Owen Sound

Owen Sound is a municipality where the Pottawatomi River and Sydenham River meet, forming a natural harbor at an inlet of Georgian Bay. The settlement extends from the water up into inland hills and serves as the administrative center for Grey County.

William Fitzwilliam Owen charted the bay in 1815 and named it after his older brother, Admiral Edward Owen. The harbor grew into a trade center on Georgian Bay during the 19th century, earning the settlement its nickname as the Chicago of the North.

The harbor carries the name of Admiral Edward Owen, whose brother charted the bay in the early 19th century. Today visitors come to the area for its connection to Canadian landscape painting and its role in Georgian Bay maritime heritage.

The area sits at the southern tip of Georgian Bay and serves as a starting point for trips to the Bruce Peninsula and the Escarpment trails. Public transit through Grey Transit Route connects the town with other communities across the region.

The painter Tom Thomson worked here in the years before his death in 1917, creating works that later influenced the Group of Seven. An art gallery in town now holds a collection of his paintings and other Canadian artists.

Location: Grey County

Inception: 1857

Elevation above the sea: 307 m

Shares border with: Meaford

Website: http://owensound.ca

GPS coordinates: 44.56778,-80.94306

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:23