The Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal is full of history. Why not check out some of our famous, historic sites for yourself?

Battle of the Windmill National Historic Site

Located in Johnstown, the Battle of the Windmill National Historic Site marks the location of the Battle of the Windmill, fought in November, 1838 around a grist windmill, between an invading force of American 'Hunters' sailing across the river, and British soldiers and local militia in the fight for Upper Canada.

In 2013, the Windmill Point Lighthouse was designated a heritage lighthouse under federal legislation, allowing for its protection for future years. Owned by Parks Canada and operated locally, the site is available for rent, outside of regular hours, for special events, such as weddings. Contact Parks Canada for more information.

Spencerville Mill

Dating back to the 1800s, the Spencerville Mill is the last remaining mill on the South Nation River. Once a flour and grist mill that served the local community's needs, it then adapted to be used as a feed mill, serving local farmers and feed stores throughout southeastern Ontario.

You can also follow the Spencerville Mill's updates on Facebook.

Galop Canal, Cardinal

Near the headwaters of the South Nation River lies the Galop Canal, the historic predecessor to the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Opening in 1846, the Galop Canal ran 12 km from Iroquois to Cardinal, allowing ships to bypass sets of rapids around Point Iroquois, Cardinal and Galop Island. New locks were built along the canal in 1897 and the lock at Cardinal (lock 26) was 60 metres in length. Other parts of the canal became the longest rocks of Canada at that time, reaching almost 243 metres.

Use of the Galop Canal shifted in the 1950s, when construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway began. The nature of life along the St. Lawrence banks began to change and newer, larger locks were built to ship larger amounts of cargo from the Great Lakes. In addition, new hydroelectric power stations were constructed and ultimately led to the flooding of 10 villages along the river and relocation of others. 

The canal is also the final resting place for the Weehawk shipwreck. Weehawk moved to lock 27 near Cardinal in 1961 and due to neglect, later sank to the bottom of the canal. The Weehawk site is popular for diving and divers can drift with the current to the nearby Conestoga dive site.

You can also geocache around the site, an ideal way to discover South Nation Conservation lands.

Leeds and Grenville heritage

Discover more sites to explore with these other heritage sites and tours around the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.