Upper Canada Village

The Heritage Attraction at a Glance & the Story Behind the Site

Upper Canada Village is one of Canada’s largest and most immersive living history attractions, located at 13740 County Road 2 in Morrisburg, Ontario. Founded in 1961, the village preserves life in a rural Upper Canada community circa 1866 by assembling more than 40 authentic historic buildings, many transported from towns that were lost during the creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Welcome to Upper Canada Village

Visitors step into a recreated 19th-century village where costumed interpreters demonstrate daily life, traditional trades, crafts, and rural activities. Historic structures include homes, mills, workshops, and farm buildings, all designed to give guests a vivid sense of how people lived, worked, and traded in a pre-Confederation rural community.

Saw Mill

The site is operated by the St. Lawrence Parks Commission and offers both seasonal programming in the main summer months and special events throughout the year — from harvest-era weekends to holiday celebrations like the Alight at Night Festival in late fall and winter.

Village Cafe - Upper Canada Village

Agriculture at the Heart of the Story

Agriculture is a central theme throughout Upper Canada Village. The recreated farms, gardens, fields, and livestock areas showcase how rural families from the mid-19th century produced food, raised animals, and worked the land. Visitors can see heritage livestock breeds and traditional crops being tended, harvested, or used in village kitchens and workshops.

Strolling Through the Village

Interpretation includes traditional farm activities, from horse-powered equipment and working mills to the growing of period-specific vegetables and grains, reflecting how essential agriculture was to daily life and community survival. These demonstrations allow guests to appreciate both the labour and ingenuity involved in early Canadian farming.

Dry Goods Store - Upper Canada Village

The heritage gardens and orchards, tended using historical methods, also provide insight into food production and preservation in the 1860s. In recent seasons the village has partnered with local groups for activities such as heritage garden gleaning, where produce is harvested and shared with area food banks, connecting historic agricultural practice with modern community needs.

Tavern

Rooted in the Local Community

Upper Canada Village is deeply connected to the Morrisburg area and the broader South Dundas community. The village not only preserves local architecture and agricultural heritage but also serves as a centre for education, cultural celebration, and community engagement. Guided tours, school programs, demonstrations, and special events invite visitors of all ages to connect with Ontario’s rural past.

Home

The attraction also honours local history beyond daily village life. The neighbouring Battle of Crysler’s Farm memorial and interpretive elements acknowledge a key moment in the War of 1812, linking military history with community heritage preservation.

Hotel

By continuing to interpret rural life, farming practices, and community traditions, Upper Canada Village remains an integral part of Ontario’s agritourism and heritage landscape, helping visitors understand how the past shapes present-day culture and community identity.

War of 1812 RE-enactment Battle - Upper Canada Village

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