Niagara-on-the-Lake - Historic Canadian Town
George Bernard Shaw Festival,Vineyard Tours
Feb 16, 2009
Described as “The Prettiest Town in Canada", it is not only pretty but also a tasteful preservation of a small Canadian town in the early 19th-century - a sort of time capsule which preserves Canada’s links to British history.
Niagara-on-the-Lake - History
The history of Niagara-on-the-Lake reflects the history of early Ontario. In 1781 it officially became a town and was named Newark. It also became a haven for British loyalists fleeing the United States in the aftermath of the American Revolution.
In 1792, the town become the capital of Upper Canada and a few years later,it was renamed Niagara. Because of its strategic position at the juncture of Lake Ontario and the Niagara River the town played an important role in the war of 1812 when it was briefly captured by the American forces. It was then recaptured by the British who rebuilt the town to its present splendour.
Niagara-on-the-Lake - The Town
The main street is Queen Street where most of the action takes place. There are well-preserved buildings and all manner of shops and restaurants. The Olde Angel Inn is said to be the oldest continually operating inn in North America. Originally built in 1789 to serve as a garrison for British Soldiers. It was restored in 1826 after a fire. They serve fish and chips, steak and kidney pie, oyster pie, as well as burgers and sandwiches.
It’s worth getting off the main drag to explore some of the side streets for a taste of earlier days in a small Ontario town.
Niagara-on-the-Lake - The Shaw Festival
Niagara-on-the-Lake is known for its internationally acclaimed Shaw Festival (held annually April to October). Founded in 1962 by a group of local residents, it is the only festival in the world devoted exclusively to producing the plays of George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries.
Shaw was chosen because he was the only outstanding playwright writing in English, with the obvious exception of Shakespeare, who produced a sufficient number of plays to support a festival.
Performances of ten different plays attract upwards of 350,000 people annually, making it Canada’s premier theatre event.
There are three different theatres within walking distance of the town centre.
Niagara-on-the-Lake - Wineries
Growing grapes and winemaking have been a tradition in this region for over 200 years. In 1974 Inniskillin received the first estate winery license since Prohibition. This was the beginning of a wine industry that would produce some of North America’s finest quality and internationally award winning wines.
What started as a small industry has flourished into a network of Niagara wineries, vineyards and a great community of wine makers. They vary in size from small family run operations to large estates and there are a variety of wine tours available
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