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46-627: The Queenston Heights is a geographical feature of the Niagara Escarpment immediately above the village of Queenston , Ontario , Canada. Its geography is a promontory formed where the escarpment is divided by the Niagara River . The promontory forms a cliff face of approximately 100 m (approximately 300 ft). Queenston Heights was the site of the War of 1812 Battle of Queenston Heights , where Major-General Sir Isaac Brock

92-574: A dozen nature reserves, and the Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory. The Bruce Trail runs through the region to its northern terminus in the town of Tobermory . This region is named after James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin (Lord Elgin), Governor General of Canada . Parks Canada now refers to the peninsula as "Saugeen Peninsula" in recognition of its being traditional territories of the Saugeen-Ojibway nation. However

138-724: A new kind of resident: the cottager. Today, seasonal residents outnumber permanent residents, especially in the summer. In its southern Ontario portion, the Niagara Escarpment is a ridge of rock several hundred metres high in some locations, stretching 725 kilometres (450 mi) from Queenston on the Niagara River, to Tobermory at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. Today, in Ontario, the Escarpment contains more than 100 sites of geological significance, including some of

184-617: Is a long escarpment , or cuesta , in Canada and the United States that starts from the south shore of Lake Ontario westward, circumscribes the top of the Great Lakes Basin running from New York through Ontario , Michigan , and Wisconsin . The escarpment is the cliff over which the Niagara River plunges at Niagara Falls , for which it is named. The escarpment is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve . The reserve has

230-674: Is an eastern white cedar from 688 A.D. The oldest known tree in Wisconsin, a 1,300 year-old eastern white cedar, was found in Brown County. Bruce Peninsula The Bruce Peninsula is a peninsula in Ontario , Canada, that divides Georgian Bay of Lake Huron from the lake's main basin. The peninsula extends roughly northwestwards from the rest of Southwestern Ontario , pointing towards Manitoulin Island , with which it forms

276-471: Is essentially the remnant shoreline of that sea.) There the constant deposition of minute shells and fragments of biologically-generated calcium carbonate , mixed with sediment washed in by erosion of the virtually lifeless landmasses, eventually formed a limestone layer. During the Silurian period, some magnesium substituted for some of the calcium in the carbonates, slowly forming harder dolomite layers in

322-537: Is located on a major northern migration route, so many species of birds, such as the bald eagle, have their wintering grounds here. The highest concentration of nesting birds can be found in the Bruce in May and June each year. About 20 species of warblers breed on "the Bruce," including the black-throated green, yellow, yellow-rumped, and Blackburnian warblers and the ubiquitous American redstart. They make their summer homes in

368-421: Is now determined to establish its claim to the waters of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay and any Crown Land remaining on the peninsula. "The two First Nations are claiming aboriginal title to the lands under the water covering an area of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay from south of Goderich, west to the international border and north to the mid-point between the tip of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island; then east to

414-404: Is the site of Brock's Monument and a monument to War of 1812 heroine Laura Secord . There are 235 stairs inside the monument, leading to a viewing area close to the top. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1968. Fort Drummond , also located at Queenston Heights, is separately recognized as a National Historic Site. Niagara Escarpment The Niagara Escarpment

460-580: Is the site of the largest wine-producing appellation (region) in Canada. Cool-climate varieties such as Riesling, Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc are among the more than 30 varietals produced across 13,600 hectares (33,606 acres). Three subappellations lie along the benchlands of the Niagara Escarpment: Short Hills Bench , Twenty Mile Bench , and Beamsville Bench . Northeastern Wisconsin, at

506-632: The Michigan Basin , the outer rim of this massive saucer-shaped feature governs the location of the Niagara Escarpment, which is shaped like a gigantic horseshoe. The Escarpment can be traced from near Rochester, New York , south of Lake Ontario to Hamilton, north to Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula. It is covered by the waters of Lake Huron, appearing as Manitoulin Island, then across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and down

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552-506: The Oak Ridges Moraine , conceal the Niagara Escarpment, such as north of Georgetown, Ontario , where it actually continues under glacial till and reappears farther north. The dolomite cap was laid down as sediment on the floor of a marine environment. In Michigan, behind (south of) the escarpment, the cuesta capstone slopes gently to form a wide basin , the floor of an Ordovician -Silurian-age tropical sea. (The escarpment

598-555: The Saugeen River and Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, Canada. The original territory included all of the Saugeen River watershed and all of the Bruce Peninsula. Organized in the mid-1970s, during a period of increased political activism, Saugeen First Nation declared itself the primary 'political successor apparent' to the historic Chippewas of Saugeen Ojibway Territory , who had occupied this territory and made treaties with

644-546: The Upper Peninsula of northern Michigan, south of Sault Ste. Marie . It extends down the Garden Peninsula and Potawatomi Islands into Wisconsin following the Door Peninsula and then continues more inland from the western coast of Lake Michigan until ending in the southeastern corner of Dodge County. Study of rock exposures and drillholes demonstrates that no displacement of the rock layers occurs at

690-455: The Crown in failing to meet its treaty obligations to protect Aboriginal lands. The claim seeks the return of lands still held by the Crown and financial compensation for other lands. This claim is still active. European settlement began on the peninsula in the mid-19th century, despite its poor potential for agricultural development. Attracted by the rich fisheries and lush forest, settlers found

736-724: The Crown. However, along with the Saugeen First Nation, the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation also claims to be the 'political successor apparent' to the Chippewa of Saugeen Ojibway Territory. Under the Saugeen Tract Agreement , the portion south of Owen Sound was ceded to the Crown , with reserves later established on the Bruce Peninsula. The claims for land and payment of rent on lands discussed in early treaties are significant. The Saugeen

782-415: The Escarpment. Some rock layers now consist of soft shales and sandstones while others are made up of dolomite (a rock similar to limestone which contains magnesium and is more durable). Today, fossil remains illustrating the various life forms can be found in many of the rocks as they are slowly exposed by the action of wind, water and ice. Saugeen First Nation is an Ojibwa First Nation located along

828-458: The Niagara Escarpment, beginning its long descent through rolling hills, farmland, and towns west of Milton. Rock exposed on the face of the escarpment can be seen along Highway 26 from Owen Sound eastwards towards Meaford, Ontario . Hamilton, Ontario is on the escarpment in such a way that the north end of the city is below and the south part above. Commonly referred to as "The Mountain" by its residents, many roads or "mountain accesses" join

874-532: The Niagara Escarpment. Hawks travel during the day, and can be seen in the vicinity of Cabot Head in the open areas west of Dyers Bay, and near Tobermory, in April. Some of the rarest flowers and ferns in Ontario can be found growing on the Bruce Peninsula. For example: lakeside daisy ( Tetraneuris herbacea var. glabra ), dwarf lake iris ( Iris lacustris ), and northern holly fern ( Polystichum lonchitis ) Globally, there are more than 30,000 orchid species. Canada

920-587: The bedrock of the Great Lakes Basin . From its easternmost point just south of Lake Ontario, the escarpment shapes in part the individual basins and landforms of Lake Ontario , Lake Huron , and Lake Michigan . In Rochester, New York , the Genesee River flows through the city in three waterfalls over the scarp face. The escarpment thence runs westward to the Niagara River, forming a deep gorge north of Niagara Falls , which itself cascades over

966-603: The best exposures of rocks and fossils of the Silurian and Ordovician periods (405 to 500 million years old) to be found anywhere in the world. The Niagara Escarpment has origins dating to the Silurian age some 430 to 450 million years ago, a time when the area lay under a shallow warm sea. This sea lay in a depression of the Earth's crust, centered in what is now the lower peninsula of the State of Michigan . Known geologically as

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1012-576: The escarpment between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario on the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario. The canal also allowed Sea Lamprey , an invasive species native to Northern Atlantic Ocean, to enter Lake Erie and became a concern for the lake's ecosystem. In southern Ontario, the Bruce Trail runs the length of the escarpment from Queenston on the Niagara River to Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula. Highway 401 , Canada's busiest, also crosses

1058-409: The escarpment, which is not a fault line but the result of unequal erosion . The escarpment's caprock is dolomitic limestone , also known as dolostone , which is more resistant and overlies weaker, more easily eroded shale as a weathering -resistant "cap". The escarpment formed over millions of years through a process of differential erosion of these rocks of different hardnesses. Through time

1104-458: The extensive wooded areas along the Peninsula. The annual Huron Fringe Birding Festival in May observes the spring migration. The endangered piping plover has made a comeback along the northern shores of Sauble Beach as well, and nest in restricted areas of the beach. These are well marked to prevent visitors overrunning the area and to reduce negative human effects. Migrating hawks also follow

1150-474: The land known then as the "Indian or Saugeen Peninsula" to be irresistible. In 1881, settlers built the first sawmill on the peninsula in Tobermory . In less than 20 years, most of the valuable timber was gone, and timber industry jobs declined. Fuelled by the waste left behind by the rapid logging and land clearances, intense forest fires sprang up around the peninsula in 1908, burning large swaths of land. By

1196-652: The many ships that would pass by her shores. The Cove Island Light , located near Tobermory is one of the six famous "Imperial" lighthouses built in the 1850s by John Brown which can be found on the mainland and on nearby islands of the northern Bruce Peninsula. Other lighthouses include: There are many varieties of wildlife on the Bruce Peninsula, such as the northern flying squirrel , black bear , chipmunk , fisher, long-eared bats, red squirrel, fox, massasauga rattlesnake , red-shouldered hawk , barred owl , hermit thrush , black-throated blue warbler, scarlet tanager and yellow-spotted salamander . The Bruce Peninsula

1242-484: The mid-1920s, the formerly abundant forests of the peninsula were nearly barren. When the lamprey eel was accidentally introduced to the Great Lakes in 1932, the devastation on the fish supply made the peninsula a less attractive place to live; many left when fish stocks became depleted. The peninsula underwent a steady decline in population until the 1970s. In the late 20th century, the peninsula started to attract

1288-427: The mid-point of Georgian Bay and south to the southernmost point of Nottawasaga Bay." A trial to establish the ownership and resolve disputes over the treaties began in 2019. There are 2 National Parks, 8 Ontario Parks, and 4 Federation of Ontario Naturalists Parks located within the Bruce Peninsula. Ontario Parks - include: Federation of Ontario Naturalists - Ontario Nature works to protect and restore

1334-588: The national park retains the name "Bruce Peninsula National Park" for the time being. The Bruce Peninsula is a key area for both plant and animal wildlife. Part of the Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve , the peninsula has the largest remaining area of forest and natural habitat in Southern Ontario and is home to some of the oldest trees in eastern North America. An important flyway for migrating birds,

1380-579: The oldest forest ecosystem and trees in eastern North America. The escarpment is not a fault line but the result of unequal erosion . It is composed of an outcrop belt of the Lockport Formation of Silurian age, and is similar to the Onondaga Formation , which runs in a parallel outcrop belt just to the south, through western New York and southern Ontario . The escarpment is the most prominent of several escarpments formed in

1426-618: The park. The relief and exposed edge are used by several wind farms stretching from Pipe to Brownsville in Wisconsin. Wind speeds average 18 mph (about 29 km/h) along this stretch. The Niagara Escarpment is a prominent Wisconsin feature in Dodge County, southwest of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; it is known there as "The Ledge" and is in Ledge County Park between Horicon and Mayville, Wisconsin. Some local organizations take their name from it, including The Ledgers,

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1472-487: The peninsula is habitat to a variety of animals, including black bear , massasauga rattlesnake , and barred owl . Until the mid-19th century, the area known as the Bruce Peninsula was territory controlled by the Saugeen Ojibway Nations. The nations included the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and Saugeen First Nation . Historical and archaeological evidence from the area concludes that at

1518-579: The peninsula to the Canadian government in exchange for learning agriculture, proper housing, assistance in becoming "civilized," and for permanent protection of the peninsula. In 1854, the Saugeen Ojibway agreed to sign another treaty – this time for the peninsula itself. In 1994, after decades on increasing First Nations activism, the Saugeen Ojibway filed a suit for a land claim for part of their traditional territory; they claimed breach of trust by

1564-633: The same fashion. This dolomite basin contains Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Erie. Worldwide sea levels were at their all-time maximum in the Ordovician; as the sea retreated, erosion inevitably began. The escarpment was a major obstacle in the construction of the Erie Canal in New York and was traversed by a series of locks; the community which grew up at the site thus became known as Lockport, New York . The Welland Canal allows ships to traverse

1610-713: The scarp face. In southern Ontario , it spans the Niagara Peninsula , closely following the Lake Ontario shore through the cities of St. Catharines and Hamilton , where it takes a sharp turn north in the town of Milton toward Georgian Bay . It then follows the Georgian Bay shore northwestwards to form the spine of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island , as well as several smaller islands in northern Lake Huron, where it turns westwards into

1656-549: The soft rocks weather away or erode by the action of streams. The gradual removal of the soft rocks undercuts the resistant caprock, leaving a cliff or escarpment. The erosional process is most readily seen at Niagara Falls , where the river has quickened the process. It can also be seen at the three waterfalls of the Genesee River at Rochester (additional resistant rock layers make more than one escarpment in some places). Also, in some places thick glacial deposits, such as

1702-663: The species, spaces and landscapes that represent the full diversity of nature in Ontario. The Bruce Peninsula has a cold climate, with freezing cold winters and mild summers, caused by maritime cooling from Lake Huron . The peninsula has eastern mixed forests and boreal forest, especially to the north of the peninsula. Due to almost all of the Bruce Peninsula being in a Snowbelt , the peninsula experiences heavy Lake-effect snow from Lake Huron , often receiving multiple meters of snow per year, which can be extremely dangerous for unprepared individuals. The Bruce Peninsula's shoreline has several lighthouses, necessary to provide guidance to

1748-582: The sports teams at St. Mary's Springs Academy , which is perched on the side of the escarpment. Many resorts and ski areas in Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, and New York are along the escarpment. Niagara County, New York , near the eastern end of the escarpment, is the site of the 18,000 acres (7,284 ha) Niagara Escarpment AVA ( American Viticultural Area ). Wines produced in this region include traditional grape varieties such as Merlot , Cabernet Franc , Cabernet Sauvignon , Chardonnay , and Riesling , and fruit wines . Ontario's Niagara Peninsula

1794-474: The summer. The presence of the lake produces a vacuum of sorts during the growing season: warm air over the lake rises, sucking colder air off the land and creating offshore breezes. Cold air cannot settle over the vineyards and a constant flow of warmer air makes the growing season here longer than in other parts of the state. The escarpment's glacial soils are made up of gravel, sand, and clay over limestone bedrock. An aquifer provides mineral-rich ground water to

1840-559: The time of first contact with Europeans, the peninsula was inhabited by the Odawa people , from whom a large number of local native people are descended. Oral history from Saugeen and Nawash suggests their ancestors have been here as early as 7500 years ago. The area of Hope Bay is known to natives as Nochemoweniing, or Place of Healing. In 1836 the Saugeen Ojibway signed a treaty with Sir Francis Bond Head to cede lands south of

1886-524: The urban core below with the suburban expansion above. From 1892 to 1936, the Hamilton Incline Railway transported people up and down "The Mountain." High Cliff State Park in Wisconsin shows how modern and prehistoric humans used the escarpment for not only cultural reasons, but economic gains, as well. A number of different animal and geometric effigy mounds and the remains of an early 20th-century limestone quarry and kiln are within

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1932-522: The vines, encouraging deep root growth. In February 1990, the Niagara Escarpment was a designated World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO , making it one of 12 in Canada. Development and land use on and adjacent to the escarpment is regulated by the Niagara Escarpment Commission , an agency of the Ontario government. Cliffs along the scarp face have the oldest forest ecosystem in eastern North America. The oldest tree in Ontario

1978-548: The west side of Lake Michigan into the State of Wisconsin . As occurs with present-day water bodies, such as Hudson Bay or the Gulf of Mexico, rivers flowing into this ancient sea carried sand, silt and clay to be deposited as thick layers of sediment. At the same time, lime-rich organic material from the abundant sea life was also accumulating. Over millions of years these materials became compressed into massive layers of sedimentary rocks and ancient reef structures now visible along

2024-524: The western end of the escarpment, is the site of the 3,800 sq mi (9,800 km ) Wisconsin Ledge AVA . Most of the region's vineyards lie upon the escarpment's eastern-facing slope that rises gently upward from the shores of Lake Michigan to the top of the Ledge, before dropping sharply off into Green Bay, and benefit greatly from constant air movement from Lake Michigan, which stores warmth during

2070-537: The widest strait joining Georgian Bay to the rest of Lake Huron. The Bruce Peninsula contains part of the geological formation known as the Niagara Escarpment . The entire peninsula and nearby communities to the south along Lake Huron are located within Bruce County, Ontario . The peninsula is a popular tourist destination for camping, hiking and fishing, with two national parks ( Bruce Peninsula National Park and Fathom Five National Marine Park ), more than half

2116-475: Was killed in action in the defence of Upper Canada (now Ontario). It is mentioned in the 1867 song " The Maple Leaf Forever ":     At Queenston Heights and Lundy's Lane Our brave fathers, side by side, For freedom, homes, and loved ones dear, Firmly stood and nobly died. And those dear rights which they maintained, We swear to yield them never. Our watchword evermore shall be, The Maple Leaf forever! Queenston Heights

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