Prescott - The Fort Town

Prescott - The Fort Town. . , Prescott was founded by Col. Edward Jessup, and named after General Robert Prescott, Governor of Canada from 1796 to 1799. Jessup received the grant of land in recognition of his loyalty to the British during the American War of Independence. Shortly after Col. Jessup laid out streets for the new town in 1810, the government reclaimed a portion to construct Fort Wellington for the War of 18 12., The earliest development of the Town of Prescott occurred along this waterfront. The first business located here was William Gilkison's forwarding warehouse. Other businesses soon sprang up. By 1819, there were about fifty houses and stores in Prescott, including a number of taverns that lined Water Street, the main business thoroughfare. Water Street witnessed much boisterous activity, with the sailors, river pilots, warehousemen, and some shady ladies who frequented the waterfront., By 1834 the population had grown to about 1700 residents. By that time the town boasted a large number of substantial and handsome stone residences and commercial establishments. In that year it was made a police district. Trade was thriving and the town had four churches, a college, three Common schools and a female seminary. The political unrest of 1837 in Upper and Lower Canada came to Prescott in 1838 with the Battle of the Windmill, which witnessed the successful repulsion of an invading force of self-styled Patriot Hunters from the United States attempting to liberate Canada from British rule., Early industries along the waterfront included iron forges, shipbuilding yards, tanneries, breweries and distilleries. Many smaller businesses sprang up including carriage makers, harness makers, shoe and bootmakers, blacksmiths, cabinet makers, grocery and dry goods merchants and the like. By 1850, the town had grown to about 2400, sufficient to warrant the establishment of a municipal government., By Confederation in 1867, canals had been built connecting Montreal to the Great Lakes. Railways linked Prescott to cities such as Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and beyond., These developments spelled the end of a way of life. The forwarding trade largely disappeared and much of the commercial life of Prescott moved from Water Street to King Street. The waterfront continued to be a busy place with the Wiser Distillery and Labatt's Brewery, the passenger and railcar ferries and a stop-off for the steamers that plied the St. Lawrence., [Photo captions, clockwise from bottom left, read] , . Battle of the Windmill near Prescott 1838, . Water Street Looking East from Centre Street, . Prescott from Ogdensburg Harbour 1840, . Alpheus Jones House c.1827, . Fort Wellington National Historic Site