- Old Fort Erie set to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution
- Speakers to include a range of historians, authors, educators and Indigenous knowledge keepers
- For more information and to buy tickets, visit niagaraparks.com/oldfortspeakers
- Media Assets are available here
Fort Erie, ON – In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Old Fort Erie will host a new five-part lecture series that explores a wide range of themes and topics related to this pivotal time in history, titled The 1776 Forum: Old Fort Erie in the Revolutionary Era.
The oldest British military fort built in Ontario, Old Fort Erie served as a vital British supply outpost supporting soldiers, Loyalist Rangers and Haudenosaunee warriors during the American Revolution. For more information and to buy tickets, visit niagaraparks.com/oldfortspeakers.
Event Schedule
1776: Events and Ideas in the American Revolutionary World
Speaker: Professor Mark G. Spencer
Date: Sunday, March 22, 2026
Presented by Mark G. Spencer, Professor of History at Brock University, this session explores how the ideas of the era defined the War itself and why the Revolution still matters today.
America and NYS at 250: What Comes Next?
Speaker: Rich Pyszczek
Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026
This session will be presented by Rich Pyszczek, a Buffalo native and longtime educator, who will explore New York State’s vital role in shaping the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence.
Richard Pierpoint: Soldier, Settler, Slave
Speaker: Peter Meyler
Date: Sunday, May 3, 2026
Peter Meyler is a researcher dedicated to uncovering untold Black histories in Canada. His lecture focuses on the extraordinary life of Richard Pierpoint, an African Canadian who survived the Trans‑Atlantic Slave Trade and participated in the French and Indian War, the American Revolution and the War of 1812.
Frontier Elegance: Women’s Fashion on the Edge
Speaker: Betsy Bashore
Date: Sunday, June 7, 2026
Step into the dress culture of women living on the North American frontier with Betsy Bashore who has more than 40 years of hands‑on experience researching and recreating War of 1812 and Regency-era clothing.
From “Merciless Indian Savages” to Treaty Allies
Speaker: Rick Hill Sr.
Date: Saturday, June 27, 2026
Educator, Indigenous knowledge keeper and member of the Beaver Clan of the Tuscarora Nation at Grand River, Rick Hill Sr. will explore how relationships with the Haudenosaunee shifted throughout the American Revolution, from efforts to keep them neutral, to recruitment, to violent campaigns and finally to treaty making aimed at peace and friendship.
All events will take place at 2 p.m. at Old Fort Erie Visitor Centre theatre. Tickets are $15 each or $60 for the full series. For more information and to buy tickets, visit niagaraparks.com/oldfortspeakers.
Media Assets are available here.
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