On the short of Lake Erie, Fort Erie stares down Buffalo with its might 18-pound cannons. Soldiers from all over Europe, including Swiss mercenaries, fought for Britain against the rebellious 13 colonies. But in 1814, the Americans captured the fort and used it as a base for attacking the British until the end of the year. The waterway just outside the fort was the location go the last naval battle on the Great Lakes. The British captured the USS Ohio and USS Somers in August 1814 before they attacked the fort and forced an American retreat later that year.
There is a small museum with artifacts on life in the fort and the battles that took place in the Niagara region. The living quarters are staffed to show how bread was baked, clothes were sewn, and items in the commissary were sold. It’s a very small fort compared to others up and down the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence waterway.
The fort was destroyed as the Americans retreated. The present-day structure was rebuilt by the Niagara Parks Commission in the 1930s as a tourist destination. The Niagara Parks Commission also owns the Niagara Parks Power Station and overcharges for that as well. Although they are a government agency, they don’t offer student price tickets, have reciprocal agreements with national or provincial museum associations, and charge tax on top of ticket prices. I have a strong moral objection against visiting their sites, most oil which are tourist traps. These sites should be under the mandate of Parks Canada.
