The Old Town‘s Historical Highlights: A Niagara-on-the-Lake Walking Tour

Today it’s known as one of the prettiest towns in Canada, but Niagara-on-the-Lake was the site of numerous battles during the War of 1812 between the British allied forces in Canada against America. On this walking tour, I’ll tell you about Niagara-on-the-Lake’s fascinating history, and show you the charming town it’s become, since rising from the ashes.

Starting in front of the George Bernard Shaw statue, you‘ll walk down picturesque, tree-lined Queen Street, where you’ll find many iconic buildings from the town’s past. From there, you‘ll make your way to Niagara Lake and Fort Niagara, built by the British in the 1800s to defend against American attacks. En route, I‘ll show you a couple of historical landmarks including the oldest surviving Catholic church in Ontario, St Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church, and St Mark‘s Anglican Church, the second-oldest Anglican church in the province. As you make your way to Fort Mississauga and Mississauga Point Lighthouse National Historic Sites, you‘ll hear about the town‘s earliest residents. Our tour ends at the Olde Angel Inn, where you might meet Captain Colin Swayzeone, the pub‘s resident ghost.

Along the way, you‘ll have a chance to:

• Learn more about early telephone operators outside Niagara’s first Telephone Exchange, now The Exchange Brewery
• Find out how Niagara-on-the-Lake became Upper Canada‘s first capital, originally called Newark
• See the Niagara Apothecary, one of the oldest pharmacies in Canada
• Admire the majestic Prince of Wales Hotel that‘s hosted a few members of the British royal family
• Enjoy beautiful Queen‘s Royal Park, and hear the story behind its name
• Pay your respects to the Polish and Canadian soldiers who died from the Spanish Flu while passing by the Polish World War I Military Cemetery
• Walk through the oldest surviving golf course in North America, the Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club
• Take in the Memorial Clock Tower of Niagara-on-the-Lake which honors local heroes who fought in WWI
• Discover the secret network of routes used by African Americans as they escaped their enslavement
• Hear the town‘s black history and its connection to the slave trade as you make your way to the Voices of Freedom park

By the end of this 90-minute tour of Niagara-on-the-Lake, you‘ll have a greater appreciation for the town, its rich cultural heritage, and lesser-known stories.