Forts to Visit in Ontario

Author by Dave Aelick.Posted in Family and Pets.
Historic Fort York in Toronto

by Lori Straus

A long time ago, a friend from Europe and I were driving in Niagara Region and I pointed out Fort George. They looked at me and asked how a wall of standing logs could protect a fort. It took me some time to realize they were comparing it to the immense forts of Europe. Nonetheless, whether stone or wood, our forts have stories to tell and can make for some fantastic family trips in Ontario. Here are a few Ontario forts to visit.

aerial view of Fort Henry, Ontario CanadaFort Henry

Kingston has been fortified since the War of 1812. Point Henry was close to the Royal Naval Dockyards (site of the present-day Royal Military College) and the mouth of the St. Lawrence. Had the American armies driven out the British from Point Henry, Great Britain would have lost an important trade route.

Fort Henry was restored from 1832 to 1837, with a second fort built on the site of the first. This is the fort your family can visit today and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Fort Wellington

Another Ontario fort to visit is Fort Wellington. Like Fort Henry, Great Britain built it to protect the St. Lawrence during the War of 1812. Located in Prescott, the fort is one hour east of Kingston, one hour west of Cornwall, and one hour south of Ottawa. It’s open from Victoria Day weekend to Thanksgiving.

This fort offers a unique experience you’re not likely to find elsewhere. For $22 per participant, you can fire a 19th-century muzzle-loading cannon that the Royal Artillery would have used to defend Fort Wellington. You must reserve one of the four Saturday time slots ahead of time. Definitely a grand way to finish a fort tour with a bang.

Fort George National Historic Site

Looking at Fort George National Historic Site from across the lake, at Niagara-on-the-Lake, OntarioBuilt between 1796 and 1802 outside Niagara-on-the-Lake, Fort George served as the headquarters for the Centre Division of the British Army during the War of 1812. Today, this National Historic Site will take you back to 19th-century military architecture, including the powder magazine, which is the only original building from the fort. (Most of the fort was destroyed during the Battle of Fort George.)

You can listen to the Fife and Drum Corps in the summer, watch as the 41st Regiment Infantry trains for battle, and enjoy food prepared over an open fire in the Officer’s Kitchen. Of course, no fort visit would be complete without musket and artillery demonstrations. You’ll find those here, too.

Fort York National Historic Site

Home to Canada’s largest collection of original War of 1812 buildings, Fort York is located right in downtown Toronto. This National Historic Site is also a Heritage Conservation District and a registered archaeological site.

The fort was built in 1793; however, the current buildings were constructed between 1813 and 1815 to replace those destroyed in the Battle of York in 1813. It served as York’s (later Toronto’s) main harbour defence from the 1790s to the 1880s. A military garrison was stationed there until the 1930s.

Trips into the Past

Historic sites in Ontario offer trips into the past for you and your family. Depending on your destination, you could include a few nights of camping, too!