- 43 Castlereagh Street, P.O. Box 208, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, L0S 1J0
- Tel: 905-468 -3912
- Website | Email | Directions | Map
Overview
The most important aspect of the work of the Niagara Historical Society (est. 1895) is the maintenance of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum collection which began in 1896 and is one of Ontario's most important collections. Plan a visit to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum to discover the unique stories of historic Niagara-on-the-Lake. Located 20km north of Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake provided a new home for refugees, was the capital of Upper Canada, was in the middle of a war zone and visited by millions as a place of recreation for over 100 years; these stories play a major role in the development of Canada.
Website: https://www.notlmuseum.ca/
Type: Community Museum | Historic Building
Hours & Fees
- May - Oct. 10 am - 5:00 pm daily; Nov. - Apr. - 1 to 5 pm daily
- Adults $5; Seniors $3; Students $2; Children 12 and under Free
Insider's Look
Judge's Chair, Niagara Court House
This chair, also referred to as a judge's seat or bench, is from the Town of Niagara Courthouse and was first used in 1817. From 1781 to 1862, the Town of Niagara, or Newark, was the legal centre of the Province of Upper Canada and the county of Lincoln and Welland. This resulted in the development of a large legal community and the building of several different court houses. After the first courthouse was burned by American forces in December 1813, a replacement was constructed in 1817. This chair was then brought in to serve as the bench for the presiding judge. As one of the earliest neo-Gothic chairs in Ontario, this formal seat remained in use at the third courthouse on Queen Street until 1847. After the county court was relocated to St. Catharines, the Queen Street courthouse was transformed in to a Town Hall and the chair was utilized by the Mayors of Niagara in council meetings until at least 1877.
First King’s Dragoon Guard Helmet
This helmet belonged to Sergeant-Major Flanigan, who was born in North Ireland in 1810. Following the war of 1812, there were concerns about republican ideas spreading into Canada and the MacKenzie Rebellion in 1837 prompted an increased military presence to combat these threats. Flanigan, along with other members of the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards, were brought over from England to help put down Mackenzie’s Rebellion. The Dragoons were a heavy cavalry regiment who were renowned for their skill on horseback, and their attractive uniforms generated great interest among the citizens in the Niagara area.
