Amherstburg (2006 population 21,748; UA population 13,410) is a town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately 25 kilometres (15 mi) south of Detroit.
The town, across the river from the United States, was permanently established as a British military fort in 1796. During the days of the Underground Railroad, the town was often the point at which freed slaves entered Canada.
Amherstburg is home to several tourist attractions, including Fort Malden and the North American Black Historical Museum.
Amherstburg is a town which takes pride in its history and on the first weekend of every August they hold a heritage festival comprised of activities at several locations around town. At Fort Malden for example, they hold a military timeline event where re-enactors depicting eras ranging from the Roman Empire to the Second World War establish camp and perform battle demonstrations
The local public high school in Amherstburg is General Amherst High School, named after Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst.
Communities
- Amherstburg
- River Canard
- Amherst Pointe
- Willow Beach
- Holiday Beach
- Malden Centre
- Boblo (Bois-Blanc) Island - Private Community
External links
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Last updated on Sunday June 01, 2008 at 17:23:00 PDT (GMT -0700)
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