Old Fort Niagara, Niagara Falls

Perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking Lake Ontario, this old fort dates back to Colonial times when control of the waterways was critical for military purposes. Visitors today will see three flags flown over the stone buildings and old wooden barracks, one for each nation that once held the property: France, England and the U.S. The French first built the fort around 1726, but lost it to the British in 1759. The British held the fort through the American Revolution, but had to yield it in 1796; it was recaptured by the British in 1813, but America reclaimed it again in 1815, spoils from the War of 1812. When the Erie Canal was built, the fort diminished in importance. Now it's a National Historic Landmark and one of Niagara's most-visited sites. Walk among the desolate old buildings and stone walkways on the windy bluff and you can practically hear the cannons booming.

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