Woodlands

Woodlands was a tiny hamlet that lay along the riverbanks just east of Farran's Point. With a stable population of around 70 souls, Woodlands never quite made it to village status, however, during its time it managed to support a handful of farms, a few agricultural businesses and later a summer tourist industry.

Woodlands' origins were similar to those of the other lost villages and hamlets. It was first settled in the late 1700s by United Empire Loyalists from the state of New York, many of whom were German-speaking. Its name is believed to have originated from the once heavily wooded shoreline.

The church and cemetery

Once the settlers were established in their new homes, one of the first orders of business was to build a church. Woodlands' first church was a Lutheran church, frist dedicated in 1795, and known as the Osnabruck Church. Two German-speaking clergymen, the Reverend John Ludwig Broeffle, from the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reverend Samuel Swerdfeger from the Lutheran Church, were summoned from New York State to serve the new congregations. For a time both clergymen shared two churches; the new church at Woodlands and another at Williamsburg. An Anglican congregation also used the church briefly until 1804, when the new St. Peter's Anglican Church was established.

The Lutheran Church lasted until 1857, when it was taken over by a Presbyterian congregation. In 1858 the original building was replaced with a handsome new brick structure and became known as St. Matthew's Presbyterian Church. The original wooden building was disassembled and rebuilt at Pleasant Valley. Once the other villages surpassed Woodlands in size, the Anglican Church established congregations in the larger communities of Wales and Aultsville. St. Peter's Church was subsequently relocated to Osnabruck Centre, where it was later destroyed by fire.

By the mid to late 1800s there were several businesses operating in Woodlands. Robert Stuart, a merchant, opened a post office in 1864 that operated until 1909. Later on there were general stores run by the Fickes and Baker families. Others like J. Henry Bredin listed their occupations as farmer, lumberman as well as Deputy Reeve. Most farmed and some like James Marshall, grew fruit.

By the time the twentieth century rolled around, Woodlands had been eclipsed by its nearby neighbours but continued to exist as a small hamlet consisting of a few farms, an apiary, owned by John Fickes and his son Harvey, and the Presbyterian Church. The village was known for its stately homes and beautiful orchards.

During the 1930s and 40s, Woodlands became a popular summer tourist haunt. Ernest Campbell opened a small confectionery and row of white riverside cabins known as Camp-Belle. His brother Cyril owned another group of cottages further west where his daughter, Alice, ran a pin ball and pool table booth, frequented by the many truck drivers who stopped for gas along the highway. There were also the Stillson Cottages, owned by Frank Stillson, whose daughter Nellie ran a year-round snack bar. A big source of attraction in the early 1950s was Nellie's small black and white television, one of the first in the area.

The small one-room schoolhouse that served both Santa Cruz and Woodlands for so many years lasted until 1957. St Matthew's Presbyterian Church was amalgamated with the other Presbyterian churches at Aultsville and Farran's Point and rebuilt in the new town of Ingleside. Although nothing remains of Woodlands, its name was commemorated by one of the islands along the parkway and also by a campground and picnic area that is part of the St. Lawrence Parks.