Griffith is a small, unincorporated community situated near the junction of the Madawaska and Mississippi Rivers in the western part of Addington Highlands, close to the boundary with Renfrew County. Originally surveyed as part of the opening of the Addington Colonization Road in the 1850s, Griffith emerged as a stopping place for settlers and teamsters navigating the rugged, forested terrain of the Ottawa Valley’s southern fringe.

The area’s early economic life was shaped by lumbering, with sawmills operating along the riverbanks and temporary settlements forming around timber camps. Griffith remained a modest crossroads community through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, supported by a small post office, school, and general store. The rivers were essential not only for local transportation but also for timber floating, and the confluence of two major waterways made the area strategically important for mill operations.

From a surveyor’s perspective, Griffith presents a challenging but interesting setting. The colonization-era grid was overlaid across a deeply folded and forested landscape, and original road allowances frequently deviated or disappeared due to topography. Survey retracements often require correlating Crown plans with field deviations, particularly where the Addington Road cuts diagonally across standard concessions. Evidence of historical occupation—such as abandoned laneways, fieldstone fences, and stump fences—often supplements the limited monumentation on record.