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Pride in our heritage, including our history as a community and the multiculturalism we celebrate today, is part of what makes St. Catharines a special community. This section provides a glimpse of some of our heritage and will provide you with links to more sources of information.
Some of our heritage organizations are also described in Community Links.
Table of Contents on this Page:
Festivals
St. Catharines has some great festivals! For more information on the annual Folk Arts Festival in May, The Niagara Wine Festival in September and more, click here.
Heritage Districts
St. Catharines is home to three heritage districts: Yates Street and Queen Street Heritage Districts have been in place since 1995, and the Port Dalhousie Heritage District was established on December 12th, 2003. The total number of designated properties in St. Catharines is over 800, making St. Catharines one of the leading municipalities in Ontario in heritage preservation.
British Methodist Episcopal Church, Salem Chapel
The BME Church, Salem Chapel was built in 1855 and is located on Geneva Street at the corner of North Street. The site has both a Provincial and National Historic Designation, recognizing the churches close association with famed Underground Railroad conductor, Harriet Tubman, who lived in St. Catharines from 1851 to 1858. The BME Church congregation and friends welcome interested visitors and volunteers, and will provide group tours if booked in advance. For more information on black history in St. Catharines click here.
Lakeside Park Carousel
This historic masterpiece was hand carved by the Charles I.D. Looff Company between 1898 and 1905. The carousel came to St. Catharines in 1921 when it was purchased to become a part of the Port Dalhousie amusement park. It is a AConey Island@ style carousel with 68 carved animals, 4 chariots and a functioning band organ. For operating hours and/or historic tours click here.
The (former) Lincoln County Courthouse
Located at the corner of King and James Street, the Lincoln County Court House was designed by architect Kivas Tully and completed in 1850, with the James Street addition added in 1865. The building served as the Lincoln County Courthouse from 1862 until 1981. It has recently undergone a series of renovations by the City including repairs to the roof, stonework, and cupola and re-landscaping. It is currently the home of Carousel Players and continues to be a prominent downtown St. Catharines landmark.
Merritton Town Hall
The building was designed by William B. Allan and constructed in 1879 using local sandstone on the buildings exterior. It served as the Village of Merritton´s Town Hall until 1961 and since then has had a variety of uses including as former site for the St. Catharines Historical Museum. Recently restored, it is the home of the Merritton Senior Centre.
Montebello Park
Prominently located within Montebello Park is the pavilion, built in 1888 on the foundations of the original Merritt estate after which the park is named. The Roy T. Adams Bandshell, adjacent to the pavilion, was built by Edwin Nicholson in 1904 and dedicated in 2002. This covered circular structure was modeled after the one built for the Buffalo Pan American Exhibition. Click here for more on this remarkable park.
Morningstar Mill
The Complex is located on DeCew Road and comprises the Morningstar Mill, the Miller´s House, Carpentry Shop, Ice House, Blacksmith´s Shop and Saw Mill (under restoration). The current grist mill was constructed by Wilson Morningstar in 1895 after the original 1872 mill was burned down. It is one of the first milling operations driven by a water powered turbine. The Victorian style Miller´s House was built in 1898 by Morningstar and contains distinct architectural elements. The site is open to the public from May to October. Click here for more information.
Port Dalhousie Lighthouse
The lighthouse was built in 1898 at the entrance of the third Welland Canal to replace an earlier one destroyed by fire. The four storey structure tapering to a height of 52 feet is topped with an ornate cornice supporting a small lookout. The lighthouse currently houses the Niagara College Sailing School and is not open to the public. Click here for more information.
Welland Canals Lock 3 Tourist Information Centre and the St. Catharines Museum
The City of St. Catharines owns and manages the Welland Canals Lock 3 Tourist Information Centre and St. Catharines Museum. New for 2005 is the Welland Canals Interactive Centre. This addition provides hands-on learning about the history of the Welland Canal for all ages. The St. Catharines Museum continues the experience with exhibits on the history of our great city including AFollow the North Star,@ the story of the Underground Railroad for black freedom seekers, the story of the four Canals and how the city was built around them, and the First Nations story of lacrosse in the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
The facility also provides the outdoor Discovery Park, the Lock 3 Observation Deck, and Merritt´s Mercantile, a gift shop specializing in Canal publications, Canadiana souvenirs and giftware. Click here for more information.
Underground Railroad
St. Catharines was the final destination for freedom-seekers during the time of slavery in the US. Harriet Tubman, Rev. Anthony Burns and John Brown all have links to St. Catharines. Click here for more information.
Victoria Lawn Cemetery
Opened in 1856 as the St. Catharines Cemetery, Victoria Lawn was renamed in honour of Queen Victoria during her Diamond Jubilee. Designed by landscape architect William Mundy, the cemetery contains many interesting and wonderful architectural elements and is the resting place of many prominent St. Catharines´ citizens, including 26 of its former Mayors. A walk through the cemetery is a walk through the city´s history.
Heritage Walking Tours
Two new heritage walking tours are now a part of the heritage landscape of St. Catharines, the result of an initiative funded by the province of Ontario´s Ministry of Tourism and Recreation and the City of St. Catharines.
The Downtown Heritage Walking Tour is designed to give an overview of St. Catharines´ downtown core and its rich history. The tour highlights significant sites throughout downtown and tells stories of the City and its accomplishments. Tour overview maps are installed at Market Square behind City Hall, and at the Gateway, on the corner of St. Paul St. and Ontario St. Spend an afternoon taking in the sites while learning more about how St. Catharines grew!
The second tour is the Canal Driving Tour in Merritton. This tour is designed to give visitors information about the history of Merritton as well as highlight some of the valuable sites along the first three Canals. The tour starts at the Welland Canals Centre and has interpretative signage installed at sites along the route. While you´re at the Canals Centre, check out the Interactive Centre located on the Second Floor. There are some great new interactive displays about the canals that are sure to appeal the whole family! For more information contact St. Catharines Tourism at 905-984-8882, ext. 244.
For a more indepth look at St. Catharines´ history click here.
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