Madoc is a township in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in Hastings County.The township was named after legendary Welsh prince Madoc ap Owain Gwynedd, credited by some with discovering North America in 1170. There exists an alternative explanation, for which no evidence exists, that the name comes from a small Welsh village, Llanmadoc on the Gower Peninsula of Wales, not far from the city of Swansea.CommunitiesThe township comprises the communities of Allen, Bannockburn, Cooper, Eldorado, Fox Corners, Hazzards Corners, Keller Bridge and Rimington.HistoryMills and ironworks gave initial stimulus to the community of Madoc. Following the discovery of gold-bearing quartz in 1866, the community prospered as an industrial centre. Eldorado, 6 miles north of Madoc, was the site of Ontario's first gold rush on 18 August 1866 by Marcus Powell and William Berryman (or Nicholas Snider). The opened up a limestone cave 12 feet long, 6 feet wide and 6 feet high. The resultant mine was named the Richardson Mine, after John Richardson, owner of the farm where it was located. People soon came from all over North America to this area.DemographicsMother tongue:  English as first language: 92.0% French as first language: 1.0% English and French as first language: 0.5% Other as first language: 6.5% Population trend:  Population in 2011: 2197 Population in 2006: 2069 Population in 2001: 2044 Population in 1996: 2031 Population in 1991: 1869