset, there’s a richness here that deserves more than just a daytrip. Dundas County is a place where history lives not behind ropes and glass, but in the very landscapes, communities, and stories still unfolding. So go beyond the Village—and let yourself discover the heart of Eastern Ontario.

A voyage along the St. Lawrence was the region’s major tourist draw until the St. Lawrence Seaway flooded the River’s rapids. Cruise ships, such as this behemoth, still ply the waters between Kingston and Montreal and beyond.

Forward House, home of the S. Dundas Historical Society, was built around 1815 and is one of Iroquois’ three remaining houses, not relocated for the Seaway. The building is just north of the Carmen House Museum, the second remaining structure. Genealogists and historians can complete their journey by visiting the professionally run Dundas County Archives, in Iroquois.

The remains of the car ferry “Weehawk,” located off Galop Canal Road, just west of Cardinal, in Galop Canal Park. To find the wreck, park in the nearby lot, and cross the foot-bridge then turn right.

Dentz Orchard and Berry Farm. In season, the berry patch has some of the region’s ripest raspberries for picking. Other produce includes strawberries, apples and more.

Upper Canada (certified organic) Creamery, offers farm fresh milk, probiotic yogurt, cheese, plain, garlic jalapeno curds, which are deliciously different from St. Albert’s.

The plaques beside the abandoned McIntosh Homestead, and the APPLE DUNDAS gave the world, one of Eastern Ontario’s most significant, yet largely undeveloped historic sites.

Hostess Leslie Johnson pouring a glass (and then enjoying) one of vigneron Marc Gervais’ products.

MacHaffie Flea Market, outdoor shopping lane. There is much more inside.

Who can seriously resist visiting a place where a dinosaur looms above the fence? Prehistoric World, opened in 1982, and now displays more than 50 giant replica dinosaurs.

British Homechild Museum is located in Aultsville’s former Grand Trunk Railway Station, on County Road 2, off Home Child Lane (Crysler Park Marina.)

Crysler Battlefield Monument, Crysler’s Farm Battlefield Park, adjacent to Upper Canada Village. The monument was originally dedicated on the site of the battlefield in 1895, but was moved here in 1958, after the battlefield was flooded to create the headpond for the Moses-Saunders Dam.