John Metcalfe

Saugeen Shores is proud of its reputation as a year-round lifestyle community, offering a wide range of attractions, both natural and man-made. 
It boasts of 12 fine Lake Huron beaches, an incredible network of trails for hiking, biking and 
snowmobiling, great fishing locations, several golf courses and opportunities to participate in First 
Nations history and culture close at hand. 
The community has been attracting vacationers since the early 1900’s and the long list of amenities has kept pace with the popularity and demand for more than a century. 
For the visitor, there are a wide range of accommodations, restaurants and activities, and for those who choose to live here there are two urban communities with a fine selection of long established and newer neighbourhoods, plus plenty of selection for those who prefer a more rural lifestyle. 
With two downtowns offering a variety of specialty shops, plus a large commercial area there is 
something to appeal to every shopping taste. 
The municipality of Saugeen Shores was created with the amalgamation of the towns of 
Southampton and Port Elgin, and Saugeen Township in 1999. 
The nuclear power development to the south is a major source of employment for the community. 
The area has long been home to the First Nations, with the oldest known settlement of Huron and Petun First Nations dating back almost seven centuries. 
European settlement in both Port Elgin and Southampton began in the mid-1800’s but there is 
evidence of French Traders establishing a trading post as far back as 1812. 
The community first known as Saugeen, and which became incorporated as the Village of 
Southampton in 1858, grew up at the mouth of the Saugeen River. 
The abundance of fish that had long attracted the First Nations people was the basis of the first local economy and commercial fishing tugs can still be seen in Southampton’s harbor today. 
Port Elgin, then known as Normanton, saw the first European settlers arrive in the mid-1800’s and the town grew up as an important community supporting the growing agricultural economy in the surrounding area.
Normanton was incorporated as the town of Port Elgin in 1874, named after James Bruce, the 8th Earl of Elgin and Governor General of Canada from 1846 to 1854. 
Saugeen Shores proudly celebrates its history in many ways, from historic plaques and heritage 
sites to the Bruce County Museum. 
A visit to the Saugeen Shores website will lead you to a wealth of information about that history and about all of the amenities, attractions, events and services that exist today. 
 

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