Unfolding across the waters of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River, the War of 1812 drew the United States into the conflict between Britain and France. Take the 518-mile-long Seaway Trail to visit both the historic sites that chronicle the events of this war and the many lighthouses that stand as a record of the water-based economic importance of the Great Lakes Seaway Trail region.
The War of 1812 began in the Atlantic, where British ships disrupted American trade to Napoleon's France, firing on merchant vessels. In response, several members of the US Congress known as War Hawks pushed for the conquest of Canada, hoping to drive the British permanently from North America.
Sackets Harbor, located along the eastern Lake Ontario section of the Seaway Trail, became an important naval and shipbuilding base. Here, the U.S. Navy would build their warships and re-outfit captured British vessels. Today at the Seaway Trail Discovery Center, Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site, and Madison Barracks, you can see the Navy Yard and Commandant's House, parade grounds and exhibits and demonstrations of War of 1812-era military and maritime life.
The end of the war led to improved trade. The expanding Midwest sent goods to the Atlantic and eastern U.S. via the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence River waterways. In response to the boat traffic increase, the United States expanded the number of lighthouses along the shoreline. Today 28 lighthouses line the Seaway Trail in New York and Pennsylvania. Several of these symbolic and functional structures offer museums, tours and information. Tibbetts Point Lighthouse Hostel, Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse Cottage, and the rustic Selkirk Lighthouse with the rare birdcage lantern room offer overnight accommodations, some year-round. While solar power has replaced the oil wicks of the past, the lighthouses remain as beacons assuring the safety of all vessels on America's inland sea and as reminders of our rich maritime history.
Other fine examples of America’s maritime history are well-kept on the Seaway Trail. Visit the American armed services exhibits at the Dunkirk Lighthouse in Dunkirk, NY; and the Buffalo-Erie County Naval and Military Park in Buffalo, NY. One of the last remaining tugboats used in the World War II Battle of Normandy is part of the collection at the H. Lee White Marine Museum in Oswego, NY. See the Classic St. Lawrence rivercraft and the grand Duchesse houseboat, which are part of the world’s largest collection of antique freshwater vessels and engines at the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, NY. The Orleans County Marine Park holds an annual Wooden Boat Show in Kent, NY, each August.
Plunge into history on the Seaway Trail. The lighthouses, museums, exhibits, and collections along the Trail make for an enriching historical experience. You will have a fresh perspective on military and maritime events when you explore this unforgettable byway.
