What's In A Name ? ...

By Adrienne Horne, M.A.
Regional Project Manager
Western Corridor 1812 Bicentennial Alliance

What's In A Name? ... Part 4 ...

Continuing from last week ... Naturally then, the Talbot Line outlines Colonel Thomas Talbot’s land grant that he received from the British government for his service in the army in 1803. The Colonel actually built the road himself during the time of the war so that it was completed in 1820 and was considered one of the best roads in Upper Canada at the time.

Driving into Amherstburg is like a history lesson, travelling along Simcoe St, you first come across Victoria St, then Brock St, George St and of course then King St. As Simcoe was into politics you will then find Seymour St., named after Benjamin Seymour, a politician born in Upper Canada in 1806.

If you know your history then you will be able to see these names in a different light. They are no longer just a meaningless name. So next time you venture out, look at the names of streets and business and see if you can recognize any from the War of 1812.

You now know that Allan MacNab was the “Boy Hero of the War of 1812”and went onto a successful political career, and that is why he is celebrated in Hamilton. Understanding that Simcoe granted land to all these people who then went out and settled towns that they then name after themselves puts these communities within a larger context. Ingersoll is not just a name taken from Scotland, it was a man who came to Upper Canada to make a better life for his family and neighbours. It makes sense now that the York Road in Hamilton is the road that leads to York (now Toronto and the road is now the QEW).

You don’t need GPS; you just need to know your history!

What's In A Name? ...

By Adrienne Horne, M.A.
Regional Project Manager
Western Corridor 1812 Bicentennial Alliance

What's In A Name? ... Part 3 ...

The name Brock can be found everywhere in Ontario and beyond, as street names, towns, municipalities, even an island in the Arctic is named after Brock. Beyond Brock University, there are department stores, restaurants, garages, construction companies and even a Pokémon is named Brock; who has rock-hard willpower! One can now be said “to Brock”; a slang term named after the WWE wrestler, Brock Lesnar!

200 years ago Brock forged a mutual alliance with the First Nations political leader, Tecumseh. Tecumseh was able to form a confederacy of nations who worked together to hold back American advancement into their territories. If he had lived, the landscape of First Nation lands would be very different. As it is now, there is a municipality, a town, an academy, a mall, even a corn fest all named after Tecumseh. Of course there is also the monument for him along the Thames River where he died on October 5, 1813 at the Battle of Moraviantown.

The War of 1812 turned ancient First Nation trails into roads and supply lines. This is why as you travel from Ancaster to Dundas you are on the Old Dundas Rd, leading into Dundas and when in Dundas, it becomes the Old Ancaster Road, because taking that road out of town will lead back to Ancaster. The Oakland Road, takes you to Oakland! At first I was frustrated with the streets just suddenly changing their name, but now I understand. It was a form of providing direction for travellers. One can start to see how street names came to be. The Brantford road leads from Delhi up to Brantford.
(To Be Continued)

What's In A Name? ...

By Adrienne Horne,M.A.
Regional Project Manager
Western Corridor 1812 Bicentennial Alliance

What's In A Name? ... Part 2 ...

We all know who Laura Secord was, and love the chocolate! But are you aware that Laura was the daughter of United Empire Loyalist, Thomas Ingersoll and married fellow Loyalist, James Secord at her father’s home, in what would become Ingersoll; the town south of Woodstock, settled by Tom Ingersoll. Governor Simcoe had awarded Ingersoll a land grant for his loyal service during the American Revolution.

Then there is Brant; two of them actually, Joseph and his son John. Joseph Brant was a Mohawk military and political leader during the American Revolution. He met with both George Washington and King George III. As a defender of British interests he moved to Upper Canada after the Revolution and became a prominent leader of the Six Nations. In 1783, he worked with Governor Haldimand and created a land grant for the Six Nations along the Grand River. The Haldimand Tract included six miles on either side of the river from its start near Georgian Bay to the mouth of the river as it opens out to Lake Erie. Joseph then built his home in Brant’s Town at the place where he would cross the Grand River, thus referred to as Brant’s Fording Place. In 1801, through Governor Simcoe, Brant acquired the land at the Head of the Lake at Burlington Bay from the Mississauga’s. He built a mansion there, now the Joseph Brant Museum. Raised in this home, John Brant went on to stop the American attack at the Battle of Queenston Heights with his cousin, John Norton. This was the battle that saw the death of Canada’s hero, Sir Isaac Brock.
(To Be Continued)

What's In A Name? ...

By Adrienne Horne, M.A.
Regional Project Manager
Western Corridor War of 1812 Bicentennial Alliance

For the next few weeks we will be featuring a brilliant article written by Adrienne Horne, M.A., Regional Project Manager for the Western Corridor War of 1812 Bicentennial Alliance. I was fortunate to meet Adrienne and spend some time with her this past summer in Penetanguishene. We had the privilege of touring some wonderful historic sites in the area during the War of 1812 Bicentennial Regional Directors meeting. Adrienne was particularly fun as she shared some of her own childhood experiences, knowledge gained over the years and reflection of her own children’s points of view; all relating to the War of 1812 and “Living History”. This article was generously submitted to our War of 1812 Bicentennial Celebrations website by Adrienne Horne for all to enjoy!

Part 1 …

"I have been working on this wonderful project to commemorate the War of 1812 for over a year now. It has taken me nearly 10,000 km across Southern Ontario; and as I drive I see all the names I am now reading and hearing about from 200 years ago.

It is amazing how many of the names for places in our communities come from the War of 1812; and does anyone notice or know the significance these people had on who we are as a nation and even what nation we live in for that matter?

Most historians will tell you that the War of 1812 forged this nation as the people came together as Canadians for the first time to defend their land and homes from an invading force. Most people are familiar with Brock, Simcoe, Tecumseh, and York, as these were the major people and places of significance for the war; but what about MacNab, Ingersoll, and Brant? These are also important people from that time and had influenced the outcome of the war in their own way.

Hamiltonians see the name MacNab on all sorts of things in their city, not to mention that his stately home, Dundurn Castle, was built upon a key site for the war, Burlington Heights. The heights have been an important location for people to meet rest and get supplies for centuries. The British army also used the Heights, as they built a fort and mounds to stop the enemy from advancing to York. Do you know that at the age of 14, Sir Allan Napier MacNab, before his successful law and political career in Hamilton, fought at York and was part of the attack on Fort Niagara? Born in Niagara, his father was a Lieutenant under Lt. Col John Graves Simcoe (later becoming Lieutenant Governor for Upper Canada)".(To Be Continued)

Interview with the Honourable Michael Chan

The Honourable Michael Chan
Minister of Tourism and Culture
Province of Ontario with Judi & Gary McWilliams,
Ontario Visited/War of 1812 Bicentennial Celebrations

The Honourable Minister Chan, Minister of Tourism and Culture seems very excited about the upcoming War of 1812 Bicentennial Celebrations. As you may know, Ontario Visited has a dedicated website for these celebrations and to the future beyond. (link to War of 1812 Celebrations http://war1812celebrations.ontariofestivalsvisited.ca). What the Scoop here is, that Michael Chan is a first generation immigrant himself. He feels the War of 1812 gave Canada an identity and that it is important to remember the War and the heroes of that time! Minister Chan was emphatic again as he stressed the importance of engaging New Canadians, as it will enhance the integration of these people into Canadian life and society. He said he would like these celebrations to be highly promoted to help “pull the new immigrants from their own box into Ontario”. "It will be an opportunity to enhance integration", Mr. Chan states. He considers himself a “pioneer voyager”. He reminds us that these New Canadians in 25 years from now, these will not be new. They will be integrated and form our Canadian communities. These folks will continue to immigrate and become the supply of the new people. Michael Chan said "he appreciated the effort and direction that our Prime Minister". Apparently Prime Minister Harper is a War of 1812 fan.

The Moment!

by Kathy Fisher, Festival Nomad Correspondent

The weekend brought extreme temperatures, and for those of us in cotton dresses and petticoats, it wasn’t as hot as I am sure the regimental men in the red woolen tunics were feeling. We were all expected to “act” the part during the weekend especially during the open hours of Nancy Island to the public. This is one aspect I was not familiar with for at the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site that I work at, we are more third person historical interpretation, versus this form of first person reenactment.
During the whole weekend, we witnessed the naval battles on the Notawassaga River, Wasaga Under Seige as the British and American reenactors held battle on the sandy dunes of Wasaga Beach, and regularly scheduled activities, of cannon demonstrations, musket drills, duels, and follower activities of candle making, and aboriginal drumming. With the extreme temperatures, the musket firing, the sights the sounds, we felt we had totally stepped back in time. The most memorable event – the “Seige” was the part of the weekend that brought the most interest and really made me and my “troop” from the north, really understand what it was like during the War. I think the combination of the smells and the haze of the smoke of the musket and cannon firing / black powder shooting, that also provided that “eerie” look and feel of the “moment”, so that I can truly say to others…..”come relive the moment!”
We left on Monday and headed back to Sault Ste. Marie feeling we had truly experienced, lived, and learned the War of 1812. We also knew the extent of what visitors touring the province in the next 3 years will experience. Now we just need to re-create that total experience so that we can provide to our visitors…..”the moment!”
I can’t wait……

Along for the Ride ...

by Kathy Fisher - Festival Nomad Correspondent

Kathy Fisher, Curator, Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site, reporting to you on my recent visit to Wasaga Under Siege, this July 2011, story continued ...

My son (Benn-age 12) was very excited and was seriously hoping that he would be able to part of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment with Dave Brunelle and his friends, to re-enact the War of 1812 and experience fully the sights, sounds, and adrenalin of being a British soldier in a battle.
Sarah (my daughter – age 10), I believe was more so along for the ride, and probably thinking what else can my mother drag me to, and isn’t this War over yet…..!

It was just Thursday night and we were just arriving and unloading, when we realized the extent of a full historical encampment. There were wedge tents everywhere along the perimeter of Nancy Island, and many other more full size reenactment tents that were for supplies, officers, families and followers, merchants and musician’s, and aboriginal encampments as well. Our eyes were wide and our excitement rose. This was it! Everywhere you looked there was rows of wedge tents, officers tents, and large gathering event tents. The site was set up for American reenactors and their followers at one end of the island, the Glengarry’s and the Royal Newfoundland and IMUC in the middle spreading to the other end of the island with the encampment for the Aboriginal involvement with their wigwams and tents.

Now unlike many attending as reenactors at this event, we were not camping on site in the wedge tents, but had made arrangements to rent a fully equipped cottage with all amenities (just down the road). However, upon seeing the encampment schedule of events, my son began his plea to at least camp one night in order to “experience” the full event. My typical mother’s response….”we will see”.