Portland, Ontario

Portland
Police Village
Aerial view of Portland
Etymology: Named for William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland
Portland
Location in southern Ontario
Coordinates: 44°41′55″N 76°11′29″W / 44.69861°N 76.19139°W / 44.69861; -76.19139Coordinates: 44°41′55″N 76°11′29″W / 44.69861°N 76.19139°W / 44.69861; -76.19139[1]
Country Canada
Province Ontario
County Leeds and Grenville
Municipality Rideau Lakes
Elevation[2] 130 m (430 ft)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern Time Zone)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (Eastern Time Zone)
Postal Code K0G 1V0
Area code(s) 613, 343
Website portlandontario.com

Portland is a police village and unincorporated place located in the municipal township of Rideau Lakes, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville in eastern Ontario, Canada.[1][3][4] The community is on Ontario Highway 15 about 60 kilometres (37 mi) northeast of Ontario Highway 401 at Kingston by road,[3] and is situated in geographic Bastard Township[5] on the southeast side of Big Rideau Lake.[3]

Portland was first settled in the early 19th century as one of the first settlements along the Rideau Waterway. The original seven houses in Portland, informally known as "The Landing", were a transfer point for passengers travelling from Brockville and continuing by barge to Perth.

With the completion of the Rideau Canal Waterway in 1832, steamboats and barges carrying raw materials such as cordwood, maple syrup, potash, cheese, tanned hides and salt beef were a common sight. Portland became a thriving village of trade with Kingston, Montreal and Ottawa.

The village of Portland took its name in 1843 from William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland. By the 1860s, the settlement had expanded considerably to require five hotels and, by the early 20th century, cottages were springing up around the lake and the tourist trade had begun. Advances in rail and road travel and increasing tourism offset a decline in the role of agriculture in the economy of Portland. Tourism then began to lead the economy of Portland, and still does to this day.[6]

An international speed skating tournament called Skate the Lake is held each winter by Portland Outdoors on the Big Rideau Lake.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 "Portland". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  2. ↑ Elevation taken at geographic coordinates from Google Maps. Accessed 2017-03-15.
  3. 1 2 3 Map 6 (PDF) (Map). 1 : 700,000. Official road map of Ontario. Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  4. ↑ Restructured municipalities - Ontario map #5 (Map). Restructuring Maps of Ontario. Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. 2006. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  5. ↑ "Township of Bastard" (JPG). Canadian County Atlas Project. McGill University. 2001. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  6. ↑ "About Us". Portland Outdoors. Archived from the original on 2012-02-24. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  7. ↑ "Skate the Lake". Retrieved 2017-03-15.
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