Port Dover, Ontario

First recorded in its Latinised form of Portus Dubris, the name derives from the Brythonic word for waters (dwfr in Middle Welsh). The same element is present in the towns French (Douvres) and Modern Welsh (Dofr) forms.

Between the years 1897 and 1977, only the winter of 1975 was considered to be a mild winter for the Port Dover area.[8] From the late 1990s onwards, winters have become more mild due to changes in climate brought on by global warming. Port Dover traditionally belongs to the humid continental climate zone, even with the recent mild winters and warmer dry summers.

The warmest summers that Port Dover has witnessed occurred in 1998, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 (with the exception of the month of July[9]), 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.[10]

Should the sea levels rise by 60 metres or 200 feet, Port Dover would not be affected by flooding.[11] However, it may be affected by droughts as a by-product of the dislocation of available fresh water and may be forced to rely on desalinated salt water piped in from the Eastern United States. Constructing the proper infrastructure to carry the water hundreds of miles away would take considerable manpower along with significant economic costs and an unprecedented level of cooperation from multiple federal, state/provincial, and municipal governments.

Port Dover's earliest known inhabitants, from around the year 1000 until approximately 300–350 years later, were the Algonquin nation. They were noted flint-workers and evidence of their skill in crafting arrowheads is still to be found in open worked field areas surrounding the village. The next wave of inhabitants were the Attawandaron nation, the Neutrals, who occupied the region from about 1350 until their absorption by the Iroquois in the year 1651. The last significant native nation to occupy the area was the Mississaugas.

In 1670, French missionaries François Dollier de Casson and René Bréhant de Galinée became the first Europeans to winter at what is now Port Dover. Earthen remains and a plaque mark the spot near the fork of the Lynn River (Patterson's Creek to many older Port Doverites) and Black Creek where they and seven Frenchmen (the first Europeans known to have ascended the Great Lakes to Sault Ste. Marie) built a hut and chapel.[13] Just outside the community, a cross with the arms of France had been erected on 23 March 1670, claiming the area for King Louis XIV over the Lake Erie region.[14]

By 1794 the first settlers, a group of United Empire Loyalists, had established a hamlet known as Dover Mills (named for the English port of Dover). Peter Walker was the first settler of this community, becoming its unofficial founder.[15]

This community was the subject of an American raid during the War of 1812, on May 14–15, 1814. Much of it was destroyed but was later rebuilt.[16][17][18][19] After making their landing on the shore, 750 American soldiers launched a surprise attack on the village's civilians.[20] Scattered elements of nearby militia and regular units tried to defend the village without any success. Re-enactments carried out by local volunteer groups have allowed the British-Canadian forces to soundly defeat the American troops in battle.[20] The survivors of the war rebuilt the town of Port Dover further downstream on Patterson's Creek. The raid was part of America's Niagara campaigns toward the end of the War of 1812.

During the war, in August 1812, Major General Isaac Brock gathered a force of regulars and militia here. Crossing the lake by boat, they reached Amherstburg (then also in Upper Canada) and attacked and captured the American Hull's Army at Detroit.[21]

In 1835, Port Dover was incorporated as a village and later as a town.

By 1842, the village was growing and had a population of almost 400. The harbour, lighthouse and bridge across the river had been completed as had the road to Hamilton; there was a grammar school, a grist mill, a saw mill and a Presbyterian church in the course of construction.[22] By 1896 the population was 1,000.[23]

In 1877, Port Dover was a large village with 1,100 residents, most living on the west bank of the River Lynn. The South Norfolk Railway was started in the county and began operating in 1889. Even earlier, the Hamilton & Lake Erie Railway (H&LER) began operating in 1873 but was merged with the Hamilton & Northwestern Railway which completed the final section to Port Dover and to Jarvis in the mid 1870s.[22] A report from 1924 also discusses an electric railway that had been introduced "in recent years". This was the Grand River Railway that connected Hespeler, Berlin (later called Kitchener) and Waterloo with connection to Brantford and Port Dover.[24]

At least during the warm months, palm trees thrive on Erie Beach, Port Dover

By the 1920s tourism was an important contributor to the economy, with many summer visitors attracted by the beach. There was some light industry in the town but Port Dover was best known as a major fishing centre, with fish shipped by rail and by ship not only within Canada but also to the U.S.[24] Notable amenities like Ivey's Greenhouses and the incredible Port Dover beaches caused most of the passenger train traffic to occur during the summer months.[25] Rail service was also offered on the Port Dover & Lake Huron Railway (later purchased by Canadian National) line from the Caledonia Train Station to Port Dover until these services were cancelled after October 26, 1957.

A popular amusement arcade was in operation in Port Dover from the mid-1950s to the mid-1990s.[26] Originally consisting of pinball games, it would expand to include video arcade games. During the late-1960s and early-1970s, local teenagers would frequently hang out at places like the Blue Pickerel, the ferris wheel, and the Summer Garden where musical acts like Guy Lombardo would make frequent appearances.[27]

Businesses would often close one hour earlier on Wednesday as a measure to ensure that breadwinners, homemakers and their children would spend more time together until the 1970s. This occurred regardless of negative economic effects and would apply to most non-essential services.

In 1974, the town was amalgamated into the new city of Nanticoke within the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk.

The Paris Port Dover Pipe Band was established on February 18, 2000 by Pipe Major Gordon Black as a competitive and as a community pipe band.[28] They act as ambassadors on the global level as well as on a local level. The band was formally established when a constitution and small band were formed out of ten pipers, one bass, and one snare.[28] In 2001, Nanticoke and all other municipalities within the region were dissolved and the region was divided into two single tier municipalities. Port Dover is now an unincorporated community in Ward 6 of Norfolk County. The Stanley Cup came to Port Dover in 2004 (with Jassen Cullimore) when the 2003–04 Tampa Bay Lightning won the Cup. He was the fourth NHL player to present the Stanley Cup to this small hockey town on the shore of Lake Erie.[29] The Canadian Coast Guard stationed the Cape-class motor lifeboat CCGS Cape Lambton in the community in 2005.[30]

Certain segments of the 2009 American horror film Survival of the Dead were filmed in Port Dover.[31] The film was directed by George A. Romero and starred Alan van Sprang, Kenneth Welsh, and Kathleen Munroe.[32][33] 40 wind turbines were supposed to be built in the area starting in 2013.[34][35][36] However, Norfolk County council has effectively banned the placement of new wind turbines due to concerns about rural spaces being completely "industrialized" and "unnatural".[37]

Until 2013, Port Dover had a high school which served students aged 14 through 21 in the immediate area. Approximately 1800 young people had fled the Port Dover Area between 2001 and 2011. Academic programs in Valley Heights Secondary School and Delhi District Secondary School were beefed up and prepared to accept former PDCS students after the closure date.[38] An elementary school called Lakewood Public School recently opened in the old PDCS building.[39]

• Toby Barrett, Haldimand-Norfolk's current MPP (serving on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario)
• Eddie Sargent, former MPP (who served on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the Ontario Liberal Party)
• Rory Dodd, rock vocalist.
• Henry Laird, journalist, wholesaler, and political figure who served Regina, Saskatchewan in the Senate of Canada
• Megan Timpf, International softball player, Olympic Athlete
• Jassen Cullimore, NHL Stanley Cup Player
• John Axford, Major League Baseball pitcher
• Charles Berkeley Powell, businessman and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario)
• Joey Muha, Drummer and musician
• Fred Eaglesmith, Musician

Port Dover hosts tens of thousands of people every Friday the 13th for the Friday the 13th motorcycle rally, which was started on 13 November 1981 by a local bike shop owner named Chris Simons at what was then the Commercial Hotel on Main Street.[40][41]

Port Dover is also home to the famous Arbor hot dog restaurant and the Knetchels neighborhood market and fish restaurant.[42] The Arbor hot dog restaurant is an inexpensive Canadian-style fast food establishment that serves soft ice cream in addition to French fries and its refreshing golden glow drink. While the value is considered to be average by local standards, the food is considered to be slightly above average. The service and the atmosphere are considered to be good by local standards. It has been a tradition for families living in Norfolk County to go to the Arbor at least once during the course of the summer months. Children enjoy the food options in addition to most of the toppings and fixings. The quickness of the service rivals that of McDonald's or Dairy Queen.[43]

The Erie Beach Hotel with its Cove Room [44] and The Beach House are also popular dining attractions.

The Dover Cheese Shop is considered to be one of the top five important things to see in Port Dover. Cheese is served in very good-to-excellent quality along with crackers and it is located close to the Lighthouse Festival Theatre. Imported and Canadian cheese are sold there and the walkability of the venue allows anyone to stroll right in from the main street.[45]

The Port Dover Harbour Museum is a specialty museum that deals with shipwrecks and the local fishing industry. A kids' area is included that includes a stereoscope viewer and a good number of pictures to view in it. Located on a lakeside with exhibits that interests people who are into maritime culture, there are also displays of fishing boats from years gone by. A vintage morse code machine can be viewed in the museum; morse code was used to deliver messages from ship to shore in the early days of the local fishing industry.[46]

The "Cliff Site" was the first place designated by the federal Minister of the Environment as a National Historic Site of Canada (French: Lieux historiques nationaux du Canada), as being of national historic significance. There two priests claimed sovereignty over the Lake Erie region for Louis XIV of France in 1670.[47]

Located just a short driving distance away from the Stelco Lake Erie Works in Nanticoke, Port Dover is the site of romantic sunsets along its surrounding countryside.[42] Port Dover can be used as an easy urban walking trail year round. Recommended activities are cycling, running, hiking, and walking. There are hills on Silver Lake Drive, Prospect Street, Bridge Street, and St. George Street. Most of the streets have sidewalks; but care should be taken around traffic especially during summer weekends. Walking on Park Street or Market Street takes the participant to Powell Park, which is the social epicenter of Port Dover. Depending on the participants' activity level, the town can be walked through in either 3 kilometres or 5 kilometres.[48]

There are scenic waterfalls nearby and tourists generally go to nearby Port Ryerse as a side trip.[42] Local roads that originate from here often lead to the hamlets of Fishers Glen, Normandale and Turkey Point (which is another seasonal beach destination).[49] Even the farmers here generally enjoy the sunsets on their property.[42] Apple wine, produced by the local farmers themselves, can be purchased by anyone due to their lack of alcohol content.[49] This product is available in the Port Dover area.[49] On clear summer nights, the Port Dover lighthouse can be seen glimmering brightly with the moon.[42] The beaches in Port Dover have a tendency to emulate those that are beside the Mediterranean Sea.[49]

• Views of Port Dover, Ontario
• 
  Willie's Restaurant in Port Dover on Friday, August 13, 2004.
• 
  Union Station in Port Dover, circa the late-1930s.