The Niagara Escarpment King Road, looking south from the escarpment, ca. 1910 Source: Halton Information Network The Niagara Escarpment extends from the Niagara River to the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula and continues through Manitoulin Island. In total, the escarpment stretches 2,300 kilometres and in some places is as much as 250 metres above sea level (Davidson 1989). A variety of landforms exist along the brow of the escarpment, and the vicinity of the escarpment itself is cut by numerous creeks. Several large valleys exist near Waterdown, Lowville, Campbellville and Limehouse. There are scenic gorges further north at the Forks of the Credit (Chapman and Putnam 1984). These physiographic elements have accumulated over red shale bedrock belonging to the Upper Ordovician Queenston formation (Davidson 1989). Contrary to previous belief, the Niagara Escarpment did not emerge as the result of a fault, but rather when much of North America was covered by warm shallow waters 5–4 million years ago. While glaciation did not create the Niagara Escarpment, glacial Lake Iroquois etched and eroded the escarpment face.

Prior to Euro-Canadian contact, the Niagara Escarpment was well-utilized by First Nations peoples in the Burlington area. It provided a transportation route along which the long trek could be made northwesterly to the Bruce Peninsula. Additionally, it provided a local resource for the materials used in the production of stone tools such as arrowheads and spear points.

Early settlement in the vicinity of the Niagara Escarpment was quite slow due to the complex geography of the escarpment. Farming escarpment lands proved difficult for rudimentary agricultural implements due to the abundance of underlying rock. At first an obstacle to be overcome, the presence of the escarpment soon proved to be a valuable landmark for farmers from the City of Burlington and the Township of Nelson. The Niagara Escarpment provided natural protection from severe winter weather and the sloping nature of the escarpment toward Lake Ontario allowed for excellent drainage (BHS n.d.).

The escarpment was also exploited as a natural resource by early pioneers to the Township of Nelson and Burlington. Various quarries in and around the City of Burlington that were in operation in the past provided aggregate resources to assist with the construction of homes and businesses in the area. Stone for the foundation of the Trinity Baptist Church (formerly Zimmerman Methodist Church) at 4372 Appleby Line was cut from the Niagara Escarpment and hauled to Zimmerman for construction of the church during the winter of 1891 (BHS 2014). The Niagara Escarpment is still used for aggregate resources today.

The Niagara Escarpment in Burlington has been used recreationally for many years and is now under the protection of the Niagara Escarpment Plan. Under the directives of the Plan, development is regulated to preserve the escarpment lands. In 1990 the Niagara Escarpment was designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve for its balance between development and conservation. The Bruce Trail, the oldest and longest marked trail in Canada, follows the escarpment affording exposure to the area's flora and fauna and breathtaking nature vistas to trail users alike. Additionally, Mount Nemo Conservation Area spans portions of the Niagara Escarpment and offers visitors access to trail networks (NEC 2014).

Associated Properties:

4372 Appleby Line "Trinity Baptist Church"- Built as the Zimmerman Methodist Church in 1891, Trinity Baptist Church situated east of Mount Nemo on Appleby Line was constructed of locally sourced brick and stone. Notably, the stone foundation of the church was sourced from the Niagara Escarpment. The stone was then brought down the escarpment during the winter by horse drawn sleigh after it was cut to be used in the church construction.

Sources:

Burlington Historical Society (BHS) 1996 Trinity Baptist Church, formerly Zimmerman Methodist Church, 4372 Appleby Line, 1996. Accessed online at: http://images.burlington.halinet.on.ca/8931/data?n=2 n.d. Aldershot Tweedsmuir Histories (ATH). Accessed online at: http://images.burlington.halinet.on.ca/2505768/page/50?q=escarpment&docid=OOI.2505768

Chapman, L.J. and D.F. Putnam 1984 The Physiography of Southern Ontario, 3rd Edition. Toronto: Ontario Geological Survey, Special Volume 2.

Davidson, R.J. 1989 Foundations of the Land Bedrock Geology. In The Natural History of Ontario, edited by J.B. Theberge, pp. 36-47. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart Inc.

Niagara Escarpment Commission. 2014 Niagara Escarpment Commission. Accessed online at: http://www.escarpment.org/home/index.php.