Fort Henry , Ontario Fort Henry ( also known as Fort Henry National Historic Site ) is located in Kingston , Ontario , Canada on Point Henry , a strategic point located near the mouth of the Cataraqui River where it flows into the St . Lawrence River , at the upper end of the Thousand Islands . The original fort was constructed during the War of 1812 , when present - day Ontario was a British colony known as Upper Canada . The fort was constructed on the high ground of Point Henry to protect the Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard ( the site of the present - day Royal Military College of Canada ) from a possible United States attack . The fort also monitored maritime traffic on the St . Lawrence River and Lake Ontario , as the loss of this vital shipping route would have cut off supplies to Kingston and the rest of Upper Canada . History . The present Fort Henry was constructed between 1832 and 1837 to protect the Lake Ontario end of the Rideau Canal . ( The canal was part of an alternate route between Kingston and Montreal that bypassed the St . Lawrence River , which separates Canada and the United States . ) A system of more elaborate defensive works was planned but cost overruns in the construction of the canal limited the fortifications to four Martello tower s and the fort itself . At the time , these fortifications were the strongest defences in Canada west of Quebec City . Among the historic regiments that garrisoned the fort were the Black Watch , the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the Royal Welch Fusiliers . Neither the original nor the second Fort Henry was ever attacked . With the Rebellions of 1838 , the Royal Navy under command of Captain W . Sandom , RN and Royal Marines were on active service at Point Frederick ; taking part in the battle of the Windmill at Prescott in 1839 . Lieutenant Philip John Bainbrigge ( 1817 - 1881 ) , a Royal Engineer posted to Canada from 1836 to 1842 , painted " Fort Henry , Point Frederick and Tete du Pont Barracks , Kingston , from the old redoubt " ( August 1841 ) showing the Naval Cottages , the Hospital , Stone Frigate , Point Henry and Fort Henry in the distance . The flag flying from atop the Stone Frigate indicates Sandom ' s HQ . After activities wound down in the following years , the Royal Naval Dockyard was closed in 1853 . The British Army withdrew in 1870 shortly after Canadian Confederation . Canadian troops then garrisoned the fort until 1891 . The fort witnessed the founding of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery , one of the first units in the Canadian Army , whose B battery was based at the fort . As relations with the United States continued to improve , the need for defences along the border ceased . During the First World War , the adjacent Barriefield Military Camp ( now CFB Kingston ) was established in 1914 ; Fort Henry served as a facility for holding German , Austrian and Turkish POWs and some civilian internees , among them Ukrainian immigrants described as " enemy aliens " during Canada ' s first national internment operations of 1914 - 1920 . Abandoned by the military , the fort fell into disrepair . In the 1930s , under the leadership of Ronald L . Way , restorations took place as part of a government work program during the Great Depression . " Old Fort Henry " became a living museum with the introduction of the Fort Henry Guard , and was opened on August 1 , 1938 . During the Second World War , the fort served as a prisoner - of - war camp for German Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine personnel . Legacy . On 30 June 1983 Canada Post issued ' Fort Henry , Ont . ' one of the 20 stamps in the “ Forts Across Canada Series ” ( 1983 & 1985 ) . The stamps are perforated 12Â½ x 13 and were printed by Ashton - Potter Limited based on the designs by Rolf P . Harder . Present . Uniformed military interpreters known as the Fort Henry Guard staff the fort , conducting demonstrations of British military life and tours for visitors . There are also self - guided tours . Throughout the day there are various activities including historical reenactments of drills and battle tactics , the Garrison Parade , the Victorian School Room , and the Muster Parade , where young visitors are dressed in period uniforms and taught to march by a qualified member of the Guard . There is also a Sunset Ceremony every Wednesday and Saturday in July and August , where a full program of historic drill , music and artillery is presented . During evenings year - round , " Haunted Walks of Kingston " conducts tours of the Fort that take place in the dark , highlighting the Forts notably haunted past . Fort Henry was featured on the Popular Syfy network program Ghost Hunters , where members of The Atlantic Paranormal Society ( also known as " TAPS " ) investigated for evidence of Fort Henry ' s notable paranormal activity . The episode was filmed in August 2009 and aired in August 2010 . Fort Henry has been designated as a National Historic Site of Canada , and in 2007 was included in the designation of the Rideau Canal as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . One can also view from Cartwright Point ( the location of the Cathcart Tower ) . Affiliations . The Museum is affiliated with : Canadian Museums Association , Canadian Heritage Information Network , and Virtual Museum of Canada .