Tuesday, July 9
Old Fort Niagara
Being that Dave is somewhat of a history buff
anytime there is an old fort in the vicinity, we usually make an effort to see it.
Old Fort Niagara is built in the French Style of other forts we have see in Canada.
Here you see the “French Castle” with the flags of the three countries
under which the fort was ruled, France, United States, and England. . .
which housed the Commander’s Quarters. . .very fancy
as opposed to the enlisted men’s quarters. . .
note the pallets laid out side to side in one long trough. . .ugh!
the redoubt. ..or what we would call the guard shack. . .
overlooks were posted here, and also had their living quarters here. . .
The hardest part of seeing old forts, or old battlefields is to always be mindful of the fact
that this wasn’t just a beautiful place, where we can go and stroll the grounds,
and oooo and ahhhh over the history of it. . .young men actually lived and fought on the
very places where we now walk. . .as I stood at the top of this knoll where this redoubt
was located. . .I found myself just stopping for a moment to reflect on that truth. . .
it’s very easy to get caught up in the tourism of it. . .yeah, yeah, yeah. . .on to the next thing!
I don’t ever want to allow myself to be blasé’. . .I want to always be thankful for the sacrifices
that were made which allow me to enjoy this fabulous life I now live. . .
we enjoyed visiting with the blacksmith in residence while we were there. . .
he actually works full time at the fort. . .and explained to us how he creates
many of the authentic period pieces needed by the re-enactors. . .
he kept the fire stoked with coal, and the bellows going the entire time we were there. . .
he also created beautiful jewelry pieces which were for sale in the gift shop. . .
another re-enactor marching to a cadence
these re-enactors were playing a game of ball in which they loaded
the ball into a mechanism. . .stepped on it with their foot, which tossed the ball straight up,
as they attempted to hit it with a flat paddle. ..they were fairly entertaining
several of the children exploring the grounds joined in the fun. . .
I actually wish I would have gotten more info on what they were doing. . .
but at that point we had been there a while. . .it was hot. . .yada, yada, yada. . .excuses!
as we were exploring the grounds of the fort. . .
sailing classes were going on out on Lake Superior. . .being from the South,
we had never seen sailing classes in action. . .the instructors were in small skiffs
with outboard motors, and could be heard barking instructions to the students. . .very interesting!
Sheriff’s Department boats also went roaring across Lake Superior while we were there,
not sure if there was an emergency or if they were just in training mode. . .
Old Fort Niagara Lighthouse located on the grounds. . .
and as viewed from Niagara on the Lake later in the week
and Old Fort Niagara. . .also viewed from Niagara on the Lake later in the week. . .
We enjoyed our tour of the fort and would say, if you are going to be in the Niagara Falls area
for a few days, it was worth the effort, even with the entry fee of $12 pp to check it out. . .
Before you go check out these links:
and for more beautiful pics, history, and a different perspective
check out our friends Margery and Paul’s blog posting about the fort. . .
I think you will enjoy it. . .
Living Our Dream ~ Old Fort Niagara
til next time,
Janice and Dave
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