Local Voices: A Knight’s Tale

As the Executive Director of Old Fort Niagara, Robert Emerson ensures that the region’s rich history will live on for years to come.

A Storied Past

Perched above the mouth of the Niagara River, Old Fort Niagara has a storied past. Its grounds have been occupied first by Indigenous communities, then later by France, England and the United States. The buildings on the grounds are among the oldest on Lake Ontario, with a castle built by the French that dates back to 1726 and brick revetments that were constructed during the Civil War.

Fort reenactors setting off a cannon at night

Caring for buildings this old is no easy feat, but it’s one that Robert Emerson has made his life’s work. Since 1997, Emerson has not only worked to preserve the site, but he’s also helped bring history to life for countless visitors through immersive military reenactments of actual historical events that happened at Old Fort Niagara.

Bringing History to Life

“We have battle reenactments, which are probably the most popular part of the programs, but there's a lot of other things going on, too, like cooking demonstrations and period artisans and merchants, blacksmiths, people living their lives as if it were in the 18th century,” says Emerson, who moonlights as a reenactor himself.

Old Fort Niagara’s marquee reenactment event is held every July when hundreds of reenactors from around the world flock to the fort to recreate the Siege of Niagara 1759 — a three-week-long siege during the French and Indian War when the British captured the fort from the French.

“There's lots to see, and it's multisensory,” he says of the reenactments. “It's not just reading about it or someone lecturing you about things that happened in the past — it is actually bringing history to life.”

Old Fort Niagara is truly a piece of living history.
Robert Emerson

A Fort Knight

In 2022, Emerson’s commitment to showcasing the lesser-known elements of the region’s history was recognized by the French government, and he was awarded the Ordre National du Mérite (National Order of Merit) with the rank of chevalier (knight).

The title, which is the second-highest bestowed on civilians, earned him a medal presented by the French general counsel and a letter of recognition from the president of France. Emerson insists, though, that the greatest honor is simply being able to preserve the fort Fort Niagara history for generations to come.

“Fort Niagara is mostly original buildings, so when you're touching these stones on our buildings, those are the same stones that have been there for almost 300 years,” he says. “It’s truly a piece of living history.”



Old Fort Niagara is open year-round, days and times vary. Learn more about tours, special events, reenactments and more to plan your visit here.

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