Eganville History


Lumber Baron John Egan
John Egan
Surprisingly, it appears Egan never actually lived in Eganville, but he was once the mayor of Aylmer, Quebec.

A shanty, built in 1825, was the first development recorded where Eganville stands now. However, 1837 marked the arrival and purchase of that land by Lumber Baron John Egan. This enterprising Ottawa Valley Lumber merchant started Eganville on the road to becoming a village.

Egan built a lumber depot, timber chutes, a local lumber supply store, a stone grist mill and helped in the development of local sawmills.
In 1853, he had the area surveyed and divided into village lots.

Although Egan died in 1857, The Village of Eganville was not officially recognized until 1891.

Eganville's early settlers developed a flourishing lumber industry, and a healthy farming sector. The village grist mills processed flour and feed for the surrounding region. The village was becoming very prosperous, and dozens of businesses started springing up. 

The Eganville Fire Brigade (a few months after the 1911 fire)Many communities have a story of a great fire.
Eganville is no exception!
It was Sunday July 9th, 1911, one of the hottest days of that year. 

The fire started in an agricultural implement warehouse and spread through a very large percentage of the village on both sides of the river.

Local fire fighting equipment left a lot to be desired and outside help did not arrive until the fire had already been burning for four hours. 

How did the fire start?...    "Three boys and their cigarettes"

Eganville in Days Gone By

Through the years, Eganville weathered the Great Depression better than most Canadian communities.

The Eganville Cooperative Association was established. There was a limestone quarry, a butter factory, a dairy, and many thriving local businesses.

Nearby lime kilns employed a large number of local men until the kilns finally ceased operations. The massive kilns themselves were a landmark untill their demolition in 1990.

The village community has always been very enterprising and today's Eganville is truly
"The Jewel of the Bonnechere!"

 

(the original) Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

The history of Eganville would not be complete without a look at two beautiful old churches.
St. James Catholic Church and Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church were both victims of fires.
While new churches were built in their place, these two magnificent landmarks still have a fond place in our memory.

 (the original) St. James Catholic Church