Niagara Geopark and The Brown Homestead Formalize Partnership and Geosite Designation
CATHARINES, ON — August 12, 2026 — Niagara Geopark and The Brown Homestead have formalized a new partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding that strengthens their shared commitment to public education, place-based learning and the responsible interpretation of Niagara’s geological, Indigenous and colonial histories.
Through the agreement, The Brown Homestead has been officially designated as a geosite within the Niagara Geopark network. The designation recognizes the historic site’s location along important historical routes, including the Mohawk Trail, its proximity to the geomorphologically significant Short Hills, and its value as an educational and cultural landmark.
The partnership also creates new opportunities to help residents and visitors understand The Brown Homestead within the broader landscape of the Greenbelt. By connecting the Homestead’s history with the surrounding land, the partnership will help tell a fuller story of how geology, natural systems, cultural heritage and community have shaped this part of Niagara.
“This partnership reflects what Niagara Geopark is all about—helping people understand how the land, history and communities of Niagara are connected,” said Perry Hartwick, Board Chair, Niagara Geopark. “The Brown Homestead provides an important place for exploring those connections honestly and thoughtfully, while helping people see how local stories are connected to the larger Greenbelt landscape.”
The partnership will support collaborative educational initiatives, community engagement and place-based storytelling. It also establishes a framework for Geopark signage and interpretive panels at The Brown Homestead, with content, design and placement developed with the Homestead’s approval.
As a colonial-era historic site, The Brown Homestead is committed to presenting a fuller and more honest account of local history by including diverse perspectives and examining the complex relationships and shared histories of Indigenous and settler communities.
“The stories connected to this land extend far beyond a single building or period in time,” said Andrew Humeniuk, Executive Director of The Brown Homestead. “Working with Niagara Geopark will help us connect the Homestead’s history to the broader cultural and natural landscape, while continuing to approach that work with care, honesty and respect.”
The organizations will also cross-promote programs and opportunities that help people connect with the region’s landscapes, history and communities.
The partnership supports Niagara Geopark’s broader mission to help people experience Niagara beyond the surface and understand the relationships among geology, culture, Indigenous knowledge, environmental stewardship and sustainable communities. Through its guiding principles—Engage, Educate and Explore—the Geopark encourages people not only to visit Niagara, but to become part of its continuing story and future.
About Niagara Geopark
Niagara Geopark is an educational not-for-profit organization working to connect people with the Niagara Peninsula’s globally significant geology, Indigenous histories, cultural heritage and natural landscapes. Through education, interpretation, partnerships and sustainable tourism, the Geopark invites residents and visitors to Engage, Educate and Explore.
About The Brown Homestead
The Brown Homestead is a historic site in St. Catharines dedicated to preservation, education and community engagement. Its work explores the many layers of Niagara’s history and strengthens connections between people, place and the region’s cultural landscape.
Media Contacts
Niagara Geopark
Perry Hartwick, PGeo
Chair, Niagara Geopark
perry@niagarageopark.com
The Brown Homestead
Andrew Humeniuk
Executive Director
ahumeniuk@thebrownhomestead.ca
(905) 328-1646
