In 1670, French missionaries François Dollier de Casson and René Bréhant de Galinée became the first Europeans to winter at what is now modern day Port Dover. Earthen remains and a plaque mark the spot near the fork of the Lynn River (Patterson's Creek to many older Port Doverites) and Black Creek where they and seven Frenchmen built a hut and chapel.

Norfolk's history has been closely associated with that of the neighbouring Haldimand County. Norfolk was first created as a county in 1792. In 1800, Haldimand was formed from a portion of Norfolk. The two counties remained separate until 1974, when they were reunited as the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk.

By 1794 the first settlers, a group of United Empire Loyalists, had established a hamlet known as Dover Mills (named for the English port of Dover) which was razed to the ground by the Americans in the War of 1812. Subsequent reconstruction took place closer to the mouth of the Lynn River, where a harbour had been in use since the early 1800s. In 1835, merchant Israel Wood Powell registered a village plan for Port Dover. Improvement to the harbour during the next fifteen years made Port Dover a principal Lake Erie port. Shipyards, tanneries, and Andrew Thompson's woollen-mill contributed substantially to local economic growth. In 1879, Port Dover became an incorporated village with a population of 1,100.

In 2001, Haldimand and Norfolk were separated again in a round of municipal restructuring based on a report by provincially-appointed special advisor Milt Farrow. Although both Haldimand and Norfolk use the name "county" for historical reasons, each is governed as a single municipality, with no lower-tier constituent municipalities, and thus neither is a true county. As part of the restructuring in 2001 Norfolk County was named the "Town of Norfolk." The newly-formed municipality's first by-law was to change the name to Norfolk County.

In January of 2005, the county unveiled a new coat of arms which included natural symbols associated with the county: hooded warblers, a tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and an eastern dogwood flower.

The first mayor of the county, Rita Kalmbach, was succeeded in 2007 by Dennis Travale.

Geography

Surrounding its many small communities is some of the most fertile land in Ontario. With a mild climate and lengthy growing season, the region has long been the centre of the Canadian "Tobacco Belt", but many farmers have begun the process of diversifying their crop selections to include lavender, ginseng and hazelnuts as tobacco consumption continues to decrease. The area also has an active greenhouse industry. Despite this, farmers have asked governments to reduce the financial losses of moving away from profitable tobacco operations.

In 2004 the documentary film Tobacco's Last Stand was released which highlighted the effect on tobacco production on the region.

A significant natural feature of Norfolk is Long Point, a 40 kilometre (25 mi) spit of land projecting into Lake Erie. It plays an important part in eastern North American bird migration, and was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1986. Long Point Provincial Park is located on the point.

Norfolk County promotes itself as "Ontario's South Coast" and publishes the annual Ontario's South Coast Experience Guide. Recently, Elgin County to the west and Haldimand County to the east joined Norfolk in expanding the "Ontario's South Coast" tourist destination region along Lake Erie.www.norfolktourism.ca

 Communities

The county comprises the communities of Atherton, Bill's Corners, Booth's Harbour, Bealton, Blayney, Bloomsburg, Boston, Carholme, Clear Creek, Courtland, Delhi, Fairground, Fishers Glen, Frogmore, Gilbertville, Glenshee, Green's Corners, Halfway House Corners, Hemlock, Hillcrest, Langton, La Salette, Long Point, Lynedoch, Lynnville, Nixon, Normandale, Pine Grove, Port Dover, Port Rowan, Port Ryerse, Powells Corners, Rattlesnake Harbour, Renton, Rhineland, Silver Hill, Simcoe, South Middleton, St. Williams, Teeterville, Turkey Point, Vanessa, Vittoria, Walsh, Walsingham, Waterford, Wilsonville, Windham Centre and Wyecombe.

 Delhi

Delhi

Delhi (pronounced DEL-High) is known for the surrounding tobacco fields, and is known as the Heart of the Tobacco CountryUntil 2001, Delhi was located within the Township of Delhi, a municipal government within the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk. Prior to the amalgamation of Norfolk County, the population of the former Township of Delhi was 16,365 in 2001 .Part of the agricultural heritage of Delhi included tobacco cultivation. The town has a tobacco museum to commemorate this part of its history. Local farms rely in part upon Jamaican, Mexican, and French Canadian workers, who usually arrive around mid-to late April and return to their homelands around early-to-mid November.

Delhi is a multicultural community, though the majority of those cultures are of European descent. Community halls exist for those of Belgian, German, Polish and Hungarian background. The population also includes those of Dutch, Portuguese, Greek, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, and British background.

The local high school, Delhi District Secondary School has faced the threat of closure in the past, but the local school board has committed to keeping the school open for the indefinite future The local elementary school, Delhi Public School, serves children from nearby hamlets like La Salette. Saint Frances Cabrini Catholic School is also located in Delhi and is part of the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board.

Delhi is home to the Delhi Travellers, a junior hockey team that plays in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Port Dover

Port Dover is the southern terminus of Highway 6. Port Dover in the 20th century became a fishing village and tourist destination. Port Dover's fishing industry at one time hosted the largest freshwater fishing fleet in the world that employed many of the town’s citizens and continues to be important to the community. From 1906 to 1993, the town was home to Thomas A. Ivey and Sons, one of Canada's largest wholesale florists and rose-growers, and Port Dover's largest employer. In 1974, Port Dover was incorporated as Ward 2 of the former city of Nanticoke.

Willie's Restaurant in Port Dover on Friday, August 13, 2004.

In the summer, Port Dover is busy with thousands of tourists who come to swim in Lake Erie and enjoy the town and surrounding area. The most famous place to eat in Port Dover is the Arbor outdoor restaurant, which has been in operation for more than 80 years. Port Dover’s business district is dominated by small shops that cater to the tourist trade with many bars and restaurants that depend largely on the increased traffic during the summer months.

The Port Dover Yacht Club has occupied land purchased from W.F. Kolbe and Co. at the fork of the Lynn River and Black Creek since September of 1938. The P.D.Y.C. welcomes visitors every summer from around the Great Lakes region and beyond.

Port Dover has celebrated Canada Day with a parade every year since July 1867. The day starts off with the annual Soap-box Derby, the Boat Parade at the harbour, a Calithumpian Parade down Main Street and a fireworks display after dark. Since 1981, there has been a tradition of motorcycle enthusiasts gathering in the town for Friday the 13th. Chris Simons and approximately 25 friends, through word of mouth, got together at the old Commercial Hotel. It was in November and it was Friday the 13th. They decided they should do it every Friday the 13th. In 2002, a former local produced a documentary about the event entitled Friday the 13th: The Devil in Dover, which aired on CBC Television's program Rough Cuts. On July 13, 2007 an estimated 140,000 bikers and spectators converged on Port Dover for Friday the 13th.

Port Rowan

Port Rowan holds an annual Bayfest every Labour Day. Local sports include angling and boating in the Long Point Inner Bay and golfing at Stark's Golf Course at the edge of town. Bird Studies Canada is based at Port Rowan. Port Rowan's future growth is currently at capacity with its water treatment system, which threatens future growth in the town and its burgeoning retirement community.

Simcoe

Simcoe is the administrative centre of Norfolk County. It is located at the junction of Highway 3, at Highway 24, due south of Brantford, Ontario, and accessible to Hamilton by nearby Highway 6. The town is northwest of Nanticoke in Haldimand County and is expected to be the main hub of a projected rural mass transit service connecting Simcoe to all communities within Norfolk County.

Simcoe was founded in 1795 by Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe.The town hosts a Friendship Festival, a Canadian Open Country Singing Contest, and the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show

From the 19th century to early 2000, Simcoe had its own town council and mayor. Rick Kowalsky was the last mayor of Simcoe before it become part of the Norfolk County single-tier municipality.

Walsh

Walsh, formerly known as Charlotteville Centre, is a medium-sized hamlet in Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada that is home to a public school and a Roman Catholic elementary school called St. Michael's. Graduating students go primarily to Simcoe Composite School and also Delhi District Secondary School, Valley Heights Secondary School or Holy Trinity Catholic High School. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, a wholesaler was once stationed here.

 Waterford

Waterford sits on the old Canada Southern Railroad, preceding various other rail company takeovers, the latest of which was by CN/CP. The now idle line passes through Ontario between Buffalo, New York and Detroit, Michigan. Norfolk FS also holds a major base of operations here, which provide chemicals, dangerous goods, and feed to local farmers.

The area surrounding the town is primarily agricultural land, with tomatoes, tobacco and corn among the chief crops. Other natural health and organic crops are being explored, such as ginseng, but area farmers are generally suffering from the decline of the tobacco industry. In 1979, a freak tornado swept through Waterford, devastating trees, homes, and public property. The tornado also caused blackouts which lasted for hours throughout most of Norfolk County.

 Historic townships

Map of Norfolk County from 1877, showing historical townships.

Prior to its amalgamation with Haldimand in 1974, Norfolk consisted of eight townships. Walsingham was originally one township, but had been split into North and South Walsingham in 1881. Although no longer political entities, the historical townships are still used informally and in some government maps as convenient geographical divisions.  May I Present Niel Sperling 5'10" - slim - single and ambitious. :-) I end most of my posts with the statement "Love Light and Laughter" for a much deeper reason than just a greetings end. "To go within, to touch unconditional love, to experience a moment of ineffable light and laugh at life ---is a new beginning I pray everyone has the chance to experience!"

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