Ruthven Park National Historic Site (LGRLT Inc)

Ruthven Park is owned by The Lower Grand River Land Trust Inc., a non-government, not for profit charitable organization. The Park is a 1500 acre site situated along the banks of the Canadian Heritage Grand River between the towns of Cayuga and Caledonia in Haldimand County, southwestern Ontario. It was the home of the Thompson family who was associated with the site for five generations from the 1840’s to 1993. Originally a country estate and farm, the grounds today are made up of cultural and natural landscapes comprising Carolinian forests, provincially significant slough forests and wetlands, farm fields and a complex of significant nineteenth-century buildings. The Greek Revival 1845 stone mansion is the centrepiece of the property. Today the site is open to the public for tours, trail walks, bird banding and other special events, activities and curriculum-based education programs. Behind-the-scenes ecological programs are carried out to enhance and conserve the habitat for species at risk and other flora and fauna. The goal is to conserve the site for future generations. An easement agreement is held by the land Trust with the Ontario Heritage Trust. The site was named a national historic site in 1995.