Cornwall

Cornwall is a city on the northern shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Eastern Ontario, just a few kilometers from Quebec and New York. The downtown runs parallel to the water, with residential neighborhoods spreading across the flat land behind the waterfront.

The settlement began in 1784 when Loyalists from New York founded a village here after the Revolutionary War, first called New Johnstown. The name Cornwall was introduced in 1797 when the community became the administrative seat of the newly formed Eastern District.

This place sits where English and French-speaking communities meet, visible in the street signs and local shops. The proximity to the Akwesasne reserve shows in events and daily exchanges between neighbors who have shared the area for generations.

The city is accessible via Highway 401, which runs through southern Ontario, or by regional roads from Quebec. Most visitor destinations are along the riverfront or in the downtown core, which can be explored on foot.

The former canal that guided ships past the rapids was bypassed by the Seaway project in the 1950s and now sits as a quiet waterway between residential neighborhoods. Its locks and towpaths remain and are used by walkers and cyclists.

Location: United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry

Inception: 1784

Elevation above the sea: 64 m

Shares border with: South Stormont

Website: https://cornwall.ca

GPS coordinates: 45.02750,-74.74000

Latest update: December 13, 2025 16:11