Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
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Image:Niagara-on-the-Lake 01.jpg
Niagara-on-the-Lake (2001 population 13,839) is a town where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. It is located across the river from Youngstown, New York.
The original site was a Neutral Nation village known as Onghiara. In 1781 the British government established Butlersburg which later became known as West Niagara. Many of the first inhabitants were Loyalists who fled the United States during the American Revolution.
In 1792 the village was incorporated as the Town of Newark and was named the capital of Upper Canada. The town lost that distinction to York (now Toronto) in 1797, as Newark's proximity to the United States presented a danger. The town was renamed Niagara in 1798. During the War of 1812, American forces captured and later destroyed the town before they withdrew. The British rebuilt, however, and today it has retained much of its historical charm. The present name was adopted around 1880 as a Postal Address to distinguish the town from Niagara Falls. The name was not officially adopted until 1970, when an act of Parliament joined the Town of Niagara, and the Township of Niagara as one.
The Town of Niagara was the site of the 8th World Scout Jamboree held in 1955. Over 11,000 Scouts from 71 countries attended the Jamboree. It was the first Jamboree to be held outside of Europe and had the theme Jamboree of New Horizons.
Niagara-on-the-Lake was named the Prettiest Town in Canada in 1996 by Communities in Bloom, a nationwide beautification program [1]. The town is now a tourist magnet. Most of the former military sites, such as Fort George and Butler's Barracks, have been restored. Fort George's restoration was done as a "Make Work Project" during the Great Depression of the 1930s. There are also many wineries, inns, B&Bs, and spas in the area. It is the home of the Shaw Festival.
The town has the only Lord Mayor in Canada. Prior to 1970, the town was simply the Town of Niagara, and the title was Mayor. In 1970, the Town of Niagara, and the Township of Niagara were merged to create the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The title of "Lord Mayor" was to be given to all Mayors from that time forward. Many people incorrectly refer to the Mayor of Niagara prior to that time as having the title of "Lord". The First Lord Mayor was Frederick S. Goring, and other former Lord Mayors include Jake Frose, Wilbert Dick, Jim Marion, Stan Ignatczyk, Art Viola, and Mike Dietsch. The current Lord Mayor is Gary Burroughs.
[edit] Demographics
Only 15% of the population is under 14 years of age. Those over 65 years of age number 22.6% and constitute a fast growing population. The town has seen growth of almost 1% yearly, partially due to a large number of pensioners moving to the town.
[edit] Communities
- Glendale
- Niagara-on-the-Lake
- Queenston
- St. David's
- Virgil
[edit] External links
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- WikiSatellite view at WikiMapia
- Street map from Mapquest
- Topographic map from Topozone
- Aerial photograph from Terraserver
| Lake Ontario |
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| St. Catharines |
Image:North.svg
| Niagara River | ||
| Niagara Falls |
Cities: Niagara Falls · Port Colborne · St. Catharines · Thorold · Welland
Towns: Fort Erie · Grimsby · Lincoln · Niagara-on-the-Lake · Pelham
Townships: Wainfleet · West Lincoln
eo:Niagara-on-the-Lake (Ontario) ja:ナイアガラオンザレイク pl:Niagara-on-the-Lake pt:Niagara-on-the-Lake sv:Niagara-on-the-Lake zh:滨湖尼亚加拉
