The New Student's Reference Work/Kingston (Ontario)

Kingston, a city of Ontario, (population 19,000), is situated at the head of the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River. Lake and river steamships call daily. The Grand Trunk and Canadian Pacific Railways reach it. Historically the city is of great interest, since it shared the earliest settlement of the province. Count Frontenac’s guard 234 years ago watched over his camp where the city now stands. This historic ground is part of La Salle’s seigneury which was granted to him by the king of France. He built a fort near by, which stood the ravages of time from 1677 to 1820. Kingston is closely associated with the history of the great explorer. Fort Frontenac was built to secure the traffic for French merchants and make it easy to extend New France westwards. In 1751 the first armed vessel on Lake Ontario was built at Fort Frontenac. The dream of La Salle was never realized. In 1841 Lord Sydenham selected Kingston as the capital of the united provinces of upper and lower Canada. He opened the first Parliament of united Canada in that year in Kingston. Kingston held the honor of being the capital city for three years only. In the manufacture of locomotives, cars, steam engines and agricultural implements Kingston holds a high place. Its educational advantages are excellent. Queens University and Kingston School of Mining are institutions of first importance. The university prospered greatly under the presidency of the Reverend George M. Grant, and that prosperity continues under the guidance of President Gordon, D. D. Queens has given many prominent men to Canada.