About the Township

The Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal has a long and interesting past.

Indigenous Peoples

Long before towns were built, Indigenous Peoples lived here. They used the South Nation and St. Lawrence rivers to fish, travel, and trade. A large village with longhouses once stood near Roebuck, west of Spencerville. People lived there between the years 1300 and 1500. They grew food and used the rivers every day.

Early settlers

In 1673, French settlers built a storehouse near Johnstown Creek. Later, in 1760, they built a fort on Chimney Island to fight the British. A battle took place, ending French rule in the area.

After the American Revolution, Loyalists who supported the King moved here in 1784. They built a new village at Johnstown and named it Edwardsburgh. The land was divided fairly, and streets were named after the King’s family.

Johnstown’s courthouse

From 1795 to 1797, settlers built a courthouse near today’s Seaway Skyway Bridge, also known as Prescott-Ogdensburg International Bridge. It moved to Brockville in 1810. The coat of arms from the old building can still be seen in Brockville today.

In 1838, rebels from the U.S. took over a windmill in Johnstown. Local soldiers and British troops fought back. Many people were hurt or killed. Today, you can visit the Battle of the Windmill National Historic Site.

Spencerville grows

By 1811, Peleg Spencer had arrived and was running a sawmill and grist mill. His son, David Spencer, took over in 1822 and got the land title in 1831. A post office opened in 1846, and by 1851 the village had 250 people. The mills were rebuilt in stone in the 1860s. You can still visit the Spencerville Mill and Museum today.

In 1855, the community built its Town Hall and held the first Spencerville Fair. The fair still happens every year.

The village of Cardinal

Before 1880, Cardinal had many names. A mill was running there by 1796. In 1846, a canal was built to help boats pass. A starch factory opened in 1858 and still runs today as Ingredion. The first train came in 1855, helping the town grow.

Big changes in travel and trade

The Port of Prescott opened in 1929. It was renamed the Port of Johnstown in 2014. The port has a large grain elevator built in the 1930s, now twice as big. The St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959 so larger ships could pass. In 1960, the Seaway Skyway Bridge, also known as Prescott-Ogdensburg International Bridge, opened to help people travel between Canada and the U.S. The Township bought the port in 2000. More storage was added in 2016 and 2018.

One township today

On January 1, 2001, the two townships joined to become one. This helped improve local services. Today, Edwardsburgh Cardinal is a mix of farms, businesses, and homes by the river and Highways 401 and 416.