Queenston Heights
Encyclopedia
The Queenston Heights is a geographical feature of the Niagara Escarpment
immediately above the village of Queenston
, Ontario
, Canada
. Its geography
is a promontory
formed where the escarpment is divided by the Niagara River
. The promontory forms a cliff
face of approximately 100 m (approximately 300 ft).
Queenston Heights was the site of the War of 1812
Battle of Queenston Heights
, where Major-General Sir Isaac Brock
was killed in action in the defence of Upper Canada
(now Ontario). It is mentioned in the 1867 song "The Maple Leaf Forever
":
At Queenston Heights and Lundy's Lane
Our brave fathers, side by side,
For freedom, homes, and loved ones dear,
Firmly stood and nobly died.
And those dear rights which they maintained,
We swear to yield them never.
Our watchword evermore shall be,
The Maple Leaf
forever!
Queenston Heights is the site of Brock's Monument
and a monument to War of 1812 heroine Laura Secord
. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1968. Fort Drummond
, also located at Queenston Heights, is separately recognized as a National Historic Site.
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...
immediately above the village of Queenston
Queenston, Ontario
Queenston is located 5 km north of Niagara Falls, Ontario in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The community is bordered by Highway 405 and the Niagara River; its location on the Niagara Escarpment led to the establishment of the now-defunct Queenston Quarry in the area...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Its geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
is a promontory
Promontory
Promontory may refer to:*Promontory, a prominent mass of land which overlooks lower lying land or a body of water*Promontory, Utah, the location where the United States first Transcontinental Railroad was completed...
formed where the escarpment is divided by 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...
. The promontory forms a cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
face of approximately 100 m (approximately 300 ft).
Queenston Heights was the site of 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...
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...
, where 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 action in the defence of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
(now Ontario). It is mentioned in the 1867 song "The Maple Leaf Forever
The Maple Leaf Forever
"The Maple Leaf Forever" is a Canadian song written by Alexander Muir in 1867, the year of Canada's Confederation. He wrote the work after serving with The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada in the Battle of Ridgeway against the Fenians in 1866....
":
At Queenston Heights and Lundy's Lane
Battle of Lundy's Lane
The Battle of Lundy's Lane was a battle of the Anglo-American War of 1812, which took place on 25 July 1814, in present-day Niagara Falls, Ontario...
Our brave fathers, side by side,
For freedom, homes, and loved ones dear,
Firmly stood and nobly died.
And those dear rights which they maintained,
We swear to yield them never.
Our watchword evermore shall be,
The Maple Leaf
Flag of Canada
The national flag of Canada, also known as the Maple Leaf, and , is a red flag with a white square in its centre, featuring a stylized 11-pointed red maple leaf. Its adoption in 1965 marked the first time a national flag had been officially adopted in Canada to replace the Union Flag...
forever!
Queenston Heights is the site of Brock's 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...
and a monument to War of 1812 heroine 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:...
. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1968. Fort Drummond
Fort Drummond
Fort Drummond was the site of a redoubt and battery from the War of 1812 and located within Queenston Heights.The U-shaped structure was an earthworks rather than a wood, brick or rock construction....
, also located at Queenston Heights, is separately recognized as a National Historic Site.
External links
- Official website
- Queenston Heights Battle Site
- Art works of the Battle of Queenston Heights Niagara Falls Public Library (Ont.)