Come See Where I Grew Up – Port Hope, Ontario!

From time to time people ask me what the ph in @phjoshua stands for. There have been a lot of guesses. But there is only one answer, it stands for Port Hope.

Port Hope, Ontario is where I grew up. I lived in the country for most of my young life, but school, friends, sports and such all brought us to town.

It’s a small place. With the recent amalgamation of the surrounding rural area I think the population sits somewhere around the 15,000 mark. In case you don’t know what that feels or looks like let me show you downtown Port Hope in a couple of pictures.

That’s the “main drag” of Port Hope’s downtown. We don’t have a Starbucks or a Second Cup or a comic book shop, but it’s home!

Port Hope has been featured in some pretty awesome movies – did ya know that?

Did you know that we were in Tommy Boy?! Who doesn’t love Tommy Boy?!

There’s a scene in the movie, when the car comes down main street headed east (as seen in the previous photo) and makes a right hand turn headed south. The car drives past the legendary Capitol Theatre and Port Hope Town Hall.

Side note: We have a town hall, not a city hall. That’s us.

See if you recognize these buildings.

Port Hope also likes to have fun. So every spring there’s an awesome little race called the Float Your Fanny Down the Ganny that takes place in the freezing cold waters of the Ganaraska River.

The race is held in honor of a huge flood in the spring of 1980 that trashed much of the downtown area. But now it’s mostly a party. People drink, build a raft out of whatever they think will float and then jump in the river to see who can get to the bottom first.

Don’t believe me? Check out the Google Image Page and this picture that I took in 2010.

I love Port Hope. I really do. When I was younger I wanted to get out, experience a bigger life, see the sights, etc etc etc. And I’m quite happy to be living in the up and coming neighbourhood of Parkdale in glorious Toronto. But there are times when I miss home. I miss the small town. I miss the cool little library and the small parks and the old people at Tim Hortons.

If you’re looking for some place to visit for a day I have to recommend my home town. It’s got a gorgeous downtown. Great salmon fishing. Pretty little B&Bs. Lots of antiques and boutique shops. And it has the people that I grew up with and helped make me who I am today.

That’s all I’ve got for you today kids. Just wanted to use some time I had to brag about a pretty cool little place that I love. And if anyone asks, Port Hope is way cooler than Cobourg.

Stay smiling. Be awesome.

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Joshua Murray

creator of content, daddy blogger, writer, coffee drinker, fan of the Batman. proud mo bro. prouder dad.