The Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum’s fall virtual lecture series continues with a topic that is close to Niagara’s heart – the history of railways.

On Nov. 17, at 11 a.m., NOTL author Peter Mulcaster presents “A Railway History of Niagara-on-the-Lake, 1854-1959,” in which he explores the socio-economic and tourist benefits of what was once a thriving railway town and how the investment, changes and decline of the railroads defined Niagara.

For more than a century the railway was a dominant feature of Niagara’s landscape: from the engineering brilliance that overcame the physical challenges of a railway line climbing the escarpment and the development of the industrial dock area, to the romance of electric tram cars rolling down King Street.

The railroads meant Niagara-on-the-Lake was connected to the entire Niagara Peninsula and the “Golden Triangle,” as well as the northern United States through Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Buffalo.

This also resulted in great wealth being amassed by savvy entrepreneurs, as passengers and freight moved with ease due to the growing industrialization.

The series continues Dec. 1 with “Opening the Curator’s Treasure Chest: Exploring the War of 1812 Collection, Part 2,” back by popular demand with museum curator Sarah Kaufman.

The final lecture of the year is on Dec. 15, “The Lesser Known: Uncovering Some of the Black People of Old Niagara and Surrounding Area,” presented by local historian Rochelle Bush, in which she shines a light on extraordinary stories of African-American freedom seekers who settled in Niagara.

All presentations start at 11 a.m. and require registration through Zoom.

To access the Zoom registration link, go to notlmuseum.ca.