Laura Secord Legacy Trail facts for kids
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The Laura Secord Legacy Trail is a special path in Ontario, Canada. It is 32 kilometers (20 miles) long. This trail honors the amazing journey of Laura Secord. She made a very brave trip in June 1813. This was during the War of 1812. Laura walked from her home in Queenston to Thorold. She carried an important message for Lieutenant James FitzGibbon. Her journey helped save the day!
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Laura Secord's Brave Journey
During the War of 1812, Laura Secord's husband was hurt. Even with six children, she decided to travel to Thorold. She needed to warn British troops about an upcoming attack. American soldiers were planning to surprise them.
On June 22, 1813, Laura began her long walk. She went through the countryside, which was affected by the war. Her goal was to tell Lieutenant James FitzGibbon about the approaching American troops. Because of her warning, British soldiers and their Kahnawake Mohawk allies were ready. They were able to stop the invasion. They defeated the Americans at the Battle of Beaver Dams on June 24, 1813.
The Legacy Trail Today
The Laura Secord Legacy Trail is part of the larger CanadaWide Great Trail. You can hike it in five different sections. The trail uses modern sidewalks, footpaths, and bridges. It also follows old forest paths used by Indigenous peoples long ago.
A new pedestrian bridge was built over Twelve Mile Creek. It was finished by June 22, 2013. This date marked 200 years since Laura Secord's famous walk.
Exploring the Trail's Sections
Signs along the trail help explain its history. The trail is split into five main parts:
- From the Laura Secord Homestead to Firemen's Park.
- From Firemen's Park to Niagara College.
- From Niagara College to the Rodman Hall Art Centre in St. Catharines.
- From Rodman Hall to Rotary Park.
- From Rotary Park to DeCew House.
How the Trail Was Created
Caroline McCormick is Laura Secord's great-great-great-granddaughter. She helped start the trail and the annual walk. She also helped create the "Friends of Laura Secord" group. Caroline began her efforts in 2010. She realized there were no plans to honor Laura Secord for the 200-year anniversary of the War of 1812.
The trail's path was recreated with help from Alun Hughes. He is a mapmaker and historian from Brock University. Students from Niagara College also helped. They used special computer programs to map the trail. This was based on information about Laura Secord's original journey. A special walk is held on the trail every June. Part of the trail also crosses paths with the Bruce Trail.
Mural on the Welland Canal Trail
There are large murals along the Welland Canal Trail in Thorold. These murals celebrate the important people of Canada, like Laura Secord. Artist Shawn Reimer and community volunteers created them in 2005. This is the largest series of murals in the country. It covers over 1800 square meters!
The mural about Laura Secord shows her crossing the Twenty Mile Creek. It also shows her meeting with Native Americans. Finally, it shows her telling FitzGibbon the important news. The Welland Trail is 45 kilometers long. It goes from St. Catharines to Port Colborne on Lake Erie. This trail runs right next to the Welland Canal.
