River Canard, Ontario
Encyclopedia
River Canard is a hamlet of roughly 500 people in Amherstburg, Ontario
, Canada
, approximately 12 miles south of Windsor, Ontario
, situated on the Canard River. It is home to an attractive French-Canadian-style church, similar to St. Joachim Church in Lakeshore
(now closed), and Ste. Anne's Church in Tecumseh
. The town also contains a bowstring arch bridge
that carries Essex County Road 8 over the Canard River.
Originally named Rivière aux Canards ("Duck River"), the community is home to one of the last vestiges of the French-speaking
inhabitants of the Detroit River
region, settled from France
and Quebec
in the 18th century. At St. Joseph's parish, one can still (2007) hear the mass in French
.
Much of the land was purchased by the Beneteau family, whose patriarch was forced to move from the LaSalle
area (originally Sandwich West) because of what the LaSalle community considered 'below standard behaviour'. The only land available was the then desolate swamp
land of River Canard. At the time this was not really a river, but was a drainage swamp fit only for duck
s.
This was followed by a second wave of settlement into the River Canard area by members of the Bondy family, originally traveling with P. T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum. The Bondys settled the opposite side of the River as the Beneteaus and a tense relationship between the two families has existed ever since. The Bondys were the first family to develop a fully functional muskrat farm in the region, which proved to be quite prosperous. Besides meat, the muskrats were farmed for their milk and fur. This was the main economic engine of the region until the early 1900s when travel to the nearest Metropolitan area (Windsor) became easier and cow milk and meat was more feasibly brought in. However, still to this day, it is customary to see Bondy descendants with Muskrat coats.
After the first signs of the decline of the muskrat industry appeared, leaders of River Canard began to look for alternative sources of industry. Multiple costly endeavours were attempted including a banana orchard (1912), coconut groves (1913) and sugarcane (1915). All industries inevitably failed because of climate reasons. In 1916, the town was approached by LaSalle businessman, Jason Rowe, who convinced the citizens of River Canard he had developed a tree capable of growing spaghetti. Although skeptical, River Canard voted in favour of investing heavily in spaghetti trees. Shortly after the purchase, the con was realized, but not in time to get their investments returned.
The famine that followed forced many families to eat their remaining muskrats which effectively ended large scale muskrat farming in River Canard.
A small subdivision in River Canard is called Beneteau Drive. The Beneteau family had named the side streets "David," "Lydia," and "Ryan," presumably for family members. There are many children living in the subdivision, since St Joseph school is nearby.
River Canard was the site of an engagement between British and American forces on July 16, 1812, during the War of 1812
. An American force of 280 men under Colonels Cass and Miller skirmished with British troops near the bridge. Two British soldiers, James Hancock and John Dean were captured. Hancock would die of his wounds later in the day, becoming the first British casualty of the war. Dean was taken prisoner to Detroit where his left arm was amputated due to wounds. He would be liberated with the capture of Fort Detroit by the British one month later.
On most maps, River Canard is shown at the junction of Essex County Roads 3 and 20 (Former Kings Highway 18
).
Amherstburg, Ontario
Amherstburg is a Canadian town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario. It is approximately south of the U.S...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, approximately 12 miles south of Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
, situated on the Canard River. It is home to an attractive French-Canadian-style church, similar to St. Joachim Church in Lakeshore
Lakeshore, Ontario
Lakeshore is a town in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on Lake St. Clair. Its nearest city is Windsor, located in Essex County. The town was incorporated in 1999 by amalgamating the Town of Belle River with the townships of Maidstone, Rochester, Tilbury North, and Tilbury West.Lakeshore has a...
(now closed), and Ste. Anne's Church in Tecumseh
Tecumseh, Ontario
Tecumseh is a town on Lake St. Clair east of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It has a population of just over 24,000.Tecumseh enjoys long summers and mild winters...
. The town also contains a bowstring arch bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
that carries Essex County Road 8 over the Canard River.
Originally named Rivière aux Canards ("Duck River"), the community is home to one of the last vestiges of the French-speaking
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
inhabitants of the Detroit River
Detroit River
The Detroit River is a strait in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as "River of the Strait". The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river...
region, settled from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in the 18th century. At St. Joseph's parish, one can still (2007) hear the mass in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.
Much of the land was purchased by the Beneteau family, whose patriarch was forced to move from the LaSalle
LaSalle, Ontario
LaSalle is a town in Essex County, Ontario, Canada, on the Detroit River. It is a bedroom community of the City of Windsor and part of the Windsor Census Metropolitan Area, and is located south of that city. LaSalle, along with Windsor, is the oldest French settlement area in Southwestern Ontario,...
area (originally Sandwich West) because of what the LaSalle community considered 'below standard behaviour'. The only land available was the then desolate swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
land of River Canard. At the time this was not really a river, but was a drainage swamp fit only for duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s.
This was followed by a second wave of settlement into the River Canard area by members of the Bondy family, originally traveling with P. T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum. The Bondys settled the opposite side of the River as the Beneteaus and a tense relationship between the two families has existed ever since. The Bondys were the first family to develop a fully functional muskrat farm in the region, which proved to be quite prosperous. Besides meat, the muskrats were farmed for their milk and fur. This was the main economic engine of the region until the early 1900s when travel to the nearest Metropolitan area (Windsor) became easier and cow milk and meat was more feasibly brought in. However, still to this day, it is customary to see Bondy descendants with Muskrat coats.
After the first signs of the decline of the muskrat industry appeared, leaders of River Canard began to look for alternative sources of industry. Multiple costly endeavours were attempted including a banana orchard (1912), coconut groves (1913) and sugarcane (1915). All industries inevitably failed because of climate reasons. In 1916, the town was approached by LaSalle businessman, Jason Rowe, who convinced the citizens of River Canard he had developed a tree capable of growing spaghetti. Although skeptical, River Canard voted in favour of investing heavily in spaghetti trees. Shortly after the purchase, the con was realized, but not in time to get their investments returned.
The famine that followed forced many families to eat their remaining muskrats which effectively ended large scale muskrat farming in River Canard.
A small subdivision in River Canard is called Beneteau Drive. The Beneteau family had named the side streets "David," "Lydia," and "Ryan," presumably for family members. There are many children living in the subdivision, since St Joseph school is nearby.
River Canard was the site of an engagement between British and American forces on July 16, 1812, during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. An American force of 280 men under Colonels Cass and Miller skirmished with British troops near the bridge. Two British soldiers, James Hancock and John Dean were captured. Hancock would die of his wounds later in the day, becoming the first British casualty of the war. Dean was taken prisoner to Detroit where his left arm was amputated due to wounds. He would be liberated with the capture of Fort Detroit by the British one month later.
On most maps, River Canard is shown at the junction of Essex County Roads 3 and 20 (Former Kings Highway 18
Highway 18 (Ontario)
King's Highway 18, commonly referred to as Highway 18 was the longest highway in Essex County, Ontario, and travelled through the most communities. Today, it is known as County Road 20...
).