Fort Témiscamingue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Témiscamingue |
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| Ville-Marie | |
Remnants of Fort Témiscamingue with Lake Timiskaming in the background.
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| Type | Fort |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | New France; Canada |
| Official name: Fort Témiscamingue National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated: | 1931 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1679 |
| In use | 1679–1902 |
Fort Témiscamingue was an important trading post in the 1600s and 1700s. It was located in Duhamel-Ouest, Quebec, close to Ville-Marie, Canada. This fort was built on the east shore of Lake Timiskaming. It was a key stop on the fur trade route. Today, Fort Témiscamingue is a National Historic Site. It is managed by Parks Canada with the Timiskaming First Nation.
History of Fort Témiscamingue
Lake Timiskaming was a perfect spot for a trading post. It sits at a bend in the Ottawa River. This lake was part of a major canoe route. This route connected Hudson Bay to the Saint Lawrence River. It was about halfway on a 40-day journey. The first Europeans to use this route were part of the Hudson Bay expedition (1686).
Around 1679, merchants from Montreal built a fort. It was on the west side of Lake Timiskaming. They wanted to compete with English trading posts. But the Iroquois people destroyed this fort in 1688.
In 1720, French merchants built a new Fort Témiscamingue. It was on the east side of a narrow part of the lake. This spot was called "The Narrows." The shores here are less than 250 meters (820 feet) apart. It was once an Algonquin camp. They called it "Obadjiwan Point," meaning "the strait where the current flows."
After New France fell, independent traders took over the post. The North West Company used it from 1788. Then the Hudson's Bay Company took over in 1821. For a while, supplies came from Moose Factory. Later, they came from Montreal again. This was because transportation improved.
As more lumbermen arrived, the area changed. Railroads and steamboats also came. The trading post then became a general store. In 1887, the main store moved to Ville-Marie, Quebec. The fort finally closed in 1902. By 1980, only some old chimneys remained. But today, it is a protected historic site.
A Roman Catholic mission was also at Fort Témiscamingue. It was on the eastern shore of Lake Timiskaming. In 1863, this mission moved to the Ontario side of the lake. It included a home for Oblate fathers. There was also a small hospital run by two Grey Sisters of the Cross. Later, a wooden church was built there.
Fort Témiscamingue: A National Historic Site
Fort Témiscamingue was named a national historic site in 1931. It is important for its history and nature. The park has three main natural areas. These are the plateau, the steep slopes (escarpments), and the lowlands.
More than 80% of the park is covered by trees. There are about 20 different types of tree stands. Many plants from the Laurentian maple forest grow here. One special part is called the "Enchanted Forest." It has cedar trees with very twisted trunks.
Not much of the original fort remains today. But there is a modern visitor's center. It has exhibits and shows. These help visitors learn about the fort's rich history.
