Prescott, Ontario
| Prescott | |
|---|---|
| Town (single-tier) | |
| Town of Prescott | |
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|
 Prescott
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| Coordinates: 44°43′N 75°31′W / 44.717°N 75.517°WCoordinates: 44°43′N 75°31′W / 44.717°N 75.517°W | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Ontario |
| County | Leeds and Grenville |
| Settled | 1787 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Brett Todd |
| • Federal riding | Leeds—Grenville |
| • Prov. riding | Leeds—Grenville |
| Area[1] | |
| • Land | 4.95 km2 (1.91 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Total | 4,284 |
| • Density | 865.3/km2 (2,241/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Postal code | K0E |
| Area code(s) | 613 |
| Website | www.prescott.ca |
Prescott (2011 population: 4284) is a town on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in the Leeds and Grenville area of Ontario, Canada. The Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) east of Prescott at Johnstown, connects it with Ogdensburg, New York. The town was founded in the early 19th century by Edward Jessup, a Loyalist soldier during the American Revolution.
History[edit]
Sometime before 1683, the French built Fort la Galette, a fortified post located on the St. Lawrence, above Ogdensburg; O’Callaghan places it at the present Prescott, Ontario.[2]
Prescott is the home of Fort Wellington National Historic Site, which is a tourist destination. The Battle of the Thousand Islands was fought near the present location of the city in August 1760. During the War of 1812, troops stationed at Fort Wellington crossed the frozen river and burned Ogdensburg in retaliation for an American raid further up the river; the American citizens of Ogdensburg, who were profiting by supplying the British army with food and other necessities, drove out their own American military detachment after the raid so that they could continue doing business with the British army in Prescott.
Prescott was originally an important transshipment point for cargo moving from the Great Lakes eastwards towards Montreal, Quebec and the Atlantic Ocean, but the construction of the Saint Lawrence Seaway ended the forwarding trade. Prescott is on the mainline of the Canadian National Railway connecting Toronto to Montreal, and is near the junction of the east-west Highway 401 and Highway 416 north to Ottawa.
In 1991, Prescott was the focus of a child sexual abuse scandal, as local residents Billy Elliott, his parents and several others were revealed as chronic abusers.[3][4]
Prescott is home to the Sandra S. Lawn Harbour, which attracts boaters from as far east as Montreal serving as a picturesque gateway to the Thousand Islands. During the summer months, Prescott hosts the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, a professional theatrical production, at the Harbour's public amphitheatre.
Demographics[edit]
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Population trend:[8]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1991 | 4,512 | — |
| 1996 | 4,480 | −0.7% |
| 2001 | 4,228 | −5.6% |
| 2006 | 4,180 | −1.1% |
| 2011 | 4,284 | +2.5% |
Mother tongue:[6]
- English as first language: 91%
- French as first language: 4%
- English and French as first language: 0%
- Other as first language: 5%
Notable people[edit]
- Leo Boivin, hockey hall of famer
- Jean Casselman Wadds, politician
- James Morrow Walsh, North-West Mounted Police officer
- Ben Hutton (ice hockey) - NHL player
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Prescott census profile". 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-02-15.
- ^ http://puffin.creighton.edu/jesuit/relations/relations_62.html#_edn13
- ^ Steed, Judy (1994). "Prescott: Breaking the Cycle". Our Little Secret. Random House. pp. 107–130. ISBN 0394223187.
- ^ "The Prescott Case: Key Dates and Events". Care for Kids - Jericho. Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
- ^ "2011 Community Profiles". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-02-15.
- ^ a b "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2012-02-15.
- ^ "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-15.
- ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prescott, Ontario. |
Local Media
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Augusta | |
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Edwardsburgh/Cardinal | ||
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Saint Lawrence River  Ogdensburg |
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