History of Edmonds lockstation

Specifications of the lockstation

One lock with a lift of 2.8 m (9.2 feet).

The Construction of the lockstation

The contractor for Edmonds was Bell, Richardson & Co.

Edmonds lock was named after James Edmunds, one of the earliest settlers in this part of the Rideau Valley. For part of the 19th century, it was known as Mills Lock after its long serving first lockmaster, Edward Mills (1832-1867) and his son William W. Mills (1867-1897). Edmonds Lock was designed by Colonel By with an overflow arch dam designed to maintain a navigable water level above the lock while allowing excess water simply to pour over the dam. Experience at Edmonds Lock as well as Clowes and Black Rapids, soon proved that overflow dams were subject to considerable damage during spring flooding. The design was discarded in favour of higher dams accompanied by waste weirs at most other lockstations. At Edmunds the dam was left as an overflow dam with a weir incorporated into the west side of the dam. Today, the lockstation is referred to as both “Edmonds” and ”Edmunds”.

Structures of the lockstation

Lockmaster's house Originally Edmonds lockstation had both a lockmasters house and a canalmen's house. Only the lockmaster house remains today although it is not the original structure. The initial lockmasters house, like so many other houses had fallen into disrepair by the late 19th century. A number of these houses were restored, but the Edmonds house was torn down in 1905. It was replaced on the same site by a two-storey frame house located closer to the lock.

Engineering Structures: An arched overflow dam with a weir incorporated into the west end.

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