Fort Henry

About this place

Fort Henry is a National Historic Site in Kingston, Ontario, on an elevated point near the mouth of the Cataraqui River, where it meets the St. Lawrence at the east end of Lake Ontario. It is a large stone fort, and visitors come for its historical soldier demonstrations and views over water and city. The first fortification went up during the War of 1812 to protect the Kingston naval dockyard and watch shipping. A much larger fort replaced it in the 1830s, to protect the dockyard and secure the southern entrance to the Rideau Canal. The fort and point are named after Henry Hamilton, a former lieutenant governor of Quebec. It was restored in the 1930s and became a major attraction. You enter by a stone passage to a broad parade ground ringed by limestone arches, with barracks furnished with beds and tables, a cookhouse, stores and officers' rooms. Cannon look out over the water from the ramparts, and a dry ditch runs round the fort to a small Martello tower on the shore. Staff in uniform perform through the day in season. It is 2.1 km in a straight line from central Kingston. The fort opens seasonally and is now closed until spring 2027, so check season dates before going. The parade ground and ramparts are exposed, so bring a hat in summer. A rifle firing experience for ages 12 and up is on offer with a separate C$25 ticket.