Dundas County Archives

10/07/2025

This week is National Newspaper week. Local journalism is the heartbeat of informed communities. It brings stories to light that national outlets often overlook—stories about school board decisions, city council debates, neighbourhood events, and local heroes. In a world increasingly shaped by global headlines and social media noise, reconnecting with local news is vital for civic engagement, accountability, and community resilience.

In recognition of National Newspaper Week, take a look at this documentary about The Morrisburg Leader which was produced in 1991.

A 1990 documentary on the history of The Morrisburg Leader, a family run newspaper that has been serving the community for more than a century. Features int...

08/03/2025

Footage of the first ever Tubie Race courtesy of Tubies Past.

This, the only known archival footage of the first official tubie race, shows youngsters Del (17) and Len (18) Jones hitting the St. Lawrence River on their ...

08/02/2025

Video of Tubie Weekend 2025 Parade

Tubie Weekdn Parade from Morrisburg Ontario. Recorded on Saturday August 2nd, 2025. The Tubie theme is "It's Going Tubie A Festival".

07/31/2025

With Tubie Weekend one more sleep away, we thought you would enjoy this video by Tubies Past about the history of Tubie Weekend.

If you have any videos, on any format, the Dundas County Archives would be happy to digitize them for our YouTube page.

A short history of the great Tubie Weekend, brought to you by the Tubies Past Crew. Special thanks to Margie Laurin, The Morrisburg Leader, the Jones family,...

07/01/2025

Happy Canada Day!!

Here’s a look back at Canada Day Celebrations in Chesterville Ontario in 1999. According to the Chesterville Record dated July 7th, the district was buzzing with national pride as Canada Day was celebrated in local communities. Sisters Courtney and Victoria Boyd waved the flag at Avonmore's party, while Emily Baldwin went a step further at the Chesterville Recreation Association's festivities and North Dundas District High School.
Use the link below to view the paper and more photos of the day on page 5 of The Chesterville Record.



https://archive.sdgcounties.ca/uploads/r/dundas-county-archives/9/5/7/957cd1f6fc68c52c47566bebeed8b68e0992851be37748bbbcd9b62de1a9a535/1999-07-07.pdf

06/26/2025

On this day in 1959, Queen Elizabeth II and Eisenhower officially opened the St. Lawrence Seaway. This engineering marvel connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, transforming trade and transportation across the continent.

Nicknamed the “Highway H2O,” the Seaway remains a vital link for shipping and industry — and a proud symbol of international cooperation between Canada and the United States.

Six villages were relocated, along with roads and railways and the services required by the population. Produced by KAV Productions for Ontario Hydro, From Dream to Reality: Ontario Hydro's Story of the Construction of The St. Lawrence Seaway tell the story of the building of the Seaway.

Do you or someone in your family have memories of the Seaway’s opening or its impact on our region? Share your stories or photos below!

Completed in 1958, the project comprised the world's largest international power dam of its time and the Seaway Locks to take commercial shipping around the...

06/21/2025

On June 25th 1961, Upper Canada Village was officially open by then Ontario Premier, Leslie Frost. The site was created to preserve buildings and stories from several communities that were lost during the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Many of the heritage homes, mills, churches, and businesses relocated to the site came from the Lost Villages — towns and hamlets that were flooded when the Seaway was built in the late 1950s. The goal was to give future generations a chance to experience life in the 1860s.
Since then, Upper Canada Village has become one of Ontario’s best-known living history sites. It continues to educate and inspire thousands of visitors every year.
The footage below was recorded during the official opening and is provided courtesy of Radio-Canada (CBC French). There is no audio.
Do you have memories or photos from visits to the village? We’d love to see them in the comments.

Visite en archives de l'Upper Canada Village, site historique et touristique fondé en 1961.

06/12/2025

While digitizing our collection we came across this gem. It's a short piece about Dr. Locke. It appears to have been shot in 1934 and has footage of Old Morrisburg and Williamsburg.

If you have old videos from North Dundas or South Dundas of any format that you would like to have archived on our YouTube page, please contact the archives at [email protected].

A news reel from 1934 tellling the story of Dr. Locke who healed the feet of people for many years in Williamsburg, Ontario. Contains footage of old Morrisb...

06/10/2025

June is Dairy Month – Celebrating Wi******er’s Dairy Heritage

Wi******er has long been a hub for dairy excellence in Eastern Ontario, and much of that legacy begins with the Ault family and the Ault Creamery.
Founded in 1931 by John "Jack" Ault, the Ault Creamery started as a small cheese factory in Cass Bridge before relocating to Wi******er. Under Jack’s leadership, and later his sons Sam and Ken Ault, the business grew into one of Canada’s most successful independent dairies.
By the mid-20th century, the Ault Milk Products plant in Wi******er was a cornerstone of the local economy, producing cheese, butter, and other dairy products. It provided stable employment for local families and supported the surrounding dairy farms for decades. The Ault Creamery was known not only for quality products but also for innovation — investing in modern equipment and practices well ahead of the industry curve.
In 1997, the creamery was became part of Lactalis Canada, which continues to operate the plant in Wi******er today. It is now the largest cheese production facility in Canada, and its roots trace directly back to the vision and determination of the Ault family.
As we celebrate Dairy Month, we honour the legacy of the Ault Creamery and the generations of farm families who made Wi******er a leader in Canadian dairy.

Photos below are from the July 24th, 1991 edition of the Wi******er Press. Link to the original special edition celebrating Ault Foods Limited in the comments below.

Have photos or memories of the Ault plant or local dairy farms? Share them with us!
******erOntario

06/02/2025

We are coming up on the 66th Anniversary of the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, which was officially opened on June 26, 1959. This engineering marvel required the labour of 22,000 workers, the removal of 210 million cubic yards of earth and rock, and the pouring of over 6 million cubic yards of concrete. The project cost $470 million (Canadian), with the Canadian government paying $336.2 million. The seaway transformed shipping on the St. Lawrence River, opened Great Lakes ports to ocean shipping, and facilitated hydroelectric power generation.

For more about the impact of the Seaway on Iroquois, Ontario, check out Making Way For The Waters on our YouTube page which was produced in 1990 by Jim Millard.

A documentary following the building of the St. Lawrence Seaway from 1956 to 1959 and the effect it had on the village of Iroquois, Ontario. Includes footag...

05/28/2025

Thank you to the Morrisburg and District Lions Club for the generous donation of a slide and negative scanner and display case for the Dundas County Archives. Both are very much appreciated and will be put to good use.

04/17/2025

Apparently, the phone line to the Dundas County Archives is not working. I am not sure how long the line has been down or when it will be repaired. The best way to reach me is always by email [email protected]