Port Stanley (Ontario)

Port Stanley is a village of about 2,100 people (2016) in Elgin County, Southwestern Ontario.

Understand
Port Stanley has a large sheltered harbour that supported trade in coal and wood between Southwestern Ontario and the United States. Today, most of these facilities are dormant, but a commercial freshwater fishery operates from the harbour.

History
The site of Port Stanley was part of an important early route from Lake Erie to other inland waterways for a succession of explorers and travellers of the 17th and 18th centuries. It was an important landing point and camping spot. Adrien Jolliet, brother of Louis Jolliet, landed at this location in 1669 during the first exploration of the Great Lakes by Europeans. Other notable visitors included François Dollier de Casson and René de Bréhant de Galinée (1670), Jean-Baptiste Céloron de Blainville (1749) and Sir William Johnson (1761). In commemoration of this role, a site bounded by Bridge, Main and Colbourne Streets was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1923, and was marked with a cairn.

A settlement named Kettle Creek was founded here in 1812 by Lieutenant-Colonel John Bostwick. Around 1824, it was renamed Port Stanley after Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, who had visited nearby Port Talbot. Lord Stanley later became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the father of Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby, Governor General of Canada, ice hockey enthusiast and donor of the first Stanley Cup in 1893,

Get in
Port Stanley is 42 km south of London. Take Highway 401 to exit 177A and head south on Col. Talbot Rd. (Highway 4) towards St. Thomas. After passing St. Thomas, continue south for another 15 km to reach Port Stanley.

Parking on east side of the harbour is free. Parking on west side is free from October 1 to April 30, otherwise the parking is $4/hr up to a maximum of $20.

Get around

 * Dockside Cabs, +1 519-782-3855

See

 * Lifting bridge across Kettle Creek
 * Lifting bridge across Kettle Creek
 * Lifting bridge across Kettle Creek
 * Lifting bridge across Kettle Creek
 * Lifting bridge across Kettle Creek

Do

 * Enjoy small town village life, leave the car parked, all amenities within walking distance.

Eat
Fresh Lake Erie Perch is featured on every menu in town.