Amherstburg (2011 population 21,556; UA population 13,330) is a town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario, Canada. In 1796 Fort Malden was established here, becoming the heart of the settlement. It has been designated as a National Historic Site. The city is approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan, facing Wyandotte, Grosse Ile Township, Brownstown Charter Township, and Gibraltar, Michigan. It is part of the Windsor census metropolitan area. Across the Detroit River from what developed as the state of Michigan in the United States, the town was permanently established in 1796 as a British military fort. Fort Malden was occupied as a garrison. The town was developed by Loyalists who were granted land by the Crown in Ontario after the British lost the American Revolutionary War. They built many of their houses in the French style of a century before, giving the new town a historic character. During the days of the Underground Railroad before the American Civil War, fugitive African-American slaves often crossed the river to escape to freedom in Canada, after slavery was abolished there. They used Fort Malden as an entry point. By 1869, the town of Amherstburg in the Township of Malden County Essex had a population of 2,500. Fort Malden was adapted for use as a Lunatic Asylum. Its main building was later used as a Port of Entry Money Order office and Post Office savings bank. Amherstburg was incorporated as a town in 1878. Amherstburg is home to several tourist attractions, including Fort Malden and the North American Black Historical Museum. An Ontario Historical Plaque was erected in Amherstburg by the province to commemorate Bellevue House's role in Ontario's heritage. Bellevue House (c. 1816-19) was the home of Catherine Reynolds, a landscape painter and her brother Robert Reynolds. Additional tourist activities include the Park House Museum and the charming King's Navy Yard Park, both of which are located in the heart of old Amherstburg. The Gibson Gallery is located in a former Michigan Central Railroad Station (c. 1896), which has been fully restored to its original beauty. The gallery operates year-round, featuring exhibits by local artists, the permanent collection of the Art Gallery of Windsor, traveling exhibits from Ontario museums and galleries, and student art/photography exhibits. A restored Essex Terminal railway caboose is operated as a railway museum. The restored Gordon House is another historic attraction of Amherstburg. Built as a residence in 1798 overlooking the Detroit River, it now houses a Marine exhibit. The Holiday Beach Conservation Area is one of the best fall birding sites in North America. The 546-acre (2.21 km2) nature reserve contains over 2,000 feet (610 m) of beaches, picnic areas, a 2-kilometre (6,600 ft) trail along the edge of Big Creek Marsh. Holiday Beach is considered a premiere spot to view the fall migration of raptors (birds of prey). A 'Festival of Hawks' event takes place in September. Amherstburg is a city of trade for regional agriculture. It has also become known for several wineries in the area. Amherstburg has a high proportion of retirement residences and second homes. Members of the Amherstburg industrial community include Diageo, a local whiskey distillery that produces the legendary Crown Royal Canadian whiskey, Windsor Mold's Precision Plastics, one of Ontario's largest full-service suppliers of industrial plastics and thermoplastic, and Honeywell Performance Materials and Technology. Marathon Oil has a coke storage site near the river. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amherstburg en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_...