A scenic tour of one of Canada's most historic and lively regions.

The history and character of Frontenac County have been shaped by its geography -- the numerous rivers and lakes, the farm-friendly limestone bedrock, the granite of the Canadian Shield, which includes the Frontenac Arch, a UNESCO-designated area of extraordinary biological diversity -- and its people.

Also fascinating is the social and economic history of Kingston. French explorers, British Loyalists and later arrivals all helped transform it into a key naval and military base, thriving port and center for shipbuilding and the railroad. The book pays particular attention to Limestone City, home to Sir John A. Macdonald, but it also explores the surrounding towns and villages and the entire county's wealth of artists, writers and musicians.

This captivating collection of new and archival photographs and essays will delight and inform residents and visitors alike.

Alec Ross' profile page

John de Visser, R.C.A. and the Grand River Conservation Foundation

John Visser's profile page

A richly printed, well-crafted celebration of the area.... [This] lively collection of lovingly reproduced new and archival photographs help[s] make the case that the character of Frontenac County-as mounding towns and villages, with particular attention to Kingston as a local centre-has been shaped by its geography of lakes and rivers, farm-friendly limestone bedrock and the granite of the Canadian Shield. Ross describes the book-one of a series the publisher has planned about Ontario-as, "not a formal history, but there is a lot of history in it." It looks at the geographical, social and economic history of the area, the local creative class and cultural life, and the history of the area's employers, all spiced with some personal experiences and reflections from Ross. The book also glances to the future, with Ross providing his view of local economic and environmental sustainability.

Kingston Life