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Laura Secord Legacy Trail

Laura Secord warns James FitzGibbon of an impending American attack, June 1813 during the War of 1812, by Lorne Kidd Smith, ca. 1920, Library and Archives Canada

Laura Secord Legacy Trail is a 32-kilometer (20 mile) trail as a monument to Laura Secord's journey and legacy. It includes the Laura Secord Commemorative Walk that was established in 2013. Secord embarked on a journey in June 1813 during the War of 1812 from the Secord Homestead in Queenston, Niagara-on-the-Lake[1] to deliver a message on 22 June 1813 to Lt. James FitzGibbon at the DeCew House in Thorold, Ontario.[1][2]

Secord's journey

Main article: Laura Secord § Secord's walk

During the War of 1812, Laura Secord's husband was wounded, yet she left him and their six children to travel to Thorold to spread the word of an impending attack by Americans.[3] She took the journey on 22 June 1813 through the "war-ravaged countryside" to notify Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon of approaching troops from the United States.[4] As a result, British troops and the Kahnawake Mohawk were able to resist the invasion and defeat the Americans during the Battle of Beaver Dams (24 June 1813).[4][5]

Trail

Bridge along the trail named after Secord.

The trail, located along the CanadaWide Great Trail,[3] can be hiked in five stages along modern sidewalks, footpaths, bridges, and ancient forested trails of Indigenous peoples.[1][6] A 20–metre pedestrian bridge was built at Twelve Mile Creek and completed by June 22, 2013, the 200-year anniversary of Secord's journey.[4]

Interpretive signs are placed along the trail,[6] which is divided into five stages:[1][3]

  1. Laura Secord Homestead to Firemen's Park
  2. Firemen's Park to Niagara College
  3. Niagara College to the Rodman Hall Art Centre on St. Paul Crescent in St. Catharines
  4. Rodman Hall to Rotary Park
  5. Rotary Park to DeCew House

Caroline McCormick, the three times great granddaughter of Secord, initiated and has been involved in the trail and walk, as well as the Friends of Laura Secord group.[3][4] She began her efforts in 2010 when she realized that there were no plans to honor Secord in the upcoming bicentennial commemorations of the War of 1812.[4] The trail was reconstructed based upon input from Alun Hughes, a cartographer and historian at Brock University. Students from the geospatial information systems (GIS) program at Niagara College helped map the trails based upon information of Secord's journey supplied by Hughes.[4] A walk is held every June.[4]

The trail overlaps with the Bruce Trail in the eastern part of the trail.[7]

Mural on Welland Canal Trail

Murals along the Welland Canal Trail in Thorold recognize the contributions of Canadians, like Laura Secord. It was created in 2005 by artist Shawn Reimer and volunteers from the community and it is the largest string of murals in the country, totally over 1800 square metres.[8] The mural of Secord depicts her crossing the Twenty Mile Creek, meeting with Native Americans, and informing FitzGibbon of the news.[8] The Welland Trail, a 45 kilometre trail from St Catharines to Port Colborne on Lake Erie, parallels the Welland Canal.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Laura Secord Legacy Trail". Ontario Trails Council. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  2. ^ "Home". Friends of Laura Secord. Retrieved 2021-05-30. She remains an iconic figure who, perhaps more than anyone, represents the quiet determination and exceptional resolve of ordinary citizens to preserve and protect the values central to Canadian society that we enjoy today
  3. ^ a b c d "Walkabout: Following in the steps of Laura Secord". 2019-06-25. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "The legacy of a Canadian heroine lives on in Niagara-on-the-Lake". Trans Canada Trail. 2019-06-21. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  5. ^ "Battle of Beaver Dams National Historic Site of Canada". www.pc.gc.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  6. ^ a b "Laura Secord Legacy Trail - Decew Road". Great Canadian Hike. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  7. ^ "Walking Into History along the new Laura Secord Legacy Trail". Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  8. ^ a b "Home". www.guidetags.com. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  9. ^ "Welland Canals Parkway Trail". Niagara Cycling Tourism Centre. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
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