Niagara Geopark has unveiled its first Indigenous Trail Sign at The Brown Homestead, marking the launch of an initiative that highlights the Indigenous trail systems that have shaped movement across the Niagara region for thousands of years.

Long before today’s roads and highways, Indigenous peoples established an extensive network of trails connecting communities, hunting grounds, waterways, gathering places, and trade routes across what is now southern Ontario. According to Six Nations oral tradition, these pathways were travelled by hunters, traders, diplomats, and families, forming an important transportation and cultural network.

Relationships with the land

The new Indigenous Trail Sign initiative aims to help residents and visitors recognize these routes and better understand their cultural and historical significance. The first sign, installed at The Brown Homestead in St. Catharines, Ont., marks the beginning of a broader interpretation program that will share the stories of Indigenous movement, knowledge, diplomacy, and relationships with the land.

Niagara Geopark is working with the Niagara Academy for Indigenous Relations (NAIR), which serves as its primary Indigenous knowledge advisory partner. Through this partnership, Indigenous knowledge and perspectives help guide the interpretation of trail stories and the development of educational materials, digital resources, visitor experiences, and community engagement. Plenty Canada and FedDev Canada partnered on this project.

The unveiling brought together representatives from Niagara Geopark, NAIR, The Brown Homestead, the City of St. Catharines, and community partners to recognize the installation of the first sign.

The Indigenous Trail Sign initiative also forms part of the Niagara Geopark Trail Network. This growing digital platform will connect trails, geosites, cultural landmarks, and communities across the region while providing additional historical and cultural context for residents and visitors exploring Niagara.