Bicentennial Peace Garden

Bicentennial Peace Garden. The War of 18 12. , Modeled on the International Peace Garden concept that originated in Canada in 1990, a permanent trail of Peace-Gardens has been established along the historic route where events of the War determined the future of Canada, the United States and the fate of many First Nations and Native American people. The garden trail covers over 600 miles in both the USA and Canada. This is a cooperative initiative undertaken by the International Peace Garden Foundation, 1812 Legacy Council and its many devoted volunteers., The Bicentennial Peace Garden Trail is designed to attract international visitors as well as residents of this historic region to experience and enjoy the natural beauty that these gardens provide while commemorating the peace that has existed between Canada and the United States over the past 200 years., Brown's Berry Patch, Bathshua and Elijah Brown were married in 1774, and rented a farm on Fishers Island off the shore of Connecticut. They lost all their livestock, possessions and buildings to a certain British captain in 1776 during the Revolutionary War. The Browns moved to another home in Connecticut and then moved on to Sodus, New York. In 1804, after purchasing a farm from the Holland Land Company, they settled on the Oak Orchard River near Lake Ontario., During the War of 18 12, the British had several armed vessels on Lake Ontario to hinder lake commerce along the south shore. During one of their raids, a British captain foolishly found himself captured and subsequently brought up to Bathshua Brown, the matriarch of the area. To her surprise, he was the same captain who had plundered her family on Fishers Island in 1776. Bathshua gave him three choices: be turned over to the American forces at Ridge Road, let her sons have at him, or return to his ship and never come back to this area again. He chose to leave and was not seen again. The Peace Garden at this location is a tribute to the Browns' pioneer tenacity and diplomacy that helped make this country great., Eight generations later, the farm has grown from a subsistence farm to a much larger modern fruit farm and summer attraction. Brown's Berry Patch celebrated their 200th Anniversary in 2004 by receiving the New York State Bicentennial Farm Award and the I Love New York Governor's Agritourism Award., Brown's Berry Patch is proud to have had such industrious pioneer relatives that held off the British and settled this area of Lake Ontario. It is because of those relatives that today we can create Fruit, Fun and Memories for all visitors!, About the War of 18 12, ● The United States declared war on Great Britain June 18, 1812. This was the first time in history that the United States declared war on another nation., ● The War of 18 12 was an armed conflict between the United States and Great Britain from 1812-1814. Contrary to popular belief, it was not a conflict between the U.S. and Canada., ● The causes of the war were trade tensions, impressments, British support for Indian raids and U.S. territory expansion., ● In August of 1814 the British captured and burned Washington, DC., ● The Star Spangled Banner was written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Ft. McHenry by British naval ships. It became the United States' national anthem in 1931., ● Following five months of negotiations, the war was ended by the signing of the Treaty of Ghent in late 1814., ● Word of the signed treaty did not reach the U.S. until weeks later. The Battle of New Orleans, one of the war's bloodiest battles, actually took place after the treaty was signed., ● This war ultimately led to independence for both the U.S. and Canada.