St. Andrew's Church 1812

This building, the oldest remaining stone structure in the province erected as a church, was completed about 1801. Many of the pioneer settlers in this area were Roman Catholic Highlanders, ministered to by the Rev. Roderick Macdonell, the missionary at St. Regis. The church was built under his leadership, with the assistance of a prominent local settler, «Spanish» John Macdonell, who obtained contribution for its construction from members of the North West Company and other fur traders. It was used as a hospital during the War of 1812, and served its congregation until replaced by the adjacent church in 1860. Simon Fraser and Sandfield Macdonald are buried in the graveyard opposite.

St. Andrew fut construit pour abriter la première congrégation des fidèles presbytériens de la province qui s’était formée à Williamstown en 1787. Sir Alexander Mackenzie, l’explorateur intrépide de l’Ouest canadien, fit don d’une cloche d’église et persuada ses amis d’Écosse de fournir un service de communion.