Thursday, October 19, 2017

Williamsburg Canals Plaque

The Williamsburg Canals plaque, in Morrisburg, Ontario, stands on the waterfront of the St. Lawrence River southeast of Lakeshore Drive.


THE WILLIAMSBURG CANALS

The canals at Farran's Point, Rapide Plat and Galops were known collectively as the Williamsbug Canals. All three were built in the period 1844-56 on the north side of the St. Lawrence to form part of the Great Lakes navigation system. Farran's Point Canal was three-quarters of a mile long with a single lock; the Rapide Plat was four miles long and had two locks; the Galops and Iroquois canals, together known as the Galops Canal, covered seven and five-eighths miles and had three locks. Ascending vessels used all three canals, while those descending only used the Galops. These canals disappeared with construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959.

Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
Government of Canada




LES CANAUX DE WILLIAMSBURG

Les canaux de Farran's Point, Rapide Plat et Galops étaient connus sous le nom de canaux de Williamsburg. Ils ont été construits entre 1844 et 1856 sur la rive nord du Saint-Laurent. Le canal de Farran's Point mesurait trois quarts de mille de long et afait une écluse; celui de Rapide Plat mesurait quatre milles et avait deux écluses; quant aux Canaux Galops et Iroquois, connu sous le mon de canal Galops, ils couvraient plus de sept milles et comportaient trois écluses. Les navires qui remontaient le fleuve utilisaient les trois canaux tandis que ceux qui le descendaient n'empruntaient que le canal Galops.

Commission des lieux et monuments historique du Canada
Gouvernement du Canada