The Story
of
GALETTA and DISTRICT
Township of Fitzroy - County of Carleton
From 1823
The Ottawa Valley's Mississippi River springs from a source in the highland lake region of Frontenac County, This river dips into Lanark, and following a northeasterly course, cuts the western tip of Carleton where it empties into the Ottawa River at a point forty miles above the Capital City. Two miles back from this juncture, on the banks of the Mississippi, in the Township of Fitzroy, is situated the Village of Galetta.
The story of Galetta commences with the year 1823, At that time there was only a small clearance, with rough corduroy roads connecting with other parts of the Township. The Township had been surveyed and concession roads constructed, A road connected the concessions, but in a very roundabout way, The settlement was on the sixth concession.
A road over to the fifth and fourth concessions left the sixth near the island bridge, directly from Jas Steen's Mill, and went across country to join the fourth at Mr, Blair's farm. Another road connected with the lower concessions. Part of this one is the present road from Mohr's Corners to the seventh line, Archibald Riddell, one of the pioneers of the district, settled at the junction of these two roads,
How the Village Got Its Name
The village changed its name twice since 1831, Both names under which it was known were adopted from families whose enterprise and industry contributed much to the growth and welfare of the community, the Hubbells, the Whytes, the Steens, Dicksons, Hunts, Deans and Riddells,
In 1831 - named Steen's Falls, changed to Hubbell's Falls, when Steen built a new mill and Hubbell started his mill.
In 1835, James Hubbell of United Empire Loyalist stock, was given a grant of land by the government, He immediately began to develop the natural resources and the settlement became known as Hubbell's Falls,
In 1876 Mr. Hubbell sold out to J,G, Whyte of Ottawa, In 1878 Mr. Whyte built a general store and persuaded the government to move the post office from Mohr's Corners to the village store,
Galetti being his mother's maiden name, he changed the last letter to "a" and christened the village "GALETTA.”
