MATTHEW VAN DONGEN, "NATIONAL RECOGNITION LATE ARRIVING FOR HEROINE," ST. CATHARINES STANDARD  (JANUARY 10, 2003).

Copyright St. Catharines Standard 2003

Laura Secord fell by wayside for federal historic designation

Laura Secord waited 48 years to be recognized for her heroism in the War of 1812, so she probably didn't mind waiting an extra century-and-a-half for a nod from the federal government.

On Wednesday, Heritage Minister Sheila Copps designated Secord a person of national historic significance for her 30-kilometre trek through the wilderness to warn the British of an impending American attack.

Secord has been honoured both locally and provincially in the past and a national poll conducted in March found Secord to be Canada's most recognizable war hero.

"It's kind of funny, the way it worked out," said Chris Vassallo, manager of the Laura Secord Homestead in Queenston. "She's had so many years of national attention, but never a federal designation.

"She didn't receive too much attention in the early part of the 19th century either, so I guess we're just coming full circle."

Michel Audy, executive secretary of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, said there's a simple reason why Secord is only now getting her federal due.

He said the board used to have a policy -- abandoned long ago -- directing the board to skip over places, persons and events that had already been recognized provincially.

More than 1,800 historical designations have been awarded since 1919, but Audy said board members only recently realized Secord had fallen by the wayside.

Audy laughed as he recalled how shocked board members were when they toured Niagara historical sites in 1999 and discovered the omission.

"Everybody had just sort of assumed she had been recognized," he said. "Everyone clued in then, and we decided OK, let's set things straight."

He added debate over the details of what Secord actually did during the war played no part in the delay.

"You can't deny the fact that she trekked over 30 kilometres through wild territory to alert the British troops," he said. "Historians can argue about the details, but she certainly played an important role."

The latest honour for Secord came as welcome news to one of her Niagara descendants.

"Really? I think that's great," said Peter Secord, fifth-great nephew of the war heroine. "There aren't very many national female heroines and she certainly deserves recognition for the role she played."

The 42-year-old past chairman of the St. Catharines Museum said he hopes the designation spurs people to investigate their own history. "As a Secord and a lover of history, I believe people need to know their past," he said.

Vassallo looks forward to the addition of the heritage plaque to the Secord Homestead, scheduled for sometime in 2005.

"Especially considering the narrow gender roles in the 19th century, what Secord did was quite a miracle," he said. "People who visit the homestead know this was truly an event of national significance."