By early to mid-19th century, the town of Dundas was considered the major shipping point at the Head of the Lake. Many of the manufacturing companies moved business downtown closer to the Desjardins canal and shipping. Local tanneries produced leather goods while paper products, furniture and carriages were produced from lumber. The two most prominent types of manufacturing in Dundas also began in this era: textiles and foundries. The Dundas Forge building (1846) dates from this time.