The Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum is set to host its next monthly lecture later this month, exploring the hidden history of one of Niagara’s most well-known natural areas.

On May 21, Sara Nixon will present “Secrets of the Short Hills,” an evening lecture examining the history and lesser-known stories connected to Short Hills Provincial Park.

Located near St. Catharines, the park is known for its steep terrain formed by glacial erosion more than 12,000 years ago and remains a popular destination for hikers, cyclists and horseback riders.

But Nixon says the landscape also contains traces of Niagara’s early settlement and industrial history.

“The Short Hills are filled with clues to the early settlement and industry of our area,” Nixon said in a release. “When you know where to look you can find the unusual — like attempts to build a military fortress, or evidence of the dramatic 1838 raid led by cross-border rebels.”

Nixon, who grew up in Grimsby, holds a master’s degree in public history from Carleton University and has worked in museums and heritage preservation for more than a decade.

She currently serves as chair of the Grimsby Heritage Advisory Committee and director of community engagement at The Brown Homestead, a Loyalist homestead established in 1785.

The lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. at the museum, located at 43 Castlereagh St.

Admission is free for museum members and $10 for non-members. Registration is required.

More information is available through the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum.