Hofhuis park and path along the harbour

There are a number of interpretative plaques along the paths that cover some notable stories that took place in Port Stanley's harbour. The most famous story is the sinking of the Marquette & Bessemer II. The Marquette & Bessemer II was a ferry boat that carried coal-filled railroad cars between Conneaut, Ohio and Port Stanley, Ontario. The London and Port Stanley rail line extended all the way down to the waterfront and connected up with the ferry. On December 7th, 1909, a major storm hit Lake Erie. The ship disappeared and the wreck has never been found.

Alongside coal, grain and oil were two major commodities that were shipped in and out of Port Stanley. Grain elevators were a landmark along the harbour for many years; the first elevators were constructed in 1896. They were destroyed by fire in 1930, and were rebuilt again in the early 1950s by the Mid Lake Grains company. There were also various oil tank farms along both sides of the harbour (Shell Oil, McColl Frontenac, Sterling Fuels). The tanks that are still-present today are used for the storage and movement of asphalt emulsions by the McAsphalt company. 

There are also a number of stories of rum-running out of Port Stanley's harbour during the American prohibition era of the 1920s. One tragic event to come out of shipping alcohol to the USA was the sinking of Norinda, including two crew members from Port Stanley named Frank Payne and Bert Butcher.

Finally, the Port Stanley harbour was also a less common landing point on the Underground Railroad. There are various stories of Black Americans escaping slavery via Port Stanley, including Lloyd Graves and George Barton. Lloyd and his wife Amanda later established a farm in Mount Salem. George Barton, along with a friend named Stewart, successfully tricked his former owner into sending money under the pretenses of George returning. Eventually the slave owner came all the way to St. Thomas and confronted both Lloyd and George, but they refused to go back with him. Other stories include Peter and Polly Ross' escape with the help of Dr. Alexander Milton Ross, of Toronto. Dr. Ross helped track down Polly after she had been sold away from her husband. They both escaped slavery via Cincinnati, Cleveland, and finally, Port Stanley.

Port Stanley Memories and Musings by Frank and Nancy Prothero

https://northshorebeacon.ca/those-damned-tanks-on-port-stanleys-waterfront/

Elgin County Museum Black History Research