 map of Darling Township, Lanark County H Beldon & Co 1880-81 Nestled into the bottom corner of Darling Township, Lanark County, is a small hamlet known as Brightside. It once had a Post Office combined with a store. On the next concession, just west of Brightside, is a place known as Green Mountain. It also had a Post Office from 1912 - 1930. These two Post Offices on Concession One and Two of Darling Township served the surrounding community. Many familiar local names are found in the 1918 Directory below giving clues to who lived in the settlement at the time. A few French families had travelled from Quebec to make this area their home in the mid 1800's. The postal records reveal the names of these families.  map showing locations of Post Offices, notice Green Mountain and Brightside View the Post Office Directory 1918 here. The Green Mountain community also had three successive schools with the last one being built on Lot 5, Concession 1 around 1946 on land purchased from Antoine Ranger. The Green Mountain schools are included in the Rural Schools: Darling and Lavant Townships published by Archives Lanark. Records for Green Mountain School include many names of children of the French families who settled in the area.  Google Maps showing Hwy 511, Brightside and French Line Road St. Declan's Catholic Church and cemetery are located on Concession One of Darling, more commonly known as the French Line Road. Why did these families decide to settle in this location? Why is it called the French Line? A new exhibit at the Middleville and District Museum answers these questios and more. Plan to attend the unveiling of the new French Settlers exhibit on Saturday, August 26th from noon - 4pm.
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