Port Hope is a charming municipality nestled in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is situated approximately 109 km east of Toronto and about 159 km west of Kingston. The town is located at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the west end of Northumberland County. The prestigious Trinity College School, a private institution, opened its doors in Port Hope in 1868.
The history of Port Hope dates back to 1779 when the Cayuga people, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, migrated to the area as United Empire Loyalists from New York state. They were forced from their ancestral homeland in the Finger Lakes region, south of the Great Lakes, after having fought for King George III as Loyalists during the American Revolution.
In 1793, other Loyalists from the northern colonies became the first permanent settlers of European heritage in Port Hope. The settlement was initially called Smith's Creek after a former fur trader. The village was renamed as Port Hope in 1817, after the Township of Hope of which it was a part. The town was incorporated in 1834.
Port Hope is known for its well-preserved 19th-century architecture, thanks to relatively slow growth from 1881 to 1951. The town boasts over 270 heritage-designated buildings, the highest per capita rate of preservation in Canada. This unique character makes Port Hope a popular destination for heritage tourism and architecture enthusiasts.
Port Hope has also made its mark in popular culture. The 2017 horror movie "It," its 2019 sequel "It Chapter Two," and an upcoming television series were all filmed in Port Hope, which portrayed the fictional town of Derry, Maine.
Port Hope is known for having the largest volume of historic low-level radioactive wastes in Canada. These wastes were initially created by Eldorado Mining and Refining Limited and its private sector predecessors. In 2002, a large amount of contaminated soil was removed from beachfront areas. A testing program began of over 5,000 properties, with a plan to remove and store contaminated soil that had been used as landfill. Over a billion dollars is expected to be spent on the soil remediation project, the largest such cleanup in Canadian history.
Besides the town proper of Port Hope, the municipality comprises a number of villages and hamlets, including Campbellcroft, Canton, Dale, Davidson's Corners, Decker Hollow, Elizabethville, Garden Hill, Knoxville, Morrish, Osaca, Perrytown, Port Britain, Rossmount, Tinkerville, Thomstown, Welcome, Wesleyville, and Zion.
Port Hope experiences a humid continental climate with warm summers and cold winters.
As per the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Port Hope had a population of 17,294 living in 7,318 of its 7,607 total private dwellings. The majority of the population speaks English as their first language.
Port Hope is home to a vibrant arts and culture scene. The Ganaraska River, known as "The Ganny," is famous for annual salmon and trout runs. The town also hosts the "Float Your Fanny Down the Ganny" ten-kilometer boat race every April.
Port Hope offers a variety of attractions for visitors. The Capitol Theatre, Canada's last functioning atmospheric theatre, is a must-visit. The town is also home to the Canadian Firefighters Museum, Port Hope Yacht Club, Port Hope Festival Theatre, and the All Canadian Jazz Festival, among others.
Highway 401 runs through the north end of Port Hope, with exits at County Road 2/Toronto Road and Highway 28/Ontario Street. Port Hope Transit provides local bus service, and VIA Rail provides passenger service from the Port Hope railway station along the Toronto-Montreal corridor.
