If you ask Americans who Laura Secord was, the answer will likely be a blank stare. A few may correctly say there’s a chocolate company in Canada with that name, but otherwise we’ve never heard of her.
Cross the border from New York State to Ontario, and it’s a different story. In Canada, Secord is a legend.
“She’s the Canadian Paul Revere,” said Melissa Bottomley, manager of the Laura Secord Homestead. “She warned that the Americans were coming.”
While Revere borrowed a horse to warn of a British invasion during the Revolutionary War, Secord walked nearly 20 miles to warn of an attack by Yankees during the War of 1812. The troops would first have to cross the Niagara River.
To most people, the river is known only for its world-famous falls, over which in a single minute enough water flows to fill a million bathtubs. Visitors wrapped in raincoats to ward off the relentless mist snap photos before heading off to the souvenir shops. They usually overlook the continent-shaping history that took place long before Niagara Falls become a tourist destination.
A mere 35 miles long, the river links Lake Erie with Lake Ontario. Hugging the Canadian shore, the Niagara Parkway is peppered with remarkably well-maintained historic sites as it meanders along the riverbank.
Turbulence not only defines the river, but also the battles fought along it. While American history books don’t dwell on the War of 1812, its outcome shaped modern-day Canada, then a sparsely populated British stake in the New World.
The bloodiest battle in Canadian history took place at the outpost now known as Old Fort Erie, in the city of Fort Erie, Ontario. A thousand British redcoats died in a protracted battle with the American bluecoats. The siege is re-enacted each August.
“For six weeks, they bashed away at each other,” said Jim Hill, superintendent of heritage for the Niagara Parks Commission. “They were like equally matched heavyweight boxers.”
Control of the fort seesawed during the war, which lasted from June 1812 to February 1815. In the restored officers’ mess, a portrait of U.S. President James Madison hangs over the hearth. Docents share a curious fact: On the flip side, there’s a portrait of King George III, for use when the Brits occupied the place.
At the other end of town, an impressive building known as Bertie Hall remembers the American slaves who were welcomed here when it served as a reception center along the Underground Railroad. While it’s not open for tours, historical markers explain the home’s important role for blacks who nicknamed the Niagara “the River Jordan.”
Among those who crossed the river to freedom was Josiah Henson, the real-life slave on whom Harriet Beecher Stowe based “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Henson reached Fort Erie in October 1830.
Driving north past Niagara Falls, with its towering hotels and casinos, visitors soon arrive at the modest Laura Secord Homestead, built in 1803. It was from here that she began her momentous, 18-hour trek to sound the alarm.
In June 1813, while serving the American troops who’d arrived demanding food, Secord overheard their plans for a sneak attack. She provided the soldiers dinner, but her allegiance was clearly with the British, Bottomley said.
“Laura said, ‘The only land you’re going to get in Canada is a grave plot,'” she recalled.
As things turned out, the invasion didn’t lead to a large loss of life, but 542 Americans were captured.
Boxes of Laura Secord candy are sold at the homestead’s gift shop. Ironically, she probably never tasted chocolate. Two centuries ago, it was a luxury beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.
Five miles farther along, the McFarland House remembers the actions of another British loyalist, John McFarland, whose refusal to aid the invading forces landed him in prison.
The house, which the Yanks occupied at will, has been restored to its early 1800s appearance. A new conservatory serves as a tearoom offering scones and other homemade treats. A walk to the river reveals a staircase leading to Smuggler’s Cove, from which raids on the U.S. were launched. It now operates as a marina.
Near the river’s mouth, in the charming town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, sits Fort George, a national historic site that practices hands-on history.
“There’s a 30 percent chance you’ll hear a click instead of a bang,” historical interpreter Jarrod Cunliffe told a guest as she prepared to fire a flintlock rifle infamous for its misfires. Visitors can also roast hens in a 19th-century kitchen and fire cannons.
The only original building still standing is the gunpowder magazine built of stone. All the wooden buildings were burned to the ground by the Americans who laid siege from Fort Niagara, less than a mile across the river in Youngstown, N.Y.
Those destroyed buildings have been replicated. Blockhouse 1 is now a museum. Where food and weapons would have been stored, exhibits now explain the fort’s important role in the international conflict. Of particular interest are four short films depicting the war from four distinct perspectives: American, British, local civilians and natives. The First Nations people gained a reputation as fierce soldiers who sided with, and fought alongside, British troops.
While not as old as the homes and forts, the Whirlpool Aero Car celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Suspended 250 feet above the raging river, 3 miles north of the falls, the cable car takes visitors on an exciting ride across a gorge — a ride first experienced Aug. 8, 1916.
Jay Jones is a freelance writer.
If you go
The best way to experience the historic sites operated by Niagara Parks is by purchasing the Heritage Trail Pass for about $15. The commission also operates the Aero Car ($10.60). www.niagaraparks.com
Admission to Fort George National Historic Site is $8.85 for an adult or $22.25 for a family or group. On the American side, Old Fort Niagara provides a different perspective on history, plus stunning views of Lake Ontario. www.oldfortniagara.org
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