Southampton, Ontario, a community nestled on the shores of Lake Huron in Bruce County, Canada, is a place where history and tourism intertwine. This charming town, located at the mouth of the Saugeen River in the Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory, spans 6.44 square kilometres. Although the permanent population was 3,678 in 2016, the summer population swells as cottagers and campers flock to the area for vacation.
Long before settlers arrived, Southampton was an important trading area for the Anishnabe who lived by the mouth of the Saugeen River. The Hudson's Bay Company established an outpost at Saguingue in 1826 to compete with independent fur traders. However, by 1832, the supply of premium furs was exhausted, and the company closed its post.
The community was originally known as Saugeen, but the Crown Land Departments labelled the village as Southampton, a name that stuck as the town was incorporated. The first European settlers of the area, Captain John Spence and William Kennedy, arrived around 1848. By 1851, there were at least a dozen families living in the community, and the Post Office was established.
The history of Southampton is deeply intertwined with the history of the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway (WG&B). The original 1856 charter for what was then known as the Canada North-West Railway called for a line from Southampton on Lake Huron to Toronto on Lake Ontario with a branch to Owen Sound. The full line to Southampton finally opened on December 7, 1872.
The first settlement by Captain John Spence and William Kennedy took place in 1848. The first post-office, known as Saugeen, opened in 1851, and the first school opened in the village in 1852. The village was incorporated as Saugeen in 1858, and the Chantry Island Lightstation Tower was first illuminated on April 1, 1859. Southampton was incorporated as a town in 1904, with a population of over 2400.
Southampton, Ontario, is known for its long sand beaches and stunning sunsets. Every Friday night from mid-June to early September, a bagpiper plays under the "Big Flag" at the foot of High Street, a tradition that started in the late 1990s. The area is also known for its "Ghost Walks" every Tuesday night during the summer and early autumn.
Southampton is close to Chantry Island, Port Elgin, Saugeen First Nation, and Sauble Beach. Fishing is common in this area in the nearby Saugeen River, at Denny's Dam and in Lake Huron. The Chantry Chinook Classic Salmon Derby is held each summer.
There are numerous cottage owners in and around Southampton. Cottage owners are uniquely split between those who own their land outright and those with cottages located on Native lands.
Highway 21 passes through Southampton, following its lakeshore route to the south and veering over land to the north on its way to Owen Sound. Bruce County Road 3 intersects with it just south of Southampton, near Port Elgin. Bruce County Road 13 continues following the lakeshore north from Southampton.
The Saugeen Rail Trail is a 25-kilometre (16 mi) long rail trail connecting Southampton and Port Elgin. It also connects to the larger Bruce County Rail Trail. The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail also runs through Southampton, following a more coastal route and a mix of on-road and off-road rights of way.
