The ACO Port Hope branch was formed in the early nineteen sixties. Since then, it has become one of the most active ACO branches.

In 2002 the Municipality of Port Hope was awarded the prestigious honour of possessing the finest heritage mainstreets in Ontario. Through the foresight of those who worked diligently for architectural preservation in the 1950's and 60's, their hard work is now paying huge dividends for those many local businesses, catering to an economically important tourist trade. Hundreds of visits are paid to our wonderful town every year as visitors stroll our many historic streets and laneways, marvel at our heritage architecture and partake of some much needed quiet enjoyment.

Every year this active branch of volunteers raises and then donates tens of thousands of dollars for the cause of historical architectural preservation. In the first month of January 2003, alone, 15 thousand dollars was awarded to two local churches to perform much needed restorative work to their buildings. Our association also looks after the cost of maintaining the still active C.N. train station, a local, turn of the century stone building in the heart of the community. We administer the "A.K. Sculthorpe Heritage Trades Scholarship Fund" set up to invest in the future of our heritage in Northumberland County by offering scholarships to local residents enrolling in the Algonquin College Heritage Institute. As well, the Port Hope ACO Heritage Fund actively solicits heritage restoration projects to finance, offering attractive financial terms and grants for qualifying projects.