Kemptville is a community located in the Municipality of North Grenville in Eastern Ontario, Canada in the northernmost part of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville. It is located approximately 56 km (35 mi) south of the downtown core of Ottawa and 2.5 to 3 km (1.6 to 1.9 mi) south of the Rideau River. The community can be accessed by Highway 416, also known as the Veterans Memorial Highway, which was completed in 1999, and from Leeds and Grenville Road 43 (formerly Highway 43). Kemptville is the largest community in North Grenville, with about 69% of North Grenville's population. Five elementary schools are located in the town — Holy Cross Catholic School, Kemptville Public School, South Branch Elementary School, Académie Catholique Notre Dame and Rivière Rideau— two high schools — North Grenville District High School and St. Michael Catholic High School — three parks, and two hotels. The residential area is generally located in the south and east parts of the community. The main streets are Rideau, Prescott, Clothier and Van Buren streets.
Bell Homestead National Historic Site
Alexander Graham Bell made the world's first long-distance telephone call from his father's homestead in Tutela Heights, just minutes from West Brant. The Bell Homestead National Historic Site preserves the farmhouse and coach house where Bell conducted his early telephone experiments in the 1870s. Open seasonally for tours.
Timeline
Full History
The small town of Kemptville began to emerge from the forest in the township of Oxford when Lyman Clothier, a resident of New England, bought of land in Concession 3 of Oxford-on-Rideau Township from a John Byce in 1819 for C£75. Mr. Clothier began construction of a saw mill with the assistance of his four sons, and they built two dwellings in what is now Kemptville. This mill was extremely important for the settling of the community, as in order to construct a crude dwelling, lumber was required - and so, the mill began to facilitate the construction of dwellings for settlers all over Oxford Township. The Clothiers placed some grinding stones in the lower part of their saw mill. As a result of this, rather than taking their grain to a site on the Saint Lawrence River, which would be a daunting hike in the best of conditions, or grinding the grain in an extremely ineffective and crude fashion, the settlers could now take it to this grist mill. After this was established, a blacksmith's shop was established, run also by the Clothiers. A schoolhouse was established in 1823, which served the surrounding communities for many years. The first physician arrived in the community the year after the school was established. The small village was expanding quickly and the residents of the region were beginning to think about officially giving a dignified name to the location in which they lived. Initially, the community was known as "Clothier's Mill". So, during a public meeting at this time, the name "Kemptville" was suggested, to honour Sir James Kempt, the Governor of Upper Canada in 1829, who was said to have camped on the banks of the Rideau River near the settlement. The name was adopted in 1829 and the first map with the name "Kemptville" was produced in 1830. The post office was established in 1831. *1791 - Oxford-On-Rideau surveyed *1819 - Lyman Clothier buys 100 acres on lot 27, Concession 3 of Oxford-on-Rideau Township *1820s - Clothier family open sawmill, blacksmiths shop, and carding machine for weaving *1820 - First hotel opened *1821 - First mill is opened. First store and post office follow shortly thereafter *1826 - St. James Anglican church parish is formed *1829 - "Kemptville" is formally acknowledged as the town's name; Holy Cross Parish is established *1832 - Methodist Church is erected and another hotel opens *1838 - Another carding machine and saw mill open *1843 - First steamboat is built in Kemptville by Lyman Clothier Jr.; the Amanda named after his daughter. *1844 - The first grammar school is built on Clothier Street *1847 - Baptist Church is built on the North Main Street *1848 - Another mill is built which also acted as a distillery for a time *1851-52 - Population of Upper Canada: 952,004 *1851 - The first Presbyterian Church is built; first stamp the Threepenny Beaver is released in Canada *1854 - The Bytown and Prescott Railway comes to Kemptville allowing for easier access to goods and trade *1855 - Kemptville Fire Department is formed; Kemptville's first paper The Progressionis hits the streets *1857 - Kemptville becomes incorporated *1861 - Population of Kemptville is 1059 *1869 - Sellecks Mill is built as an egg factory; the New Methodist Church is built *1870 - First library is formed *1872 - The Great Fire which destroys most of downtown Kemptville *1874 - The Kemptville Academy is built as the central school; the town hall is built; a hose tower is built to help combat fire in town *1879 - Memorial Church of Kemptville is built *1881 - First steam engine is purchased for the Fire Department *1885 - Bakery is built on 115 Clothier Street East *1888 - Holy Cross Church designed by Joseph Connolly is built; the district High School is built; The Salvation Army comes to Kemptville; electricity comes to Kemptville via a mill which lights the Oddfellows hall for a fair *1895 - Bank of Ottawa opens (later becoming the Bank of Nova Scotia) *1899 - The Horticultural Society is formed in Kemptville *1845-1900 - The rise of the service clubs *1910 - A fire destroys part of Asa Street *1936 - North Grenville District High School opens on Prescott Street *1999 - St. Michael Catholic High School opens on County Road 43 *2012 - North Grenville District High School opens on Concession Road *2017 - Kemptville celebrates its 160th Anniversary *2018 - North Grenville elects its first female mayor
Source: Wikipedia