The History of Navy Island

This is an uninhabited Canadian-owned island is 127-hectares (315 acres) and located in the Niagara River 5 kilometres (3 miles) above the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. The Canadian government has designated it a Wildlife and Crown Preserve. It received its name during the 1760’s when a British shipyard was located here. A number of ships were built here for the Royal Navy to be used in the upper Great Lakes.

In the mid 1940’s Navy Island was suggested as the location for a new organization to be called the United Nations.

Following the end of the Second World War, a historic conference was held in San Francisco in the spring of 1945 where delegates from 50 nations worked out a charter for the newly named United Nations. It was hoped that this new United Nations would banish the scourge and terror of war. The Navy Island location was rejected by the delegates who endorsed New York City for the location where it is still located.

Today, the island is overseen by Parks Canada and is closed to the public.