Wiarton

The town of Wiarton is known as the gateway to the Bruce Peninsula, the peninsula separating Lake Huron from Georgian Bay and, for many years, had a pair of stone gate posts with white painted wooden gates at the south end of town at the top of the hill.

Geographically, the town is defined by the rugged limestone cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment, (a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve - one of only twelve such reserves in Canada), which bisects the town. The town rests on the picturesque shores of Colpoys Bay, part of Georgian Bay, itself part of Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes whose border is shared between Canada and the U.S.A.

Wiarton's most important businesses were founded on the lumber industry. The harvest of timber and the manufacture of goods from lumber were an important industry early in the town's development, until unsustainable timbering practices wiped out the local forests.

The next most important industry was fishing. In 1906, Wiarton was awarded a federal fish hatchery, which helped maintain the fish stock in the area for many years. Fishing was at its peak in the early 20th century, but suffered from the introduction of the lamprey eel to the upper Great Lakes through the Welland Canal in 1921. By 1932, the lamprey eel had arrived in Georgian Bay, and, together with the depression, it brought the decline of the fishing industry.

Click here to see some vintage photos of Wiarton.