Albemarle Township was located on the southern portion of the Bruce Peninsula, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada, between the former Eastnor Township to the north and the former Amabel Township to the south. The southern part of Albemarle Township was surveyed in 1855. The northern portion was surveyed in 1856. Township lots were offered for sale at an auction in Toronto in 1857. Conditions of settlement were not attached to these lots resulting in a large number of lots initially being purchased by speculators instead of settlers. The land sale, and subsequent administration of the area was conducted by the Department of Indian Affairs. The first post office in the township was established at Colpoy’s Bay in 1863
In 1858, Albemarle Township was initially united with two townships to its south, Amabel Township and Arran Township for municipal purposes, pursuant to Bruce County by-law passed December 29, 1857. The three townships remained united, with Arran Township as the senior township, until January 1, 1861 when Arran Township separated and the United Townships of Amabel and Albemarle formed as a separate municipal corporation pursuant to Bruce County by-law dated September 26, 1860. That union was dissolved in 1870 and the United Townships of Albemarle and Eastnor was formed, with Albemarle as the senior township. This union was joined on January 1, 1873 by Lindsay Township and St. Edmunds Township, pursuant to Bruce County by-law dated June 21, 1872. In 1878, Albemarle Township achieved independent municipal status and separated from the union with Eastnor, Lindsay and St. Edmunds, pursuant to Bruce County by-law dated June 8, 1877.
Albemarle Township existed as a separate entity thereafter until 1999 when the Town of South Bruce Peninsula formed through an amalgamation of Amabel Township, Albemarle Township, the Village of Hepworth, and the Town of Wiarton.
Sources:
a) Albemarle Township Historical Society. “Albemarle: A History of the Township.” Ed. Dorothy Crocker. Wiarton: Albemarle Township Historical Society, 1991. Print.
b) Mika, Nick, and Helma Mika. “Places in Ontario.” Belleville: Mika Publishing Company, 1997.
c) Robertson, Norman. “The History of the County of Bruce and of the minor municipalities therein.” Toronto: William Briggs, 1906.