JONATHAN MULVIHILL

jmulvihill@metroland.com

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Renfrew Mercury publication, here are four things almostas,ifnotolderthan, the local paper:

McDougall Mill — The millwasoriginallybuiltby John Lorn McDougall in 1855 by the Bonnechere River near the Swinging Bridge and the Renfrew Power Generation station. In 1969 the mill was converted into a museum, which houses pioneer tools and machinery, a military section and a doll exhibit, among other relics of the past.

Renfrew Fair — The Renfrew fair is one of the oldest of its kind, with the first agricultural exhibition being held in 1855. Today the fair features rides and games for all ages, but still keeps its early roots through various beef and cattle shows and 4-H exhibits.

Swinging Bridge — The original wire bridge across the Bonnechere River was built in 1895 by the W.H. Kearney family. The landmark was reconstructed in 1983 with wood and cable and updated in

2015, making it far safer and more secure than the originalstructure.Itisone of the last of its kind in Canada.

St. Francis Xavier Par- wasrebuiltfollowingafire in 1964. In the years since its founding, the parish has become one of the major contributors to the history of Renfrew.

From left: The original wire bridge across the Bonnechere River was built in 1895 by the W.H. Kearney family. Originally built as a grist mill in 1855 by John Lorn McDougall, the museum is one of the oldest standing buildings in Renfrew.