Hilton Beach, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Hilton Beach is a village located in Algoma District
, Ontario
, Canada
. It is located on the northeastern shore of St. Joseph Island
in the North Channel
of Lake Huron
, approximately 60 kilometres from Sault Ste. Marie
. The village had a population of 172 and a land area of 2.4 km² per the Canada 2006 Census
.
was first built. By the 1860s, fourteen families had settled
in the area, including the Trainors, Rousseaus, Gordons, Bishops and Desjardins.
John Marks came to St. Joseph Island in the 1860s to settle at Sailors Encampment. He moved to the area that would become Hilton Beach in 1872. Marks first opened a store and a wood dock followed by a post office
six years later under the name of Marksville. A school was established in 1877, and in 1881 St. John's Anglican Church
was erected.
J. Archibald built a hotel in 1879, originally called The Ottawa House. It was moved to its current site in 1890. Other businesses included Bowker's General Store, Duncan's General Store, R. Chester's shoemaker shop, and the sawmill
operated by Dean and Davis. J.C. Cooper was a wagon maker, and T. Steinburg was the blacksmith
, who operated out of the white concrete building still standing today on Hilton Road.
A.G. Duncan, D. McPhail and John Marks were justices. The village was called Marksville until June 1, 1921, when it was changed to Hilton Beach. Two years later the village separated from Hilton Township and became St. Joseph Island's first village.
Many of the historical buildings in Hilton Beach are still being used today. The community hall, renovated in 1989, was originally built in 1896 and used as a schoolhouse until the 1960s. The old town hall, built in 1916, was used as a violin workshop for several years and is now for sale. The Hilton Beach General Store is over 100 years old and is still open for business.
The Hilton Beach jail
is unusual in that it never actually housed an inmate. The small building, barely measuring 20' by 20', in fact housed the Hilton Beach Library for several years in the 1920s. The library is now housed in another historical building on Marks Street.
, Ohio
, California
and Florida
have been spending their summers in and around Hilton Beach since the 1920s. a long line of family
The MS Norgoma, a package freighter and passenger ferry, called on Hilton Beach on Wednesdays until 1963.
Today, the village attracts visitors primarily from Sault Ste. Marie and southern Ontario, as well as Michigan.
The village's location on Lake Huron makes it a very popular boating destination. The Hilton Beach Marina
has over 180 slips
(approximately one for every resident in the town) and is very popular in the summer. The excellent sailing
in the St. Joseph Channel is the main attraction for many seasonal residents and tourists. The marina operates from May through to October.
The Hilton Beach Tourist Park, a tent and trailer park, was built in the 1950s. The Park welcomes back dozens of seasonal residents every summer and is a community unto itself during peak season.
The Hilton Beach Summer Festival is a classic car
show with about 50 cars, plus arts and crafts vendors and the Coureurs de Bois encampment held annually on the fourth Saturday of July.
Hilton Beach Community Night is an annual event that has been held for over 100 years in various forms. For the past few decades, it has included a cold plate supper, followed by a parade down Hilton Road and Marks Street. After the parade, a crowd numbering in the high hundreds plays various games of chance and enjoys barbecue
d food along Marks Street until dark. During community night a new hot dog stand was set up that is very popular
Old Town Hall Concerts is a series of three concerts that began in 1995. This series is well-known for bringing in some of Canada's best musical talent. Usually held on the first three Wednesdays of August.
of the village is Wilfred Stevens. Councilors include Jane Sullivan, Lavera Crack, Robert Hope and Tony Marziale. The village clerk is Gloria Fischer.
Algoma District, Ontario
Algoma District is a district and census division in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1858 comprising territory as far west as Minnesota...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located on the northeastern shore of St. Joseph Island
St. Joseph Island
St. Joseph Island is a Canadian island in Lake Huron, near the mouth of the St. Marys River which connects Lake Huron with Lake Superior. It is the second largest island in Lake Huron and the third largest in the Great Lakes overall, trailing Manitoulin and Lake Superior's Isle Royale.St...
in the North Channel
North Channel (Ontario)
The North Channel is the body of water along the north shore of Lake Huron, in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is bordered on the east by Georgian Bay, on the west by the St. Marys River, to the north by the eastern Algoma District and to the south by the islands of Manitoulin, Cockburn,...
of Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, approximately 60 kilometres from Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
. The village had a population of 172 and a land area of 2.4 km² per the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
.
History
The area which is now known as Hilton Beach had its origins in the 1850s when a wharfWharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
was first built. By the 1860s, fourteen families had settled
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
in the area, including the Trainors, Rousseaus, Gordons, Bishops and Desjardins.
John Marks came to St. Joseph Island in the 1860s to settle at Sailors Encampment. He moved to the area that would become Hilton Beach in 1872. Marks first opened a store and a wood dock followed by a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
six years later under the name of Marksville. A school was established in 1877, and in 1881 St. John's Anglican Church
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
was erected.
J. Archibald built a hotel in 1879, originally called The Ottawa House. It was moved to its current site in 1890. Other businesses included Bowker's General Store, Duncan's General Store, R. Chester's shoemaker shop, and the sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
operated by Dean and Davis. J.C. Cooper was a wagon maker, and T. Steinburg was the blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
, who operated out of the white concrete building still standing today on Hilton Road.
A.G. Duncan, D. McPhail and John Marks were justices. The village was called Marksville until June 1, 1921, when it was changed to Hilton Beach. Two years later the village separated from Hilton Township and became St. Joseph Island's first village.
The Hilton Beach jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
is unusual in that it never actually housed an inmate. The small building, barely measuring 20' by 20', in fact housed the Hilton Beach Library for several years in the 1920s. The library is now housed in another historical building on Marks Street.
Tourism
Hilton Beach has been a popular tourist destination since the early 1900s. Several families from MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
have been spending their summers in and around Hilton Beach since the 1920s. a long line of family
The MS Norgoma, a package freighter and passenger ferry, called on Hilton Beach on Wednesdays until 1963.
The village's location on Lake Huron makes it a very popular boating destination. The Hilton Beach Marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
has over 180 slips
Slipway
A slipway, boat slip or just a slip, is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats. They are also used for launching and retrieving small boats on trailers and flying boats on their undercarriage. The...
(approximately one for every resident in the town) and is very popular in the summer. The excellent sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
in the St. Joseph Channel is the main attraction for many seasonal residents and tourists. The marina operates from May through to October.
The Hilton Beach Tourist Park, a tent and trailer park, was built in the 1950s. The Park welcomes back dozens of seasonal residents every summer and is a community unto itself during peak season.
Events
Arts at the Dock is one of the largest and longest-running multimedia art shows in the district, which began in 1986. It is held annually on the third Sunday of July.The Hilton Beach Summer Festival is a classic car
Classic car
A classic car is an older car; the exact meaning is variable. The Classic Car Club of America maintains that a car must be between 20 and 40 years old to be a classic, while cars over 45 years fall into the Antique Class.- Classic Car Club of America :...
show with about 50 cars, plus arts and crafts vendors and the Coureurs de Bois encampment held annually on the fourth Saturday of July.
Hilton Beach Community Night is an annual event that has been held for over 100 years in various forms. For the past few decades, it has included a cold plate supper, followed by a parade down Hilton Road and Marks Street. After the parade, a crowd numbering in the high hundreds plays various games of chance and enjoys barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
d food along Marks Street until dark. During community night a new hot dog stand was set up that is very popular
Old Town Hall Concerts is a series of three concerts that began in 1995. This series is well-known for bringing in some of Canada's best musical talent. Usually held on the first three Wednesdays of August.
Government
The mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the village is Wilfred Stevens. Councilors include Jane Sullivan, Lavera Crack, Robert Hope and Tony Marziale. The village clerk is Gloria Fischer.