History of Kars
The actual founding of Kars appears to be lost to history,
but there is some indication that a small settlement
had started at the confluence of Stevens Creek and the
Rideau River by about 1820. An 1828 map shows the creek
already named as Stevens Creek. In 1829, James Lindsay
moved into the area and built a wharf just south of
the present dock. The building of the Rideau Canal provided
a commercial boon, and a six street village was laid
out and named Wellington. The early industry was lumbering
and with vast forests extending to the west, Wellington
became a busy shipping point. In 1856 the name of the
community was changed to Kars. There was already a Wellington
in Prince Edward County, and Kars was chosen to commemorate
the British defence of Kars in Turkey in 1855 against
a Russian siege.
The railroad passed Kars by and it never grew beyond
its rural roots. A claim to fame for Kars is that wood
from Kars was used to build furniture for the Titanic.
At the corner of Wellington and Nelson Streets you
will find the Adam Eastman house, built in 1854. Adam
Eastman was one of the first mill owners. On Rideau
Valley Drive, just north of the corner with Ann Street
you'll find the St. John's Anglican Church, built by
John Eastman in 1850. About half a kilometre south of
Kars is the stone house of James Linday, built in 1829.
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