Hastings is located on Highway 45, 42 km (26 miles) north of 401 and 144 km (90 miles) from Toronto. The Village has a population of 1,000 with a full range of services. The Village of Hastings is nestled in a valley at the mouth of the Trent River and Lock 18 of the Trent-Severn Waterway. The local history dates from 1615 when Samuel de Champlain is said to have run the rapids of the Trent River. The first settlement, known as Crook's Rapids, began in 1810. Henry Fowlds bought the land in 1851 and renamed the settlement Hastings in 1852 when the first post office was opened. The locks were completed in 1844 and the waterways became part of the famous, picturesque Trent-Severn passage. The shining waters of the Trent River and Rice Lake are sure to please anglers and pleasure boaters. We offer a pleasant combination of a "get away from it all" atmosphere with all the amenities close at hand within easy reach of major population centres.