✦ Heritage Story
Take a walk through Amherstburg today and you might notice something unusual: history isn't confined to a museum here. It's woven into the streets, waterfront, parks, churches, homes, and buildings that surround you.
Founded at the end of the 18th century, Amherstburg grew around a strategic British military post on the Detroit River. Over the centuries, it became a military stronghold, a centre of Great Lakes shipbuilding and trade, an important destination on the Underground Railroad, and eventually the charming historic riverside community visitors enjoy today.
Long before European settlement, the land and waterways around Amherstburg were home to Indigenous peoples, including the Three Fires Confederacy and Wendat/Wyandot peoples.
The Detroit River was an important transportation route, connecting communities and providing access to the Great Lakes. The history of Amherstburg therefore reaches much further back than the arrival of the British in the 1790s.
A major turning point came in 1796, when the British established a military post on the Detroit River following the Jay Treaty and the British withdrawal from Detroit.
The original fort was called Fort Amherstburg and was strategically positioned opposite Bois Blanc Island. A town soon developed around the military establishment, with merchants, traders, Loyalists, and others settling nearby. By 1798, the first 21 town lots had been laid out along what is now Dalhousie Street.
Today, that early history can still be felt as you walk through Amherstburg's historic core.
Amherstburg played a significant role in the War of 1812.
Fort Amherstburg became the headquarters of the British Right Division in Upper Canada, while the nearby Navy Yard became an important centre for shipbuilding on the Great Lakes. Ships constructed here formed part of the British fleet that fought on Lake Erie.
In 1813, following the British defeat at the Battle of Lake Erie, British forces retreated and burned the fort and naval yard rather than allowing them to fall intact into American hands. American forces subsequently occupied the area until 1815.
A walk through Fort Malden and King's Navy Yard Park offers visitors the opportunity to explore pieces of this remarkable chapter in Amherstburg's history.
Perhaps no chapter of Amherstburg's history is more powerful than its connection to the Underground Railroad.
During the 19th century, Freedom Seekers escaping slavery in the United States crossed the Detroit River into Canada. Amherstburg's location made it a major destination, and the community's Black population grew significantly during this period.
Churches, schools, businesses, farms, and neighbourhoods developed as Black Canadians and newly arrived Freedom Seekers established lives in the region. The George-King-Seymour Settlement became an important centre of this growing community.
The Amherstburg Freedom Museum preserves this history today, including the historic Nazrey African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The story extends beyond Amherstburg itself. The nearby John Freeman Walls Historic Site in Lakeshore preserves the story of John and Jane Walls and the homestead that became a terminal of the Underground Railroad.
Walk along Dalhousie Street and through the waterfront area, and you'll find reminders of Amherstburg's many eras.
Historic homes and buildings reflect the community's growth during the 19th century. King's Navy Yard Park preserves the location of the former naval yard. Fort Malden tells the story of the military frontier. Churches and museums preserve the stories of the people who made Amherstburg home.
The Town of Amherstburg's heritage district includes hundreds of properties, with many dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The town's heritage study identifies more than 500 surveyed properties, with a substantial portion dating from 1830–1930.
One of the best ways to experience Amherstburg is simply to slow down.
Begin at The Bondy House, step outside, and wander through the historic streets. Follow the waterfront toward King's Navy Yard Park. Continue toward Fort Malden. Stop to admire the architecture, read the historic plaques, visit a museum, or simply sit beside the river for a while.
You don't have to be a history expert to appreciate Amherstburg. You only need to look around.
Every street seems to offer another glimpse into the past—and by the time you return to The Bondy House, you'll have experienced more than a beautiful Ontario town. You'll have walked through more than two centuries of Canadian history.
