Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in on the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link in the comments below, anytime between Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time).
Fort Henry – Kingston, Ontario
Situated at the confluence of the eastern edge of lake Ontario and the beginning of the St. Lawrence river, during the war of 1812 against the Americans, the British military realized that a successful attack on the Royal Naval Dockyards at Kingston would have essentially handed the keys to the continent to the enemy.
High up on a hill overlooking Kingston harbour Fort Henry was built specifically to deter and/or defend against such an attack and ending up being the largest fortification in Canada west of Quebec.
Perhaps because of this, the Americans never did attack attack at Kingston.
Several decades after the war the Rideau Canal was completed. The Canal opened up new shipping options by connecting the St. Lawrence seaway to Ottawa. With this increased strategic importance, the Fort was further expanded. Though again, it was never actually attacked.
The fort was eventually abandoned by the British Military in 1870 and was home to Canadian troops until 1891, after which it was left empty until 1936, falling into a state of disrepair.
It was then restored and turned into a living history museum in 1938, and is still a major tourist attraction in the region today that is administered by Parks Canada and operated by the St. Lawrence Parks Commission.
Wearing authentic period uniforms the fort is staffed with guides and historical military interpreters to help give visitors can get a firsthand look at what life was like in a 19th century British/Canadian fortification.
During the summer month there’s a complete schedule of activities and demonstrations including historical reenactments of drills, marches, parades, and some rather loud artillery displays.
One thing that struck me during our visit was how hard life was for enlisted soldiers back then, and punishment for any form of impropriety or insubordination was harsh.
Since the fort was never attacked and no war prisoners were ever taken, the fort’s jail cells were used exclusively on ‘misbehaving’ British soldiers.
And as you can see, cells in the fort where you could be locked up for anywhere from a few days to a few months depending on your offence, well, they were not made for comfort.
As always, thank you for looking 🙂
Want to join in on the fun and share your own Thursday Doors post with other door lovers? Then simply add the link to your Thursday Doors post in the comments section below.
Don’t forget that if you share your blog posts on social media, use the #ThursdayDoors hashtag to help others find you, and please do take a few minutes to visit some of the Thursday Door posts shared by others.
cool. I would think one day in that cell would be enough for anyone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great doors post, Norm. Loved the history.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A similar history to Fort Ticonderoga in Upper State NY now also a living history museum..
LikeLiked by 2 people
Uuu, a bit gloomy finish today, Norm. 😀
Here are my Slovenian door neighbours: a church and a organic shop.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Manja. What can I say, the jail cell doors were the most interesting ones on this visit 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never thought I’d say that, but I like those prison doors! Very interesting place to visit. Thanks for sharing.
Here is my contribution for this week: https://angelafurtadophotography.com/2019/09/19/thursday-doors-9-19-19/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Angela 🙂
LikeLike
Eek! Prison doors!
They’re so neat, though, hm? The pictures are great. Thanks for taking us.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Joey. Stay tuned; I’ll have some more prison doors in an upcoming post within the next few weeks.
LikeLike
Some very menacing looking doors there, Norm. Whereas these are just tatty: http://theonlyd800inthehameau.com/2019/09/19/thursday-doors-bussiere-poitevine-2/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Looks like a good place to visit while learning some history. You got some nice shots here.
Here is my link for this week.
Pat
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks for the interesting tour, Norm. Those cell doors are pretty imposing.
I’ve gone for educated doors today: https://travelwithintent.com/2019/09/19/well-read-doors-bookshop-camden-market/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Debbie 🙂
LikeLike
Quite a feat to use limestone for this fort. Everything looks still in an excellent condition! How the concept of Misbehaving and Punishment then and now changed. If we could somewhere in the middle, maybe we would have less crime:) Thanks for hosting, Norm.
https://wp.me/p9EWyp-1h0
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well we’re talking about enlisted soldiers so except from an occasional theft among themselves it wasn’t so much crime as acts of insubordination, uniform violations, missing curfew, talking back to an officer…stuff like that.
LikeLike
That’s severe!
LikeLike
What came to my mind when you mentioned the harsh punishments – I remember visited Louisbourg in Nova Scotia and hearing about the harsh punishments including this one: there was a wooden horse-like structure in the yard which was used to strap offenders to, and leave them straddled there for days regardless of the weather! And this for seemingly minor infractions, such as not wearing the complete correct uniform (which they had to buy themselves with their meager pay)!
Interesting post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I remember that weird wooden horse punishment contraption at Louisbourg too.
LikeLike
thanks for the tour and interesting doors. here’s my entry this week:https://lolawi.blog/2019/09/19/holy-door/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Those prison doors are morbidly interesting.
Here’s my 2nd Thursday Door submission from Salt Lake Temple, UT
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a pretty (and) interesting place.
In week’s contribution from me the door is only in the background, unfortunately: https://anotherglobaleater.wordpress.com/2019/09/19/he-is-no-chicken/
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
A great post – forts hold a certain kind of fascination. This one seems to have had a fairly benign existence with strategic significance. The Officer’s door is particularly good.
Some Bristol doors for you to enjoy: https://scooj.wordpress.com/2019/09/19/thursday-doors-19-september/
LikeLiked by 2 people
Benign indeed. From what I read they spent a small fortune for an attack that never came, but then perhaps it’s because it was there that the Americans avoided it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yup, probably right.
LikeLike
Those are some serious doors with some serious hardware! And a door inside a door! Here’s my offering: http://marianallen.com/2019/09/big-door-little-door-thursdaydoors/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks 🙂
LikeLike
Punishment over rehabilitation apparently. Yikes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Conditions for enlisted soldiers were pretty harsh back then and punishment was always the first option to get subordinates to obey their superiors.
LikeLike
… And here we go! From Ljubljana with Love! https://flaviavinci.com/2019/09/18/ljubljana-doors-part-1/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay! Thanks for joining us again this week 🙂
LikeLike
Many thanks to you for hosting me. By the way, many thanks to Manja who reminds me when it is Thursday! 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
https://cathscamera.wordpress.com/2019/09/19/bathing-box-doors/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for joining us this week 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t been to Fort Henry since I was a child! I keep saying we should make a side trip to Kingston when we go to Montreal. I also want to visit the prison.
https://junkboattravels.blogspot.com/2019/09/thursday-doors_19.html
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jackie. I know what you mean about Kingston. For me it has that town I passed on the way between Montreal and Toronto that I really should stop and explore ‘one day’.
Well ‘one day’ finally came this summer, and I’m so glad we did it. It’s a lovely place and now I have to go back for more 😉
LikeLike
good morning everyone, this is my special little door https://dymoonblog.com/2019/09/19/lost-day/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for joining us again this week 🙂
LikeLike
So nice that history is preserved but can’t imagine being locked in a cell with light
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Alice. I know what you mean. And lock-up was often used for rather petty offences, like simple uniform infractions.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another example of something practically on my doorstep and yet I’ve never visited it. These restored pieces of history are fascinating time capsules. I try to imagine what life would have been like and it’s rarely pretty. Certainly a lot more dirt and mud than the stone floors suggest today.
Thanks for the tour, Norm. Someday I’ll have to see it for myself. Like others have said, those cell doors are rather intimidating!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Joanne. If you find those cell doors intimidating stay tuned; I’ll have a tour of the old Kingston Pen coming up in the near future.
LikeLike
oooo – the Pen has been on my list for a long time!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gotta love a Fort! They did a great restoration, and it is fantastic to see they have interpreters and reenactors on site! My Doors this week are to be found a bit further west, but close to the Canadian border…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes the reenactments are lots of fun, thanks 🙂
LikeLike
It was definitely a hard life for the lower ranks back then, Norm. Nice to see this one restored as a museum. We have quite a few abandoned British Army barracks here, one just down the road from our house. Here’s my post for this week, thanks.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Jean 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks for showing us around, Norm. The restoration work certainly was done well. Your pictures tell a n interesting take. I would not have enjoyed staying in one of those cells, but I doubt the regular quarters were much better.
I’m on the river today – https://nofacilities.com/2019/09/19/take-me-out-to-the-ballgame/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Dan. You’re right, the regular quarters held 8 bunks per room. Back then privacy was a luxury that very few got to enjoy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those doors to the cells are creepy. Do not like.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Creepy indeed. Thanks Ally 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh Norm, those windows in those jail cells are so small, it’s suffocating me. Dear me… Here are my doors from Edinburgh https://travel-with-tech.blog/2019/09/19/bronze-unicorn-and-lion-on-the-gate-of-the-queens-gallery/
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yeah it can make one feel claustrophobic just from looking at the pics.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I personally appreciate the restoration and saving of history like this. Period costumes would be the highlite for me.
My link:https://katytrailcreations.com/2019/09/19/kansas-quilt-trail-pt-5-thursdaydoors/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too. The re-enactments were fun but dang those cannons are loud.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I went hunting for basement doors: https://geriatrixfotogallerie.wordpress.com/2019/09/19/basement-doors/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for sharing them 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
my doors of this week: http://www.ostendnomadography.com/2019/09/19/fishermans-houses-of-el-cabanyal/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dull grey doors, typical military colour scheme. But substantial doors they are, especially the prison doors. My post this week relates to a recent visit to Chicago. https://drprunesquallor279704606.wordpress.com/2019/09/19/thursday-doors-at-chicago-costco/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
This project was definitely a “Better Safe Than Sorry Project!” It’s good to look back at the past and see how things have changed for us now or not! Here is my post for today from Tallinn, Estonia……
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks 🙂
LikeLike
Good doors, something different!
Here is my contribution… https://apetcher.wordpress.com/2019/09/19/thursday-doors-portugal/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Here are my Thursday doors, from Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, near Lexington, Kentucky: https://blog.jimgrey.net/2019/09/19/thursday-doors-shaker-village-of-pleasant-hill/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jim 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here is my contribution: https://chava61photography.photo.blog/2019/09/19/thursday-doors-september-19-2019/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person