This page was created by Nathanael Chambers. 

Carleton Place Heritage Project

Carleton Place as a Prospect for Purpose

              You probably already understand that steam locomotives were the frontier of the industrial revolution. The steam engine is considered one of the greatest inventions and led to a historic economic boom in prosperity across all regions that adopted it’s use. [1] Here in Canada, they also held an important position in transportation.  People and goods were made easier to transport and with a growing railway network across the country, the importance of this technology grew. [2] An increasing number of Railroad companies were buying railway engines and constructing or buying track to lay down and create profitable use. [3] If you are familiar with your twentieth century Canadian history, chances are you know of Canadian National and/or Canadian Pacific. Canadian Pacific is a government subsidized railway company formed by the Canadian government to reduce the expenses of the transportation industry and prioritize the best routes for service as well as other important economic factors involving fur trading and the west coast of Canada. Canadian National is another centralized transportation network focused on in Ontario and the East Coast of Canada. [4] Prior to those two nationalized railway companies’, smaller names like The Brockville & Ottawa Railway Company were running lines locally across towns proposing connections to counties that could boost the local economy. [5] 
              Creating jobs is the most impactful contribution a campaign like this is to a town like Carleton place. This image is taken after Canadian Pacific’s acquisition showing the employees of the workshop. And this image shows another generation before the last photograph taking an employee photograph at the roundhouse workshop.
The record of the Roundhouse's history begins with the Brockville & Ottawa Railway Company. It is mentioned in the Carleton Place Herald newspaper and talks about the beginning of the construction. The people of these earlier establishments were not passengers in these projects, but opinions that are considered. The Brockville & Ottawa Railway Company's line affected their lives directly. The public’s contribution to the approval of this plan is shown in the newspaper as it connects people to future of the affected towns. What’s interesting here is the author does well to address the people of Carleton place as they very much have a hand in the acceptability of this railroad. Citizens were very involved with projects concerning the changing of the townscape and like local accounts like Tony Percy’s Recollections [6] being in Carleton Place, the railways functions change the lives of kids who grow up there. This railway would change how the town would operate and bring“much needed capital” supporting the town through tourism and industry. [7] [8]

              There are several images of Railway employees through the years as ownership and the demand of workers changed.

              After it is construction and continued use The Brockville & Ottawa Railway ran into financial troubles, and with the support of acquaintances joined Canada Central Railway Company later merging with Grand Trunk. In 1881 the company was amalgamated into Canadian Pacific with numerous other companies and route times posted in the newspapers made local travel more accessible. Even with the humble beginnings, this location at Carleton place had grown into the main operations center in the following years leading to the expansion of the line’s connections and the moving of Canadian Pacific’s headquarters to Carleton Place created more jobs and becoming an accessible travel hub for commuters, and tourists. 

 
[1] Lamb, J. Parker. Perfecting the American steam locomotive. Indiana University Press, 2003: 1-3.
[2] Brown, Robert R. "Early Canadian Rolling Stock." The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin 56 (1941): 30-54.
[3] Bladen, Marion L. "Construction of railways in Canada part II: From 1885 to 1931." Contributions to Canadian Economics 7 (1934): 61-107.
[4] Innis, Harold Adams. "A history of the Canadian Pacific Railway." (1923).
[5] Brown, Robert R. "Early Canadian Rolling Stock." The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin 56 (1941): 30-54.
[6] Percy, Tony. “Recollections.” Recollections001.pdf. Microsoft Teams. (1999): 10.
[7] “The Railroad.” August 4, 1853. 300.pdf, Newspapers. 1850 Lanark Herald 1855 Carleton Place Herald, Microsoft Teams. (1853): 300
[8] “The Brockville and Ottawa Railway.” July 7, 1853. 292.pdf, Newspapers. 1850 Lanark Herald 1855 Carleton Place Herald, Microsoft Teams. (1853): 292

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