Welcome to the Historic Town of Perth Ontario.

Founded in 1816, Perth Ontario was one of three military settlements established after the War of 1812 in the Rideau Corridor. The British government wanted a trained, fighting force close at hand should the Americans attack Upper Canada again.

The town's Tay Basin is the start of the Tay canal, built to interconnect Perth Ontario to the Rideau canal connecting the St. Lawrence river at Kingston Ontario, to the Ottawa River at Ottawa, Ontario (the capital city of Canada).

Perth Ontario has retained much of its century old flavour in its carefully preserved downtown area. The downtown area boasts over 70 boutiques, specialty shops and restaurants for every taste.

Many nearby Bed and Breakfast places allow you to stay overnight in historic buildings. Soon a new Hotel overlooking the tranquil Steward Park will be able to house dozens of guests right in the middle of the downtown area.

While in Perth. leave your fast-paced life behind and enter the world of the 1840's at the elegant Matheson House, home of the Perth Museum. Located in the heart of downtown heritage Perth this stone dwelling was declared a National Historic Site in 1966. Four period rooms reflect the lifestyle of the well-to-do Scottish merchant, the Honourable Roderick Matheson, and his family, who owned the house for 90 years.

Roderick Matheson came to Canada from Scotland at the age of 13. After serving in the War of 1812, he moved to Perth Ontario as a half pay officer and established the mercantile business now known as Shaw's of Perth. In 1840 he built this fine Georgian home of local sandstone where he and his second wife raised twelve children. By 1860 he was a wealthy man owning 8,000 acres of land in and around Lanark County including 20 houses in Perth. Matheson was a staunch Tory all his life and when his friend John A. MacDonald formed his first government in 1867, he was named to the Dominion Senate.

As a tribute to Roderick, one of Perth's most influential citizens, the Matheson House was bought in 1966 by the Town of Perth, and restored to its original splendour. The museum, which was founded in 1925, was then moved to these premises.

The house contains 4 period rooms. The dining room, parlour, kitchen and drawing room all contain furniture of the time period, much of it original Matheson pieces that have been carefully restored to present the very elegant surroundings the Mathesons would have no doubt enjoyed. The dining room contains a 52 piece set of handpainted china from England as well as other pieces of china and silver belonging to the Mathesons and other notable families of early Perth.

The drawing room, laid out in classical Georgian style, has many unique architectural elements. This was the room dedicated to entertaining frequent visitors, whereas the parlour/library was used as the family room. It is furnished with books and games, framed photographs, a papier mache sewing basket and other examples of everyday family life in the 19th century. Just down the hall is the warm and welcoming 1840's kitchen with its large stone fireplace. Many visitors call the kitchen their favourite room.

The museum features a full calendar of changing exhibitions in the main gallery, while Perth's colourful past is chronicled in the third floor gallery. Highlights include a pre-settlement exhibit of the area's first inhabitants; an 1815 Scottish handbill advertising land in Perth; the pistols from the "Last Fatal Duel" that took place in 1833; a piece of the Mammoth Cheese that won first prize at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893; a display on the fabulous Marks Brothers, the Canadian Kings of Repertoire from 1870 to 1920; an exact miniature replica of the house and much more.

Outdoors visitors can rest a moment under the shady maple and enjoy the tranquillity of the charming Scottish garden.

An outdoor bake oven and kitchen herb garden can be found in the courtyard on the other side of the museum, where special events are held during the summer.

If you visit Canada, Perth Ontario is less than an hour southwest of the Capital City of Canada - Ottawa.

Perth is famous for its many festivals held all year round, and for its Farmers' Market in the Crystal Palace on the Tay Basin.

For those of you who are unlikely to be able to visit the town in person, CyberSpace Industries 2000 Inc. has underwritten a site where you can visit the town online and meet many of the people who make up this town as well as read about the many features of this town.

Visit http://all-about-perth.com - to read the story of Perth ... Past, Present and Future.