History HistoryThe village was first discovered by the Paleo Indians more then 10,000 years ago. Later, in 1619, Samuel de Champlain, travelled the early trading routes and through his journies had noticed that Huron Indians who lived in the region depended on agriculture and hunting .
In the autumn of 1668 two Sulpicians, Messieurs Fenelon and Trouve, established a mission at a village of the Cayuga Indians, on the Bay of Quinte. Abbe Fenelon spent years travelling the route of the Trent Severn Waterway ministering to his flocks along the way. The village was a natural location for early mission settlement nestled between the two lakes, Cameron and Sturgeon at the site of a 23 ft. waterfall. During those early years the area was involved mainly in the fur trade. It wasn't until the 1800's that the first pioneers settled in the area permanently.
Known first as Cameron Falls after the first land owner, Honourable Duncan Cameron, who was the Provincial Secretary of Upper Canada from 1817-1838. When Cameron died in 1838 the land was sold to the founders, James Wallis and Robert Jameson. In later years the village was named Fenelon Falls.
James Wallis built the first grist mill powered by the waterfalls. Wallis used dams of rough wood to push the water to power and moving the stones to grind the grain. The dams were privately owned until the government took them over in 1890.
R.C. Smith came from Port Hope in the 1860's, bought the right to the water going over the falls. By purchasing the water he could only use the water power. He built a wooden bridge over the river to get trains across to haul away the lumber. 1886 the bridge was destroyed by a log drive.
After the death of R.C.(Robert) Smith, June 1, 1886, the rights to the water power were sold to the Fenelon Falls Electric Light Company owned by Messrs F. McDougall, J. H. Brandon and Henry Austin. They built a small generating station below the mill in 1894. It provided electricity to the businesses in Fenelon Falls.
Fenelon Falls Electric Light Company sold the business to the Village of Fenelon Falls in 1903 which formed the Board of Water Light and Power commission. A generating station was built and electric power was supplied for the village.
Fenelon Falls was known as a lumber village. Approximately 350 men worked in the lumber mill either by cutting the logs from the bush, pushing the logs down the river and working in the mill.
F. Sandford Carriage Works built on the west side of the river. One time it was used as a roller flour mill, grist mill, horse shoeing, woolen mill and a storage facility.
W. J. Flett & Son established a garage once the end of carriages ended and people purchased automobiles. It then was purchased by Aubrey Lyon and John Henderson in 1945. It continued operation until 1961.
A cheese factory was built by Frank Sandford in 1877. H. Albert McIntosh was the first cheesemaker and by 1902 took over the business changing it to a creamery.
Alex Flett had built bottom punts in the 1950's which he rented and sold. He had cottages along the canal to the west. Business was sold to Cliff Little and was renamed Kittle's Cabins.
Napanee Paper Mill began in 1882 and ran until 1903 when other methods of making paper were possible. The business was sold to the Standard Chemical Company of Toronto manufacturing wood alcohol, sulphate of line and charcoal. The mill burned in 1911.
Once a stone mill in the 1800's, Fenelon Falls Garment Company Ltd. opened by Emanuele and Aino Restivo with support from Arthur W. Robson, Fred Warren, Charles Burgoyne, Harry Hriger, Fred Webster, James Daniel, Foster Graham and Gratton Graham. Emilio Restivo designed the men and boys clothing sold across Canada. It closed in 1940.
In 1948, Jack Burnett and his partner Rev. Gosnell operated it as Fenelon Botany Spinners. It employed 30 women.
Rosedale Furniture took it over in 1968 but a fire destroyed the mill in 1970.
Postal service has been established in the village since 1838. James Wallis made a contract to get mail from Manilla. Weekly mail route to Lindsay began in 1852.
The first post office was located where the Fellowship Baptist Parsonage is today. Later it moved to present IGA location. After that in moved to the McArthur House in 1916 due to a fire. 1935, the post office was built on the site of the CIBC building. The grand opening was 1936. In 1968, a new post office was constructed on Market Street due to limited space.
Home of Dr. A. Wilson's residence in 1904. He made separate offices made and entrace way patients. In 1909, Dr. Henry B. Johnstone bought the office. Dr. Johnstone son, George, practised medicine until 1980. Dr. Robert Scott opened an office named Scott Chriropractic.
Dr. Marc Berube bought the business in 1996 and changed the name to Fenelon Chiropractic & Massage Therapy Clinic.
John Sobke's new IGA opened in 1967. In 1974, John Sobko purchased the old Cunningham Fraser Block from George W. Gowen. The library was still located there at the time. The new IGA opened in 1983 and Mark Pilattool over the business in 1989. A new location for the IGA is in progress across the bridge beside Tim Hortons.
Abe Consky was the owner of a produce store and egg grading station from the 1930's to 1940's.
Opened its doors in 1941. J. M. Radey bought the building from John Aldous. The second storey was used for storage but removed due to safety regulations in 1973. Located on the corner of Colborne and Water streets. Due to limited space the store moved to the outskirts of the village on Lindsay Street in 1991.
Now the location of Dymond Cut Salon Beautique Townley Tailors established a tailoring business. Herbert John Townley and his brother Art ran the business in 1903. Herberty John Townley was the cutter and fitter while his brother Art was the salesman. The business took up three floors of the building. Thirty people were employed. In 1930, due to depression and a bad ulcer by Herbert John Townley the business closed. He then became the Clerk of the town until 1949.
Wilf and Jay Dymond purchased the building in 1980.
In 1854, Joseph McArthur built a building three storeys high making it into a hotel and tavern. In 1883, John Aldous bought the hotel and ran it until 1947.. 50 guests at $1.50 per room. The patrons were traveling salesmen or working men living in the village. In 1850 the named changed to the Clifton House.
The McArthur house made most of their rooms into appartments and rented store fronts. Once the hotel was shut down.
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce opened in the old post office building June 14, 1969. In 1992, a new entrance was built and an Instant teller machine was installed.
The Bank of Montreal has been established since 1906. The name of the bank was the Bank of British North America. The bank opened in 1902. 1918 the bank merged to Bank of Montreal.
Now the location of the current liquor store on Francis Street the first Presbyterian Church was built in 1865. The present church was built on Colborne Street in 1895.
In 1861, the Weslyan Methodist Church was built of logs on Colborne Street. In 1876, a brick building was constructed. 1911 the present church was built where it stands today. In the 1920's the church merged with the Presbyterian Church forming the United Church of Canada.
The Baptist Church was originally built on Queen Street. Later, in 1907, moved its present location on Colborne Street. In 1927, Ontario and Quebec made a decision to divide the members resulting in two Baptist Churches. Fenelon Falls Baptist Church and Fenelon Falls Immanuel Baptist Church.
The first Anglican Church was a log building built on Church Hill in 1835. By 1839, a minister was appointed named Rev. Thomas Fidler. In 1902, a building was constructed on Bond Street. In 1932, a renovation was done due to generous donations from Cornelieus Duggan of Calgary and F. Shannon of Toronto.
In 1960, a new additon was built to accommodate more people.
In 1980 the interior was redone and a rectory and Parish Hall was completed in 1989.
The log school was built in 1955 but prior to that classes were held in the Anglican Church's minister's home.
In 1876, an extension was added to a two storey building on the north end of Colborne Street. Overcrowded schools resulted in another school being built in 1885-86 on Green Street on the south side. Schools became Northward and Southward Public School and the grades went up to grade 8.
In 1898, the Southward School became a continuation school and in 1912 changed the name to Fenelon Falls Continuation School. Northward became the Fenelon Falls Public School.
In 1951, the Fenelon Falls Continuation School changed its name to Fenelon Falls High School and by 1960-67 was named Fenelon Falls District High School. In 1976, the high school again changed its name to the Fenelon Falls Secondary School. Its has kept the name until present.
Langton Public School opened in October 1991. It was named after Anne Langton, a writer, teacher and a member of the first congregation.
The Victoria Railway was first incorporated in February 1871 as the Fenelon Falls Railway Company by George Laidlaw and H.P. Dwight. When the venture failed to receive government approval, Laidlaw expanded the project by renaming the line in March 1872 as the Lindsay, Fenelon Falls and Ottawa Railway Company. The name of the railway was subsequently changed to the Victoria Railway in March 1873. Construction commenced in August 1874. The line finally opened for traffic its entire length in November 1878. It was then purchased by the Midland Railway as an expansion to its network in December 1880.
In 1885 the Grand Trunk Railway absorbed the Midland Railway and built a railway station in 1876. William Lockhart was the firwst station agent.
From 1997 until 1999 was the Chamber of Commerce Information Centre.