The area around Southampton had been known for its maple trees, furniture making, and agriculture for the past century. Today, its miles of soft sandy beaches and accessible port attracts summer vacationers and leisure boaters from all over the province.
There’s plenty for a day’s activities staring with the Bruce County Museum founded in 1955 in the building of the old Southampton School built in 1878. The new wing, which had offices and an archive was completed in 1976. Another three-storey expansion in 2005 helped the museum house its 30,000 artifacts. The museum considers the old schoolhouse one of its artifacts.
Southampton Arts is an arts school for kids and adults, a gallery space, and a shop for local art. It wasn’t open when I visited so I can’t say much about it, but it seems to be a pretty big deal in town.
