At the start of the 21st century, a remarkable transformation began at one of Niagara’s oldest industrial sites — the Queenston Quarry.

Carved into the Niagara Escarpment, a defining landscape of southern Ontario, the quarry sits just east of the Queenston Heights battlefield. Its limestone and shale deposits are remnants of a prehistoric sea that once covered the region during the Silurian and Ordovician periods.

The site is believed to have been used for stone extraction as far back as 1819. Its strategic location, near Four Mile Creek and the Niagara River, placed it in close proximity to fresh water, an essential factor for early human settlements. Today, the Sir Adam Beck reservoir lies nearby.

Within a kilometre of the site, archaeologists have found traces of precontact Indigenous life. Evidence suggests that nomadic hunters visited the area, and the Neutral people may have established a village nearby. In 1764, the British formally acquired the land through a treaty with the Mississauga, clearing the way for development after restrictions were put in place a year earlier under the Royal Proclamation of 1763.

By the early 1780s, veterans from Butler’s Rangers began settling in the area. Among them was James Secord Sr., whose land would later be passed on to his sons, including James Jr., the husband of Laura Secord, and David Secord, namesake of St. Davids.

In its early years, the quarry wasn’t a single operation but a collection of lots owned by various families including the Secords, Hamiltons, Dicksons, Chubbucks, and Prests. Even Casimir Gzowski, a prominent engineer and later lieutenant-governor of Ontario, held an interest in one of the lots. He played a key role in projects such as the Welland Canal and the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge.

John Brown, a local stonemason, built the foundation for the horse-drawn Erie and Ontario Railway in the 1830s. He also supplied stone for Fort Niagara and eventually amassed a fortune from contracts on one of the Welland Canals, earning millions.

By the late 1800s, local business directories listed multiple men as quarry workers or stone cutters. The quarry was said to have extensive tunnels underground — some claimed they were part of early cement operations by Empire Cement, while others believed the tunnels dated back to the earliest years of stone extraction, possibly making them the oldest in Canada.

The Usher family entered the scene in 1887, taking over cement production and launching “Red Star” cement. Isaac Usher operated the first licensed cement plant in Ontario, supplying materials for the third Welland Canal. His instructional booklet on using Queenston cement, published in 1898, is still archived in libraries globally.

However, in 1905, the rise of Portland cement marked the end for the Ushers’ plant. It offered a faster set time and lower costs, prompting a shift in the industry.

Ownership of the quarry changed again in the early 1900s. Edwin Lowrey transferred his stake in the Queenston Quarry Company to his brother Charles in exchange for goods and stock from their general store. By 1928, Queenston Quarries Ltd. had consolidated all smaller operations into a single entity. The site changed hands several times, eventually becoming part of LaFarge Canada in 1988.

Historical records show there was once a small workers’ village at the quarry, complete with a boarding house for single men. The community existed into the 1950s until it was cleared due to a beetle infestation. Remains of a lime kiln and a Cold War-era microwave tower could still be seen as recently as 2008.

The limestone extracted from Queenston ranged from pale grey to deep blue and was prized for its polish and strength. At its height, the quarry was the largest in Ontario and earned a reputation for excellence.

Queenston limestone has been used in notable Canadian landmarks, including Brock’s Monument, multiple Welland Canals, Queenston-Lewiston Bridge, Niagara-on-the-Lake Courthouse, and the Ontario Legislative Building. It also found its way into international architecture like Artpark in Lewiston and Canada House in London.

Historical documents from the courthouse and Brock Monument projects highlight the careful selection of building materials. Contractors were instructed to use specific mixes and source stone exclusively from Queenston or Thorold quarries.

In more recent years, the quarry has taken on a new life. In 2006, Niagara-on-the-Lake developer Frank Racioppo began planning a revitalization of the site. His vision includes a mixed-use community with homes, vineyards, restaurants, trails, a spa, and a golf course — turning a dormant quarry into a vibrant, sustainable development.

This land has served many generations — from Indigenous communities to industrial pioneers. Its next chapter blends heritage with renewal, continuing the story of Queenston Quarry.