The Blockhouse was built in Merrickville in 1832 by the British Ordnance Department to designs by Colonel John By. The largest of four blockhouses on the Rideau Canal, it was designed to be a permanent fortification in defense against the looming threat of another war with the United States. Although designed for military purposes, the Blockhouse also served as the residence for the lockmaster, a storehouse, and a community space of worship. Sergeant John Johnston (1791-1869), of the 15th Company of the Royal Sappers and Miners, involved in the initial construction of the canal, served as a lockmaster here.
While its military heritage value was acknowledged in the late 1930s, the Blockhouse’s full heritage potential came to fruition in response to its impending levelling. After a period of significant deterioration, by 1960, the Department of Transport intended to demolish the building. By 1962, a local committee was formed to push forward with transforming the Merrickville Blockhouse into a museum. In 1966, the museum opened under the management of the Merrickville and District Historical Society. Today, Parks Canada serves as its custodian and the Village of Merrickville-Wolford manages museum operations in collaboration with the Merrickville and District Historical Society.
A historic symbol of the area, the Merrickville Blockhouse Museum is a hub for the interwoven histories of the Rideau Canal, regional military history, and everyday settler life in the Merrickville-Wolford area. Visitors can witness first-hand a prime example of nineteenth-century military design as they explore the museum’s collection, including: community photographs, domestic technologies, early agricultural technologies, an old Schoolhouse, and household items originally owned by the Merrick family who settled the town. Come visit our Watchorn Woollen Mill exhibit to learn more about the Watchorn family and see examples of textiles produced there. After, you can even visit the ruins of the Watchorn Mill across the bridge, in the Industrial Heritage Complex.
