Greater Napanee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greater Napanee
Town (lower-tier)
Town of Greater Napanee
Dundas Street in Napanee
Greater Napanee Location in Southern Ontario
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
County	Lennox and Addington
Incorporated	1999
Government
• Type	Town
Area
• Land	461.31 km2 (178.11 sq mi)
Population  (2016)
• Total	15,892
• Density	34.5/km2 (89/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal Code	K7R
Area code(s)	613

Greater Napanee is a town in southeastern Ontario, Canada. It is about 45 kilometers (28 miles) west of Kingston. This town is the main center for Lennox and Addington County. Greater Napanee is located at the eastern end of the Bay of Quinte. The town was formed in 1999 when the old Town of Napanee joined with other nearby areas.

The town is home to the Allan Macpherson House. This historic house from 1826 is now a museum. Allan Macpherson was an important person in the early town. He ran mills, a store, and helped start schools and churches. The house sits by the Napanee River, which flows through the town.

One of the biggest employers in Greater Napanee is a Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company factory. This plant makes tires for cars and opened in 1988.

The two main streets in Napanee are Dundas Street and Centre Street. Dundas Street goes east-west through downtown. Centre Street goes north-south, connecting the modern shopping areas to the older downtown.

History of Greater Napanee

The first known settlement in the Greater Napanee area was an Iroquois village called Ganneious. The Oneida lived there temporarily from about 1660 to 1690. This village was near the Hay Bay area.

Early Settlers and Growth

The area was settled by Loyalists in 1784. Loyalists were people who stayed loyal to Britain during the American Revolution. The first Loyalists arrived in Adolphustown on June 15, 1784. Their landing spot is now a preserved historic site.

Napanee became an official town in 1854. The town grew around a waterfall on the Napanee River. This waterfall provided power for early industries like sawmills and gristmills. These mills helped process wood and grain from the surrounding areas. Napanee was first called Clarksville, named after Robert Clark, who built a grist mill there.

Sir John A. Macdonald, who later became Canada's first prime minister, worked as a lawyer in Napanee when he was young.

Historic Places to Visit

Greater Napanee has many interesting historical sites. You can learn about the past by visiting these places.

• Allan Macpherson House: This house was built around 1826 for Allan Macpherson. It shows the style of homes from the early 1800s. Today, it is a museum run by the Lennox and Addington Historical Society.
• Old Hay Bay Church: Built around 1792 in Adolphustown, this is Canada's oldest surviving Methodist Church. It is now a museum but still holds a special service every August.
• County of Lennox & Addington Museum and Archives: This building was built in 1864. It has changing exhibits that show the county's history. You can also find old papers and documents to learn about local families and the town's past.
• UEL Heritage Park Centre and Park: This site marks where the first United Empire Loyalists landed in 1784. It is now a museum and a camping area.
• Loyalist Memorial Church: Located in Adolphustown, this church was built to celebrate 100 years since the Loyalists first arrived. Services are still held here on Sundays.
• Town of Greater Napanee Town Hall: Built in 1856, this building was designed by Edward Horsey. It served as both a town hall and a market.

You can also take a self-guided walking tour of downtown Napanee. Many historical buildings from the 1800s line Dundas Street.

Fun Town Events

Greater Napanee hosts many exciting events throughout the year.

• Napanee Riverfront Festival: A popular event by the river.
• Multicultural Festival: Celebrates different cultures.
• Music By The River: Enjoy live music outdoors.
• Scarecrow Festival: A fun autumn event.
• Downtown Shopping Party: A special event for shopping in the downtown area.
• Big Bright Light Show: A festive light display.
• Art in the Park: An annual art show and sale in Conservation Park.
• Hometown Market: A market held every two weeks in the summer, selling local goods.

Other events include the Napanee Country Jamboree and the Voodoo Rockfest, both held in September.

Population and People

In 2021, the population of Greater Napanee was about 16,879 people. Most people in Greater Napanee speak English as their first language.

Schools in Napanee

Greater Napanee has several schools for students of different ages:

• Southview Public School
• The Prince Charles Public School
• Cornerstone Christian Academy
• J. J. O'Neill Catholic School
• Selby Public School
• Napanee District Secondary School

Some students also travel to nearby towns for school.

Famous People from Napanee

Many talented people have connections to Napanee:

• Aaron Doornekamp: A professional basketball player who plays for the Canadian national team.
• Alan Aylesworth Macnaughton: A former Member of Parliament and Speaker of the House of Commons. He helped start the Canadian branch of the World Wildlife Fund.
• Albert Schultz: A Gemini Award-winning actor known for TV shows like Street Legal. He also helped start the Soulpepper Theatre Company.
• Arthur Eyguem De Montaigne Jarvis: A World War I flying ace who won important awards for his bravery.
• Avril Lavigne: A world-famous musician who grew up in Napanee. She even mentioned the town in her song "My World."
• Britt Benn: An athlete who won a gold medal in Rugby Women's Sevens at the 2015 Pan Am Games and a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics.
• Deborah Kimmett: A writer and comedian.
• Edmund James Bristol: A former Member of Parliament who also served as a minister.
• Kathleen Frances Daly: A painter whose works are shown in many major Canadian and international exhibitions.
• H. Bedford-Jones: A writer known for historical adventure and science fiction stories.
• Harry Ham: An early silent movie actor.
• John Gibbard: He founded the Gibbard Furniture Company in Napanee in 1835. It was Canada's oldest furniture maker.
• Sir John A. Macdonald: Canada's first Prime Minister, who worked as a lawyer in Napanee when he was young. He helped unite Canada and build the transcontinental railway.
• Leroy Blugh: A former professional football player in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
• Lesley Thompson: A five-time Olympic medalist in rowing. She is the first Canadian to win medals at five different Olympic Games.
• Michael Breaugh: A former Member of Parliament and Member of Provincial Parliament.
• Ralph McCabe: A former Major League Baseball pitcher.
• Reginald Aldworth Daly: A famous geologist. Craters on Mars and the Moon are named after him.
• Scott Chadwick: A professional curler.
• Stuart Wood: The ninth Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
• Toby Sexsmith: A former Member of Provincial Parliament in Manitoba and president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.
• Helen Merrill Egerton: A Canadian writer.

Sports in Napanee

Napanee has a strong sports community with many successful teams and athletes.

Ice Hockey

The Napanee Raiders are a Junior C hockey team. They joined the Empire B Junior C Hockey League in 1989. They have won eight league championships. In 1993, they won the All-Ontario Clarence Schmalz Cup, becoming the best Junior "C" team in Ontario. They won the Schmalz Cup again in the 2018-2019 season. The Raiders play their home games at the Strathcona Paper Centre, which opened in 2004.

The Napanee Comets were a very successful hockey team. They won three Ontario championships in a row from 1958 to 1960. They also won provincial championships in 1971 and 1972.

Other Sports

The Lennox & Addington Lynx floor hockey team won a gold medal at the Special Olympics Canadian National Winter Games in 2008.

Napanee is also well known for its success in softball for both boys and girls. Napanee teams have won four national championships since 1982. The Napanee Legionnaires won in 1982, and the Napanee Express won in 1997 and 2005. The Napanee North Key Express won the Canadian Junior fastball championship in 2010. In 2008, the Napanee (Bantam) Express girls team won the provincial title and came in second at the Eastern Canadian Championships.

The Napanee Golf and Country Club was started in 1897. It has a nine-hole course. The Napanee Curling Club was established in 1957. In 2010, Napanee hosted the Ontario Tankard, a major men's curling championship.

Napanee District Secondary School is home to the Golden Hawks. Their sports teams compete in hockey, football, basketball, rugby, gymnastics, volleyball, swimming, and track. In 2008, the Napanee girls rugby team and both boys' junior and senior teams won league championships. In 2009, the girls gymnastics team won a bronze medal at the provincial championship.

Shopping and Downtown

Napanee's downtown area has been growing and improving. The historic buildings now house many unique shops. The Waterfront River Pub and Terrace is a great example, built in an old limestone brewery right on the Napanee River. Wallace's, the oldest continuously operating drug store, has been in the same spot since 1854.

Napanee is also home to "La Pizzeria." This pizza place became famous when musician Avril Lavigne said it served her "favorite pizza."

During the summer, you can visit the bi-weekly Hometown Market in Market Square. It offers locally made and homegrown items.

Media in Napanee

Napanee has the oldest independently owned newspaper in Canada, The Napanee Beaver. It comes out every Thursday along with "Napanee Guide".

In 2007, a new radio station, CKYM, started broadcasting in Napanee on 88.7 FM. It plays adult contemporary music. Napanee also receives radio and TV stations from nearby Belleville and Kingston.

A volunteer-run community radio station, Island Radio CJAI 101.3 FM, also serves Napanee from nearby Loyalist Township.

Live Theatre

Greater Napanee is home to the Lennox Community Theatre. They perform at The Village Theatre in Selby. The theatre puts on five shows each year. Did you know that Avril Lavigne performed on this stage as a child? She was in productions like You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown and Godspell.

See also

In Spanish: Napanee para niños