Tourists and locals alike recognize Ontario not only for its big-name attractions like Toronto or Niagara Falls, and not even for hungry mosquitos and black flies in the springtime, but also for its pretty, historic towns. Carefully preserved in time and maintaining the original 19th-century look, many of them compete to be named the quaintest or the coziest town in Ontario. Merrickville, located only 40 minutes from Ottawa and known as the "Jewel of the Rideau", often makes the cut.

Like many other little towns in Eastern Ontario, Merrickville emerged along the world-renowned Rideau Canal, an engineering feat and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rideau Canal is the oldest continuously operated canal system in all of North America. Most of its structures including all 47 locks, stone walls, and blockhouses remain intact since 1832.

Do you know what prompted the British to take on such a difficult undertaking as building a 202 km / 125-mile long canal in the middle of nowhere? The fear of another war with the United States after the War of 1812-1813. Like many other technological advances, this one was also driven by a war. Which never happened, fortunately.

But Rideau Canal not only gave birth to those pretty towns like Merrickville but also enabled further exploration (and colonization) of what in a few decades would become Canada. Long before railroads and highways were built, water was practically the only way to transport commodities (mostly timber and fur) from remote places to large settlements in North America and the rest of the world. Even now, after almost two centuries, the Rideau Canal is still in operation. Albeit used exclusively for pleasure.