Thorold Tourism

History and Heritage	Check out our 2009 Destination Guide
The Township of Thorold came into existence in 1788 when surveyor Augustus Jones laid out the area in 100-acre lots to provide land for Loyalist refugees and disbanded soldiers following the American Revolutionary War. At the time, the township had no name; it was simply labelled Township No. 9. It wasn't until 1793, after the creation of Upper Canada with John Graves Simcoe as its first Lieutenant-Governor, that the township was named Thorold after Sir John Thorold, an English baronet and Member of Parliament. The area was largely uninhabited when the first settlers arrived, the Neutral Indians having been wiped out by the Iroquois in 1650.

The earliest communities emerged at Beaverdams, DeCew Falls and St. Johns, but after the opening of the First Welland Canal in 1829 they were superseded by the new canal villages of Thorold, Allanburg, and Port Robinson. Thorold, located on the brow of the Niagara Escarpment, soon became dominant and was incorporated as a Village in 1850 and as a Town in 1870. When the Regional Municipality of Niagara was formed in 1970, the Town of Thorold expanded to include the Township, and in 1975 the Town became the City of Thorold.

Thorold is a city rich in history - it was the site of an important Neutral Indian village, a battleground in the War of 1812, a centre for early Methodism, a corridor for all four Welland Canals, a hive of industrial development (especially papermaking), and much more.

So come and visit the attractions listed on the following pages, walk historic downtown and enjoy its 19th-century architecture, and experience the special atmosphere of rural communities like Beaverdams, Allanburg, Port Robinson and St. Johns.

For more information visit www.heritagethorold.com

Architectural & Historical Treasures

St. John's School House (Hollow Road)
Built in 1804 in the scenic rolling hills of St. John's, Samuel Birdsall kept school in this building, which is thought to be the first in Upper Canada.

DeCew (DeCou) House (Decew Road) c. 1808
Captain John B. DeCou's home served as the area's British headquarters during the War of 1812. On June 22, 1813, Laura Secord journeyed from Queenston to DeCew House to warn Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon of an impending American attack. Fitzgibbon and his men were able to capture the American force and help turn the tide of the war.

Morningstar Mill (Decew Road)
Built in 1872 and perched on the brink of Decew Falls, this gristmill was originally built to process local wheat, oats, barley and rye. Today, the gristmill and accompanying sawmill, house a blacksmith shop, museum, park and interpretive centre.

The Battle of Beaverdams Park (Sullivan Avenue)
This park recalls one of the bloodiest battles and perhaps the largest turning point in the War of 1812. On June 24, 1813, the advancing American forces, met with a band of Six Nations Iroquois allies, led by Major William Johnson Kerr and Dominique Ducharme. After a three-hour skirmish, the American force surrendered to the British Commander, Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon. The park also contains remnants of the second Welland Canal built in 1845.

Beaverdams Methodist Church and Burying Ground (Marlatts Road)
Constructed in 1832, Beaverdams Church is the oldest Methodist Church still standing in Ontario. The first minister to preach in the chapel was Reverend Egerton Ryerson, who is largely responsible for founding the province of Ontario's education system.

The Welland Mills (Pine Street North – north of Albert Street)
In 1846, on the bank of the second Welland Canal, Jacob Keefer built the largest mill in Canada at that time. The Keefer's were entrepreneurs and considered Thorold's founding family. At its height, the mill was capable of manufacturing 300 barrels of flour per day and storing 70,000 bushels of wheat and 5,000 barrels of flour. Today, the Welland Mills is being restored and will offer residential condominiums on the upper floors and commercial space on the bottom.

Maplehurst (St. David's Road West)
Maplehurst, a Thorold landmark and the former home of Jacob Keefer, sits on the highest rise in the city offering a commanding view of the community below. Built by Hugh Keefer in 1885, this beautiful red stone structure with its elaborate gables and dormers has been utilized in the past as a residence, a hospital, a private nursing home and soon to be, a country boutique inn.

Thorold's Old Fire Hall (Albert Street West)
The old fire hall, a beautiful red and yellow brick structure with semi-circular wood windows and a striking bell/hose tower, was constructed next to the second canal in 1878. The building held the dual responsibility of fire hall and home to the town's police force and to this day contains a jail in the basement.

Chestnut Hall (Ormond Street North)
This lovingly restored 1862 building was once home to John McDonagh, a lumber merchant and mayor of the Town of Thorold from 1881-1884. Chestnut Hall currently houses the Thorold & Beaverdams Historical Society, the Thorold Museum and part of the Thorold Public Library.