Rossie & Morristown on the St. Lawrence Coast

In two distinct St. Lawrence County communities, historic structures carry forward the defining story of North Country life. In the rural community of Rossie, iconic industrial ruins dot the landscape and reflect the small town’s booming past. Following the rushing water of the Indian River, we will explore the infrastructure and buildings associated with Rossie’s early 19th-century milling and iron mining community. Workers fired up David Parish’s earliest blast furnace in 1813, but these developments only lasted through the Civil War. The site’s extant remains help to tell this story. Next, we will travel to the hamlet of Morristown on the coast of the St. Lawrence River. This charming community boasts a rich collection of 19th-century stone buildings that are not only examples of fine architecture but also illustrate its close historic and contemporary ties to the river. We will experience behind-the-scenes visits to a variety of Morristown’s most historic buildings, many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the iconic McConnell Windmill, a former land office-turned-library, and a few private historic homes as well.

This morning tour is led by Executive Director Carlene Bermann and volunteer John Austin from the St. Lawrence County Historical Association, while the afternoon is led by Ellen Magee Place and Chris Coffin from the Morristown Gateway Museum, and several property and homeowners. The tour begins at 10 AM and ends around 4 PM.

The fee is $60 for AARCH and St. Lawrence County Center for History & Culture members and $75 for non-members. Note that some spots are reserved for SLCCHC members.

Please note that this outing will feature 1.5 miles of walking on a mix of dirt road, pavement, and some mildly uneven terrain.

Morristown photos courtesy of the Morristown Gateway Museum, except the McConnell Windmill photo which is courtesy of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. Rossie lithograph and ruins photo courtesy of the St. Lawrence County Center for Culture & History.