The Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) east of Prescott at Johnstown, crosses the Canada–United States border and connects the town with the city of Ogdensburg, New York.

[2] The land here was ideal for settlement during the 18th and 19th centuries as it was situated between Montreal and Kingston along the St. Lawrence River at the head of the rapids.

The French began occupation of the area in the late 17th century, starting with a supply depot and fortified outpost named La Galette en route to Fort Frontenac (Kingston),[3] which was built in the 1670s.

[4] Fort de La Présentation was later built in 1749 on the other side of the river, at Lighthouse Point near present-day Ogdensburg, New York.

This was soon abandoned in favour of Fort Lévis, which was located on Isle Royale (Chimney Island) in the centre of the river.

The area became a battleground during the 1754−1763 French and Indian War between Britain and France, as both parties wanted to control what was a strategic stretch of the Saint Lawrence River.

British settlement in the area began with a group of United Empire Loyalists led by Edward Jessup.

During the American Revolutionary War, Jessup fought with the King's Royal Regiment of New York and later led his own Loyal Rangers, which served in a defensive capacity along the Saint Lawrence.

[7] In 1796, provisions of the Jay Treaty led to a British evacuation from Fort Oswegatchie, as the land had legally become a part of the United States.

Within months, this area was soon occupied by American settlers, who named it Ogdensburgh (later Ogdensburg) after Samuel Ogden, a prominent landowner and speculator.

In 1810, Jessup and his son laid out a townsite within Augusta Township[8] near Johnstown, which they named Prescott in honour of General Robert Prescott, who had been governor-in-chief in The Canadas and had participated in British campaigns in the area, being the aide-de-camp tasked with delivering the news of the fall of Fort Lévis fifty years earlier.

[9] Jessup began to take the first steps toward building a concentrated settlement by constructing a log schoolhouse along with a teacher's residence, which was built from stone.

[8] With the outbreak of the War of 1812, American troops began using Ogdensburg and Fort Oswegatchie as a base to raid settlements in Upper Canada.

In 1838, a group of Hunter Patriots attempted to land at Prescott, hoping to use Fort Wellington as a beachhead for an invasion of Upper Canada.

They were repelled by the town militia and fled downriver, then landed at the small hamlet of Newport, which afforded them a strong defensive position dominated by a large stone windmill.

[10] Prescott's harbour developed considerably in the early 19th century, supporting the growing Great Lakes shipping industry.

Navigability of the Saint Lawrence had improved, allowing more Great Lakes ships to reach Montreal directly.

[14]: 93  Freight traffic declined abruptly during the Great Depression, though a recovery took place after the outbreak of the Second World War.

[1] Mother tongue (2021):[1] The St Lawrence Shakespeare Festival (SLSF) runs annually in Prescott, Ontario, in July and August, attracting thousands of audience members each season.

Prescott Cemetery is located along Edward Street across from South Grenville District High School and is one of the oldest burying grounds in the area.