Maitland, Ontario

The area which was to become Maitland was used occasionally by the French throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.[3] At this time, the French had well established trading routes along the St. Lawrence from Montreal to Niagara. Initially, they referred to this area as Pointe au Pin, however since the same was already used to describe other locations, it was changed to Pointe au Baril sometime in the eighteenth century.[3] Conflicts with the British left this trading system vulnerable; in 1758, British-American troops attacked Fort Frontenac (present-day Kingston), burning the fort as well as the French fleet. This action disrupted trading and left Montreal vulnerable creating a need for new ships and a new fort. Plans were drawn that year for a new shipyard and fortification to be located at Pointe au Baril.[3]

Located on a point, Pointe au Baril was an optimal location for both a shipyard and a fort; This location was close to the enemy's fort near present-day Ogdensburg and had excellent timber in abundance.[3] The shipyard was constructed by 1759 along with a seven-pointed star shaped earthwork fort. Troops were summoned from Montreal to aid in the construction of new ships, and the improve the fortification and by spring of 1759 two ships were fully constructed. On April 9, the French launched the Iroquoise followed three days later by the Outaouaise.[3]

In 1760, the French were forced to leave their fort at Pointe au Baril when British troops invaded. General Amherst captured the fort as well as both ships.[4] The site was left abandoned for around 20 years; the British made no attempt to settle here initially or colonize the area. By the time the Loyalists arrived around 1784, there was little to no evidence of the French settlement or fort, all that remained was a log building which had once been used as officers’ quarters.[4] The approximate site of the fort was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1923, and is marked by a stone cairn.[5][6]

After it lay abandoned for many years, Loyalists began to settle the area in the late 1700s and into the early 19th century by building homesteads, establishing businesses and opening small factories. During the early part of the century, Maitland was on the opposite end of a supply route running to Merrick's mills, which aided in its growth; additionally, the construction of the Welland Canal and other canal systems through the St. Lawrence allowed goods to be transported to and from the village.[3] A wharf was located in Maitland at this time for collecting goods, and many mills were constructed.[3] One of Maitland's most notable landmarks was constructed in 1828: the Longley Tower, which was originally built as a windmill along the St. Lawrence River. The tower had a brief life as a windmill, however as it did not generate enough power to sustain anything for long, it was later converted into a distillery.[3] Longley then imported a steam engine from Europe, built a flour mill, and constructed a stone building on site out of which he ran a general store and post office;[7] this was the beginning of the village, and shortly after, a Major Charles Lemon constructed two mills, a foundry, and a blacksmith shop to serve the village as well.[3]

In the 1830s, a Masonic hall was built to serve the community. By this time, many general stores were operating in the village. In 1833, Maitland was designated an official point of entry and years later a Customs House was built to deal with border crossings and importations.[3]

In the early 1800s, the village boasted three hotels and taverns; the David Dunham Jones Inn, Calvin Frary Inn and the Levi Davis Inn.[3] The stone building which was once Dunham Jones Inn is still standing, and is the second building existing as the inn; formerly, the tavern was made of timber. It is currently the oldest building in the village, constructed of stone around 1821. It is currently a private residence. The Levi David Inn was established in 1830, built of wood with blue cladding. For a brief period in the mid-1900s, the building was used as a drugstore and modernized, however these modernizations have since been reversed. Only part of the original building still stands. The Calvin Frary Inn was constructed in 1825, later becoming the Maitland Hotel and the Dominion Hotel. Most of this from structure was demolished in 1964 to accommodate a new gas bar and general store.[3]

By the mid-nineteenth century, the village was home to around 200 residents.[8] During this time, the village saw a slight decline in population and prosperity. New advancements in technology and the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846, which ended protection for British wheat farmers and entry at lower tariffs to British markets for Canadian farmers, led to a slow down in the milling industry.[3] Maitland was mostly at a standstill in terms of industry, with many men losing jobs, and little to no incentive existed to expand the village. By the later-1850s, the village began to pick up again with the construction of a small, Grand Trunk railway station in Maitland.[3] According to mid-to-late nineteenth century business directories, the town still boasted the same businesses, with the addition of a butcher, a bakery, a tanner, a hemp and flax manufacturer, and a soap manufacturer.[8] By the end of the century, a cheese factory was in operation called the Chateau Cheese Company. This factory operated out of the old customs house until the 1950s; most of the building was demolished.[3]

The distillery was in operation until the late 1800s, when the business got into trouble with the Customs and Excise Department. Allegedly, the distillery's owner, Sherman Halliday, fled to a hotel in New York state where he later committed suicide to avoid revenue agents who were closing in on him.[4][2]