Our History

Battersea Main StreetSouth Frontenac has a rich history of being a welcoming, thriving community, from Indigenous times to the days of early European settlers, to today’s patchwork of quaint villages and bustling communities set amidst rolling farmland and forests. The South Frontenac Museum, located in Hartington has many exhibits on the history of South Frontenac and is open on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday during the summer months from 1-4 pm to visitors.

Indigenous homeland

South Frontenac is located on the ancestral lands of the Algonquin, Anishinaabe, and the Haudenosaunee peoples. For millenia, Indigenous peoples hunted and gathered on these lands, navigating the lakes, rivers and streams as a means of travel.

Early settlement

European settlers were attracted to South Frontenac with the vision of building a new life in Canada’s frontier, just north of the nation’s first capital, Kingston. Between 1810 and 1830, land was sold at bargain prices to immigrants by the government of Upper Canada, many who came from the United Kingdom. In addition to farming, mining and lumber, local businesses, such as cheese factories began to emerge.

Rideau Canal

The construction of the Rideau Canal from 1826-1832 created a critical transportation route for the east end of the Township and played a pivotal role in the early development of the region, encouraging shipping, trade and settlement.

Mining

feldspar mine desert lakeMining in South Frontenac dates back to the mid-1800s when mica, iron ore and feldspar were in high demand. Iron ore was mined near the village of Godfrey, with 12,000 tons of iron ore produced between 1873 and 1880. Feldspar was mined in the area near Desert Lake and Thirteen Island Lake between 1901 and 1951.

Eastern Ontario was one of the leading producers of mica in the world between 1870 and 1910. Mica is a shiny silver mineral valued for its ability to capture and retain heat for uses like thermal glass for lanterns and appliances. Today you can still see mica mines in Frontenac Provincial Park and on the Mine Trail Loop in Gould Lake Conservation Area.

Farming

In the 1840’s, there was a move away from pioneer subsistence farming practices to mixed farming. The number of farm animals and acres cleared land dramatically increased during this period. 

K&P Railway

In 1871, the Kingston and Pembroke Railway was incorporated to build a railway to support the lumber and mining industries with stations built in Murvale, Harrowsmith, Hartington, and Verona. The line was abandoned in the 1950s and the K&P Rail Trail is now a bustling, active multi-use trail.

Amalgamation

In 1998, the Townships of Loughborough, Storrington, Portland and Bedford amalgamated to form South Frontenac Township.

South Frontenac today

Today, more than 20,000 people call South Frontenac home. Our residents and visitors enjoy a relaxed, rural lifestyle with endless opportunities to explore the natural beauty of our area. Many artisans, local agri-producers and small businesses have chosen South Frontenac for their business so they can work where they play.

Historical societies and resources 

South Frontenac logo

 Our logo reflects the heart of South Frontenac, its people and its elements.

explanation of our logo

  • The grey bars represent the Great Canadian Shield, protruding powerfully from the earth, symbolizing durability and strength
  • The blue waves represent the crystal blue deep lakes and waterways that flow through our region
  • The brown furrows represent the land and rich soils and our rich agricultural heritage
  • The green circles represent the lush, green natural environment and world we live in

South Frontenac Coat of Arms
 

South Frontenac coat of armsThe announcement of the letters patent with our coat of arms was made on November 30, 2013 of the Canada Gazette.

 

Blazon

Azure four bulrushes in cross their heads to the centre Or

 

Symbolism

The bulrushes are features of the many lakes of the township, and allude to the natural setting responsible for the tourism and recreation aspects of the local economy. Their number refers to the township’s predecessor municipalities: Loughborough, Storrington, Bedford and Portland.

 

Crest

Issuant from a mural crown Azure masoned Argent charged with a roundel per saltire Argent, Or, Gules and Sable between two griffins’ claws Or, a loon rising wings elevated and addorsed proper.

 

Symbolism

The loon is another feature of the township’s lakes. The mural coronet is a symbol of municipal authority. The yellow griffins’ claws on blue are based on the arms of the Comte de Frontenac (Governor of New France 1672-1682 and 1689-1698), for whom the township is named. The disc divided in four is a First Nations symbol, honouring the original Algonquin occupants of the region.

 

Motto

OUR STRENGTH IS OUR COMMUNITY

 

Supporters

Two stags guardant Or attired and unguled Azure each bearing on the shoulder a hurt, that to the dexter charged with a milk canister, that to the sinister with a fish hauriant Argent, both standing on a rocky mount set with trilliums and tufts of grass proper issuant from barry-wavy Argent and Azure.

 

Symbolism

The stags, which are found in the forests of the township, represent the forestry industry in earlier times, as well as recreational hunting. A stag’s head also appears on the arms of Lord Sydenham, Governor General of Canada (1839-1841), after whom South Frontenac’s largest community is named. The milk canister represents the importance of dairy farming in the township’s history. The fish refers to recreational fishing. The rocky base refers to the Frontenac Axis of the Canadian Shield, the geographical feature that runs through the township. Trilliums, the floral emblem of Ontario, grow in abundance in the township, and the waves at the bottom are another indication of the lakes within South Frontenac.

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