History of Oxford-on-Rideau
Oxford-On-Rideau Township is situated in the north-eastern
part of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.
In 1791 it was one of the first townships to be surveyed
from the Rideau River southward. The beautiful, historic
Rideau River forms the northern boundary of the Township.
Stephen Burritt, a United Empire Loyalist, became the
first settler in the Rideau River in 1793. His son,
Edmund Burritt, was the first white child to be born
in this area.
Stephen Burritt became the elected representative of
the Grenville riding for the 5th Parliament of Upper
Canada and made four journeys to York (Toronto) between
February 1809 and March 1812. He attended sessions "...which
were held in the winter months when the harvest was
over and the granaries and pantries were full. Travel
was by horse-drawn sleigh or cutter or cariole".
(Excerpt taken from book by Ruth G. Burritt.)
A saw mill was built by Daniel Burritt at the swift
flowing rapids in the river. He was able to produce
lumber for the building of new houses thereby attracting
more settlers to the area and the community became known
as Burritt's Rapids. In 1824 the first bridge, a wooden
bridge, was built over the Rideau River joining Marlborough
Township to Oxford Township and the village spread.
The Rideau Canal was opened on May 29, 1832 and the
village prospered with the heavy boat-traffic between
Ottawa and Kingston. Burritt's Rapids then became an
island community with a swing bridge over the Rideau
Canal and the stationary bridge over the Rideau River.
The family who followed the Burritts was very similar
to their forbears. They were the Kidd family who arrived
from Ireland in 1821 and were very prominent in the
life of the village and surrounding district. T.A. Kidd
was Reeve of Oxford in 1878, son William became a Canon
in the Anglican Church. Tom eventually was speaker in
the Provincial Legislature while Harold remained in
the village where he died in 1974. He was the last of
the Kidd family in Burritt's Rapids.
Many businesses, mills and hotels flourished and by
the mid 1870s pleasure boats began to appear on the
canal. By the turn of the 20th century the pioneer style
of life was disappearing. Gradually the canal was to
become a playground for pleasure boaters and cottagers
and the village was destined to become residential with
very little commercial life.
This is a very pretty village with a set of locks nearby
and the surrounding country side provides a rural setting.
Many cottages and year-round houses are built along
the Rideau River.
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