Colonel Mahlon Burwell founded the settlement in 1811. It was once an important village with many saw mills, an active ship building industry, and the oldest wooden lighthouse in Canada. It was also an important centre for lumber export and commercial fishing. As larger companies began to dominate these markets the Port Burwell industries waned. Port Burwell was incorporated as a village in 1949.

Port Burwell is a summer hotspot, with its beautiful beach, part of which is a privately owned nude beach. Unlike some beaches along Lake Erie, it is clean, with fine sand, without rocks, and has shallow, clear water. There are also cottages, holiday resorts, and a few restaurants featuring fresh seafood. There is also a Provincial Park running through the village which brings many people into the village and onto the beach.

Port Burwell Provincial Park

The park has 232 campsites, 132 of which have electricity for the RV folks. It is ideal for families with childern as it has a large recreational field, with volleyball and basketball courts, badminton nets, a baseball diamond and climbers. The beach is also ideal for kids since it is shallow for a long distance and fairly warm.

The park is a destination for birdwatchers as many songbirds migrate through the park in the spring. In the fall raptors, blue jays, dragonflies and monarch butterflies migrate through the park. There are also wildlife living in the park year round, including chipmunks, racoons, squirrels, rabbits and various bird species.

The campsites are fairly private, in contrast to other Ontario provincial parks such as Rondeau. The brush is not too thick, however, which decreases the number of mosquitos and other insects.

The park is open from the second friday in May until the Canadian Thanksgiving.

Also see: Port Burwell Lighthouse