Our History
History of Niagara's Twenty Valley
In 1999 a group of interested businesses and government organizations formed a partnership to promote and support tourism, rural development and the overall enhancement and preservation of the valley surrounding the Twenty Mile Creek. This geographical area was roughly outlined by Vineland Station and Vineland to Ball’s Falls and back to Jordan Harbour and Prudhommes Landing, including Jordan Village and Charles Daley Park.
The partnership included the following: Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, Town of Lincoln, Jordan Village Merchants Association, Niagara Economic Tourism Corporation, Regional Municipality of Niagara, Cave Spring Cellars, and Inn on the Twenty. This group formed the Steering Committee for the Twenty Valley/Jordan Harbour Tourism Development Project.
In December 2001, the Twenty Valley Tourism Association was incorporated. The mission of the Association is to promote and support tourism, rural development and the overall enhancement and preservation of the valley surrounding Twenty Mile Creek. Initial membership was 16 local businesses and government agencies. A Rural Economic Development Fund grant was received in 2003 that allowed the Association to move forward with its objectives. An Executive Director was hired to facilitate this process. Today the Association has 110 active members.
History of the Town of Lincoln
On January 1, 1970, the Town of Lincoln, which includes Beamsville, Campden, Jordan, Rockway, Tintern, and Vineland was formed. Originally named ‘Lincoln County’ by Colonel John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, the name change in 1970 signified a union of the neighbouring communities and through a unanimous vote, this town became what is now known as the Town of Lincoln.
Step back in time to the 1800s, and visit the Fry house, built in 1815. This log home is one of the earliest known German Pennsylvania Mennonite homes in Ontario – this type of architecture reflects the strong cultural ties of the early settlers. Furnishings and rare artifacts from the Fry family can be observed while touring the home. After visiting the Fry homestead, it’s time to head to school. Visit the nearby schoolhouse built in 1859. Learn what school life was like in the late 1800s, complete with desks, slates, ink, and pens from the era, as well as separate entrances for girls and boys.
Twenty Mile Creek
The area around the Twenty Mile Creek has a long history. Around 1780, settlements were beginning to develop around the creek and farmers depended on the creek to power mills. The Ball family owned and operated the mill at the top the escarpment which is now a local attraction, Ball's Falls. The creek runs into the Jordan Harbour, "Most highway drivers only know the wide outlet to Twenty Mile Creek as a sparkly flash of blue along the fast-moving Queen Elizabeth Way. Between Lake Ontario and Ball's Falls Conservation Area, motorists can only sneak two more good peaks at the unique waterway, at bridge crossings for 21st St. and Regional Road 81". Take a walk along the Twenty Valley Trail to experience its beauty first hand.