Misplaced Pages

#876123

45-457: In the early 19th century, the community's name was spelled as Queenstown . Queenston marks the southern terminus of the Bruce Trail . The cairn marking the trail's terminus is in a parking lot, about 160 metres (520 ft) from General Brock's Monument on the easterly side of the monument's park grounds. Queenston was first settled in the 1770s by Loyalist refugees and immigrants from

90-545: A plaque in Tobermory about the geography of the area. The first, at the tip of the peninsula, titled ESCARPMENT SUBMERGENCE, provides this information: "This shoreline marks the northern extremity of the Niagara Escarpment in southern Ontario. Stretching unbroken for 465 miles across southern Ontario from Niagara Falls. The escarpment was created by erosion of layered sedimentary rocks deposited in ancient seas of

135-431: A popular hiking trail with magnificent cliff's-edge views of the turquoise water, begins at Tobermory and runs south all the way to Niagara Falls, making it one of Canada's oldest and longest footpaths. The main road in town is Ontario Highway 6 . It is the northern terminus of the southern segment of the highway as the northern section is interrupted by Georgian Bay . The ferry MS  Chi-Cheemaun serves to connect

180-511: A representative of the Indian Department, was sent in 1873 to explore the region to ascertain the amount of good agricultural lands and also the quality and quantity of timber resources. He reported that the town plot and some of the surrounding area were “nearly all burnt off, leaving the white rocky ridges quite bare.” Despite such warnings, during the 1870s and 1880s, the government sold tracts of land to prospective settlers under

225-536: Is Owen Sound , 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of Tobermory and connected by Highway 6 . Naval surveyor Henry Bayfield originally named this port Collins Harbour. Due to similar harbour conditions it was renamed after Tobermory ( / ˌ t oʊ b ər ˈ m ɔːr i / ; Scottish Gaelic : Tobar Mhoire ), the largest settlement in the Isle of Mull in the Scottish Inner Hebrides . The community

270-585: Is a hiking trail in southern Ontario , Canada, from the Niagara River to the tip of Tobermory, Ontario . The main trail is more than 890 km (550 mi) long and there are over 400 km (250 mi) of associated side trails. The trail mostly follows the edge of the Niagara Escarpment , one of the nineteen UNESCO World Biosphere Reserves in Canada. The land the trail traverses

315-437: Is a natural feature exposed by human activity, namely farming. The Bruce Trail and the escarpment run through some of the most populated areas of Ontario, with an estimated 7 million people living within 100 km (62 mi). Golf courses, housing, and quarries are all examples of the threatening impact that this many people have on the natural environment. The popularity of the trail itself, especially near urban areas, and

360-746: Is a small community located at the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula , in the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation . Until European colonization in the mid-19th century, the Bruce Peninsula was home to the Saugeen Ojibway nations, with their earliest ancestors reaching the area as early as 7,500 years ago. It is part of the municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula . It is 300 kilometres (190 miles) northwest of Toronto . The closest city to Tobermory

405-550: Is also the northern terminus of the Bruce Trail and has twin harbours, known locally as "Big Tub" and "Little Tub". Big Tub Harbour is Canada's largest natural freshwater harbour. Tobermory is typically a few degrees colder than Toronto. Many businesses in the town are open from May until the Thanksgiving long weekend in October and are closed for the other seven months of the year. The Government of Ontario has erected

450-714: Is found growing in Big Tub and no place else in the world. Massive hauls of lumber in the early 1900s eventually resulted in settlers turning to fishing. Fishermen began dropping nets into Tobermory's deep natural harbours, Big and Little Tub in the late 1800s. The rich fisheries began to decline in the early 1920s due to overfishing and the introduction of the lamprey eel. Tobermory is located next to Fathom Five National Marine Park , Canada's first national marine conservation area. The park includes 22 shipwrecks, several historic lighthouses, and glass-bottom cruises from Tobermory. Lions Head Known for its lion's-head shape,

495-719: Is known as the "freshwater SCUBA diving capital of the world" because of the numerous shipwrecks that lie in the surrounding waters, especially in Fathom Five National Marine Park . Tobermory and the surrounding area are popular vacation destinations. The town lies north of the Bruce Peninsula National Park . The MS  Chi-Cheemaun passenger-car ferry connects Tobermory to Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron . Tobermory

SECTION 10

#1732775316877

540-481: Is located in Queenston. It is home to a unique collection of over 1,400 artworks and artefacts by Canadian and international artists, assembled by Samuel E. Weir. Completed in 1970, the building features Georgian-style architecture, including a mansard roof and gabled windows. It served as Weir's country residence, and was converted into an art museum following his death in 1981. Bruce Trail The Bruce Trail

585-523: Is marked with the BTC logo, a white lozenge with black text and drawings for the Bruce Trail and an upward pointing arrow, which does not act as a part of a navigational marker. The actual blazes for the main trail are white markings, approximately 3 cm (1 in) wide by 8 cm (3 in) high, with turns indicated by stacking two blazes off centre to indicate the direction to take. The blazes for

630-552: Is owned by the Government of Ontario , local municipalities, local conservation authorities , private landowners, and the Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC). The Bruce Trail is the oldest and longest marked hiking trail in Canada. Its name is linked to the Bruce Peninsula and Bruce County , through which the trail runs. The trail is named after the county, which was named after James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin who

675-579: The Hamilton-Brantford Rail Trail , Mount Nemo Conservation Area , Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area , Crawford Lake Conservation Area , Mono Cliffs Provincial Park , and the Bruce Peninsula National Park , which is located between Georgian Bay and Lake Huron near the northern tip of Bruce Peninsula. Its northern terminus is in Tobermory , the jumping off point for Fathom Five National Marine Park . Approximately half of

720-415: The 1820s and operated his publishing operation here. On 13 October 1812, American troops took possession of Queenston Heights . Major-General Sir Isaac Brock arrived from Fort George, Ontario with a small force and was killed while trying to regain the heights. The British, Mohawk and militia troops under Major-General Roger Hale Sheaffe , with reinforcements from Chippawa, Ontario were able to take

765-496: The 300 km (190 mi) of associated side trails are similar, except they are blue. The BTC regularly holds events called end to end hikes. These events, which are sometimes held over two to three days, challenge hikers to walk over long sections of the trail daily in order to hike the entire length of the trail within one of the Bruce Trail clubs. The Bruce Trail has also attracted long-distance runners who attempt to run its entire length. The first Fastest Known Time (FKT)

810-522: The Blaze Race set a new end-to-end relay record of 3 days, 23 hours, and 10 minutes. In 2012, adventure seekers Fred Losani, Peter Turkstra, Mark Maclennan, and Teemu Lakkasuo went on a quest to raise funds and awareness for inner-city food and nutrition programs in Hamilton, as well as the Bruce Trail Conservancy as they celebrate 50 years. The adventure began on September 24, 2012, in Queenston, in

855-557: The Bruce Trail. Trail Director Philip Gosling was responsible for gaining access to the Niagara Escarpment. With a team of volunteers, he visited major towns along the proposed route to discuss their vision of the trail and to solicit help from landowners. Their efforts were successful, and by 1963 regional clubs were established along the length of the Trail. Each club was responsible for obtaining landowner approvals, organizing trail construction, and maintenance efforts within their region of

900-453: The Bruce trail, where streams or rivers flow over the Niagara Escarpment. Niagara Falls , by far the most famous water feature in the area, can be reached by a side trail of the Bruce Trail proper. There is also a wide range of plant and wildlife along the trail, including slow-growing centuries-old coniferous trees right on the limestone lip of the escarpment itself. The Cheltenham Badlands

945-570: The MS Chi-Cheemaun ferry. Operating status of CHEE-FM is unknown. CBPS-FM 90.7 Bruce Peninsula National Park provides tourism, park and weather information. CFPS-FM Port Elgin has an FM repeater at Tobermory which operates at 91.9 FM CHFN-FM 100.1 Neyaashiinigmiing First Nations community radio station All other radio stations from Owen Sound , including Manitoulin Island , Sudbury , even northeastern Michigan and Central Ontario can also be heard in Tobermory and areas of

SECTION 20

#1732775316877

990-670: The Niagara River into the United States, an event witnessed by several Queenston locals. This incident became a catalyst for the passage of the Act Against Slavery in 1793 by the Upper Canada Executive Council, marking a significant step towards the abolition of slavery in the region. Despite charges against Cooley's owner being dropped, the public outrage surrounding the event led Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe to push for legislation prohibiting

1035-527: The Niagara region, and ended approximately one month later in Tobermory. Along the way the hikers had the opportunity to walk with students, interact via live webcam and satellite phone transmissions, and educate students about the importance of proper nutrition, healthy living, and maintaining the Bruce Trail. 43°30′26″N 79°55′44″W  /  43.50722°N 79.92889°W  / 43.50722; -79.92889 Tobermory, Ontario Tobermory

1080-472: The Paleozoic Era over 400 million years ago. Portions of the escarpment form the islands between Tobermory and South Baymouth, and the same Paleozoic rocks shape the geology of Manitoulin Island." In 1857, A. G. Robinson, the chief engineer for Lake Huron lighthouse operations, described the area as being “totally unfit for agricultural purposes." In 1869, Public Land Surveyor Charles Rankin arrived in

1125-399: The United States. By 1807, the village had 100 homes and a population of 300. A new portage around Niagara Falls was developed in the 1780s with Queenston at its north end. Wharves, storehouses and a block-house were built. Initially called Lower Landing, it was named Queenston by Lieut.-Governor Simcoe. In 1793, a young black woman named Chloe Cooley was sold as a slave and forced across

1170-475: The area to resurvey the proposed road that would run through the centre of St. Edmonds Township from the Lindsay town line to Tobermory Ontario Harbour. After six weeks of struggle to complete the task, Rankin and his crew returned to their base camp. He summarized in his report that the work had been “one of the most troublesome explorations and pieces of line running ... which I have ever met with." William Bull,

1215-588: The careless attitude of some of its users also paradoxically threaten the quality and viability of the trail. The trail begins in the Niagara Peninsula of Southern Ontario in Queenston, Ontario , on the Niagara River , not far from Niagara Falls . The cairn marking its southern terminus is in a parking lot, about 160 metres (520 ft) from General Brock's Monument on the easterly side of

1260-630: The diverse wetlands of the area. Some of the more commonly sighted animals include black bears, raccoons, white-tailed deer, porcupines, chipmunks and a variety of snakes. The Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake can also be found in Tobermory, although it is now an endangered species. Among the many types of plants found in the area, there are around 43 species of wild orchids on the Bruce Peninsula due to its variety of habitats. To celebrate, Tobermory hosts an annual orchid festival in June which includes guided tours and presentations. At least one species of flower

1305-423: The eroding cliff edge has served as a tourist destination in Tobermory for the past few decades, and was utilized as a landmark when sailing ships were most common, providing them with shelter from the turbulent Georgian Bay. Tourism Tourism is booming in the area, having grown by over 200% in the five years between 2003 and 2008, and is expected to increase in the future. Bruce Trail Bruce Trail,

1350-665: The guise of promoting them as agricultural lands. The result was chaotic. Some pioneers arrived and struggled to create farmland, while others came and, after battling the environment and the elements, abandoned the land. Some of these plots were taken over by others, while many tracts remained undeveloped for decades. One major product taken from the Bruce Peninsula forests was the bark from hemlock trees. On average, about 4,000 cords of hemlock were shipped to tanneries in Kitchener, Acton, Listowel and Toronto. The first sawmill opened in Tobermory in 1881, and within 20 years, most of

1395-535: The hill and captured nearly 1000 prisoners. The victory and Brock's death are commemorated by Brock's Monument atop the Niagara Escarpment with a large stone statue of Brock overlooking the village below. Nearby is a smaller monument to Brock's gray horse, Alfred, which may, or may not, have been at Queenston during the battle. Queenston Heights is one of the National Historic Sites of Canada , so recognized in June 1968. The settlement of Queenston

Queenston - Misplaced Pages Continue

1440-466: The impetus to settle the region. Tobermory has a humid continental climate ( Koppen: Dfb ) with four distinct seasons. Summers are mild to warm, and winters are cold. Precipitation is well-distributed year-round. Tobermory is home to many different species of plants and animals. Ancient cedar trees survey along cliff edges and the vast dense forests in Tobermory and the Bruce Peninsula. Black bears and rare reptiles also find refuge in rocky areas of

1485-611: The importation of slaves, resulting in the gradual abolition of slavery in Upper Canada. Today, Cooley's legacy is commemorated with markers and recognition, including her designation as a National Historic Person, illustrating Queenston's role in this pivotal moment in Canada's history. A great deal of fighting occurred here during the War of 1812 , in the settlement and at nearby Fort George. In that era, Laura Secord lived in this area. Rebel William Lyon Mackenzie lived in Queenston in

1530-785: The monument's park grounds. From there, it travels through St. Catharines , where it passes through wine country near the Short Hills Bench . It continues due north through the major towns or cities of Hamilton , Burlington , Milton , Halton Hills , Walters Falls , Owen Sound , Wiarton , and finally Tobermory . It passes through parks operated by various levels of government, including Woodend Conservation Area in Niagara-on-the-Lake , Battlefield Park in Stoney Creek , Dundas Valley Conservation Area in Dundas ,

1575-488: The route in the early 1960s, and the responsibility for maintaining the trail was assumed by the nascent Bruce Trail Association; as of 2007, it is called the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Currently headquartered at 55 Head Street in Dundas , the BTC marks and maintains the main trail as well as many side trails. Trail maintenance includes building bridges over streams and gullies, building stairs and switchbacks to climb slopes, building stiles over fences, and rerouting portions of

1620-463: The trail runs through public land. In order to make a complete connection, the trail runs partly on private property and partly on road allowances. When going through private property, the BTC has made agreements with landowners to allow trail users to pass through. Using roads is not the best route for the trail. In these sections, the BTC is involved in acquiring land along what it calls the "optimum route." The Federation of Ontario Naturalists surveyed

1665-407: The trail that have become worn through overuse. The trail is subdivided into nine sections, each with a subsidiary club: Volunteers inspect, repair, and build footbridges, retaining walls, stiles, and handholds along their section of the route. The BTC and subsidiary clubs offer badges for those hikers who complete the whole trail or any of its sections under prescribed conditions. The main trail

1710-655: The trail. On March 13, 1963, the Bruce Trail Association was incorporated in Ontario, and the first edition of the Association's newsletter, Bruce Trail News, was published that same year. Membership grew to 200. Dr. Aubrey Diem, an assistant professor of Geography at the University of Waterloo, compiled the first guidebook in 1965. The cairn at the northern terminus of the Bruce Trail in Tobermory

1755-595: The two sections of Highway 6 during part of the year. Tobermory Airport is a public (general aviation) airport located south of the town. The science fiction novel Commitment Hour by James Alan Gardner is set in Tober Cove, a post-apocalyptic version of Tobermory. James Reaney 's poem "Near Tobermory, Ontario" describes a cove near the town. The local newspaper is the Tobermory Press . CHEE-FM 89.9 in Tobermory provides seasonal information about

1800-413: The valuable timber was gone. Fires then charred the ravaged landscape, and by the 1920s, the region was nearly bare of forests. The decline of the industry forced settlers out, and the peninsula experienced a steady population decline until the 1970s, when potential cottagers showed new interest in the region and began to buy land. Bruce Peninsula lumber is no longer a major economic force, but it provided

1845-623: Was destroyed on 10 December 1813. British Captain William Hamilton Merritt later said that he saw "nothing but heaps of coals, and the streets full of furniture". In the 1830s, Queenston was terminus for a first horse-drawn railway, the Erie and Ontario. The subsequent steam railroad that started in around 1854 bypassed Queenston. In nearby St. David's, the Queenston Quarry was founded in 1837, and for 150 years stone

Queenston - Misplaced Pages Continue

1890-527: Was set in 1995. During the COVID19 pandemic, a number of runners broke the FKT from 2017. The Highlands Trailblazers Nordic Ski Team completed a relay-style run of the entire trail in 8 days, starting in Tobermory on June 24, 2008, and finishing in Queenston on July 1, 2008. This run was both a training event as well as a fundraiser for the team. In 2009, two 10-person teams running continuously in an event called

1935-657: Was shipped here to help build many of Ontario's cities. Toronto buildings that benefitted from the supply of stone included Queen's Park, the Royal Ontario Museum , Union Station and the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse. By the mid-1800s, the Welland Canal became the primary method of shipping goods and the village of Queenston received little trade. Queenston became part of the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake in 1970. RiverBrink Art Museum

1980-805: Was the Governor General of the Province of Canada from 1847 to 1854. The idea for creating the Bruce Trail came about in 1959 out of a meeting between Ray Lowes and Robert Bateman, of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists . Ray Lowes' vision was of a public footpath that would span the entire Niagara Escarpment. On September 23, 1960, the first meeting of the Bruce Trail Committee took place, consisting of four attending members—Ray Lowes, Philip Gosling, Norman Pearson, and Dr. Robert McLaren. Each member became instrumental in building

2025-596: Was unveiled in 1967 to coincide with Canada's Centennial Year. In August 2021, the Bruce Trail Conservancy purchased nearly 400 acres of land known as the Maple Cross Nature Reserve, its largest acquisition to date. The new protected area allowed the Bruce Trail to be extended an additional 1.8 kilometers in the Cape Chin area on the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula . There are many waterfalls along

#876123