The Lost Villages Of The St. Lawrence Seaway
Lost Villages Historical SocietyThe Lost Villages of Ontario were a series of nine small villages, each swept away when the St. Lawrence River flooded.
In July 1958, a series of 10 communities in Ontario, Canada were lost to flooding — but it was no accident. In fact, the residents of these communities had known for years that the flood was coming. It was a part of the construction of the Moses-Saunders Power Dam, which had begun in August 1954.
The Canadian government saw major hydroelectric potential in the Long Sault Rapids which ran through the region, and wanted to make full use of that potential.
As the Global News reported in 2018, a hydro dam was constructed in 1958 connecting Cornwall to New York State, at the head of which now rests a pond known as Lake St. Lawrence and the larget St. Lawrence Seaway.
And at the bottom of the St. Lawrence Seaway are the remains of the 10 communities that were sacrificed to create it.
“I saw churches destroyed, schools destroyed, towns completely wiped off the face of the earth,” said one resident, Jim Brownell. “For a young lad, it was exciting times. For the elderly though, very sad and depressing times, because these are the folks that knew they could never go back.”
Residents were told that the construction of the hydro dam would bring more industry into the region and, therefore, make them wealthier — but, unfortunately, that never really happened. And many felt that the amount residents were paid for their homes was insufficient compared to the market value. Unfortunately, negotiations were all but impossible.
Instead, they were forced to leave their homes behind and set up new lives in the towns of Long Sault and Ingleside.
But today, on days where the water levels are low, you can still see those old, forgotten villages. In all, roughly 6,500 people were displaced, 530 buildings were moved, and the rest — homes, schools, churches, and businesses — were simply destroyed.
Then, a large cofferdam was demolished on July 1, 1958 at 8:00 in the morning, and four days later, the towns were completely underwater.
Residents later established the Lost Villages Historical Society to commemorate the sunken towns, later opening a museum dedicated to the Lost Villages of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
If you enjoyed this look at ancient sunken cities, read up on the fabled lost continent of Lemuria. Then, discover the craziest Greek Gods of ancient mythology.
