On the wall of the war memorial in the Southwest corner of the junction of County Road 2 and Bridge Street, Cardinal
Commemoration
The grist-mill built at Point Cardinal by Hugh Munro about 1796 fostered the development here of a small settlement. A sawmill and store were later erected and, in 1837, a post-office, "Edwardsburgh", was established. In 1858, attracted by abundant water power and the operation of the Galops shipping canal (1846) and the Grand Trunk Railway (1855), William T. Benson and Thomas Aspden founded the Canada Starch Works. Its prosperity stimulated the growth of Elgin, as Edwardsburgh was also known, and in 1864 the hamlet, with 300 inhabitants, contained several other prominent businesses, notably the James McLatchie foundry. The community was incorporated as the Village of Cardinal, with a population of 800, by a bylaw that became effective in 1880.
Background
Major Munro fought as a loyalist in the Revolutionary War, paying for his troops out of his own pocket. The area around Cardinal was part of the Crown’s compensation to Munro.
The Galop Canal was 7.5 miles long, bypassing rapids in the St. Lawrence. Larger locks were installed in the canal for use in 1901.
The Grand Trunk Railway started as a line between Montreal and Toronto but expanded over time. After a much storied history, it became part of the Canadian National Railway (CN).
Canada Starch Works also morphed and is now part of Ingredion Canada Inc.