A new Visitor Centre opens in Cargill Friday, and a local swamp will be one of the main features.
Saugeen Conservation, the Municipality of Brockton, Regional Tourism BruceGreySimcoe, Bruce County and the Cargill and District Community Fund have been working together for over two years to develop a new tourism destination, focusing on Cargill’s colourful history.
Because of the interest in the Greenock Swamp, a formal tour was developed last summer, called 'Legends of the Great Swamp'. The tour provided a glimpse of early life in Bruce County, with a focus on the lumber industry in and around the Village of Cargill. All five tours were full in 2017, as were both tours that ran this year.
A new tour planned for September is called "Bootlegging Lore of the Great Swamp", which promises additional facts and legends.
The Cargill Visitor Centre will be open for July and August, and will include displays, as well as hands-on exhibits and demonstrations. An open house is scheduled for this Friday at 1pm at the Visitor Centre.
According to Brockton Mayor David Inglis, "The Greenock Swamp harboured vast stands of white pine in the 1800s, that initiated a logging era like no other in Bruce County. As a result, hundreds of people settled into this area, some relatives of which remain today. It was all due to the foresight and entrepreneurship of one man... His name was Henry Cargill."
Greenock Swamp - Schmidt Lake (Saugeen Conservation photo)
And Dan Gieruszak, Deputy Mayor of Brockton and 1st Vice-Chair of Saugeen Conservation added, "Not only are we creating an awareness for our local area and its rich history, but we are also educating people about the true value of the Greenock Swamp, the single largest forested wetland in Southern Ontario."