Sheek's Island, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Sheek's Island is an island in the St. Lawrence River in the Canadian
province of Ontario
. It is considered to be one of Ontario's Lost Villages
, which were permanently flooded by the creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1958. While much of the island has been flooded, a portion of it remains above water, but is not populated.
Sheek's Island was occupied primarily by family farms and recreational properties. In 1914, Levi Addison Ault
donated a family property on the island to the Township
of Cornwall
, which became Ault Park
. After the island was flooded by the Seaway project, Ault Park was rebuilt on the new shoreline near Long Sault.
From 1956 to 1958, archaeologists
conducted excavations in Ault Park, and believed that they may have found remnants of a 3500-year old native
village. The University of Toronto
petitioned for an injunction against the Seaway project so that the excavations could continue, but were not successful. A number of artifacts were taken from the site for further study.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. It is considered to be one of Ontario's Lost Villages
The Lost Villages
The Lost Villages are ten communities in the Canadian province of Ontario, in the former townships of Cornwall and Osnabruck near Cornwall, which were permanently submerged by the creation of the Saint Lawrence Seaway in 1958....
, which were permanently flooded by the creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1958. While much of the island has been flooded, a portion of it remains above water, but is not populated.
Sheek's Island was occupied primarily by family farms and recreational properties. In 1914, Levi Addison Ault
Levi Addison Ault
Levi Addison Ault was a Canadian-born businessman and bureaucrat whose career was closely associated with the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he earned the nickname "Father of Cincinnati's parks".-Biography:...
donated a family property on the island to the Township
Township (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
of Cornwall
South Stormont, Ontario
South Stormont is a township in eastern Ontario, Canada, in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. The township was incorporated on January 1, 1998, by amalgamating the former geographic townships of Cornwall and Osnabruck....
, which became Ault Park
Ault Park (Ontario)
Ault Park is a park on the St. Lawrence River in the Township of South Stormont, near Long Sault, Ontario, Canada.Originally on Sheek's Island, the park was built on family property donated to the Township of Cornwall by Levi Addison Ault....
. After the island was flooded by the Seaway project, Ault Park was rebuilt on the new shoreline near Long Sault.
From 1956 to 1958, archaeologists
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
conducted excavations in Ault Park, and believed that they may have found remnants of a 3500-year old native
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
village. The University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
petitioned for an injunction against the Seaway project so that the excavations could continue, but were not successful. A number of artifacts were taken from the site for further study.