Newboro

The Newboro project was a major undertaking because it involved the excavation of an artificial channel some 2 km (1.25 miles) in length between Upper Rideau Lake and Newboro Lake. There was no settlement at Newboro prior to the building of the canal. Following construction of the lockstation, a small community remained and, by the mid-1800s, the industries in Newboro included numerous mills, foundry, tanneries, a distillery and a furniture factory, all linked to outside markets by the Rideau Canal. In 1966 the lock was converted from manual to electric operation by the Department of Transport who was operating the Rideau Canal at that time.