Settler's Trek 2016 in Lanark County, Ontario

Bad selfie,
My lens won't autofocus

Settlers' Trail

Our local town, Perth, celebrates 200 years this year, 2016. They arrived, Thursday afternoon, and the wagons camped at Miller's Bay Farm, others camped at the beach.

We sat for a couple of hours, not knowing when they would arrive. Sadly, while I was in the house for some breakfast, a truck whizzed by and knocked my camera and tripod to the ground. The traffic was awful.


Hubby bought me some flags, Frosty sported a vest, kilt and the UK flag. Bear had a Scots flag.

This woman is of
Aboriginal Heritage,
and liked my flag!

I had a few questions about my Mohawk flag! We bought it in Muskoka, on the Wahta First Nation.

Lanark County is situated on unceded First Nation Algonquin land, and it was the only flag I had! There has been a call to recognize this fact in the 200th anniversary celebrations.

Darou-McPherson farm house
Typical of the region

1816 Perth was the first Military Settlement

Scotland in 1902

Founded in 1816, Perth was one of three military settlements established after the War of 1812 in the Rideau Corridor. The British government wanted a trained, fighting force close at hand should the Americans attack Upper Canada again. Disbanded soldiers and half-pay officers from several regiments, including two from Switzerland, were given land grants commensurate in size with their rank. Britain also provided financial assistance for civilians in Scotland to emigrate to the Perth Military Settlement and development of the region began in earnest.

Settlers Trek 2016

1816 trek routes

It was decided to recreate this trek, with people paying to participate. There is a website: Settler's Trek 2016, all of their files are in PDF.

Settler's Trek

Settler's Trek

Whiskey and Wickedness <= for some interesting tales, like the Rideau Lakes Pirate captured in Port Elmsley!

Mapping of Perth Military Allotments Perth, Ontario History 

Perth History Timelines

1816 The town was established. There were 20 houses in Perth, 250 in the surrounding area, with a population of 1505.

1817 Settlers faced starvation.

1830 Perth population = 350 
(Many survived in the surrounding farmlands.) 

1834 Tay Canal opens

1836 population =  1000
1850 population = 1581
1891 population = 3136