Fort Henry

The historic site of Fort Henry is located on Point Henry in Kingston, an elevated point next to the mouth of Cataraqui River, before it flows into the St. Lawrence River at the east end of Lake Ontario.

Fort Henry and Point Henry were named after Henry Hamilton, former Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Quebec. Initially, the fort was established during the War of 1812. It was constructed to protect the naval dockyard at Point Frederick and to monitor maritime traffic on the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. The Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard is present-day Royal Military College of Canada.

The original fort was reinstituted between 1832 and 1837 to replace an existing fortification from the War of 1812 era. The naval dockyard and the southern entrance to the Rideau Canal's defenses were strengthened by this new construction.

For up-to-date information and details on Fort Henry, we recommend you visit their website. For information about other places of interest to explore nearby, keep scrolling to see what Destination Ontario recommends.

Soldiers stand at parade in a courtyard

Accessibility Features

Wheelchair accessible

Unobstructed path through public  hallways that are wide enough to allow  people using wheelchairs and other  mobility devices to move easily through  the building. 

Universal washroom

Separate, individual washroom with  adequate manoeuvring room for mobility  devices. Includes grab bars, transfer  space, accessible door latch, accessible  sink with knee clearance, easy-to-use  faucets and adult change table. 

Support persons welcome

Support persons are welcome to provide  services or assistance with  communication, mobility, personal care,  medical needs or access to facilities.  Please check with the organization about  entry fees, if applicable.

Service animals welcome

Service animal can be identified by visual  indicators (guide dog or other animal  wearing a vest/harness); or  documentation available from a  regulated health professional to confirm  the animal is required due to a disability. 

Accessible washroom

An accessible washroom stall has  adequate manoeuvring room for mobility  devices. Includes grab bars, transfer  space, accessible door latch, sink with  knee clearance, and lever handles or  automatic sensor faucets. 

Accessible drop-off location

Passenger drop-off is available by an  accessible entrance. 

Accessible seating

Reserved space with a clear view of the  event/activity for someone who is seated,  good sound quality, and adequate  manoeuvring room for a mobility device.

Accessible restaurant

Accessible entrance; adequate  manoeuvring room; accessible washroom  nearby. Tables with removable chairs and  adequate knee clearance.  Cafeteria/buffet counters reachable for  mobility device users. 

Accessible parking

At least one identified, reserved parking  space with a safe, clearly marked  accessible route from the designated  parking area to an accessible building  entrance.

Accessible entrances/exits

A sufficiently wide, hard surfaced,  unobstructed path, no steps or equipped  with ramp connecting to a public  entrance or exit and identified by signage.  Automatic door openers, adequate  manoeuvring room in front of door.

Wheelchair and/or mobility devices available

Wheelchairs and/or mobility devices are  available, free of charge, or for rent. 

More about Fort Henry

Witness precision military demonstrations by the Fort Henry Guard. There are many guided, fun tours to choose from. Enjoy the scenic natural settings, eat delectable foods, and shop at Kingston’s newest shopping district in The Trade Square.

Their famous Ghost Tour is a one-of-a-kind, where you get to explore Fort Henry in a spooky way. The guided explanation of various tragic history and incidents like the hanging of Nils Von Schoultz, the secret of Deadman’s Bay and different supernatural encounters will make your late night tours even more special.

Dine on Kingston's largest waterfront patio that overlooks Lake Ontario, the Royal Military College and the City of Kingston. You can take a walk through their museum, where the collections of British and Canadian military artifacts are housed.

After you're done exploring the fort, you can also opt for Kingston Trolley Tours.

If you are keen on exploring Kingston outside of Fort Henry, start with the Royal Military College Museum. The campus of the Royal Military College of Canada encompasses the museum and is run by the college itself. It exhibits various collections of artifacts, research and records of the RMCC and includes the Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard. Some of the items of its 7,000 plus collections date back to WWI. You can head to Kingston Penitentiary next, which was once a maximum security prison. The prison was shut down in 2013 and it is now open to the public. Take a tour of this infamous gaol that housed notorious criminals and experience what life was like behind the bars.

The Grand Theatre is both one of the finest theatres and also a historic site. It was opened in 1902 and since then has been mesmerising the audience with various spectacular recitals. Crysler Park Marina, located in Morrisburg, Ontario, offers sailing, kayaking, canoeing or paddle boarding along the St. Lawrence River.

If local art impresses you, then visit the prestigious and historic Queen’s University that accommodates two galleries onsite. They focus on great artistic traditions from the past to present and also feature the work of the students. One is the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, and the other one, The Union Gallery, is the student-run Union Gallery.

Last updated: August 18, 2023

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