The History of Sarnia as a Resort Town.

Phil Egan, Sarnia Journal.


Sarnia has long boasted about its beaches, unnaturally blue water and the magnificent jewel that is Canatara. To view the pitch, you need look no farther than the current Tourism Sarnia-Lambton Visitor’s Guide.

But the idea of promoting Sarnia as a seaside resort town, in the image of Grand Bend, may seem like a bit of a stretch today. In 1927, though, not so much.

That year the Chamber of Commerce unleashed ten teams of fundraisers to pound the sidewalks of Sarnia, canvassing door-to-door to raise $8,500. The Chamber planned to use the money to unleash an advertising campaign upon the unsuspecting citizens of Detroit.

The intent, the Chamber said, was to lure ‘people with means’ from the Michigan metropolis to the broad strands and glorious resorts of the Imperial City.

Link to the rest here.

The image of the Tashmoo, an excursion boat of the era, is from the Lambton County Archives.

Thank you for reading.