Port Dalhousie community, park and canal history

The Town continues to grow and expand in many ways.

As the settlement steadily grew, there arose certain community needs, which had to be met.

As for churches in the early days, travelling missionaries held services in a log schoolhouse in the west end of Port Dalhousie near the land dedicated as St. John's Cemetery. The Anglican parish of St. James Louth was founded in 1834 and the first church was built in 1841 on land donated by Thomas and George Read. The name was changed to St. John's in 1868 when the present brick building on Main Street was constructed. The following year the original wood structure was moved by scow up the canal to Merritton where in 1892 it was destroyed by fire.

Around the same time, the Presbyterian parish of Port Dalhousie was forming, holding services at the log schoolhouse. In 1849, Nathan Pawling donated land for a church and burying ground, as well as promising financial support. A few years later a frame building was constructed on Church Street and opened for worship. The present St. Andrew's church and Sunday school were constructed in 1894. On June 10, 1925 the church decided to join with the Methodists, Presbyterians and the Congregationalists to form the United Church of Canada.

The Star of the Sea church was built in 1871 on land purchased from Owen McMahon. It was made of stone which was brought here from Kingston as ballast. The stones were dropped off at Lock One and Catholics and Protestants joined in a common cause. Anyone passing the pile felt obligated to load their wagons and buggies and carry the stones to the church site. Mention is made of a structure used as a church prior to this. Legend has it that a group of sailors caught in a sudden violent lake storm promised in prayer that they would build a church when they safely arrived ashore. Their prayers were answered and their promise kept when they landed in Port Dalhousie. The original steeple was built tall enough to be seen from the middle of the lake, a navigational aid to other vessels. It was blown over in a storm around 1928.

The first schoolhouse, constructed of logs, was situated in the west part of the village on what used to be the Corbett farm. It was replaced by one on Dalhousie Avenue near Gertrude and then by a two room structure on Dalhousie near Elgin. It was later bought by the Separate School Board and used until a school was built on Dalhousie Avenue. The cornerstone was laid July 11, 1915. It contained two classrooms downstairs. The second floor had a hall with a stage where plays, dances, dinners, sewing bees and bingos were held. In 1956 three classrooms were added.

In 1877 Port Dalhousie Public School was built and contained three classrooms which comprise the front rooms of the building. In 1881 an organ was acquired and the teaching of music begun.

On April 25, 1867 the Free Masons laid a corner stone of Port Dalhousie Church of St. John. There were 3000 spectators. It was completed by August 19, 1869.

The primary industries at the turn-of-the-century were the Maple Leaf Rubber Factory, the canal and its related commercial businesses and Muir Bos. Shipbuilding and Repair.

In the commercial core on Front Street (1877) were three a grocery stores, The Woodhouse Hotel, a tailor, a physician, a dry goods store, a book store, a butcher, the telegraph office, the Union Hotel and nearest Lakeside Park was a tugboat owner.

Lock Street, going up the hill, had a barbershop, the Orange Hall, a book store, and a blacksmith. Across the street was another blacksmith, the Raunchey Hotel, the Masonic Hall, a grocer, The Everlington Hotel and a stable.

With the influx of marine activity, the population of Port Dalhousie continued to increase steadily. Application was made to the County Council and on October 30, 1862 the bylaw to incorporate the village was passed. Prior to 1862 it had been under the jurisdiction of Lincoln County. Members of the first council were: Reeve John Lawrie and councillors Alexander Muir, Owen McMahon, Nathan Pawling and Richard Wood. John Hindson was the village clerk. By 1872 the council had begun to collect taxes for various purposes, such as street maintenance.
Port Dalhousie was entering a period which would prove more affluent, boisterous and mercantile than the last half century.
The new canal brought more traffic and new concerns began to develop at Port Dalhousie.

In 1845 Alexander Muir settled in the frame house on Queen Street (now Dalhousie Avenue). The year before Alexander had laid a board sidewalk in front—the first in town. He was still sailing the lakes but spent the winters in Port Dalhousie. With his experience and prudent regard for the future he developed the idea of a floating dry dock and began construction in 1850, shortly before the completion of the Second Welland Canal. As a sailor he had observed the need for a dry dock. Often times upon entering Shickluna's shipyard it had been necessary to wait while other ships secured repairs. He hoped to alleviate this problem and create a successful enterprise in the settlement.

The Town council, in 1910, numbered seven and included the Reeve, A.M. Humphries and councillors; John Powell, Thomas Johnston, Charles Curley, James M.A. Waugh ( also the town druggist and clerk) and George Scott, the treasurer. The postmaster at the time was James Stanton and the town police officer was Charles Howe.

The streets were first lighted with electricity in 1890, with power supplied by the Maple Leaf Rubber Company, replacing coal-oil lamps which had been used for a number of years.