Manotick – A Perfect Christmas Village
Christmas only comes once a year (yes that’s right bond 1999 fans!), thats why you need to get out of the city and visit the little town Manotick. Although stunning at any time of year, it really comes into its own around the holiday season. Manotick is a perfect day trip from Ottawa!
Table of Contents
Exploring Manotick
Manotick is a village that grew around the Long Island Locks in 1833, an attraction that will be discussed later in this post. Instead we will start in the town itself.
The Village of Manotick
Located on the western shore of the Rideau River, half way along the coast of Long Island, you will find the village of Manotick. On its traditional, low rise, main street you will find plenty of shops and services.
Along bridge street, crossing onto the island itself, you will further find the beautiful St. James Anglican Church. Built in Norman style in 1876 it was constructed on land donated by Moss Kent Dickinson, an influential citizent that will be discussed later in the Watson’s Mill section.
Gingerbread and the Town of Monotick
The town’s tenuous Christmas connection come from the fact that it has a delicious gingerbread store called Gingerbread Man (and that they decorate the town nicely for the holidays!)
Here one can purchase gingerbread houses of different shapes and sizes although finely decorated, the prices are rather steep.
The residential neighborhood surrounding the shop is rather quaint, with old masonry houses or wooden houses with stunning gables.
The Dickerson’s House and Watson’s Mill
The main attraction of the town is an old stone structure called Watson’s Mill. The neighborhood surrounding it consists of pleasant masonry structures as well as the Dickinson House, a museum.
The Dickerson house is a local history museum in the house of the familly of the same name. The structure details the history of the town though its most influential family. The Dickersons are the original constructors of the mill, named after its later proprietor Harry Watson. Built across from his gristmill in 1867 by the New York businessman Moss Kent Dickinson, this home was originally offices for the mill and used a general store until he moved his family in in 1870. The Dickersons remained an influential and important family in the town throughout its history.
The stone mill was the brainchild of Moss Kent Dickinson and his partner Joseph Merrill Currier. They had obtained the water rights on this section of the Rideau river and proceeded with the constriction of a flour mill. This was the center of Manoticl’s industry and sustained and even accelerated the development of the town.
Today the Rideau river is damned at this location, offering connection to the north side.
From here one will get an even better view of the mill.
Alternately walk up to nearby A Y Jackson Park for an unimpaired view from across the water.
Long Island locks
Just to the north of the village of Manotick you will find the Long Island locks, a complex system controlling the waters levels of this part of the Rideau Waterway, connecting Fort Henry to Ottawa. You will find public parking a short walk from the blockers house and lock station. The lock itself is crossed by an old painted truss bridge.
This is a fantastic place to observe the waters of the great Rideau river.
Stairs will take you down to the lowers lock level where a single tree keeps shade over a picnic table.
The Rideau river water levels are contained by a long stone dam at this location. Prior to the construction of the locks, this part of the Rideau was home to a set of rapids. The cut Stone Dam at Long Island was completed in 1832, with the rest of the project and connects long island to Nicoll’s island.
Continuing to the far side of Nicoll’s island, you will find a weir that controls the upstream water levels in the rideau river. Gates in this dam allow authorities to stabilize water levels at an ideal level. Essentially this is a bypass channel!
