Queenston is located 5 km north of Niagara Falls, Ontario

Niagara Falls, Ontario

Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...

 in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...

. The community is bordered by Highway 405 and the Niagara River

Niagara River

The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...

; its location on the Niagara Escarpment

Niagara Escarpment

The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or cuesta, in the United States and Canada that runs westward from New York State, through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois...

 led to the establishment of the now-defunct Queenston Quarry in the area. Across the river and the American border is the village of Lewiston, New York, and is directly connected to the United States by the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge

Lewiston-Queenston Bridge

The Lewiston–Queenston Bridge is an arch bridge that crosses the Niagara River gorge just south of the Niagara Escarpment. The bridge was officially opened on November 1, 1962. It is an international bridge between the United States and Canada. It connects Interstate 190 in the town of Lewiston,...

.

Queenston was first settled in the 1770s by United Empire Loyalist refugees and immigrants from the United States. During the War of 1812

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

, British, Mohawk

Mohawk nation

Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...

 and Canadian colonial troops repelled an American invasion force here in the Battle of Queenston Heights

Battle of Queenston Heights

The Battle of Queenston Heights was the first major battle in the War of 1812 and resulted in a British victory. It took place on 13 October 1812, near Queenston, in the present-day province of Ontario...

. British Major-General Sir Isaac Brock

Isaac Brock

Major-General Sir Isaac Brock KB was a British Army officer and administrator. Brock was assigned to Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada successfully for many years...

 was killed in the battle; the victory and his death are commemorated by an impressive stone monument

Brock's Monument

Brock's Monument is a 56-metre column atop Queenston Heights, in Queenston, Ontario, Canada, dedicated to Major General Sir Isaac Brock, one of Canada's heroes of the War of 1812...

 located atop the Niagara Escarpment and surmounted by a large stone statue of Brock overlooking the village below. Also nearby is a smaller monument to Brock's gray horse, Alfred. The village was also the home of Laura Secord

Laura Secord

Laura Ingersoll Secord was a Canadian heroine of the War of 1812. She is known for warning British forces of an impending American attack that led to the British victory at the Battle of Beaver Dams.-Early life:...

, a Canadian heroine of the 1812 war. Queenston Heights is home to the birthplace of Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls

The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...

. The Niagara River

Niagara River

The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...

began eroding the Niagara Escarpment here, and it has taken 12,000 years for the Falls to cut an 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) long gorge in the Escarpment southward to its present-day position.

During the early 19th century, the community's name was spelled as Queenstown.

External links

• Location of Queenston with photos and links to web sites related to the area
• Images of Queenston Niagara Falls Public Library (Ont.)
• Images of Queenston Dock Niagara Falls Public Library (Ont.)
• Images of Queenston Heights Niagara Falls Public Library (Ont.)

External links

• Queenston at Geographical Names of Canada