Walking is one of those activities I enjoy. One of the reasons I enjoy it is because you can see so much more than riding on a bike or in a car. Little things, those small things that you would normally pass by without a second thought.
I live in a small city with lots of green space to go walking in. Some of the areas are very old from the early 19th century while others range from the early 2oth century to the present day. The city is lucky that a number of old rail lines have been turned into walking trails that run by the Grand River. As I’ve said before in other posts there is also an old canal that cuts through the city, though you’d never know it to be the remains of a canal from the way it looks today. It all makes for an interesting walk through the city.
On November 11, 1813 the rear guard of an American Army under the command of Major General James Wilkinson turned and faced a force of British, Canadian and First Nations Warriors under the command of Lt. Col. Joseph Morrison. As the two forces met and began to skirmish then join in general battle, the ground favoured the British as it allowed the fewer but far more disciplined troops to dominate the battle field. At the end of the day the British held the field and the Americans crossed back over to the south bank of the St. Lawrence river and ended their campaign to capture Montreal. On the weekend of July 13/14 2013 historic re-enactors from both sides of the border came together to recreate this historic moment.
Before the advent of what we know today as modern military communications, fifes and drums played a vital military role. Not only used for entertainment each order that regulated a soldier’s life could be communicated by music. Fifes and Drums where also vital on the battle field as the fifes and drums could be heard over and under the roar of muskets and artillery. Military music is now used to entertain as well as to add pomp to a military march but in its day it was vital as a communication system.
Fairchild’s Creek is an easy walk east of my home. It’s named after one of the first white settlers in the area, who ran a trading post on the land given to the Six Nations after the American Revolutionary War in 1784. The land on the north west side of Fairchild’s Creek was settle by a man named Anthony Westbrook and his family in 1788. Westbrook was a member of Joseph Brant’s War Party, Brant’s Volunteers.
Through town run a number of bike trails. A few of them running on disused 19th and early 20th century rail lines past old industrial areas that are now either large open lots or crumbling factories. One trail in particular follows an old canal built before rail roads where common and is now home to carp and refuse. Still on a hot day you canl find much that will catch your eye.