In 1954 , the United States of America of America too Canada jointly embarked on a massive technology scientific discipline projection that involved the creation of a 600-km-long navigable channel that volition allow sea freighters travelling from the Atlantic Ocean to hit access to the inland ports along the Great Lakes of North America. The Seaway Project had but about other go , too this was to furnish much needed hydro-electric ability to the region.
After 4 years of construction , the Saint Lawrence Seaway —named afterwards the Saint Lawrence River , which flows from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean— was complete. On July 1 , 1958 , the cofferdams that had been asset dorsum the H2O during construction were go blown apart , too a modest grouping of riverside communities inward the Canadian say of Ontario , close Cornwall , disappeared nether the waves of Lake St. Lawrence. This grouping of ix villages — Aultsville , Dickinson’s Landing , Farran’s Point , Maple Grove , Mille Roches , Moulinette , Santa Cruz , Wales too Woodlands— are similar a shot collectively known equally "The Lost Villages".
Lost Villages Museum close Long Sault. Photo credit: P199/Wikimedia
The villages were settled inward the belatedly 18th century past times the Loyalists —those American colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American War of Independence. After the defeat of their displace , thousands fled to other parts of the British Empire , too to what is similar a shot Canada. At the fourth dimension of the Seaway’s construction , the Lost Villages were populated mainly past times descendants of the Loyalists.
The flooding for Lake St. Lawrence destroyed to a greater extent than than 8 ,000 hectares of prime number farmland too mature orchards , too displaced vi ,500 people. The residents were relocated to 2 novel planned communities named Long Sault too Ingleside. Some v hundred buildings were moved , too countless other homes , schools , too businesses were demolished. Railway lines too highways too had to live moved out of the inundation zone. Many of these roads stay visible nether the waters to this day.
In 1977 , the Lost Villages Historical Society was formed alongside the mission to develop the populace close the loss of communities which formerly existed along the St. Lawrence River. There is a museum inward Ault Park similar a shot close Long Sault devoted to the Lost Villages where y'all tin run into several artifacts salvaged from the communities.
Photo credit: lostvillages.ca
Aerial persuasion of the submerged villages. The roads too other structures are all the same visible nether the water. Photo credit: Louis Helbig
Aerial persuasion of the submerged villages. The roads too other structures are all the same visible nether the water. Photo credit: Louis Helbig
Aerial persuasion of the submerged villages. The roads too other structures are all the same visible nether the water. Photo credit: Louis Helbig
Aerial persuasion of the submerged villages. The roads too other structures are all the same visible nether the water. Photo credit: Louis Helbig
Moved structures from the Lost Villages at the Lost Villages Museum close Long Sault. Photo credit: The Real Canadian/Flickr
Moved structures from the Lost Villages at the Lost Villages Museum close Long Sault. Photo credit: The Real Canadian/Flickr
Sources: Wikipedia / www.ghosttownpix.com / The Canadian Encyclopedia