City of Trenton

Blue text and an illustration of a building on a white background

With less than 20,000 residents, Trenton is a small community located in Ontario, Canada. It was originally settled in 1784 by French colonists and named after the nearby Trent River, which took its name from the River Trent in England. The name “Trent” is suspected to be a Romano-British word meaning “severely flooded.” From early on, Trenton was populated by workers from the lumber industry and was well liked for its convenient port location. The town was home to a large munitions plant during the First World War, but the factory was leveled by a massive explosion three weeks before the Armistice. Notable people from the town include Henry Comstock, the owner of the Nevada mine where the Comstock Lode was discovered, and Marc Tessier-Lavigne, the current president of Stanford University.

LACAC, an acronym for the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee, is a government-created entity that is responsible for recommending heritage property in Canada. The committee was established with the 1974 passage of the Ontario Heritage Act, and its members are devoted to preserving historical sites throughout the province. Examples of conserved landmarks that are protected by LACAC are the Clock Tower, Trent Port Historical Museum, and Fraser Park Gates—all of which are situated in downtown Trenton. Interestingly, the Fraser Park Gates were built after World War I using funds raised by a Canadian women’s organization. Names of Trenton soldiers lost in both World Wars are etched in the monument.