Huron Shores is a captivating municipality in the Canadian province of Ontario. Nestled along the North Channel of Lake Huron in the Algoma District, this community was established in 1999 through the amalgamation of several townships and the former village of Iron Bridge. Although Huron Shores surrounds the town of Thessalon and the Thessalon First Nation, they are not part of the municipality.
The main communities in Huron Shores are Iron Bridge, Sowerby, and Little Rapids. Smaller communities include Ansonia, Day Mills, Dayton, Dean Lake, Eley, Livingstone, Livingstone Creek, Maple Ridge, Nestorville, Sherwood, and Sunset Beach. The municipality officers are located in Iron Bridge, a town originally named Tally-Ho, renamed in the early 1900s after a bridge built over the nearby Mississagi River. Iron Bridge is known for its snowmobile trails, wilderness areas for hunting and fishing, and the Voyageur Hiking Trail. As a formerly independent village, Iron Bridge retains the status of a designated place in Canadian censuses.
Huron Shores boasts numerous recreation centres and community halls, frequently used for local events. These include the Thessalon Township Community Centre, Little Rapids Gazebo and Ballpark, Sowerby Hall, Historic Cordukes/Weber 12-Sided Barn, Iron Bridge Recreation Centre (Arena), and Thompson Hall Community Gym. Many of these centres have significant historical connections. For instance, the Thessalon Township Community Centre is the former Little Rapids one-room school house, and the Cordukes/Weber 12-Sided Barn, one of only three 12-sided barns in Canada, was built in 1919 and restored in 2010.
Huron Shores is home to two museums: the Iron Bridge Historical Museum and the Heritage Park Museum. The Iron Bridge Historical Museum preserves the heritage of the town and the surrounding communities, while the Heritage Park Museum, established in 1977, preserves the heritage of the Huron Shores region.
The municipality is also home to a number of publicly accessible lakes and rivers, attracting many visitors to fish, hunt, or enjoy the water. It includes several islands, including Clinton Island.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Huron Shores had a population of 1,860 living in 834 of its 1,171 total private dwellings, a change of 11.8% from its 2016 population of 1,664. With a land area of 451.87 km2 (174.47 sq mi), it had a population density of 4.1/km2 (10.7/sq mi) in 2021. The majority of the population speaks English as their first language, with a small percentage speaking French.
Huron Shores, Ontario, is a community rich in history and recreational activities. Whether you're a history buff, an outdoor enthusiast, or simply looking for a peaceful retreat, Huron Shores has something to offer everyone.
