History In A Can

Was up in beautiful Grand Bend Ontario on the shores of Lake Huron and enjoyed a beer from a local craft brewery, The Torched Brewery.

But I was interested in the origins of the name, Crooked Waters.

If you are, too, fear not, gentle readers, read on.

The Ausable River used to flow north (#1) then made a 270° bend - some said a grand bend - and then flowed southwest to empty into Lake Huron at Port Franks.

Another picture of the watershed.

But enough of that, back to the beer.

So when the beer can is properly viewed...

...you can see the green line is actually the Ausable River, flowing to the right (north) and then makes a grand bend to flow southeast. 

And that's where they plunked the village of Grand Bend.

Then between 1873 & 1875 a channel was dug to allow the river to flow directly into Lake Huron. 

And that's how the village of Grand Bend came to be one of the best beach party locations in Ontario.

And the Ausable River flows directly into Lake Huron.

And I thought beer cans were just for drinking beer, not lernin' history, too.