Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a small, handsome town at the mouth of the Niagara River on Lake Ontario, about twenty kilometres downstream from the falls. It was settled by Loyalist families in the 1780s and, under the name Newark, served as the first capital of Upper Canada from 1792 until the government moved to York in the middle of the decade. The first parliament of the province met here, and the town has a historical depth that is unusual in the region. The border with the United States lies across the river, and the closeness of the two sides shaped its history.

The War of 1812 left a deep mark. American forces occupied the area in 1813, and when they withdrew that December they burned the town to the ground. It was rebuilt in the following years, and that rebuilding gave Niagara-on-the-Lake its present look, with brick and clapboard buildings of the early to mid-nineteenth century lining wide, tree-shaded streets. Fort George, the British garrison post just outside town, has been reconstructed with its palisade, blockhouses and costumed interpreters, and it gives a vivid view of life during the war. Brock’s Monument, honouring General Isaac Brock, stands on the heights at Queenston a few kilometres south.

The centre of town is Queen Street, a shopping street of independent boutiques, tea rooms, chocolate shops, galleries and restaurants, with a clock tower in the middle that is a landmark. Nearby are the Niagara District Court House, one of the historic public buildings, and the Prince of Wales Hotel, a Victorian landmark. The Niagara Historical Society museum, founded in the early twentieth century, tells the local story, and the Niagara Apothecary, a restored nineteenth-century pharmacy, adds a quirky stop. Flower baskets and manicured gardens line the streets in summer.

The town is also the centre of a wine region. The mild climate beside the lake and the river supports vineyards, and the area is known for ice wine, made from grapes frozen on the vine. Wineries offer tastings and tours, with some, such as Inniskillin, having helped put Canadian ice wine on the world map. The Shaw Festival, one of the largest repertory theatre companies in North America, performs through the season and draws theatre lovers from far away. Golf courses and parks along the lakeshore add to the appeal.

Niagara-on-the-Lake suits couples, history lovers and wine fans, and it can be visited for a day from the falls or enjoyed over a weekend. Visitors should check local notices, since flooding and high water along the river have affected parts of the region at times, and confirm opening times. Allow a day for the town, fort and a winery.