The Sydenham River flows directly through the downtown of Wallaceburg and with abundant docking facilities, Wallaceburg is definitely a boaters’ destination. Wallaceburg is a quiet and charming town of approximately eleven thousand inhabitants nestled on the banks of the Sydenham River and within a fifteen minute drive of Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River.

The first European settlers to the area were part of Lord Selkirk’s Baldoon Settlement, founded in 1804. Although the settlement failed to survive, many of the settlers relocated at the forks of the Sydenham River. Laughlan McDougall built a trading post and tavern at The Forks in 1820, and with the opening of a post office in 1837, the hamlet was renamed Wallaceburg after Scottish patriot Sir William Wallace. Wallaceburg became a village in 1875 and a town in 1896.

The Wallaceburg and District Museum at 505 King Street, depicts industrial and cultural aspects of the area with displays of artifacts from the 19 th and 20 th centuries. The museum contains collections of Lee-Enfield rifles (invented by Galt resident James Paris Lee, the Lee-Enfield rifle remained a standard British weapon for over sixty years) and hand blown glass as well as a room containing items manufactured exclusively in the area.

Over three days in August Wallaceburg hosts WAMBO, Canada’s foremost transportation display featuring hundreds of antique vehicles, trucks, planes, motorcycles and boats. The town of Wallaceburg celebrates with music, entertainment, and booths serving refreshments, food and souvenirs. Wallaceburg is a short drive from several border crossings into the United States and a ferry service provides a quick day trip into the area for dining or shopping.