Old Town is the historic heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake and served as the first capital of Upper Canada in the 1790s. Burned by American troops during the War of 1812, it was rebuilt in the British classical tradition, leaving an early-19th-century streetscape that is among the best preserved in Canada. Designated a provincial Heritage Conservation District in 1986 and Ontario's first National Historic District in 2003, its compact grid around Queen Street draws visitors with heritage inns, boutiques, the Shaw Festival theatres and the Memorial Clock Tower.
Known for
- First capital of Upper Canada
- Best-preserved 19th-century streetscape in Canada
- Shaw Festival theatre
- Memorial Clock Tower
- War of 1812 heritage and Fort George
- Queen Street shopping and dining
