Fort Wellington was
built during the War of 1812 to defend the St. Lawrence River
shipping route between Montreal and Kingston from possible attack
by the United States. It was called into service again in 1838
when invasion from the United States was once more imminent. The
fort continued to be used for military purposes, with occasional
periods of abandonment, until it was transferred to the Department
of the Interior in 1923 to be opened to the public as an historic
site.