In Niagara-on-the-Lake, every street holds a unique part of the town’s history, some decades old, and some centuries old.
With the help of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, you can witness that history come alive, through every house, street corner and sign post in some of the town’s oldest and most distinctive settlements.
The museum’s yearly Neighbourhood Walks series is back this May, offering guided tours through different areas of Old Town for locals and visitors, guided by storytellers with significant knowledge of each neighbourhood’s history. The walks will be held every Friday throughout May.
This year’s walks begin on May 1, with local historian Rick Meloen set to lead a tour through the Chautauqua neighbourhood, with stories that capture the early settlement and development of this prized community.
On May 8, Friends of Fort George president Tony Chisholm will highlight the history of the War of 1812, leading a walk from the Cairn celebrating the Battle of Fort George, to the gazebo overlooking Lake Ontario, in the heart of the battle grounds.
The following week, on May 15, Chisholm returns, this time leading a tour through the waterside and dock area, one of NOTL’s unique neighbourhoods, celebrating the history of industry, fishing and commercial enterprise that changed the town forever.
Following that, on May 22, Denise Ascenzo, a member of the Niagara Historical Society, will help tour participants discover the stories and secrets behind the stones lying in the graveyards at St. Marks and St. Vincent de Paul.
Finally, the tours conclude on May 29, with a special bicycle tour, back by popular demand, to discover NOTL’s ordnance boundary stones, erected in the early 1800s to define the edges of British military land reserves. This tour is led by Ted Rumble, the museum’s board director.
All tours begin at 6pm, with a limited numbers of participants for each tour. Tickets are $12 for members of the Niagara Historical Society, $15 for non-members and $10 for enhanced members.
To register online, visit notlmuseum.ca/whats-on and select the date for the walk you’d like to attend. Early registration is encouraged.
