On June 2, 1866, approximately 1,000 Irish-American militants crossed the Niagara River near Buffalo. The invading army met a Canadian force at the small town of Ridgeway – just west of Fort Erie. The battle lasted about two hours and both sides withdrew as casualties mounted. A display with several artifacts from this historical event can be seen on the main floor of the library. More artifacts can be seen in Brock's Special Collections and Archives department on the 10th floor of the library.