Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
McFarland House
Drink in the history and some wonderful tea at the
McFarland House
(15927 Niagara
Pkwy., 905/468-3322,
www.niagaraparksheritage.com
,
noon-5pm daily mid-May-Aug.,
noon-5pm Sat.-Sun. Sept.-Oct., $5 adults, $3.75 children 6-12). This restored home wel-
comes visitors into the well-mannered world of the early 1800s.
Operate vintage printing presses at the Mackenzie Printery.
Built and occupied by ship builder John McFarland, this structure is unique because it
survived the burning of Niagara-on-the-Lake in 1813, likely because it was used as a hos-
pital during the war for wounded U.S. and British soldiers. The McFarland House is also
the oldest structure owned and maintained by the Niagara Parks Commission; it was built
in 1800. The house is surrounded by parkland with ample parking, picnic shelters, and a
baseball diamond.
Guides dressed in period costumes provide tours of the home and share stories about
19th-century life in southern Ontario. They inform you of the civility and customs of the
Georgian era against an authentic backdrop. Look for the antique rope bed that demon-
strates the origin of the term “sleep tight.”
