Lecture Series

The Antique Boat Museum is proud to present the Homer L. Dodge Lecture Series, made possible through the generous support of the Homer L. Dodge Endowment. This endowment sustains programming that celebrates, explores, and shares the rich history and ecology of the St. Lawrence River.

Spanning all four seasons and covering a wide range of fascinating topics, the series brings the stories of local history, boating heritage, and river life to audiences near and far—whether you’re here in the 1000 Islands or joining us from afar and dreaming of the River.

📍 Location: Lectures take place in the Robert Osborne Cox Theatre at the Museum unless otherwise specified.

💻 Hybrid Format: All lectures are offered both in person and via YouTube live stream. You’ll find the live stream link for each lecture below.

An Armchair Tour Through the Lands of the Lost Villages

Join us for the next Homer L. Dodge Lecture Series presentation with Jim Brownell, Director of The Lost Villages Museum, as he explores the history, legacy, and lasting impact of the communities lost to the creation of the Saint Lawrence Seaway in 1958.

The Lost Villages were ten communities in Ontario, including nine traditional villages and one populated island, located in the former townships of Cornwall and Osnabruck, now South Stormont, near Cornwall. Their flooding was the planned result of the Moses-Saunders Power Dam construction, which began in 1954. In the weeks and months leading up to the inundation, families and businesses were relocated to the newly planned communities of Long Sault and Ingleside. Still, the transition was controversial, as many residents felt the compensation offered did not fully reflect what was being lost.

At 8 am on July 1, 1958, now remembered locally as Inundation Day, a large cofferdam was demolished, allowing the flooding to begin. Within four days, the former townsites were underwater. In total, approximately 6,500 people were displaced, 530 buildings were moved, and countless homes, schools, businesses, and landmarks were demolished. The town of Iroquois was relocated, Morrisburg was partially submerged, and portions of Highway 2 were flooded and rebuilt. Parts of the New York shoreline were also affected, though no American communities were lost.

While much of Brownell’s presentation will focus on the social aspects of daily life in the Lost Villages, attendees will also gain a deeper understanding of what was accomplished through the Hydro and Seaway projects. Featuring photographic slides from the Lost Villages archives, many dating back 60 to 100 years, this presentation will offer a powerful look at the people, places, and landmarks forever changed by one of the most significant engineering projects in St. Lawrence River history.

The Hydro and Seaway projects remain remarkable feats of engineering, but their story is also one of community, sacrifice, displacement, and remembrance.