Today was cloudy and drizzly. We cast off late morning to make our way further downriver. After leaving Brockville behind, we passed a soggy looking Ogdensburg (home to a fine museum of Frederick Remington paintings, drawings and sculptures of the old West) and increasing the river particularly on the Ontario side was decidedly industrial looking.
Farewell view of Brockville ON; Ogdensburg NY in the rain; Fort Wellington in Ontario just opposite Ogdensburg NY
Port Johnson
A few miles after passing the Ogdensburg-Prescott Bridge, we encountered the Iroquois Lock – our first Canadian lock and our first St Lawrence Seaway lock. No one was there as we waited – here the procedure is different. You have to tie up, go buy a ticket ($CDN 30) and then telephone the lockmaster from the ticket booth. We were ushered in right away, given lines and then dropped 6 inches – yes, only 6 inches as this is mostly a flood control lock – so not so dramatic.
Ogdensburg-Prescott Bridge; Iroquois Lock
After tying up in Crysler Park Marina, we decided to visit the local Upper Canada Village – an outdoor museum of houses, mills and artisanal shops from the early 1800’s staffed by personnel in period costume. Although these things can seem a bit trite, it was a fascinating glimpse into early 19th century technologies. We took a tiny train from the marina to the village which led us for about 2 miles through the provincial park. Seeing the water-powered mills close up in the actual buildings used as grist, woolen and saw mills reminded us how clever and ingenious people have been over the centuries to mechanize backbreaking work.
One aspect of Crysler Park is that it was the site of a decisive battle in the War of 1812 – decisive for the British-Canadian side in that a small band of 800 British-Canadian soldiers routed an American army of 4000 – thereby ending the efforts of the American forces to attack Montreal and drive out the British. Seems hard to believe this all happened here in this quiet place. A plaque on the Crysler Memorial speaks of “the Canadian and American nations whose common memories of old unhappy far-off things and battles long ago not only contribute to their separate heritages and traditions but form a bond between two friendly peoples.”
Crysler Battle Memorial; Memorial to the American Loyalists
The St. Lawrence Seaway is evidence of the bond between the Canadian and American nations – this enormous engineering feat created both a major transportation link for the US and Canadian interiors to the North Atlantic and a significant source of hydroelectric power. The Crysler Battlefield is mostly under the St Lawrence River – and the water just outside of our marina tonight was where men fought and died 200 years ago.
