Fort Henry, Ontario
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Fort Henry is located in Kingston, Ontario on a point of land near the mouth of the Cataraqui River where it flows into the Saint Lawrence River at the upper end of the Thousand Islands. The original fort was constructed during the War of 1812. The British anticipated an attack on Point Henry due to its proximity to the Royal Navy Dockyards at the site of the present-day Royal Military College of Canada at the eastern end of Lake Ontario just outside Kingston, Ontario. The loss of this vital trading route would have cut off Kingston from eastern Canada.
The present Fort Henry was constructed between 1832 and 1837. It was constructed to protect the Lake Ontario end of the Rideau Canal. A system of defensive works was planned but cost overruns in the construction of canal limited the fortifications to four Martello towers and the fort.
The British Army withdrew in 1870, shortly after Canadian Confederation. It was then garrisoned by Canadian troops until 1891. The fort was then abandon and fell into disrepair. Under the leadership of Ronald L. Way, restorations took place and the fort was reopened as a living history museum on the 1st of August 1938.
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Today the fort is a major tourist attraction in the Kingston area. Tours of the fort can be taken in group settings or as self-guided adventures. The fort is staffed by persons in period costume ready to assist the visitor. Throughout the day there are various activities including historical reenactment of drills and battle tactics, the Garrison Parade, the Victorian School Room, participation by visitors in period costume to learn to march on the parade square under the command of a drill instructor at the Military Muster Parade, and the weekly Sunset Ceremony.
Fort Henry has been designated as a National Historic Site of Canada.
See also: List of forts
External link
- Fort Henry (http://www.forthenry.com)