This article was taken from the publication - Heritage Perth 2003.

The Perth Experience - A brief look at a rich history

Established in 1816, the era when Upper and Lower Canada were British colonies, Perth was one of three strategic defensive outposts created along the Rideau Corridor after the War of 1812.

To encourage settlement, the government gave officers and soldiers grants of land according to their rank. Thus, a trained reserve force was established along the banks of the Tay River in the event of another conflict with the United States .

Named for a town and river in Scotland , this small frontier centre in a large wilderness tract became the social, judicial and administrative hub for the Scottish and Irish who settled here. In 1823 Perth was named the capital of the District of Bathurst, which attracted a large number of monied and educated settlers.

When the Rideau Canal was built as a safe inland military route from Kingston to Ottawa between 1826 and 1832, it created a local economic boom. The Tay Canal , from Perth to the Lower Rideau Lake , was constructed first in the 1830s and rebuilt in the 1880s as a commercial waterway. Like the Rideau Canal the Tay was abandoned for its original purpose, but evolved into a recreational and tourism mecca.

Perth became the county seat in 1850 and remains so. Industrial booms pepper its history, and evidence of this is seen in architecture - from converted 19th-century mills and factories to the Victorian shop fronts of downtown and the grand homes complementing tree-lined boulevards.

A child of war, Perth matured into a charming beauty. Her stately architecture speaks of high expectations. She tells wonderful tales through a vast musical and theatrical history. She boasts many historic firsts and lasts.

For instance, the Last Fatal Duel was fought between two young law students on the banks of the Tay on June 13, 1833 - for a lady's honour.

In 1892, Perth produced the world's biggest cheddar - the Mammoth Cheese - and shipped it by train to the Chicago World's Fair the following year.

The nation's oldest continuous town band - the Perth Citizens' Band - performs in the bandstand behind the town hall.

Canada's second oldest weekly newspaper, the Perth Courier, has been publishing here since 1834. The town was also the location of the second telephone ever used in Canada.

The oldest nine-hole golf course on a permanent site in this nation can be found here.

This was the home of Big Ben, equestrian Ian Millar's most famous mount and only the second animal to be named to the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

Perth's musical and theatrical interests have deep roots. The "Canadian Kings of Repertoire," the famous Marks Brothers, hailed from Perth. In their careers, they appeared on the stage of what was the largest theatre between Toronto and Montreal (from 1915 to 1929) - the Balderson - which was located on Gore Street.

The people here take pride in the community and cherish its attributes. In the 1980s, Perth was a pilot project for Heritage Canada's main street program. The downtown is now a showcase of Victorian shop fronts. This revitalization of the core is the heartbeat of Perth's heritage character.

We hope you'll join us in our continuing celebration of our beauty, culture and heritage. Welcome!

Posted: 10 May, 2003.