Top 3 Abandoned Places In Niagara On The Lake

There are so many abandoned places in Niagara On The Lake! This is a list of the top three abandoned places in Niagara On The Lake. Browse through all abandoned places in Niagara On The Lake

1. Old Shooting Range

My knowledge of it's history is very limited but I do know that this old rifle range was mostly used for practice by cadets and the military alike. The range was closed off and gated over five years years ago and after being decommissioned and cleaned up it was donated to Parks Canada. Though some developers have made proposals they were turned down and the site has thus far been kept as a historical property.

A representative from Parks Canada stated the following in a news paper article: Ideally, Parks Canada would like to show off the history of the property, which includes the landing place of invading American soldiers during the War of 1812. Stewart also acknowledged a "recreational potential" for the property."

Anyone with additional information please share!

2. Lime Kiln of the Loyalists

This escarpment ruin can be found in an area bypassed by the Bruce Trail, and thus remains largely unvisited. It has weathered tremendously in the last 15-20 years and most of it has now collapsed. With the original masonry between the stones completely eroded away, the rest will likely follow very shortly.

The ruin is a lime kiln which aided in the construction of buildings for the families of the United Empire Loyalists, who settled the area in the 1790s. During the War of 1812, the old building on top the hill was rumoured to have a three gun battery and occupied the heights to take full advantage of the superior view of the surrounding land. There were rumours that the kiln was used to burn bodies of dead troops. I searched the area once and found several old uniform buttons. The historian for Niagara Falls and I excitedly analysed these; disappointingly, they turned out to be the backs of old 12-gauge shotgun shells.

Sadly, a construction crew has descended on the area just this year, blocking off the old house with temporary fencing and clearing a large area beside it. It is left to be seen what the future of the house is, but hopefully the rich history will result in its survival.

Entry to the area from main roads is here: 43.143276, -79.167473

3. Fort Mississauga

During the War of 1812 construction began on Fort Mississauga to replace Fort George after it was destroyed by American troops. Built strategically along the shores of Lake Ontario, in what is now Niagara-on-the-Lake, the fort was built to help British and Canadian forces defend the mouth of the Niagara River against the American army. It was constructed from the rubble of the town of Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake), which was largely destroyed during the war, and was completed after the War had ended in 1814. It is the only example of a star shaped earthwork in Canada. In later years Fort Mississauga was used as a summer training camp for Canadian military during World War I and II, and the Korean War.

Situated on the grounds of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club, Fort Mississauga can be accessed by a pedestrian trail which begins at the corner of Simcoe and Front Streets. Visitors are encouraged to stay on the marked trail until inside the fort for safety reasons, watch for flying golf balls. From the grounds of Fort Mississauga visitors will be able to take in terrific views of Lake Ontario. The site is also the perfect vantage point to view Fort Niagara across the river in Youngstown, New York.

The block house is the only building of the original fort to survive with all other buildings destroyed or dismantled. The interior of the blockhouse is closed, but has wooden staircases leading to some upper windows. There are also some dugouts along the earthworks, presumebly for storage of supplies and munitions. A gated pathway leads down to the lakeshore. Fort Mississauga is a National Historic Site of Canada