From the publisher
Kingston is unique among cities of Canada because it has not been allowed to build on its past, although many would have, if they had the chance. Explosive urban growth and industrialization did not occur, and, as a result, did not lead to the physical destruction of the nineteenth- century heritage buildings that make the town so livable today. Kingston has not lost its scale, ambiance, and visual appeal because it has not become a metropolis. This book is local history at its best, fully engaged in the drama of the past, based on impeccable scholarship, but never shy to advance an opinion that challenges accepted views. Written by a provocative historian and a keen-eyed geographer, this new edition digs deeper into Kingston's ethnic and socioeconomic communities, providing heritage preservationists with fresh arguments that coincide with current new urbanist and creative community concepts. Canada's "Limestone City" has witnessed a tumultuous yet illustrious 350-year history: the French occupation of Cataraqui by Frontenac and LaSalle, the arrival of the United Empire Loyalists, the construction of British shipyards, the fortification of Fort Henry, the founding of Kingston Penitentiary and Queen's University, and the choice of the city as capital of the Province of Canada, all happened before Confederation. Nor has the town been without lively characters, including Mohawk matriarch Molly Brant, our first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, and the Dollar Bill, the pirate of the 1000 Islands. By a twist of fate, this heritage has been preserved, symbolized in the limestone structures that grace the city. The challenge today is to preserve this heritage for future generations. Fully revised and up-dated, with thirty new photographs, a new edition of this best-selling book has been long awaited. "If we are to build upon the past with any
