Ontario's Secret Landscapes

Whether you hike, bike, ride the rails, or drive, the shore of Lake Ontario can yield a treasure trove of heritage sites and natural beauty - if you know where to look. Travel with Ron Brown as he probes the shoreline of the Canadian side of Lake Ontario to discover its hidden heritage. Explore "ghost ports," forgotten coves, historical lighthouses, rumrunning lore, and even the location of a top-secret spy camp. The area also contains some unusual natural features, including a mysterious mountain-top lake, sand dunes, and the rare albars of Prince Edward County. From small communities to the megacity of Toronto, history lives on in the buildings, bridges, canals, rail lines, and homes that have survived, and in the stories, both well-known and long-forgotten, of the people and places no longer here. In From Queenston to Kingston, Ron Brown provides today's explorer's with a window into Ontario's not so distant past and shares a hope that, in future, progress and historical preservation go hand in hand.

This book takes readers beyond the lights and the sounds of the City of the Falls to venture to lesser-known but equally fascinating sites that abound across the region. The first-known European to gaze upon Niagara Falls was a Jesuit priest and explorer named Louis Hennepin in 1688. He took his somewhat exaggerated description of its size and power back to amazed Europeans. From then on, the Falls became a must-see destination for people from around the world and one of Canada's leading tourist attractions. But there is more to the Niagara region than a mighty cataract. There are the world-class hotels and casinos, the Shaw Festival, the wineries, the hydroelectric generators, the natural wonders, the historic sites, and the Welland Canal -- an engineering marvel and vital transportation link. This book is the story of the falls and beyond, covering: - The geological evolution of the Falls - Pioneering development of Ontario's hydroelectric power - Niagara's wine region - Niagara's Indigenous legacy - The War of 1812 - Niagara's Black history and heritage - Modern hotels and historic hostelries - The Niagara Parkway - Bridges across the Niagara River - The gardens of Niagara - Hiking trails and conservation areas - Casinos, hotels and midway rides - The Shaw Festival - Historic downtown streetscapes - Niagara's historic mansions - Lost villages and ghost towns - Niagara's railway legacy, and more!