Lake Ontario shipwrecks from the War of 1812 remembered at plaque unveiling ceremony

Toronto, Ontario, August 8, 2013 -- Mr. Erin O’Toole, C.D., Member of Parliament for Durham, Ontario, on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Canada’s Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today unveiled a plaque commemorating the national historic significance of the Hamilton and Scourge. A ceremony of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada was held at the Hamilton and Scourge Memorial Gardens at the Hamilton Conservation Authority’s Edgewater Pavilion in Hamilton.

“The Hamilton and Scourge are heritage shipwrecks from the War of 1812 that remain in superb condition,” said Mr. O’Toole, who, served in the Canadian Forces and worked on military heritage initiatives before his election to Parliament last year. “These Canadian treasures offer a wealth of archaeological information and remind us of a time when Lake Ontario was part of a conflict that would come to define the Canada we know today.”

The Hamilton and Scourge were schooners converted into American warships engaging in military conflict on Lake Ontario during the War of 1812. In August 1813, both schooners capsized in a summer storm at the mouth of the Niagara River. More than 50 men lost their lives when the ships sank. For close to 200 years the ships and their contents were quietly entombed in Lake Ontario until their rediscovery in the early 1970s. Since that time their pristine condition and collection of heritage objects have captured the attention of naval archeologists, engineers, historians and the hearts and minds of Canadians.

“Our Government is honoured to commemorate the national historic significance of the Hamilton and Scourge,” added Mr. O’Toole. “Heritage shipwrecks are often also the final resting place of those who perished aboard their ship. We honour them through this commemoration and by highlighting the importance of national historic sites to Canadians.”

Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of the Environment regarding the national historic significance of places, people and events that have marked Canada’s history. Parks Canada manages a nationwide network of national historic sites that make up the rich tapestry of Canada’s cultural heritage and which offers visitors the opportunity for real and inspiring discoveries.

For additional information, please see the accompanying backgrounder at www.parkscanada.gc.ca under Media Room.

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Information:
Theresa Paris
Communications Officer
Southwestern Ontario Field Unit
Parks Canada
905-526-1263
www.twitter.com/ParksCanada

Backgrounder associated with this News Release.

Hamilton and Scourge