It may sound quite novel that a village of Bayfield’s diminutive population would have its own Archives Room and volunteer archivist but that is how important history is to the community.

Bayfield emerged from the vision of a nautical surveyor in 1822.

Henry Wolsey Bayfield, a nautical surveyor, was charged with surveying the Great Lakes in the early 1800s. He surveyed Lake Huron in 1822. He took note of the river here, with its extensive flats, as a prospective site for future settlement.  One-hundred and eighty-eight years later, this village perched atop a bluff overlooking Lake Huron and the Bayfield River is a safe harbor not only to residents and visitors but to sailors as well. The surveyor’s eye was indeed an excellent one as the anchorage facilities here today are second to none. Bayfield is currently the busiest Canadian port on Lake Huron a haven to some enduring fishing boats and a large number of pleasure craft.

From the first settlers thru to today our conscientious homeowners and merchants take pride in their places and it shows.

In 1982, Bayfield’s Main Street and the park at the heart of it all, Clan Gregor Square, was designated a Heritage Conservation District. This designation ensured that the streetscape would maintain its old world appeal despite the influence of progress. A love for historical continuity can be seen not only on the village’s unique Main Street and Square but throughout the village. Every Saturday morning in July and August visitors can join the village archivist on a guided walking tour of Bayfield to learn first hand the history that has shaped it. Of course, any day of the week, visitors may indulge in a self-guided tour using a booklet available for sale at the Archives Room on Main Street. This booklet provides little anecdotes on 74 homes and landmarks throughout the village. It may sound quite novel that a village of Bayfield’s diminutive population would have its own Archives Room and volunteer archivist but that is how important history is to the community. The Archives Room itself is located in a little wooden structure boasting a rare Georgian storefront.
 

Upcoming Events

Copyright 2012 by Bayfield and Area Chamber of Commerce
Spring ActivitiesSummer ActivitiesFall ActivitiesWinter Activities