Boasting ten thousand years of Indigenous history and three centuries of colonial development, Ontario is ripe with historic landmarks and sites that range from monumental canals and colonial settlements to massive luxury homes and 19th-century fortresses.
Â
In fact, there are 274 National Historic Sites of Canada in Ontario, and countless others that don’t quite qualify or have yet to receive their official designation. And while exploring them all can take years to complete, visiting some of the most exciting can make for a fun Ontario summer road trip.
Â
For the sake of planning and time, this guide will explore only the 25 most interesting and best-preserved historic places in Ontario that have received an official National Historic Site of Canada status.
Be sure to check out my complete Ontario Travel Guide for more inspiration and tips as you plan your trip to Canada’s Heartland Province.
1. Parliament Hill
Located in Ottawa, Parliament Hill has served as the heart of Canadian politics since the beginning. Constructed between 1859 and 1865, Parliament Hill consists of two separate National Historic Sites of Canada. At the Parliament Buildings National Historic Site, you will find the four Gothic-revival-style Parliament buildings designated the West Block, Central Block, East Block, and the Library. Meanwhile, the beautiful grounds surrounding the building have garnered their own reputation as the Public Grounds of the Parliament Buildings National Historic Site, promising two of the most historic places in Ontario for the price of one.
2. Rideau Canal
While visiting Parliament Hill, you may as well include a stop at another of Ontario’s most historic places – the Rideau Canal. The good news is that it is easy to add this stop to any itinerary to the Canadian capital city, as the National Historic Site comprises the entire 202 km waterway. Built between 1826 and 1832, the Rideau Canal is the last waterway from ONtario’s canal-building era to still be in operation, earning it its place along the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
3. Rideau Hall
Rounding out the trifecta of Ottawa’s most impressive historical landmarks is Rideau Hall. Initially built in 1838, Rideau Hall is the official residence of the governor-general of Canada and the Canadian monarch. It sits within the centre of an 88-acre property, with the main building boasting 175 rooms covering 9,500 sq. metres. While the grounds are open to the public between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., access to the residence itself is limited to group or private tours.
4. Dundurn Castle
Arguably the most compelling historic site in Southern Ontario, Dundurn Castle is an Italianate-style villa in Hamilton that once housed one of the province’s most affluent historical families. The original structure was completed in 1835 and was promptly purchased by Sir Allan Napier MacNab, a lawyer and railway magnate who would later serve as the Premier of the United Canadas between 1854 and 1856. The historical mansion now serves as a preserved living history museum, with its 40 rooms now open to guests looking to tour the luxurious lifestyle of its historical residence.
5. Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons
Founded as a French Jesuit mission to the Huron-Wendat people in 1639, Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons holds the historic distinction of being the first European settlement established within the territory that would later become the province of Ontario. While the community was forced to abandon in 1649, the settlement itself was reconstructed by the government of Canada and was officially declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1920, allowing modern visitors to explore the complex as it would have been nearly four centuries ago.
6. Spadina Museum
While it doesn’t quite compare to the Royal Ontario Museum in terms of its exhibits, the Spadina Museum is perhaps the best museum in Toronto for immersing in an authentic historical setting. Built in 1866, the museum is one of the most modest structures in Toronto today. It originally served as the lavish Victorian estate and villa for James Austin, the founder and first president of the Dominion Bank, and his family for four generations. Modern visitors can still explore the exemplary interior along a guided or self-guided tour while uncovering preserved artifacts that retell the evolving social culture of the city.
7. Fort William Historical Park
If you find yourself road-tripping through northern Canada, you have to include a stop at the Fort William Historical Park near Thunder Bay. One of the largest living history museums in North America, Fort William transports visitors back to the early 19th century as they tour the headquarters of the North West Company, the largest fur trading enterprise in history. Also located within the park is the David Thompson Astronomical Observatory, one of the largest telescopes in Central Canada open to the public.
8. Lock 21 – Peterborough lift Lock.
The Peterborough Lift Lock is easily one of the most impressive historical landmarks in Ontario and an absolute must visit when in Peterborough. Built in 1904, Lift 21 is famous as being the world’s largest hydraulic lift lock, lifting passing ships nearly 20 metres and allowing them to continue their journey along the Trent-Severn Waterway.Â
9. Fort George
Set along the Canada-US border in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Fort George National Historic Site commemorates one of the most important strategic strongholds of the War of 1812. First built by the British between 1796 and 1803, the fort expanded over the years to include an extensive network of complexes that were largely destroyed when the Americans took control of the fort for a brief seven months in 1813. In the centuries since Fort George has been restored and has become a preserved monument open to visitors.Â
10. Fort Henry
Built to protect the Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard in Kingston during the War of 1812, Fort Henry served as an important military fortification throughout the conflict thanks to its strategic location well-suited to control the maritime traffic within the Cataraqui River, St Lawrence River, and Lake Ontario. A larger fort was built atop the site in the 1830s, which was later restored and converted into a tourist attraction a century later. Today, Fort Henry is one of the most impressive living history museums in Ontario and is known for its reenactments throughout the summer.
11. Kingston Penitentiary
Located only six kilometres from Fort Henry is another National Historic Site of Canada, the Kingston Penitentiary, a maximum security prison that housed some of Ontario’s most notorious convicts between its opening in 1835 and its closure in 2013. Throughout its 178-year history, the prison held many notable inmates and was the centre of three major riots that resulted in numerous deaths. Modern visitors can still explore the eerie halls and cells of this notorious prison along a guided or self-guided tour of the complex.
12. Old Fort Erie
Set near the mouth of the Niagara River along the shores of Lake Erie, Old Fort Erie is one of the oldest military fortifications in Ontario and was the first along a network of forts constructed by the British following the Seven Years War. Construction on the original structure was completed in 1764 but was replaced by a larger fort between 1805 and 1808, just in time to protect its strategic location during the War of 1812. The Battle of Fort Erie marked one of the last engagements of the conflict, with the fort becoming Ontario’s bloodiest historical battlefield, totalling 3,000 lives.
13. Sault Ste Marie Canal
Along with the Rideau Canal and the Peterborough Lift Lock, the Sault Ste Marie Canal is an important stop along a tour of Ontario’s great canal-building era. Completed in 1895, the canal marked the final link in the all-Canadian navigation system that connected the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Superior. At the time, it was the longest loch in the world and the first to operate using electricity.
14. Fort Wellington
Hastily built during the War of 1812, construction on the original Fort Wellington was completed in 1813, only to be replaced 25 years later by a larger and more secure stronghold. Nearly two centuries later, Fort Wellington is one of the best preserved 19th century fortifications in all of Canada and continues to bless the banks of the St Lawrence River in Prescott, Ontario.
15. Parkwood Estate
Competing with Dundurn Castle and the Spadina Museum as Ontario’s most lavish historical home, the Parkwood Estate is an extravagant 55-room mansion built within the Beaux-Arts design between 1915 and 1917 for R.S. McLaughlin, the Canadian auto Baron and founder of General Motors of Canada. Modern visitors can immerse in the luxurious glory of the complex with a tour of the Parkwood National Historic Site, which includes the preserved grounds, architecture and furnishings of the estate.
16. The Distillery Historic District
A blend of historical sites and chic shopping, The Distillery Historic District is home to 40 boutique shops and several elevated dining options that operate out of historical buildings that date back nearly two centuries. The district originally served as the Gooderham and Worts Distillery between 1832 and sold to Allied Lyons in 1987. The complex was designated a National Historic Site of Canada a year later before being converted into a thriving arts district in the 1990s.
17. Fort St Joseph
So far, the Ontario forts featured on this list consist of preserved or restored military fortifications that serve as doorways to their 19th-century heyday. Fort St. Joseph promises a completely different kind of experience. Built at the most southern point of St. Joseph Island in northwestern Ontario in 1796, Fort St Joseph was taken and destroyed by the Americans in the War of 1812, never to be restored. Along with the historical ruins, Fort St. Joseph is a great spot for bird watching and features several heritage demonstrations throughout the summer months.
18. The Old Stone Mill
Located in the small, unassuming township of Delta is one of the most unique National Historic Sites of Canada, preserving Ontario’s industrial heritage, The Old Stone Mill. Built in 1810, the mill represents some of the most innovative industrial architecture in the province for this time period and is open to modern visitors who are welcome to explore its operating waterwheel, millstone, bolter, grain elevators, and several artifacts contained within its exhibits.
19. Fulford Place
Built for former Senator George Taylor Fulford, Fulford Place is another historic mansion in Ontario that has since been converted into a historic house museum and a designated National Historic Site. Completed in 1901, the 20,000 sq foot mansion welcomes visitors to explore early 19th-century wealth along a tour of the complex, which reflects its period furnishings and Edwardian-era decorations.
20. Huron Historic Gaol
Built between 1839 and 1841, the Huron Historic Gaol served as the County Jail of Huron County for over 130 years. Throughout its tenure as a jail, the octagonal prison contained numerous convicts, including three men sentenced to hangings. While it isn’t quite as impressive as the Kingston Penitentiary, the Huron Historic Gaol is a must-visit on its own and promises an eerie feel as you explore its historical cells.
21. Laurier House
Located within the Sandy Hill neighbourhood of Ottawa, the Laurier House has served as the historical home of two former Prime Ministers since its construction in 1878. Canada’s 7th Prime Minister, Wilfrid Laurier, lived in the mansion between 1897 and his death in 1919. Upon her death in 1921, Laurier’s wife, Zoe Laurier, willed the estate to William Lyon Mackenzie King, who went on to become the tenth Prime Minister of Canada five years later. Today, the Laurier House operates as a historic home museum, containing many influences of its former inhabitants and guests.
22. Barnum House
Built between 1817 and 1819, the Barnum House in Grafton is one of the oldest buildings in Ontario and is the first example of Neoclassical architecture ever constructed in Canada. Beyond that, it is also the first house museum ever opened in the province and was officially designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1959. As such, the house has been remarkably preserved since its restoration in 1940, and it is a great example of a pre-confederation home in Upper Canada.
23. McMartin House
Another historical home in Ontario, the McMartin House, was built in 1830 for Daniel McMartin, Perth’s first lawyer. What’s unique about the house is that it was built after the Federal Style, which was more common along the United States eastern seaboard than in Upper Canada at the time. The distinction was made by the wishes of McMartin’s wife and has lasted to make the house one of the most unique historic sites in Ontario today.
24. Point Clark Lighthouse
The only lighthouse along the Great Lakes and Georgian Bay to be designated a National Historic Site of Canada, the Point Clark Lighthouse finished its construction in 1859 and continues to illuminate the shores of Lake Huron today, over 150 years later. Along with the 24-metre limestone tower, the national historic site consists of the Lightkeeper’s House Museum, where you can explore the lives of the site’s historical residents.
25. Murney Tower
Built in 1846, Murney Tower served as an addition to the fortifications that defended the Kingston Dockyard and served as a complimentary defensive position to Fort Henry. The tower is located about four kilometres from the fortress and overlooks the entrance to the Rideau Canal, controlling maritime traffic in and out of the historic waterway. While it isn’t quite as exciting as the other fortifications in the city, it is definitely a must-visit when in Kingston.
