The Walking Tour of Westport, Ontario

Take a step back in time to the historic sites of Westport

Tour Information
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The Walking Tour of Westport, Ontario

Westport, Ontario K0G 1X0, Canada

Created By: Rideau District Museum

Tour Information

Welcome to Westport ~ Heart of the Rideau Lakes

Steeped in heritage and nestled in the heart of the Rideau, Westport is a welcoming small village that's big on community.

Take a leisurely stroll around town and learn about the history of some of our older homes, and the community spirit that has helped shape our village into what it is today.

While enjoying the sights of Westport, please respect private property and view all homes from the sidewalk.


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What You'll See on the Tour

Visitor Welcome Centre ~ 1 Spring Street Our current Chamber of Commerce building sits on a site which once housed one of Westport's early shanties.  Westport has been home to tourist informaton booths in various locations around the villa... Read more
Westport Post Office ~ Southwest Corner of Main and Spring Streets Built in 1935, this Victorian Gothic revival style building was constructed of local sandy limestone and has been operating as the Village post office since the day it opene... Read more
Foley House ~ 45 Main Street Completed in time for Confederation in 1867, this British classical residence and mercantile was built by Declan Foley - Irish immigrant, prominent businessman and landowner—and stayed in the family for many g... Read more
The American House Hotel ~ 40 Main Street This limestone house and store was built in 1857. The three foot thick foundation supports the narrower two foot thick outside walls. The massive lintels and quoins balance the classical style windo... Read more
Former Site of The Windsor Hotel ~ 42 & 44 Main Street The Windsor Hotel was destroyed by fire in the winter of 1923.  Residents pitched in to save what they could from the burning building and as they got the piano out the front door ... Read more
The Whelan House ~ 15 Rideau Street This home was built between 1875-1895 by Mr Whelan, with bricks from his Westport brick yard, located on Bedford St.  The building is a 1 1/2 story, L-shaped plan with a front gable and an off-centre doo... Read more
Westport Public & Continuation School ~ Corner of Concession & Rideau Streets The school was built in 1899 in a two-storey structure style that was popular throughout Canada.  In 1908, the Westport School Board received a grant to ... Read more
Former site of the B & W Railway Station ~ Historic Plaque This was the northern terminus of what was intended to be the Brockville, Westport, and Sault Ste. Marie Railway. It was built to carry passengers, mail, general freight, and ag... Read more
Knox Presbyterian Church ~ 47 Concession Street The first Presbyterian church was built on this site in 1859. It was destroyed by fire in 1896. Just ten months later the congregation erected the present building. The pews and pulpit were ma... Read more
Memorial Gates on George Street Built in 1919/20, these limestone pillars and iron memorialize the 11 Westport men who gave their lives in World War I.  The Westport Women’s Institute raised the funds for these handsome gates.  "Decorat... Read more
St. Paul's Anglican Church ~ Corner of George & Spring Streets Erected in 1890, the floor plan centres around the altar, which is common in Roman Catholic and Anglo-Catholic churches. The Gothic vaulted ceiling of the church reminds one... Read more
Hamilton House ~ 17 Spring Street This property, built in the 1850’s, was originally located near Bedford Mills and was owned and operated as a logging camp and sawmill by John Chaffey.  In 1876, new owner W.J.Webster moved the house to ... Read more
George Street During its past, George Street has also been known as 'Incubator Street' and 'Cat and Dog Street', due to the number of babies and animals that called this area home.  At the time of this photo, the east side of George Street... Read more
Spring Street If you turn around at this point and look down Spring Street you can compare the current view with the one shown in this photo from the early 1900s.
St. Edward Catholic Church ~ Corner of Bedford & Concession Streets The cornerstone of this church was laid on August 31, 1859. The spire is 150 feet high topped by a cross measuring 15 by 11 feet. The church building is of Gothic Reviv... Read more
The Fredenburgh House ~ 4 Mountain Road This home is a typical example of Ontario’s fine, old, rural homes. It represents the sturdy and practical style being built in the early to mid 1800s using materials common to the area. Roger Roris... Read more
Slabtown Centre Street is in the section of the village known as "Slabtown".  Running from the corner of Concession and Bedford Street up to the base of The Mountain to the Methodist Cemetery, Slabtown got its name from the abundance of sl... Read more
Rideau District Museum ~ 29 Bedford Street Built in the 1850s, it was used by Conley and Truelove who manufactured boats, furniture, and coffins. In 1861, owner George Murphy installed two forges and bellows and turned the house into a blac... Read more
Town Hall ~ 30 Bedford Street This is the original building constructed in 1853 for $300.00 and was used as the town hall for the township of North Crosby. In 1904, when the Village of Westport became an independent municipality both munici... Read more
The Masonic Hall ~ 22 Bedford Street Built in the late 19th century as a woodworking shop, this was originally a frame lap strake structure to which the metal siding was added in the early 20th century. Eventually it became a meeting hall f... Read more
The Myers Block ~ 14 Bedford Street Built in 1915. Over the years many merchants and businesses have operated from this block.  At one time Burt Adams published The Review Mirror here, while John North had a shoe shop in the middle section... Read more
Former Site of The Wardrobe House ~ 2 Church Street January 1923 – Strong winds fanned the flames of a devastating fire which was believed to have broken out in the upper part of the store belonging to W. B. Blair shortly after midnight.... Read more
Westport Village Pharmacy ~ 3 Church Street Wing & Mulville's General Store, constructed in the 1880s by Wm. Garrett, managed to survive the fires of the early 1900s.  The blaze which destroyed The Wardrobe House across the street was ... Read more
Conley House ~ 14 Church Street The Conley House was the home of an early Westport boat builder and furniture maker.  Perhaps due to its set-back location, this fine home also managed to survive the destruction of the Church Street fires, ... Read more
The Stevens House ~ 16 Church Street Dr. M.D. Berry once lived in the house which sits at 16 Church Street. Built in the late 1800s, this grand home also managed to survive the devastating fires of the early 1900s. After Dr. Berry’s death... Read more
Cottage Country Classics ~ The C.W.L. Hall ~ 18 Church Street Built in the late 1880s, it was the home and shop of A.M. Craig, the inventor of the one-piece harness buckle! In the early 1900s it was the general store of D. Hecht & Co., ... Read more
Olivet Baptist Church ~ 30 Church Street In 1883, the Baptists formed their own congregation and decided to erect the present church. The timbers were hewn from a local farm and the carpenters hailed from Delta. The church was completed in ... Read more
Westport United Church ~ Southeast Corner of Church & Spring Streets Originally built as a Methodist church in 1889, this remarkable non-traditional designed monochromatic brick structure has three entrances to welcome worshipers from m... Read more
Bennett's Store ~ 34 Main Street The original stone building, constructed circa 1890, was a monument house and tombstone cutting business, which had no windows or front door. R.H. Whaley would later run it as a pharmacy until Mike Bennett b... Read more
Lockwood’s House and Business ~ 20 Main Street Hiram W. Lockwood built a general store on the corner of Bedford and Main Streets in 1872.  In 1898, the Lockwood Store became the Union Bank and since has changed hands several times.  Cur... Read more
W.H. Fredenburgh House ~ 2 Bedford Street The main part of this building was the residence of W. H. Fredenburgh, one of the village's early merchants and lumbermen. It was built about 1876. Since then, it has been extended and has changed h... Read more
The Grist Mill Place Former Site of The Ryan Hotel ~ 21 Main Street In 1829, this was the site of one of two mills that the Manhard brothers started to take advantage of the stream flowing from Wolfe Lake to the Upper Rideau. It operated as... Read more
The Origins of Westport The first mill was constructed in 1818 at the head of Upper Rideau Lake. Instead of the Mill Pond, a stream originally flowed from Sand Lake. At one time Westport’s “Pest House” sat at an isolated location on t... Read more
The Darby Residence ~ 33 Main Street The Darby Residence was constructed by a carriager by the name of W. Fife between the years 1857-1860, and has since seen a long line of businesses: Frank Wing's furniture shop, McCann the shoemaker, Mrs... Read more
Bank of Montreal ~ Formerly The Cameron Hotel ~ 41 Main Street Originally the Cameron Hotel, with stables along the water's edge, this building was later home to the Merchant's Bank and would eventually become the Bank of Montreal.   ...
Westport Spring and Rainbow Bridge ~ The Foot of Fetch Murphy Walk Indigenous artifacts found on this site indicate that it was used as a campsite. From pioneer days, it has been a focal point of the Village. The walking bridge connecting i... Read more

 

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