The Battle of Crysler’s Farm National Historic Site in Morrisburg, Ontario, is quirky in at least one significant way: It isn’t located on the actual battleground. That’s because the battleground now lies below the waves of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
John Crysler’s farm, where a significant 1813 battle between British and American forces took place, was among the sites intentionally flooded in 1958 during the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. (You can learn more about those submerged communities at the Lost Villages Museum in Long Sault.)
The Department of Militia and Defence put a monument on the original site in 1895, and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada added a plaque to the monument in 1921. When it became clear that the farm was going to be submerged during the seaway project, the whole shebang was moved to the newly created Crysler’s Farm Battlefield Park, near what is now Upper Canada Village. The government also dug up some earth from the original site to create a mound in the new park.
So what War of 1812 battle do the monument and park commemorate? It took place on November 11, 1813, when 4,000 American soldiers—of the 8,000 who had arrived in the area the previous day—launched an attack on 800 British soldiers, who positioned themselves behind some ravines on Crysler’s farm. Despite being outnumbered, the British inflicted heavy casualties on the Americans, who retreated to Cornwall. After that, the Americans abandoned their efforts to take Montreal. You can learn more about the battle in this entry in The Canadian Encyclopedia.
Today, a charity called the Friends of Crysler’s Farm Battlefield works to preserve the memory of the battle. It organizes events on the site, such as battle re-enactments and Remembrance Day ceremonies.
If you go to the Battle of Crysler’s Farm National Historic Site
You’ll find the Battle of Crysler’s Farm National Historic Site of Canada at 13740 County Road 2 in Morrisburg, just west of Upper Canada Village. It’s located 89km southeast of Parliament Hill. During re-enactments, there is an admission fee to visit the site.
Looking for something else to see and do near the Battle of Crysler’s Farm National Historic Site? Here are a few options.
- Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg
- Upper Canada Playhouse, Morrisburg
- Long Sault Parkway, Long Sault
- Lost Villages Museum, Long Sault
You’ll find more tips and ideas in my day tripping guide to Morrisburg and Iroquois.
You can also check the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry’s tourism website.
Looking for more tips on things to see and do in and around Ottawa? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or order a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide.
As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.