Mattawa (Ontario)

Mattawa is a small town in northeastern Ontario, Canada. The last census of 2006 ( "Canada 2006 Census " ) according to which the town has 2003 inhabitants. 60 % of the population is francophone.

History

Mattawa means in the language of the Anishinabe " meeting of the waters". The Mattawa River where it meets the Ottawa River. The region was before European colonization settlement area of ​​the Anishinabe, Nipissing and Algonkinindianer. Étienne Brûlé and Samuel de Champlain were the first Europeans who explored the region in 1615. Thanks to its location at the confluence of two rivers, the city in the past played an important role as a hub for fur and timber merchants.

Mattawa was known as North America's first city with an elected mayor black skin. Originally Haitian physicians, Saint Firmin Monestime, held that post from 1962 to 1964.

The village looks nowadays like many other small towns in northeastern Ontario faced with economic and demographic difficulties, as are available in the neighborhood just a few jobs.

Attractions and facilities

Mattawa is the starting point of the "Timber Train " (Eng.: wooden track) that leads up the Ottawa River to Témiscaming, Québec. In the city there is also the " Mattawa and District Museum ", which among other a wooden statue of the French-Canadian folk hero Big Joe Mufferaw be found. Otherwise, the early settlement of the region is mainly documented. The city itself and its surroundings are dotted with many wooden sculptures that reflect the history of the region.

The " Mattawa District Chamber of Commerce" is a local organization that is striving to promote the city and its surroundings in commercial and tourism. They participate for example in the construction of new wooden sculptures.

Near the town there is also the "Canadian Ecology Centre " ( CEC), which oversees a forest area of ​​2,500 ha and tried to get this natural resource including through cultural reappraisal of the phylogeny of Nipissing and Algonkinindianer.

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Saint Firmin Monestime, former mayor
  • Location in Ontario
  • Location in North America
  • Nipissing District
Nipissing First Nation Algonquin people
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