The Homestead Journal
The Niagara Exercise of 1914
A series of early 20th c. black and white photographs from an old Powers Family photo album indicate that military training had taken place right here at The Brown Homestead just prior to WWI. This visit fits into the broader story of military training at Camp Niagara soon after. The following article illustrates these military manoeuvres through the heart of the Niagara Region, tracing the story through the eyes of The St. Catharines Standard reporters from June 8-12, 1914.
Tornado in Niagara
On the afternoon of July 1st, 1792, a tornado ripped through the Niagara Region…
Reflecting on Heritage in Ontario
The amendments made to the Ontario Heritage Act under Bill 23 has only exacerbated the issues facing our province’s heritage sector. In Niagara, it’s no different: our heritage is at risk. Lately, the TBH team has been reflecting on the state of heritage in Niagara. Read on for our reflections and suggestions.
Enough to Sink the Barrel
Niagara was one of Canada’s main whisky producing regions at the turn of the 19th century. Learn more about the different ingredients used to make whisky, the manufacturing process, quantities produced, transportation of the product and the markets it reached, starring some recognizable local names.
Meet Our Neighbours, Part II: Electricity and Regeneration at Power Glen
Located at the base of the Niagara Escarpment on Twelve Mile Creek, the existence of this little community was inextricably tied to its surrounding landscape. Harnessing the power of the water that fell from the ridge of the escarpment and weaved its way along the creek was inevitable. Yet, what came after the mills that first initiated this tiny village was both revolutionary and unprecedented: hydroelectric power generation.
Meet Our Neighbours, Part I: An Early Hub of Industry at Reynoldsville
This is the first of a two-part series exploring the history of a community that has neighboured The Brown Homestead since the 1780s. Though the Power Glen community has cycled through different names over the centuries along with the industries that sustained it, there is continuity in the resourcefulness of people who lived in Power Glen (as it’s known today) and how they harnessed the power of the hills and waterways in this particular corner of Niagara.
The Niagara Escarpment Biosphere
The Brown Homestead and community around us would not exist without the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere. For our stories to continue into the future, its preservation must be prioritized.
Mapping The Brown Homestead
Our latest exhibit uses GIS technology to present our historical research about The Brown Homestead.
“The Worst in the World!”
We often find ourselves imagining what it was like to travel these same routes100 years ago… 200 years ago… 500 years ago…
The Schoharie Uprising and the Battle of the Flockey
As the British plan for the invasion of New York to divide New England from the rest of the colonies was coming together, there was much activity in the Schoharie Valley that would have a direct bearing on the future of the Brown family.