61-590: Sauble Beach (pop. 2000) is a beach community and unincorporated area in the town of South Bruce Peninsula , Bruce County , in the northern area of southwestern Ontario , Canada . It is on the Bruce Peninsula , along the eastern shore of Lake Huron , on the north edge of the Saugeen First Nation . The beach takes its name from that given by early French explorers to the sandy Sauble River , originally "La Rivière Au Sable" (sand river) also indicating that
122-630: A Sauble Beach Guitar Festival and an 8 km Walk/Run. The Festival of the Classical Guitar has been held since 2007. The Canadian National (Beach) Volleyball Championships have been held there, and the local Sauble Speedway (with a Hepworth, Ontario address) was on the CASCAR professional racing circuit. The Speedway was purchased by new owners in 2017 and they obtained NASCAR sanctioning in 2018. A 2023 publication stated that Sauble Beach receives approximately 400,000 tourists annually. Sauble Beach
183-537: A cottage nearby in 1877. Other settlers followed and the village continued to grow with a boarding house and then a store. In the 1900s a large sawmill below the falls on the Sauble River employed 40 people. Initially, development was to the south and later to the east of the river. By the early decades of the 1900s, Sauble Beach was attracting visitors because of its gorgeous beaches; this grew as an increasing number of families acquired automobiles. In 2020 as chronicled in
244-491: A few blocks north of the town centre and east of Hwy 21. There are other access points in both towns, some with parking. The trail is not groomed for cross-country skiing during the winter but is used frequently for that purpose. The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail also runs through Southampton, following a more coastal route and a mix of on-road and off-road rights of way . South of Port Elgin, it connects to MacGregor Point Provincial Park . The Town of Saugeen Shores' hospital
305-646: A fishing company. While it proved unsuccessful, Spence became a sailor and Kennedy joined a search for the Arctic explorer, Sir John Franklin . Nevertheless, in 1851 there were at least a dozen families living in the community. In the same year, the Post Office was established, the first and only in Bruce County for several years. Three years later, a Bank of Upper Canada was built. In 1846, Smith's Canadian Gazetteer describes Saugeen (Southampton) as little more than
366-580: A fragmented network of mostly six-day-a-week Railiner services in the area, with six round trips per week between Palmerston and Southampton, requiring a transfer at Palmerston to travel further. Regular passenger service on the line disappeared by 1970. Around this time, the Douglas Point Spur was constructed, branching off the main Southampton Subdivision line at Port Elgin. It was primarily used for transporting fuel oil from Sarnia to
427-509: A lawsuit against the Town, to be heard in court no earlier than 2018. Sauble Beach is the permanent year-round home to approximately 2,000 people. The cottage owners add thousands of seasonal community members. Cottage owners are uniquely split between those who own property outright and those with cottages on Native lands. (Years earlier, the Saugeen First Nation had successfully reclaimed
488-479: A pioneer settlement: A Settlement of Chippewa Indians, near the month of the Saugeen River, on Lake Huron. ... Sir F. Head , in 1836, obtained a surrender of that vast tract of land ... containing about 1,600,000 acres. ... There are some good log houses, and several comfortable bark shanties. On the hill, in rear of the flats, are several fine fields of corn and potatoes. ... The fishing
549-513: A point between 1st St. South and 6th St. North. This claim has been in litigation since 1990 when the federal government started an action on behalf of the Saugeen First Nation, stating that the area is part of the Saugeen 29 Reserve. The band also filed its own claim in 1995. On 4 April 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that the waterfront area between 1st and 6th is part of
610-533: A population of 9,137 living in 4,148 of its 7,093 total private dwellings, a change of 8.6% from its 2016 population of 8,416 . With a land area of 530.61 km (204.87 sq mi), it had a population density of 17.2/km (44.6/sq mi) in 2021. Population trend prior to amalgamation: Mother tongue (2021): The main tourist attractions for the area are Sauble Beach, Wiarton Willie ( Groundhog Day ), and fishing locations on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. The region has many annual festivals such as
671-863: A reliable source, History of the County of Bruce, Ontario, Canada, by Norman Robertson, published in 1906. Tourism is the majority source of revenue for the economy; however, the Bruce Nuclear plant in nearby Tiverton, Ontario , is a major employer. In 2016, the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station started a $ 13 billion refurbishment program which will provide employment for many residents and maintain demand for other services. According to Bruce Power , this multi-year plan "will generate between 1,500 and 2,500 jobs on site annually – and 18,000 across Ontario directly and indirectly – while injecting up to $ 4 billion annually into Ontario’s economy". This area of
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#1732851376779732-583: Is Peninsula Shores District School in Wiarton, Ontario . There are no Roman Catholic schools in town; the closest schools with the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board are in Port Elgin, Ontario , and Owen Sound, Ontario . The closest post-secondary institution is Georgian College 's Owen Sound, Ontario , campus. Sauble Beach is represented by two councillors for Wards 1 and 3 on
793-593: Is a federal Migratory Bird Sanctuary and access is prohibited except with the single licensed tour operator. From late-May to mid-September, tours of the lightstation facilities are available several times a week. They leave on the Marine Heritage Society's boat from the ticket office by the fishing boat docks at the harbour. Three other local lighthouses have been designated under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act : McNab Point and both
854-424: Is a town at the base of the Bruce Peninsula of Ontario , Canada , in Bruce County between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay . It was formed on January 1, 1999, when the town of Wiarton, the village of Hepworth, and the townships of Albemarle and Amabel were amalgamated. The new municipality was created to provide necessary political representation, administrative support, and necessary municipal services on behalf of
915-513: Is believed to have been transported there by glacial action. In the early 2000s, a historically significant shipwreck was discovered on the beach. Relics of the ship, "General Hunter", can be found in the Bruce County Museum. The history of Southampton is intertwined with the history of the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway (WG&B). The original 1856 charter for what was then known as
976-478: Is the permanent year-round home to approximately 2,000 people. The cottage owners add thousands of seasonal community members, some who stay through the spring to fall time period and others who retreat to Sauble on weekends. In summer, the visitor count increases to over 30,000 on hot weekends and up to 60,000 on a long weekend. Cottage owners are split between those who own a property outright and those with cottages on Native lands. A lease relationship exists between
1037-408: Is very productive, and has attracted the notice of the white people ... The pioneers of Southampton wanted the village to become the county town or county seat , as the village held the only Crown Land Department and Post Office in the county. However, the town of Kincardine had a larger population and seemed the strongest rival. Furthermore, Southampton did not have enough population to meet
1098-414: The Bruce Nuclear Generating Station at Douglas Point. CN abandoned the former WG&B mainline in stages throughout the 1980s, beginning with the oldest section running from Fergus to Palmerston; the Southampton Subdivision from Harriston Junction to Southampton was abandoned in 1988, including the Douglas Point Spur. Although specific dates vary depending on the source, the following are excerpted from
1159-565: The Canadian National Railways (CNR) system in the early 1920s. The CNR managed the former Wellington, Grey and Bruce mainline using its division and subdivision system, with the section from Harriston Junction to Southampton being known as the Southampton Subdivision . The CN Stratford -to-Southampton passenger service was converted to Budd Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs) in 1958. The CN passenger timetable for 1960–61 shows
1220-532: The Great Western Railway , as well as a change of southern terminus to Guelph , to connect to the Great Western's Galt and Guelph Railway . Construction began at Fergus in 1867, and it was formally leased by the Great Western in 1869. The line slowly marched northwest through the late 1860s and early 1870s, reaching Palmerston around 1871. The final stretch of the line, from Harriston to Southampton,
1281-591: The Lake Huron shore is known for its long sand beaches (the Main Beach is approximately 4 km long) as well as the sunsets since the beach area faces to the west. Every Friday night in from mid June to early September, a bagpiper plays under the "Big Flag" at the foot of High Street on Friday evenings, a tradition which started in the late 1990s. Canada Day is a highly celebrated occasion, where hundreds of cottagers and locals alike gather on Southampton Beach to watch
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#17328513767791342-412: The Saugeen 29 Reserve. The band also filed its own claim in 1995. In 2019, the Saugeen First Nation banned the driving and parking of vehicles on their South Sauble beach; the town had done so previously on their public beach. Southampton, Ontario Southampton is a community on the shores of Lake Huron in Bruce County , Ontario , Canada . It is close to Port Elgin and is located at
1403-614: The Canada North-West Railway called for a line "... from Southampton on Lake Huron to Toronto on Lake Ontario with branch to Owen Sound[.]" The railway was intended to both serve the local area and to provide a through route to the west via the Great Lakes steamer trade. It remained a paper railway for several years, and in 1864 was rechartered as the Wellington, Grey and Bruce, with a key provision allowing it to be taken over by
1464-721: The Clerk's Division, By-Law Enforcement and Animal Control, and the Building Division. The Parks & Recreation Department services parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, ball diamonds, arena, aquatic programs and various programs. The town has Fire stations but policing is provided by the Ontario Provincial Police from the Wiarton Detachment. There is one hospital in the town: Wiarton Hospital with emergency and ambulance services, with 22 beds. Nearby, though outside
1525-540: The First Nation for use of the land. The current (mid-2019) lease contract between the cottagers and two Saugeen First Nation Reserves, Chief's Point 28 and Saugeen 29 , is in effect until 30 April 2021. Highway 21 passes through Southampton, following its lakeshore route to the south and veering over land to the north on its way to Owen Sound. Bruce County Road 3 intersects with it just south of Southampton, near Port Elgin. Bruce County Road 13 continues following
1586-658: The Front and Rear Range lights at the River Front. There are numerous cottage owners in and around Southampton. Cottage owners are uniquely split between those who own their land outright and those with cottages located on Native lands. A lease relationship exists between the Saugeen First Nation ("Chippewas of Saugeen") and cottagers who have built seasonal homes on Native land in the lakeside area between urban Southampton and Sauble Beach ; there are approximately 1,200 such cottages. Each cottager on such land pays an annual lease fee to
1647-451: The Hudson's Bay Company employed First Nations, Métis, French, and British fur traders who largely depended on Anishnabe hunters to supply deer, bear and marten skins. By 1832, the supply of premium furs was exhausted and the company closed its post. Although many Anishnabe gave up hunting and settled in an agricultural village, fur trading continued here until the mid-19th century when Southampton
1708-451: The Marine Heritage Society. Otherwise, access to the island is prohibited because it is a federal bird sanctuary.) Records from 1869 indicate that the population had increased to 600. Large amounts of wheat, pork and lumber were being shipped from the village. A bank agency was operating. Good roads were available to other communities. A steam ship made runs to Goderich and Collingwood in summer; stagecoaches operated in winter. Southampton
1769-663: The Netflix series Motel Makeover, The June Motel opened at the former Knights Inn. At over eleven kilometres (7 mi) long, Sauble Beach is said to be the second longest freshwater beach in Canada after Wasaga Beach . A phenomenon of sandbar deposits building out along the Lake Huron shoreline keeps the water at Sauble very shallow and warm. This is one of the very few beaches in Ontario where cars were, until recently, allowed to drive and park on
1830-566: The Saugeen First Nation successfully reclaimed the land that "runs south from the Sauble Beach sign toward Southampton, 18 kilometres away". The beach area to the south of Main St. in the community is referred to by the band as Sauble Park or South Sauble Beach Park. In addition to the south Sauble Beach area, the Saugeen First Nation claims the rights to another stretch of the public beach, approximately 2 km long, west of Lakeshore Boulevard extending to
1891-541: The Saugeen First Nation, who also refer to themselves as the "Chippewas of Saugeen", and those who had built seasonal homes on the Native land in the lakeside area between urban Southampton, Ontario and Sauble Beach. There are approximately 1,200 such cottages. Each cottager on Native land pays an annual fee to the First Nation. A lease contract between the cottagers and two Saugeen First Nation Reserves, Chief's Point 28 and Saugeen 29 , expired on 30 April 2021. Some years ago,
Sauble Beach, Ontario - Misplaced Pages Continue
1952-463: The Saugeen River. (Only the latter building remains at 484 Carlisle Street; the current dam was built in the 1970s.) The Chantry Island Lightstation Tower was completed in April 1859, first lit on April 1, with Duncan McGregor Lambert as the first keeper. (The tower and the keeper's home have been extensively renovated and are open for tours, several days a week late May to mid-September, operated only by
2013-579: The Saugeen reserve, owned by the Saugeen First Nation. The court also ruled that the Government of Canada had abrogated the 1854 Treaty by allowing the beach waterfront to be taken away from the Saugeen. The Town of South Bruce Peninsula council subsequently voted unanimously to appeal the court decision. Later in April 2023, the appeal was filed by the Town and some landowners, requesting that the Court of Appeal set aside
2074-496: The Shoreline Beacon community newspaper. The museum has been enlarged over the years and was recently renovated. In addition to a settlers cabin, the facility houses numerous historic artifacts from the area, genealogical records, county newspapers, photographs, and municipal documents. The Chantry Island Lightstation Tower was built in 1859; the tower, keeper's cottage, boat house and dock have been fully restored. The island
2135-554: The Town Council for South Bruce Peninsula in Wiarton, Ontario . There has been friction between the Town of South Bruce and the Saugeen First Nation because of continuing land claims in the Sauble Beach area. A settlement was mediated in 2014 but was subsequently rejected by South Bruce, leading to a lawsuit against the Town, to be heard in court no earlier than 2018. There has also been conflict regarding environmental protection of sensitive dunes and protected species that are located on
2196-809: The Wiarton Willie Festival, held each February; the William Wilfred Campbell Poetry & Arts Festival in June; the Wiarton Rotary Village Fair, held on Civic Holiday weekend each August; the Oliphant Regatta, held each summer; Sauble Sandfest, held each August; and the Wiarton Fall Fair, held each September. The Bruce Trail , the oldest and longest marked hiking trail in Canada, with over 440 km of side trails, runs up
2257-568: The area, Southampton was an important trading area, according to a historic plaque erected in town by the Government of Ontario, titled Fur Trading at Saugeen: The Anishnabe lived by the mouth of the Saugeen River before Pierre Piché arrived in 1818 to begin fur trading in the region. By 1826, the Hudson's Bay Company established an outpost at Saguingue to compete with independent fur traders like Piché. From La Cloche , its main post on Lake Huron,
2318-546: The beach. Local residents and members of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation protested plans to alter the dunes in December 2020. One resident asked for a judicial review of the work. Provincially and federally, the area is part of the riding of Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound . There is no public transit in Sauble Beach and residents are car-dependent. A few roads serve the area: South Bruce Peninsula South Bruce Peninsula
2379-419: The cottagers and the Saugeen First Nation remains in effect until April 30, 2021. Some years ago, the Saugeen First Nation successfully reclaimed the land that "runs south from the Sauble Beach sign toward Southampton, 18 kilometres away", according to one news report. The beach area to the south of Main St. in the community is referred to by the band as Sauble Park or South Sauble Beach Park. In addition to
2440-500: The eastern side of the Bruce Peninsula. Isaac Lake Management area is north of Wiarton, Ontario . An elected mayor, deputy major and three councilors provide the municipal government, guided by provincial legislation. A number of Committees and local Boards assist Council. "Council establishes policies and budgets for programs and services delivered by the Town of South Bruce Peninsula." The Legislative Services Department includes
2501-654: The fire station. The town is home to the June Motel, a boutique motel featured in the 2021 Netflix series Motel Makeover . There is only one school in town under the Bluewater District School Board . Amabel-Sauble Community School was built in 1995 as an experiment in joint ownership between the board and the Township of Amabel (now part of South Bruce Peninsula); the school provides primary curriculum from Jr. Kindergarten to Grade 8. The closest secondary school
Sauble Beach, Ontario - Misplaced Pages Continue
2562-405: The fireworks lit off the base of the "Big Flag". During the months of July and August there are "Ghost Walks" available every Tuesday night with Katherine Leonard and Raymond Harrison. These commence at sunset at the foot of High St at the "Big Flag". During the summer and early autumn, the beaches are full of people who have come to see the colourful sunsets lighting up the sky over the lake. Near
2623-410: The judgment declaring the relevant section of Sauble Beach as First Nation reserve land. Local businesses offer retail and services for hardware, appliance and grocery shopping, restaurants and hotels, fire and police services, daycare and a medical clinic. Fire Station 40 is located at 21 Sauble Falls Parkway. The town is policed by the Ontario Provincial Police whose office is in the same building as
2684-468: The lakeshore north from Southampton. The Saugeen Rail Trail is a 25-kilometre (16 mi) long rail trail connecting Southampton and Port Elgin. It also connects to the larger Bruce County Rail Trail, It follows the route of the former Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway line (later the CN Southampton Subdivision) which was abandoned in 1988. After the railways ceased to service the area,
2745-443: The land that "runs south from the Sauble Beach sign toward Southampton, 18 kilometres away", according to one news report.) A lease relationship exists between the Saugeen First Nation, the "Chippewas of Saugeen", and cottagers who built seasonal homes on leased land in the a lakeside area between urban Southampton, Ontario and Sauble Beach. They pay an annual fee to the Saugeen First Nation. The current land lease agreement between
2806-559: The mouth of the Saugeen River in the Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory . The size of the town is 6.44 square kilometres. The permanent population in 2016 was 3,678, but the summer population is higher since cottagers and campers spend vacation time in the area. Although the community still has its own post office, and road signs indicating the name Southampton, it is no longer an entity in its own right. In 1998, Port Elgin , Southampton and Township of Saugeen , all along
2867-576: The nearby Saugeen River, at Denny's Dam and in Lake Huron. The Chantry Chinook Classic Salmon Derby is held each summer, usually from about mid-July to the second week of August. The contest's weigh stations are located in Saugeen Shores and in two other Lake Huron communities, Kincardine, Ontario , and Wiarton, Ontario . The Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre provides displays about local history and in summer especially, offers adult and children's programming and special events. These are listed in
2928-431: The often-treacherous waters around the tip of the peninsula. The last portage on the route was around a waterfall near the Lake Huron coast. The French explorers named the river, “La Riviere au Sable”, which translates to “the river to the sand”. This name continued until 1881 when a mapmaker, perhaps inadvertently, marked the river with the name “Sauble.” The first settler is reported to have been John Eldridge, who built
2989-465: The peninsula near its base. They would enter near the site of the present-day location of the town of Wiarton and after portaging, would paddle their canoes across the lakes and rivers that almost connect both shores. The route became known as the Rankin Portage and it is suspected that early French explorers used this route to visit the various indigenous communities, which existed in the area and avoid
3050-464: The requirements for incorporation. The town petitioned the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and the elective officials passed an exceptional Act of Incorporation on July 24, 1858 to allow the community to be considered for the county seat. Despite their efforts, Walkerton eventually won the battle. In the mid-1800s, John Denny built a dam, a grist mill, a sawmill, a woolen mill and an inn on
3111-495: The residents. Tourism, particularly cottage rental and providing services to visitors, is the major industry in the area. Many cottages are found along Sauble Beach (North and South). The town comprises a number of villages and larger communities. These include the following: The administrative centre of the region is found in Wiarton. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , South Bruce Peninsula had
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#17328513767793172-508: The river emptied into Lake Huron at a sandy beach. The river was labelled with the French name on maps until 1881, when it became the Sauble River; in early years, a sawmill was built on the river, and later, a hydro electric plant. Long before any settlers arrived, the Anishinabek of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation looking for a shorter and safer route between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, would cross
3233-553: The sand near the water, at least on the side (left of the entrance) that is part of the Saugeen First Nation native lands. In 2019, however, the First Nation also banned beach parking. Recreational activities include swimming , windsurfing , water-skiing , fishing , golfing , lawn bowling , tennis , street dances, beach volleyball , snowmobiling , cross-country skiing and birding . The town hosts an annual Winterfest. In summer, there are weekly Family Movie Nights, an annual sandcastle building contest, Cruise Nights on Tuesdays,
3294-493: The shores of Lake Huron, were amalgamated to form the Town of Port Elgin-Saugeen-Southampton. On December 17, 1998, the province renamed the community the Town of Saugeen Shores . The primary employment categories are agriculture, small business, tourism, and the Bruce Power nuclear power station 40 km away. Southampton is a bedroom community , a retirement destination, and a tourist destination. Long before settlers arrived to
3355-405: The south Sauble Beach, Ontario area, the Saugeen First Nation claims the rights to another stretch of the public beach, approximately 2 km long, west of Lakeshore Boulevard extending to a point between 1st St. South and 6th St. North. This claim has been in litigation since 1990 when the federal government started an action on behalf of the Saugeen First Nation, stating that the area is part of
3416-472: The town, Southampton, a summer destination, is close to Chantry Island , Port Elgin, Saugeen First Nation which holds a PowWow in August each year, and Sauble Beach . Every Thursday evening from early June to late August, a Cruise Nite is held; the classic cars park downtown on High St. near the lake shore. Concerts are held at Fairy Lake at least one evening per week in summer. Fishing is common in this area in
3477-544: The town, is the Grey-Bruce Regional Health Centre in Owen Sound . The latter is larger and is the regional referral centre for Grey and Bruce counties with over 50 specialists on staff. There has been some friction between the Town and the Saugeen First Nation because of continuing land claims in the Sauble Beach area. A settlement was mediated in 2014 but was subsequently rejected by South Bruce, leading to
3538-659: The tracks were removed and the beds were vacant and overgrown. A group of volunteers founded the Saugeen RailTrail Association in 1990, and convinced Port Elgin, Southampton and Saugeen Township to acquire sections of the then-unused rail bed. Over the years, the bed has been developed as trails for walking and cycling. The trail also connects to the 80 kilometre long Bruce County Trail Network which leads to towns such as Paisley, Walkerton, Mildmay and Kincardine. The trailhead can be accessed at River Street in Port Elgin,
3599-672: Was founded. The community was originally known as Saugeen by the early residents, by the Canadian Post Office and by Custom House Departments. However, the Crown Land Departments labelled the village as Southampton and the name stuck as the town was incorporated, named after Southampton , the English sea port. The first European settlers of the area, around 1848, were Captain John Spence and William Kennedy, who wanted to establish
3660-418: Was incorporated as a town in 1904; at the time, its population was over 2400. The economic base included commercial fishing, warehousing, furniture factories, a tannery and mills. The town built a hospital in 1947, a post office in 1952, a library in 1956, an arena in 1961 (replaced in 1977) and a new firehall in 1974. In 2001 a Pallasite meteorite was recovered from Lake Huron close to Southampton. It
3721-536: Was subsidized by the provincial government at $ 2,000 per mile; it is this final stretch which would later become the CN Southampton Subdivision. The full line to Southampton finally opened on December 7, 1872. The line would survive repeated mergers over the next fifty years: first, the Great Western's acquisition by the Grand Trunk Railway in 1882, then the consolidation of numerous railways into
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