Queenston to Niagara-on-the-Lake
A trip along the Niagara Parkway through Ontario's first years
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Starting the trip—QueenstonLeave from the Brock Monument on Queenston Heights. The monument commemorates the death of Major-General Sir Isaac Brock and his aide Lieutenant-Colonel John Macdonell during the Battle of Queenston Heights in the War of 1812. Most people have heard of Brock but few know how distinguished Macdonell was. Although only a young man, he had already been Acting Attorney-General of Upper Canada for several years, having been given that job after practicing law for only six years. He was succeeded in that post by a comrade in the battle and a man who later went on to be a power of the Family Compact, John Beverly Robinson. One person conspicuously missing from the site until fairly recently was the actual victor of the battle, Major-General Roger Hale Sheaffe. When the Americans again invaded Upper Canada and attacked York (Toronto), Sheaffe, as Administrator of the Province, was ordered to abandon the town and retreat to Kingston. After he left, the Americans burned many houses and public buildings. Sheaffe became the scapegoat and had to be replaced, although he received a baronetcy and promotion to Lieutenant-General. The resentment against him in Ontario lasted for more than a century and drew a comment from Winston Churchill when he visited Canada in 1943. Churchill mused that perhaps the reason he did not receive recognition was because he wasn't killed. The park provides a self-directed walking tour around the battlefield. As well, while you are in the park, you might want to visit the Laura Secord monument near the restaurant. From her monument, you get a magnificent view of the lower Niagara River as it makes its way to Lake Ontario. If the weather is right, you might be able to see Toronto across the lake. In the summer and fall, the restaurant provides a very good meal as well as the view of the river. In early October, the view of the trees turning red and gold can be spectacular. Drive down the hill toward Queenston and across York Road. Almost immediately, turn right at the first road on the right, Queenston Street, and drive to the corner where the road takes a bend to the left. Instead of turning left, turn right to the Mackenzie Heritage Printery. This building is a reconstruction of the building that once stood here. In 1823, William Lyon Mackenzie moved to Queenston from Dundas and built a house here, which he also used as a bookstore, drugstore, and printing shop. Here he began to publish a newspaper called the Colonial Advocate, in which he enthusiastically pointed out the failings of the political system. In a sudden move characteristic of Mackenzie, he moved again in November 1824 to York (Toronto), where his newspaper had its biggest audience. Over the years, this house was neglected and fell into ruins, but it has been reconstructed as close to the original design as possible.
Across the street from the Mackenzie Printery is a small cairn and a small statue of a horse. The small cairn marks the approximate position of General Brock when he was killed. The statue of a horse commemorates Brock's horse Alfred. When Brock set out to recover the battery that had been taken by the Americans, he left Alfred behind. After Brock was killed, Lt. Col. Macdonell took command until General Sheaffe could arrive. He decided to ride Alfred, which wasn't good for Alfred, because when Macdonell was killed, so was Alfred.
Leave the Mackenzie Printery and drive north along Queenston Street. At Partition Street, look for the Laura Secord Homestead on the left. This was the home of James and Laura Secord. James was a Loyalist, the son of a Butler's Ranger, and a wounded veteran of the War of 1812. Laura was the daughter of Major Thomas Ingersoll, founder of the town of Ingersoll. It was in this house that Laura overheard American officers talking about a raid against Lt. James FitzGibbon's unit. Pretending to be chasing a cow that she wanted to milk, she avoided the American guards and set off to find FitzGibbon, eventually walking all the way to the DeCew House near where St Catharines is today. The result was a victory for FitzGibbon and his native allies in the Battle of Beaver Dams.
Continue to Dumfries Street. On the right just before you reach Dumfries Street is a former church. This building was built in 1840. It is now used as a library and is open on Tuesdays from 1PM to 4PM. On the northwest corner of the intersection with Dumfries Street is the McClosky House, an old house dating from before 1821. It may have been built by Elijah Phelps, former Butler's Ranger. Before 1783, Phelps settled on lot 5 next to Isaac Dolson and so owned the northern half of present Queenston. Phelps later moved to Fonthill where he died aged 103, according to his tombstone.
At Dumfries Street, turn right. Drive to Front Street and look for the sign for the Boat Ramp. Follow the lane next to the sign. This lane takes you down the high riverbank to the landing below. At the landing, you may be able to imagine the sailing ships that used to tie up here to unload goods destined for Lake Erie and beyond or to load goods for Lake Ontario. This was one of the few places where goods could be easily transported up and down the riverbank and was selected by Robert Hamilton to be the northern end of the western portage road. However, over the years the river has sculpted the bank and the landing today would not be recognized by Robert Hamilton. All of the buildings that were on the landing in the early 1800s, including the barracks of the Queen's Rangers, are gone, most to the bottom of the river.
Return to Queenston Street. Turn right. Just after Walnut Street, look for the red-bricked Dee house almost hidden behind trees on the left. This is another Hamilton house, having been built in 1807 by Robert Hamilton as a wedding present for his oldest son, Robert. The name comes from Jane Hamilton, who married Thomas Dee. There is reputed to be a tunnel linking Willowbank, next door, to the Dee House.
Willowbank is the house of Alexander Hamilton, Robert Hamilton's fourth son. It stands on the top of a hill and looks magnificent from Queenston Street. It outshines the Dee House, the red-bricked building next door; perhaps there was a bit of one-upmanship between the Hamilton brothers who owned the two houses. The house was built in 1834. It was named after a grove of willow trees which once stood at the front of the house. The four pairs of Ionic columns are each cut from a solid log.
Continue along Queenston Street to the River Brink Gallery on the right. This gallery has sculptures and paintings, including drawings and etchings relating to the history of Niagara. Drive past the River Brink Gallery to the War Memorial. Turn right onto the Niagara Parkway. At about 1 km, look on the right for the historical cairn indicating where a British gun battery was located at Vrooman's Point in the War of 1812. The battery, commanded by Captain Samuel Hatt, one of the founders of Ancaster, played an important role in repelling the American army trying to land at Queenston Landing before the Battle of Queenston Heights. The land on which the battery stood was owned by the family of Adam Vrooman, a former Butler's Ranger, from whom the point got its name.
Continue along the Parkway. After you pass Brown's Point Circle on the left, look for a green historical marker on the right. The marker describes Brown's Point, where Adam Brown, you guessed it, former Butler's Ranger, built a tavern on the riverfront. Across the Parkway from the green marker is Tregunno's farm, which is located on the former Brown orchard. Continue driving along the parkway. After you pass a country market, look for a historical marker on the left. The marker is for the Field House, which is up the hill behind the marker. This red-brick building was probably built about 1800 by Gilbert Field or Fields, yet another former Butler's Ranger. Gilbert's father, George, had a blacksmith's shop in Queenston, where he lived, and he put his sons to work on the farm, located here. Gilbert married Eleanor Morden, daughter of Ann Morden of Dundas.
Continue driving along the Parkway. After you pass Line 3 with its sign for the Inniskillin Winery, look for the Halfway House on the left. The sign over the door on this house states that it was built about 1800. If so, it may have been built by Nathan Field, another of George's sons and another Butler's Ranger, who was originally granted the land but sold it and moved to the Thames River. However it may have been built later, around 1830. If that is correct, it was built by Lachlan Currie, who owned the property from 1822 to 1859.
Continue driving along the Parkway until you reach the McFarland House on the right. The house is very well marked. It was built about 1800 by John McFarland, who had immigrated from Paisley, Scotland and bought the land here. John and his sons used bricks made on the site to build the house. It is one of the few houses to survive the arson during the War of 1812, mainly because it was used as a hospital. But it did not survive intact. There is a story that John McFarland was taken prisoner by the Americans and, when he returned after the war, was so shocked at the damage to his home that he died two years later. The house has been restored by the Niagara Parks Commission and is open to the public during the summer.
Continue along the Parkway until you reach Niagara-on-the-Lake. You have now completed the trip. Description of Niagara-on-the-Lake
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