Kelso. Nice scenery, rocks, Niagara escarpment and the best preserved lime kilns in Ontario

Kelso is a distinctive part of the Niagara Escarpment. There is a trail that runs along the escarpment that offers very nice views of the landscape. This park has an area of 3.97 square kilometres.

This is a very popular area. for pedestrians, the trail is dangerous in places due to reckless and inconsiderate bikers.
In winter there is a well-known ski resort with a very small slope (for children) and in summer there is a lake, a crowded swimming pool.

The Christie-Henderson lime kilns in Kelso are considered the best preserved in Ontario.
In the 19th century, the lime mortar industry was crucial to the growth of new towns. Lime was used in construction, glass making and as a disinfectant.
The Christie family settled in Kelso, Nassagawea Township around 1835. Charles Christie, emigrated from Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland in the early 1830s, with a brief stop in Pictou, Nova Scotia, before settling in Upper Canada. He and his son David were interested in quarrying for lime. The development of mining and trade was aided by the Credit Valley Railway of 1879. The ruins of the kilns that can be seen in the area were built in the 1880s and were in operation until 1929.

Alexander Family Farm
The Kelso Conservation Area is located on the former farm of the Alexander family. A prominent member of the family was Adam Alexander (third), who was the first in the area to use the water of the creek flowing over the Niagara Escarpment to generate electricity for his house and farm machinery.
The Alexander family home, barn and other 19th century structures have been incorporated into the Kelso Conservation Area and are located adjacent to a public parking lot.

Photography Mik Herman for GeonMagazine

Website Kelso Provincial Park >>