Towns study in contrasts (con't)

Port Stanley has a marina and one of the oldest lift bridges in the province.

It also is home to the historic Port Stanley Terminal Railway offering daily trips through nearby Kettle Creek Valley and on to St. Thomas.

The town also has a considerable number of boutiques, antique shops, art studios and the Port Stanley Festival Theatre which has a vibrant summer performance schedule.

The town historically has been a fishing port and to this day a local commercial fleet sails from it to catch bass, perch and pickerel.

Over the years it’s obvious Port Stanley has capitalized on its tourist potential while downplaying an old industrial port with not so pretty grain elevators.

This just shows what can be done when one looks at the glass as being half full.

In the countryside north of Port Stanley are wineries, charming rural eateries and unique tourist farms.

These include the Quai Du Vin Estate Winery in Sparta, the Green Frog Tea Room at Pinecroft, and Lavender Sense near Eagle, a farm that specializes in growing many varieties of lavender.

A wedding was taking place at Quai Du Vin, one of many held there.

The winery also features a number of live musical events, and even has star gazing, throughout the summer.

Elgin County also happens to be the Railway Capital of Canada with the hub being St. Thomas.

The old London and Port Stanley Railway created the city of 35,000 today.

And the Canada Southern (CASO – the same line that runs through Windsor) Railway Station has been restored into a huge heritage building, the site of Freshfest, a regional culinary event Aug. 25.

There is also the Iron Horse Festival in downtown St. Thomas later in the month.

If you like inspecting old train engines and railway cars the Elgin County Railway Museum is the place to go.

Despite these tourist attractions it’s apparent St. Thomas has seen better days.

The main thoroughfare, Talbot St., looks sad and many of the store fronts are in need of a facelift.

The city, like Windsor, has fallen on hard times.

Part of this is due to the declining fortunes of the local auto industry.

The nearby Ford plant in Talbotville - home to the Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car - is closing in September.

There were many For Sale signs on residential properties.

Steve Thorne, an employee at the Railway City Brewing Company, a craft brewer in business for three years, says the city is “fighting back” with businesses like the pub and its excellent brews, as well as city historical renovation efforts and a few upscale restaurants.

“We’re running at maximum capacity,” Thorne says about the small brewery on downtown’s Curtis St.

St. Thomas also figures in the history of the legendary Jumbo the elephant.

Jumbo was killed in the town in 1885 by a Grand Trunk RR locomotive.

Now there is a life size statue of the pachyderm.

So if you’re ever hoisting a bottle of the local brewery’s Dead Elephant Ale you’ll know where the title came from.

WindsorOntarioNews.com