NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE HISTORIC DISTRICT

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE HISTORIC DISTRICT

In 1778, Loyalist refugees began crossing from Fort Niagara to settle the west bank of the Niagara River. A town was laid out in a grid pattern of four-acre blocks and grew quickly, gaining prominence as the first capital of Upper Canada from 1792 to 1796. Following Niagara’s destruction during the War of 1812, the citizens rebuilt, mainly in the British classical architectural tradition, creating a group of structures closely related in design, materials and scale. Spared from redevelopment, the town’s colonial buildings eventually became one of its greatest resources. Beginning in the 1950s, residents rehabilitated and restored the old structures, demonstrating an exceptional commitment to the preservation of local heritage and making a significant contribution to the conservation movement in Canada. This collection of residential, commercial, ecclesiastical and institutional buildings, many on their original sites close to the street, is the best-preserved in Canada built between 1815 and 1859. With its early buildings and grid street plan, this historic district recalls the era when Niagara-on-the-Lake was a prominent, prosperous Loyalist town.

Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada

Sarah J. McCabe

December 28, 2019