Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories

Youngstown Heritage Committee to host walking tour July 11

Sat, Jul 4th 2015 07:00 am

The Youngstown Heritage Tours and Tourism Committee has announced its next walking tour, "Women's Voices: A Different View of the War of 1812," will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 11. It will begin in the Peace Garden at Falkner Park on Main Street.

Led by local historian Karen Noonan, the walking tour focuses on the events of Dec. 19, 1813, when the hamlet then known as Young's town, named for land owner and local merchant John Young, was burned in retaliation for the burning of Niagara, Upper Canada, on Dec. 10, 1813.

"You will hear the story of four women who survived: Catherine Young of Niagara, Upper Canada; Rebecca Swain, Agnes Greensitt and Betsy Doyle, all of Young's town," Noonan said.

She notes Young's wife, Catherine, born in New Jersey, immigrated to Niagara, Upper Canada, after the American Revolutionary War with her American-born husband. She was the first to experience the horror of the War of 1812 when retreating American forces burned Niagara. Several days later, residents Rebecca, Agnes and Betsy - the later two with children - were forced to leave their homes as British forces and their native allies burnt the Niagara Frontier from Lake Ontario's shore, along the Niagara River to Buffalo and on to Williamsville.

The walk begins in the Art of Peace Garden in Falkner Park and then proceeds to the former site of Greensitt's tavern and the War of 1812 Salt Battery. The tour continues to the site of John Young's store on the bank of the Niagara River and then to the Swain homestead on River Road.

To register for a tour, call the Town of Porter Historical Society office at 716-745-1271 or email [email protected]. This tour is appropriate for children 10 years and older and lasts about 90 minutes.

There is no charge for the tour, but donations can be made to the Youngstown Heritage Travel and Tourism Committee.

Following the tour, visitors are encouraged to visit one of Youngstown's restaurants.

Hometown News

View All News