05/23/2026
Have you ever wondered about the plaque (see photo) at Erie Road & Ridgeway Road in Crystal Beach, and the story behind it?. No?.... Well, here it is anyway.
It is neither a provincial nor a federal heritage plaque, like the Battle of Ridgeway plaque as seen in the other photo.
An actual historical heritage plaque would have a coat of arms at the top, and Ontario Heritage Trust on the bottom.
The Crystal Beach Park plaque has an image of the Canadiana steamer at the top and the Crystal Beach Amusement Park clown-face corporate logo at the bottom.
The Crystal Beach plaque is an imitation or "faux" heritage plaque that was locally designed, paid for, and installed by a private group of well-intentioned citizens about 30-some years ago (some no longer with us). It is not a Town of Fort Erie sign, nor is it a Tennis and Yacht Club sign, nor a Regional sign. That's how we roll in the Beach........we made our own stinkin' heritage plaque...!!!!
The Fort Erie Historical Museum recently advised me that the sign is designated for replacement. The reason is that it contains historical errors and spelling mistakes (that I have been telling the Town about for some time now) They have asked for my input, and I have agreed to provide historical input for the replacement sign that will go there. It will probably be some time yet, as you can imagine the red tape involved with all the different parties.
Since 2023, I have started every one of my Crystal Beach Historical Tours right there in front of that plaque, explaining its oddities to locals, tourists, foreign visitors, social groups, old-time nostalgia seekers, and even school groups.
No question, it's a beautiful plaque, but it should be corrected to reflect the proper historical facts about Crystal Beach, and to have the spelling fixed. It just makes us look.........well, you know.
Small details, but when you're in the history business (tours, books, public speaking), keeping it real kind of becomes an obsession....has aynone noticed?
Some bullets points, without writing 10,000 words:
1). There was never a religious campground on the 37 acres behind the plaque, despite what thousands of people still believe.
2). John E. Rebstock had absolutely zero success with either his "religious campground" or the amusement park (he was out by 1910). His primary business successes in Crystal Beach were in real estate, a grocery store, a fruit orchard, and later on, insurance.
3). Both within the text and the bottom of the plaque contain the frequently misused dates of CBAP's operation as 101 years, and as having opened in 1888. The park opened in June of 1890, and closed in September of 1989. That is 100 years. Those are the facts.
4). It's should be "its".
***The best source I can recommend for an academic chapter on the true origins story of Crystal Beach, and how the religious campground myth became conflated to create the "romantic" history that most people believe to this day, is William S. Kae. His book Crystal Beach Park, A Century of Screams, contains, in my opinion, the real history of the beginnings. He version is also published in our town's history book Many Voices 2...
You can also try my book, Crystal Beach: Out of the Park........
God Bless Cathy Herbert, Paul Kassay, and Janet Truckenbrodt for all they did and their positive efforts towards Crystal Beach.
