FIRST - Bridge Across the Ottawa River - Ottawa, Ontario
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Weathervane
N 45° 26.562 W 075° 41.615
18T E 445757 N 5032364
Thomas McKay built the entrance locks to the Rideau Canal and the first bridge across the Ottawa, River. He also sat on Bytown's (now Ottawa) first council.
Waymark Code: WM12XNC
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 08/02/2020
Views: 3
Inscription on the plaque:
THOMAS McKAY 1792 - 1855
Born in Scotland, McKay emigrated to Canada about 1817 and worked as a mason in Montreal until 1826, when he began building the entrance locks of the Rideau Canal and the first bridge across the Ottawa River joining present-day Ottawa and Hull. In 1829 McKay acquired land where the Rideau River met the Ottawa. Here he laid out the village of New Edinburgh, and established an industrial complex which by 1848 included two-sawmills, a grist-mill, woollen factory and distillery. In 1838 McKay built his residence, Rideau Hall, a two storey stone structure used after 1865 to house Canada's governors-general. Active in municipal and provincial politics, McKay sat on Bytown's first council (1828) represented Russell in the Legislative Assembly (1834-41), and served on the Legislative Council (1841-55).
FIRST - Classification Variable: Person or Group
Date of FIRST: 01/01/1826
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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