Lemieux, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Lemieux is a ghost town
in the Canadian
province of Ontario
, which was located on the shore of the South Nation River
in the Prescott and Russell County
township of South Plantagenet. The community was abandoned over a two-year period from 1989 to 1991, after soil testing revealed that the town was built on unstable Leda clay, a type of subsoil which can liquefy
under stress, and was consequently in danger of experiencing a landslide
similar to the one that destroyed the town of Saint-Jean-Vianney
, Quebec
in 1971.
The decision to relocate the community's residents proved to be a wise one — on June 20, 1993, two years after the last remaining building at Lemieux was demolished, a landslide occurred at the former townsite.
settlement, was first established in 1850 as a mill town
for lumber operations in the area, and later evolved into a farming community. A Roman Catholic parish church, Saint-Joseph-de-Lemieux, was established in 1891.
On May 16, 1971, just 12 days after the Saint-Jean-Vianney disaster, a smaller landslide occurred on the South Nation River 4.5 kilometres upstream from Lemieux. As a result, the South Nation Conservation Authority began a program of soil testing along the river to identify sites at risk. In 1989, Lemieux was identified as a risk site, and after consultations with the township, the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources
and the local residents, it was decided to relocate the residents to a safer area. Over the next two years, the residents were relocated to existing nearby communities at provincial government expense.
Buildings in the community were either relocated or demolished. The last building remaining in Lemieux, the Saint-Joseph church, was demolished on August 4, 1991. Only the parish cemetery remains at the former town site.
A portion of Prescott and Russell County Road 16, the main road through the town, was also consumed by the landslide. As the site was no longer populated, there were no fatalities.
The South Nation Conservation Authority began a revegetation program in 1994, seeding the landslide site with grasses, legumes and 7,600 trees to help stabilize the soil and reclaim the landslide scar as a wildlife habitat.
The government of Ontario erected a historical plaque at the site of Lemieux's former main street.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, which was located on the shore of the South Nation River
South Nation River
The South Nation River is a river in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It springs from forests and marshes located north of Brockville and it flows 175 km northeast to empty into the Ottawa River north of Plantagenet...
in the Prescott and Russell County
Prescott and Russell United Counties, Ontario
The United Counties of Prescott and Russell are consolidated counties located in the Canadian province of Ontario. As of 2006, the population is 80,184. Its county seat is L'Orignal, Ontario. It was created as a result of a merger between Russell County and Prescott County in 1820...
township of South Plantagenet. The community was abandoned over a two-year period from 1989 to 1991, after soil testing revealed that the town was built on unstable Leda clay, a type of subsoil which can liquefy
Soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction describes a phenomenon whereby a saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress, usually earthquake shaking or other sudden change in stress condition, causing it to behave like a liquid....
under stress, and was consequently in danger of experiencing a landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
similar to the one that destroyed the town of Saint-Jean-Vianney
Saint-Jean-Vianney, Quebec
Saint-Jean-Vianney was a village in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, which was abandoned after it was partially destroyed in a landslide on May 4, 1971.-History:...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in 1971.
The decision to relocate the community's residents proved to be a wise one — on June 20, 1993, two years after the last remaining building at Lemieux was demolished, a landslide occurred at the former townsite.
History
Lemieux, a predominantly Franco-OntarianFranco-Ontarian
Franco-Ontarians are French Canadian or francophone residents of the Canadian province of Ontario. They are sometimes known as "Ontarois"....
settlement, was first established in 1850 as a mill town
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
for lumber operations in the area, and later evolved into a farming community. A Roman Catholic parish church, Saint-Joseph-de-Lemieux, was established in 1891.
On May 16, 1971, just 12 days after the Saint-Jean-Vianney disaster, a smaller landslide occurred on the South Nation River 4.5 kilometres upstream from Lemieux. As a result, the South Nation Conservation Authority began a program of soil testing along the river to identify sites at risk. In 1989, Lemieux was identified as a risk site, and after consultations with the township, the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources
Ministry of Natural Resources (Ontario)
The Ministry of Natural Resources is a government ministry of the Canadian province of Ontario that responsible for Ontario’s provincial parks, forests, fisheries, wildlife, mineral aggregates and the Crown lands and waters that make up 87 per cent of the province...
and the local residents, it was decided to relocate the residents to a safer area. Over the next two years, the residents were relocated to existing nearby communities at provincial government expense.
Buildings in the community were either relocated or demolished. The last building remaining in Lemieux, the Saint-Joseph church, was demolished on August 4, 1991. Only the parish cemetery remains at the former town site.
Landslide
On June 20, 1993, two years after Lemieux was abandoned, heavy rains caused a retrogressive earthflow which destroyed 17 hectares of farmland at the town site. The scarp retreated 680 metres (2,231 ft) from the riverbank in less than an hour and left a crater some 320 metres (1,049.9 ft) wide and 18 metres (59.1 ft) deep. An estimated 2.8 to 3.5 million cubic metres of sand, silt and liquefied clay collapsed into the river, damming it for 3.3 kilometres (2.1 mi) for several days.A portion of Prescott and Russell County Road 16, the main road through the town, was also consumed by the landslide. As the site was no longer populated, there were no fatalities.
Aftermath
Direct and indirect costs related to the event were estimated at 12.5 million.The South Nation Conservation Authority began a revegetation program in 1994, seeding the landslide site with grasses, legumes and 7,600 trees to help stabilize the soil and reclaim the landslide scar as a wildlife habitat.
The government of Ontario erected a historical plaque at the site of Lemieux's former main street.