Lundy’s Lane Observatory handbill, 1855
| dc.contributor.author | Cameron, Chantal | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2022-03-29T20:39:19Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2022-03-29T20:39:19Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2022-03-29 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10464/15698 | |
| dc.description | Several observatories were built in the area of Lundy's Lane from about 1845 to 1900. The first observatory was built it 1845 but was destroyed shortly after in a storm. The second observatory was built by Donald McKenzie in 1846 but was destroyed by fire in 1851. A third observatory was built by Adam Fralick around 1850 and was known as Scott’s Tower. Sometime prior to 1855 a fourth observatory was built but was dismantled in 1870, leaving the Fralick tower as the sole observatory. Eventually it too collapsed in a storm and a steel tower was built after a group of local citizens formed the Lundy’s Lane Observatory Company in 1893. It failed to attract many tourists and closed several years after its construction. The battle of Lundy's Lane was the most violent battle of the War of 1812, with heavy casualties on both sides. On July 25, 1814, American General Scott led a brigade of about 1000 men from Chippawa along the Portage Road towards Lundy's Lane. The British had already established their guns on the high ground at Lundy's Lane in anticipation of a possible advance by the Americans. When the British saw Scott's forces in the evening, they opened fire. The British General Phineas Riall was captured. The American Generals Brown and Scott were severely wounded and were forced to withdraw. Around midnight, the Americans left, heading towards Chippawa. They withdrew to Fort Erie, with British General Drummond following and beginning a siege of the fort in August. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | A handbill advertising an observatory on the Lundy’s Lane Battle Ground. There is a large image of the tower and the year 1855 is handwritten above it. The text reads “The above Observatory has been erected at a great expense, and is now open for visitors from the top of which can be seen one of the best SCENERIES on the Western Continent viz: Lake Erie and Ontario—Grand, Navy, Buckhorn and Goat or Iris Islands—Brock’s Monument, Beaver Dam, Short Hills, the Spires of the Churches in Buffalo, the Rapids above the Falls, and a vast country lying on both sides of the Niagara river. This Observatory is much the highest one in the vicinity and is attended by Mr. ADAM STULL, who fought in the battle on the memorable 25th July 1814, of which abundant certificates are in his possession to substantiate the same”. A large ink blot interferes with some of the text on the handbill. At the bottom a new feature is noted, which is the addition of a telescope to the observatory. | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.relation.ispartofseries | ;RG 749 | |
| dc.rights | CC0 1.0 Universal | * |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ | * |
| dc.subject | Lundy's Lane Observatory | en_US |
| dc.title | Lundy’s Lane Observatory handbill, 1855 | en_US |
| dc.type | Other | en_US |
| refterms.dateFOA | 2022-03-29T20:39:19Z |
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