Richland

The town of Richland was formed from Williamstown on February 20, 1807. The first settlers arrived in 1801, when a handful of hardy settlers built cabins near the mouth of the Salmon River. The Salmon River hamlets of Selkirk and Bethel Corners and the once planned “city” of Port Ontario surround Selkirk Bay, where the river enters Lake Ontario. Two miles farther upstream lies the picturesque village of Pulaski. Incorporated in 1832, Pulaski is the co-country seat – its proud residents having been the first to erect a courthouse, in 1819. The Salmon River dissects the village, the heart of which was constructed of quality brick following a disastrous 1881 fire. Surrounding the business section are numerous fine examples of 19th-century architecture.

​

The hamlet of Richland was once the busy junction of two railroad lines. It boasted a hearty manufacturing economy until the decline of the railroad. Richland sits atop a portion of the Tug Hill aquifer, the waters of which supply the township with ample water of superior quality. The hamlets of Fernwood and Daysville, along with numerous school-district neighborhoods, all contributed to the township’s development.

The town of Richland was formed from Williamstown on February 20, 1807. The first settlers arrived in 1801, when a handful of hardy settlers built cabins near the mouth of the Salmon River. The Salmon River hamlets of Selkirk and Bethel Corners and the once planned “city” of Port Ontario surround Selkirk Bay, where the river enters Lake Ontario. Two miles farther upstream lies the picturesque village of Pulaski. Incorporated in 1832, Pulaski is the co-country seat – its proud residents having been the first to erect a courthouse, in 1819. The Salmon River dissects the village, the heart of which was constructed of quality brick following a disastrous 1881 fire.Surrounding the business section are numerous fine examples of 19th-century architecture.

​

The hamlet of Richland was once the busy junction of two railroad lines. It boasted a hearty manufacturing economy until the decline of the railroad. Richland sits atop a portion of the Tug Hill aquifer, the waters of which supply the township with ample water of superior quality. The hamlets of Fernwood and Daysville, along with numerous school-district neighborhoods, all contributed to the township’s development.