Depauville during the early 1800s was a site of manufacturing; the settlement contained a gristmill and sawmill. Lumber was a profitable resource for the region. Depauville also produced limewater, nearly 1,000 barrels after two years of production, a first for the county. Around 1868 the Depauville Steamboat Company was established and produced side-wheel steamboats. The "M. W. Wright" was constructed in 1968, a steam-powered vessel from bow to stern, with a width of , and weighing in at nearly 43 tons. The ship was large enough to raise concerns on its capability to navigate the shallow waters of the Chaumont River before reaching Lake Ontario.