Fort Malden National Historic Site

Built shortly after the war of 1812 to replace Fort Amherstburg, a battlement constructed in 1796 and destroyed in 1813, Fort Malden is the Bastion of the Detroit River. Built by the British as a centre of defence, Fort Malden guarded the waters of the Detroit River during the Upper Canada Rebellion between 1837 and 1839.  From 1859 to 1870 a “lunatic” asylum was operated on the site, after which time the Fort operated as a lumber yard and planing mill. At one point the Fort’s properties even contained private residences.

In 1921 Fort Malden was finally recognized as a National Historic Site and the Fort Malden National Historical Site has since become a landmark that commemorates events that shaped Canada.