Chatham is settled on the Thames river in Southwestern Ontario. It is predominantly rural and agricultural but it is still home to over 108 000 residents. Farming surrounds the city but there is industry found in the larger urban areas.
Chatham was founded as a naval dockyard back in the 18th century. It was named after a city in England which was also a dockyard. In 1998 the county of Kent was amalgamated with Chatham giving us the municipality of Chatham-Kent.
The area has a rich and interesting history, here are a few specific reasons to visit it:
1. Paranormal Activity: Are you into ghost stories and mysteries? If you are, Chatham is a great spot for you. People come from across Canada to try and get a glimpse of the paranormal in this city. Downtown Chatham is rife with ghost stories and other unexplainable phenomena.
The city actually plays host to an annual Spook Walk, where paranormal author Sheila Gibbs leads a tour through the downtown core sharing the ghost stories of local businesses and residents. Every town has it’s share of weird stories, but Chatham had enough that Gibbs was able to write a book about it: The Ghosts of Chatham-Kent.
2. Erieau: This small community located in south-central Chatham is a popular tourist destination. Located on the shores of Lake Erie, cottagers, boaters and fishermen flock to this area in the summer to enjoy their leisurely pursuits.
Erieau has a full service boat marina to cater to all your boating needs. It is also home to some of Ontario’s nicest sandy white beaches. There are an abundance of cabins and cottages to rent in this area all summer long.
3. ROCKSTOCK: A relatively new attraction to the city is this rock festival. 2008 saw the inaugural event draw some big names in Canadian rock music. Finger 11, Sloan and The Trews headlined the event that took place at the Chatham Municipal Airport.
The first year was such a success that event organizers are planning for an even bigger show this year. They are planning on making the festival a 2 day event with one day devoted to rock and one day devoted to country. Hopefully this change will help ROCKSTOCK continue to grow and impress.
Chatham is a wonderful place to spend some time. It is also full of history, if the above reasons weren’t enough to interest you I will throw in an extra tidbit. Chatham was actually one of the stops on the legendary Underground Railroad. Some residents say that explains why their is so much paranormal activity.
Come to Chatham to have a great time, relax on the beach or learn about the history of this great Country. One thing is for certain, no matter why you come, you will be happy you did.
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