Lost Villages Museum, Long Sault

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The Lost Villages Museum in Long Sault, Ontario, is a small but fascinating place with 10 heritage buildings. Some of the structures were saved during the intentional flooding of a dozen small communities—the “Lost Villages”—in July 1958, during the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Today, you can wander through the buildings and learn about their history and the story of the Lost Villages. I must admit, I’m fascinated by the idea of long-gone places vanished forever beneath the waves, as well as the story of how the people who lived in them were relocated. Some residents were happy to accept the money and new homes the government offered, while others were not exactly pleased, to say the least.

The structures at the Lost Village Museum include a log house from roughly 1840, a blacksmith shop dating back to about 1850, a small church originally built as an Orange Lodge circa 1860, a schoolhouse built in 1869 and a reading room (public library) built in 1901. In most cases, the interiors include original furniture and fixtures, or vintage pieces sourced from other sites.

The museum organizes a variety of special events, such as Canada Day celebrations, paranormal investigations and bus tours. You can also book the whole site for a wedding.

You can support the museum and its mission by buying something at the museum’s general store and/or making a donation.

If you go to the Lost Villages Museum

The Lost Villages Museum is at 16361 Fran Laflamme Drive in Long Sault. It’s located 95km southeast of Parliament Hill. It is usually open daily from June through August, but check the museum’s website for the most current information.

Looking for something else to see and do near the Lost Villages Museum? Here are a few options.

• Upper Canada Playhouse, Morrisburg
• Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg
• Battle of Crysler’s Farm National Historic Site, Morrisburg
• Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Ingleside
• Long Sault Parkway, Long Sault

You can also check the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry’s tourism website.

Looking for more tips on things to see and do in and around Ottawa? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or order a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.