Portage-du-Fort, Quebec

Portage-du-Fort, Quebec

Infobox Settlement
name = Portage-du-Fort
other_name =
native_name =
nickname =
settlement_type = Village


imagesize = 245px
image_caption =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = CAN
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = QC
subdivision_type2 = Region
subdivision_name2 = Outaouais
subdivision_type3 = RCM
subdivision_name3 = Pontiac
government_type =
leader_title =Mayor
leader_name =Gérald Manwell
leader_title1 =Federal MP
(Pontiac)
leader_name1 =Lawrence Cannon
(Conservative Party
of Canada)
leader_title2 =Quebec MNA
(Pontiac)
leader_name2 =Charlotte L'Ecuyer
(Parti Libéral du Québec)
established_title = Constitution
established_date = January 1, 1863
area_magnitude =
unit_pref =
area_footnotes =
area_total_km2 =
area_land_km2 = 4.36
area_water_km2 =
area_water_percent =
population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_note =
population_total = 280
population_density_km2 = 64.2
population_blank1_title =Change ~2001
population_blank1 = +9.8%
population_blank2_title =Dwellings
population_blank2 = 141
population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
coor_type = 24, rue-de-l'Eglise
latd=45 |latm=35 |lats=32 |latNS=N
longd=76 |longm=39 |longs=58 |longEW=W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m =
postal_code_type = Postal Code
postal_code = J0X 2T0
area_code =
blank_name =Access Routes
blank_info = jct|state=QC|QC|301
jct|state=QC|QC|303
blank1_name =
blank1_info =
website =
footnotes =

Portage-du-Fort is a village and municipality in the Pontiac Regional County Municipality in the southwest corner of the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. The village lies across the Ottawa River from Chenaux, Ontario.

At Portage-du-Fort there is a dam, the , and bridge across the Ottawa River.

Toponymy

Portage-du-Fort is named after the portage trail which started here and would lead upstream around a set of falls on the Ottawa River.

However there are several hypotheses to explain the "Fort" portion. Among the most popular is the assumption that a fort was present here on the shore of the Ottawa River to keep provisions at the portage. It has been claimed that a fort called Dufort was flooded in the rapids at this location. However, some researchers argue that the fort in question has never existed and may be a reference to another fort at the mouth of the Coulonge River (after which modern Fort-Coulonge is named). Moreover, the word formerly did not always convey a military connotation and could be more or less synonymous with a village or hamlet, or even a post or warehouse which was fortified.

One theory suggests that the name goes back to a custom of the Algonquins who would paint their bodies here and it was originally named "Portage du Fard" (French for "make-up"), which changed into "Fort".

Another possibility is that "Fort" (French also for "strong") makes reference to the strength needed to haul the heavy canoes and supplies over the arduous portage.

But there is no certainty on any of these theories.

History

In 1611, a French scout named Nicolas Vignau arrived at this site together with a group of Algonquins while on their way to Allumette Island. From here they had to portage around a series of 5 difficult waterfalls on the Ottawa River. The portage from Harbor Square to Bentley's Landing is one of the oldest trails in North America because the Native peoples inhabiting the valley have used it for thousands of years.cite web |url=http://www.mrcpontiac.qc.ca/en/dossiers/dossiers.php?id_dossier=42 |title=Pontiac MRC Gateway: Portage-du-Fort |accessdate=2008-07-11 |publisher=Pontiac MRC Gateway]

In 1694, Louis d'Ailleboust, Sieur de Coulonge, established a fur trading post near the mouth of the Coulonge River. Subsequently the long portage around the falls that led to Fort Coulonge became known as "le portage du fort". But the site was only periodically inhabited, based on travel periods, especially in spring and early summer.cite web |url=http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/topos/carto.asp?Speci=50703&Latitude=45,6&Longitude=-76,66666&Zoom=1700 |title=Municipalité de Village de Portage-du-Fort |accessdate=2008-07-11 |publisher=Commission de toponymie du Québec |language=French]

In the early 19th century timber slides were built around the falls, allowing loggers easy access to Pontiac County and Portage-du-Fort became the hub for all traffic connected with the lumber industry.

The first real settlers came in 1844, the year when the village was surveyed. In 1847, the post office opened and Henry Osborne built a depot with storehouse to supply the lumber industry further inland. On September 19, 1855, Portage-du-Fort became the county seat with Patrick Fox as its first mayor and warden.cite web |url=http://www.pontiacarchives.org/2007/01/13/portage-du-fort |title=Portage-du-Fort |accessdate=2008-07-11 |publisher=Pontiac Archives] Portage du Fort was home to the area's first newspaper, the "Pontiac Pioneer" and "Portage du Fort Advertiser", which was published by G.E. White from 1855 to 1865. From 1860 onward, Portage-du-Fort was an important centre of the Pontiac with its mills, its train station, and its terminus for steam boats carrying grain and wood.

This prosperity led to the creation of the municipality in 1863 when it separated from the municipality of Litchfield Township. That same year Stanislas Drapeau wrote:

However, a serious fire in 1914 almost destroyed the place entirely and curbed its development for many years. Further decline came when the Canadian Northern Railway bypassed the village.

In 1950, the Chenaux hydroelectric power plant and dam were built.cite web |url=http://www.opg.com/power/hydro/ottawa_st_lawrence/chenaux.asp |title=Chenaux Station |accessdate=2008-07-11 |publisher=Ontario Power Generation]

Demographics

Population: [Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census]
* Population in 2006: 280
* Population in 2001: 255
** 2001 to 2006 population change: 9.8 %
* Population in 1996: 289
* Population in 1991: 295

Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 110

Languages:
* English as first language: 79 %
* French as first language: 10.5 %
* Other as first language: 10.5 %

References

* [http://www.mamr.gouv.qc.ca/accueil.asp/ Affaires Municipales et Regions Quebec]
* [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Index.cfm?Lang=E/ Statistics Canada]
* [http://www.elections.ca/pas/39ge/39official.pdf/ Elections Canada Results - 39th General Election (2006)]
* [http://www.monvote.qc.ca/en/ Director General of Quebec Elections]
* [http://www.inforoutiere.qc.ca/fr/carte_routiere/index.asp Official Transport Quebec Road Map]

Geographic Location (8-way)
Centre = Portage-du-Fort
North =



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Portage-du-Fort — Administration Pays  Canada …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Portage-du-fort — Administration Pays  Canada …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Portage — TOCleftPortage refers to the practice of carrying a canoe or other boat over land to avoid an obstacle on the water route (such as rapids or a waterfall in a river), or between two bodies of water (such as over an isthmus). A place where this… …   Wikipedia

  • Fort Ingall — Vue aérienne du Fort Ingall, sur la rive du Lac Témiscouata Lieu Cabano, Québec, Canada Fait partie de Ligne de défens …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Fort-coulonge — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Coulonge. Fort Coulonge Rue Principale Administration …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Fort-Coulonge — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Coulonge. Fort Coulonge Gare vers 1930 Administration Pays …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Quebec Route 303 — Infobox road province=QC type=QC route=303 maint= direction=South/North established= decommissioned= alternate name= length km=47 length round= length ref= direction b=North direction a=South terminus b= jct|state=QC|QC|301 in Otter Lake terminus …   Wikipedia

  • Quebec Route 301 — Infobox road province=QC type=QC route=301 maint= direction=South/North established= decommissioned= alternate name= length km= 82 length round= length ref= direction b=North direction a=South terminus b= jct|state=QC|QC|105 in Kazabazua terminus …   Wikipedia

  • Fort-Sainte-Thérèse — Carte montrant l emplacement du Fort Sainte Thérèse, 1666[1] Le fort Sainte Thérèse est l un des divers ouvrages défensifs érigés au XVIIe siècle le long de la rivière Richelieu, dans la province de …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Fort Sainte-Therese — Fort Sainte Thérèse Carte montrant l emplacement du Fort Sainte Thérèse, 1666[1] Le fort Sainte Thérèse est l un des divers ouvrages défensifs érigés au XVIIe siècle le long de la rivière Richelieu, dans la province de …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”