Prior to canal construction, the waters at Long Island were not navigable. A set of rapids over two miles long with a drop of 25 feet made this portion of the river impassable. Richmond, a community west of the river, was the only settlement in the area at this time. The sole land route in the area was a road that passed through Richmond, leading from the Chaudière Falls on the Ottawa River to Prescott on the St. Lawrence River. Most of the early inhabitants of the village of Long Island were involved in the construction of the Canal and remained in the area once the canal opened. The years following the construction of the canal saw schools, churches and a hotel at Long Island. By the mid-19th century Long Island was in decline and by 1890 the village was deserted and in ruins. Development in nearby Manotick, founded in 1860, attracted many of the settlers from Long Island. Even the churches were moved from Long Island to Manotick. Lockstation services: parking, charts and permit sales, on-site identification, picnic areas, day use docking, boater camping and overnight mooring. Fishing and boat watching are here.