Port Dover, Ontario, is a charming unincorporated community and former town nestled on the north shore of Lake Erie in Norfolk County, Canada. Known for its recurring Friday the 13th motorcycle rally, Port Dover was originally known as Dover Mills before the War of 1812.
The Mayor of Norfolk County, Amy Martin, is a proud resident of Port Dover. This community serves as the southern terminus for Ontario Highway 6, providing direct access to Hamilton and Toronto. The postal forward sortation area is N0A, and all residences and businesses in the area have a 583 in their phone number.
Port Dover is a haven for bird watchers, with sightings of at least 128 bird species recorded from 1956 to 2019. The community relies on Shaw Direct, Bell Satellite TV, or over-the-air for television. Ride Norfolk offers transportation between Port Dover and Simcoe on Thursdays and Fridays, primarily for tourists during the summer months.
As the second-largest community in Norfolk County, Ontario, Port Dover had a population of 6,161 according to the 2016 Census. The majority of residents speak English, with a small number speaking languages other than English or French. The majority of Port Dover residents were born in Canada, with a few born in Europe, Africa, the US, and Asia.
Port Dover is named after Dover, England, reflecting the community's rich historical ties.
Port Dover traditionally belongs to the humid continental climate zone. However, from the late 1990s onwards, winters have become milder due to global warming. The warmest summers in Port Dover occurred between 1998 and 2016.
Port Dover's earliest known inhabitants were the Algonquin nation, followed by the Attawandaron nation, and then the Mississaugas. The first Europeans to winter at what is now Port Dover were French missionaries François Dollier de Casson and René Bréhant de Galinée in 1670. The community was the subject of an American raid during the War of 1812, but it was later rebuilt.
Port Dover hosts tens of thousands of people every Friday the 13th for the Friday the 13th motorcycle rally. This tradition was started on 13 November 1981 by a local bike shop owner named Chris Simons.
Port Dover is home to the Arbor hot dog restaurant, the Knechtels neighborhood market and fish restaurant, and the Erie Beach Hotel. The "Cliff Site" was the first place designated as a National Historic Site of Canada. Port Dover is also known for its romantic sunsets and easy urban walking trails.
The Port Dover Cemetery on the Blue Line Road is a United Empire Loyalist cemetery that includes veterans from the War of 1812 and other wars. The cemetery is still functioning as of 2020, with burials dating back to the early 19th-century.
