History of Port
Port Dalhousie is a historic community. The lands that make up today’s community have been inhabited by people for thousands of years. Indigenous populations have lived on this land and thrived since the last ice age nearly 10,000 years ago.
After the American Revolutionary War, settlers who were came here due to their loyalty to the British Crown were granted lands all across Niagara, including the south shore of Lake Ontario around the mouth of 12 Mile Creek. While these settlers started living and creating communities as early as the 1790’s, it wasn’t until 1826 that Nathan Pawling pulled together several parcels of land and placed an advertisement in the newspaper to attract new people to live in a more formal community that he called “Port Dalhousie”.
Naming the community after the 9th Earl of Dalhousie (who was Governor-in-Chief of British North America from 1820-1828), Pawling could see the benefits that the soon-to-be built Welland Canal would bring for these new residents and eventually people came to village and a community started to thrive.
Since that time, Port Dalhousie has grown and developed around the early Welland Canals and agricultural and industrial developments. Remnants of its early days are still visible in the buildings and character of the area. The stories of the people and events that have built Port Dalhousie live on and in 2026 will be celebrated and honoured as we reflect on our unique history.
