ABOUT KEMPTVILLE
Kemptville is located near the junction of Highway 43 and Highway 416 and so is very accessible to the Rideau visitor. In town (population 2400) there is a variety of stores and restaurants and Kemptville Hospital offers medical and emergency services. On Highway 43 close by the bridge which crosses the South Branch, boaters can find food, fuel, hardware and emergency supplies.
The internationally renowned College of Agriculture (now University of Guelph) has tours available by calling (613)258-2411, Ext 232. The Ferguson Forest Station, bordering the entire west shore from the main channel to the Hwy 43 bridge has 5 miles (8 km) of hiking trails taking you through pine forests, marshland and beech stands and offers picnic facilities and washrooms.
Kemptville is accessible from the Rideau Waterway by way of Kemptville Creek. According to the charts, Kemptville Creek is navigable by shallow draught boats for about 3 miles (5 km) to the town. Limiting depths are 3 feet (1 m) at datum, but local boaters report depths of from 7-15 feet (2-5 m). The other limiting factor is the Bridge Street bridge which has a clearance of 11 feet (3.5 m)
HISTORY
Kemptville was founded by Lyman Clothier when he settled here with his four sons. In about 1815-1816, Clothier built his first saw mill. The settlement was first known as "The Branch" for its location on the South Branch of the Rideau River and later became known as Clothier Mills after Clothier's thriving saw mill business. In 1821, Clothier expanded his business to include grist milling. The town was on the new road route between Prescott and Bytown and soon became the centre for regional activity. In 1828 the town was renamed "Kemptville" in honour of Sir James Kemp, then the Governor General of British North America. With the completion of the Rideau, Kemptville drew weekly visits from steamers en route from Ottawa to Montreal.
In January 1857, the Village of Kemptville was incorporated by a Special Act of the Legislature of Upper Canada.
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