Old Fort Erie (Ontario, Canada) is the oldest British Fort in Ontario (built in 1764 during Pontiac’s Rebellion). It has been restored and a museum added to share the long history of the Fort and this area.
Perched on the north shore of Lake Erie on land that originally belonged to the Onguiaahra & Chonnonton First Nations; called “The Neutral Nation” by early French explorers because they tended to avoid conflict with most of their neighbours – specifically staying neutral in the wars between the Huron & Iroquois Nations. Much of the Chonnonton (lit. “Keepers Of The Deer”) land was rich in flint deposits – useful for tools & weapons – and a good source of trade.
These photos were taken during a recreation of the Battle Of Culloden (near Inverness in the highlands of Scotland) – the final confrontation of the Jacobite Rising (against British rule) that took place 16th April 1746 and was led by “Bonnie Prince Charlie” (aka HRH Charles Edward Stuart)…unfortunately, the Scots lost.
The tree is an ancient American Beech tree (+300 yrs) – it is over 80 feet tall and about 18 feet around the base of it’s trunk. It is probably the oldest tree on this property…and just barely alive.
Fort Erie has also been…
- a base for British troops, Loyalist Rangers and Iroquois Warriors during the American Revolution (1775 – 1783)
- Canada’s bloodiest field of battle with over 3000 troops killed and wounded during the Siege of Fort Erie August 3 to September 21, 1814
- the major crossing point into Canada of the Underground Railroad 1793 – 1865
- occupied by the Fenians (Irish Republican Army) during their largest raid, 1866
- visited by Pontiac, General Brock, General Winfield Scott, Lord and Lady Simcoe, Prince Edward (future King Edward VII), Mark Twain.
