This Is My Town: Richmond

Richmond, ON.

Inc. 1818.

Named after a Duke! Settled in the southeast corner of Goulbourn Township, which eventually got incorporated into the City of Ottawa. It was autonomous municipality from 1850 to 1974.

Population? 4,482 (2011)

The Duke of Richmond, Charles Lennox, was the newly appointed Governor General of Upper Canada, a freemason, and the name sake of Richmond, Ontario.

He served in the British army and reached the rank of general in 1814, and served as a solider during the battle of Waterloo. Interesting fact, just before he visited the new community in 1819, that was named in his honour, he was bitten by a pet fox trying to rescue his dog and suffered from a rabies infection. He died two days later.

via GIPHY

His body was carried down the Jock River, ironically as he was terrified of water, to Montreal, laid to rest before the altar in the Holy Trinity Anglican Church.

Richmond exists because of the British military, after the American invasion ended in 1814, four hundred soldiers and families were dispatched from Quebec City under leadership of Colonel Burke in 1818 to create a garrison on the Jock River. After surviving the rough Canadian winter, they grew the town and the generations.

Early homes in Richmond are built of local stone and 19th century houses and buildings are of red brick. The Richmond Hotel is the epitome of this.

Other spots worth taking a look at:

• Maguire House–likely one of the oldest houses in the Goulbourn Township.
• Richmond Fair Grounds–the grounds hold the Richmond Fair every year.

•  Dallaire’s Barbershop–Dallaire moved to Richmond in 1914, which he set up shop in a harness maker’s rear kitchen. The current building served the Richmond community for 5 generations and the cost of a haircut was 25 cents and a shave was 10 cents.

You can find various other heritage spots with a driving tour here.

Quick Facts:

•  Richmond Road was built in 1818 by soldiers who had arrived from Quebec.
• McBean Street is the heart of old Richmond.
• The Jock River was first called the Goodwood River after the name of the Duke’s estate in England.
• Richmond Bakery that closed its doors on August 11, 2014 had been around for 75 years, it started in the late 1800s and was well-known for old-fashioned doughnuts, fresh bread and Chelsea buns.

Maybe Richmond should be on your list to see if you don’t live there. And if you live there, you see the history all around you.