Title

Maps

Before and after

Before the Seaway

Map early 1950s

Highway #2, officially established in 1917, was the original main route that ran between Toronto and Montreal. The roadway itself had existed for many years before that and the villages, for the most part, lined either one or both sides of the highway.

From the 1930s onward, many of the residents made their living by operating gas stations, snack bars, tourist cabins and other services for travellers and truckers.

The Seaway today

Map 21st century

The above map shows the extent to which the geography was altered during the Seaway construction. Highway #2 was supplanted by Highway 401 during the 1960s, although it continues to exist as a county road.

The area now contains an abundance of parks and recreational areas, most of which are managed by the St. Lawrence Parks Commission. Points of interest along the way include Upper Canada Village and the Lost Villages Museum. The villages' names have been commemorated in a number of ways including road names, campgrounds and in the names of some of the islands along the Long Sault Parkway.