The Homestead Journal

The Niagara Exercise of 1914

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.

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Meet Our Neighbours, Part II: Electricity and Regeneration at Power Glen
Niagara History, Meet our Neighbours The Brown Homestead Niagara History, Meet our Neighbours The Brown Homestead

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.

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Meet Our Neighbours, Part I: An Early Hub of Industry at Reynoldsville
Niagara History, Meet our Neighbours The Brown Homestead Niagara History, Meet our Neighbours The Brown Homestead

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.

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