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While fishing and tourism
eventually became the main industries, it was the
majestic pine and oak forests of the area that led
to the actual founding of the village of Grand Bend.
Grand Bend derived its name from a hairpin turn in
the Ausable (Aux Sables) River a short distance
inland from Lake Huron where sand dunes blocked the
river's outlet to the lake. Frequent flooding
hampered farming in the region; never-the-less, a
small milling community developed at the "Grand
Bend" in the 1830's, when a group of English and
Scottish settlers bought lots from the Canada
Company, a land development firm. One of the
original settlers, Benjamin Brewster, secured rights
to dam the Ausable River and started a sawmill in
1832. The villagers were mainly the families of the
millhands and fisherman. Their homesteads were
situated on the south side of the present village.
Grand Bend comes alive in the
summer months and is one of the most popular resorts
on Lake Huron. National Geographic described it as
having one of the “Top Ten Best Sunsets” in the
world. The Pinery Provincial Park is Southern
Ontario’s largest forested area with rare Carolinian
and internationally significant oak savanna regions.
This 6,257 acre park offers canoeing on a slow
moving river and 10 kms or 6 miles of sandy beach on
Lake Huron.
Welcome to the Community of Lambton Shores
Since January 1st, 2001, this new municipality was
born! Encompassing the familiar towns and
villages of Arkona, Forest, Grand Bend and Thedford,
plus the hamlets of Northville, Ipperwash and Port
Franks, all surrounding Pinery Provincial Park. One
city, many communities - there is a comfortable
diversity in this beautiful tourist, business,
residential and agricultural region.
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