Longlac Explained

Longlac
Settlement Type:Unincorporated community
Flag Size:120x80px
Pushpin Map:Canada Ontario
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Canada
Subdivision Name1:Ontario
Subdivision Type3:Municipality
Established Title:Improvement District
Established Date:1952
Established Title1:Township
Established Date1:1964
Established Title2:Dissolved (amalgamated)
Established Date2:2001
Named For:Long Lake
Area Land Km2:1.74
Area Footnotes:[1]
Population As Of:2021
Population Total:1316
Population Density Km2:756.7
Utc Offset:-5
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Postal Code:P0T 2A0

Longlac is a community in the municipality of Greenstone, in northwestern Ontario, Canada.[2] It is located along Highway 11 and the Canadian National Railway, on the namesake Longlac Bay at the northern end of Long Lake.[3]

It was a separate municipality from 1964 to 2001, when it was amalgamated with the former Townships of Beardmore and Nakina, and the Town of Geraldton.

History

The area has long been inhabited by Anishinaabe peoples. French traders explored the Long Lake area in the 17th century and set up a post. The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) explored the area from 1776 on. Circa 1800, the North West Company (NWC) built a trading post on Long Lake near its outlet of Kenogami River, possibly the former site of a French post. In 1814, HBC established a rival post nearby at Gauthier Point, which was an outpost falling under Henley House, but became a full trading post the following year. In 1819, Henley House was destroyed and Long Lake became district headquarters, until it closed in 1821 (when the HBC and NWC merged). It soon reopened as an outpost of the Pic River post, and served as a relay post for the winter express route between Red River and Moose Factory in the succeeding years.[4] [5] [6]

In the early 20th century, other trading posts opened at Long Lake, including Révillon Frères (1906-1919), Mathe & Duphney, and Great Lake Fur Trading Company (both in operation circa 1918).[5]

In the 1910s, the Canadian Northern Railway was built along the north end of Long Lake and opened for passenger service in 1915. Since the name "Long Lake" was already in use elsewhere, the French equivalent "Longuelac" was chosen as the station's name (which later became Longlac).[7] [8]

In 1921, HBC moved its post from the nearby Gauthier Point to a site near the railroad station.[5] In 1923, the Longlac-Nakina Cut-Off was built, connecting the Canadian Northern Railway at Longlac to the National Transcontinental Railway at Nakina, which gave Longlac greater importance as a railway junction. A new station was built to the west at the actual junction, and the old station was renamed "Calong" (a modification of Longlac).[7] [9]

In 1937, a pulp and paper mill opened in Longlac, and in 1942, the highway to Geraldton was built. In 1952, the place was incorporated as the Improvement District of Longlac. In 1957, the mill was taken over by Kimberly-Clark.[10] [11]

In 1959, the HBC operations were transferred to the Northern Stores Department. HBC divested this department in 1987 to The North West Company, and the store subsequently closed.[5]

In 1964, the Improvement District became the Township of Longlac, which in turn changed statutes in 1982 to become the Town of Longlac.[11] [12]

In 2001, Longlac was amalgamated with the former Townships of Beardmore and Nakina, and the Town of Geraldton, together with previously unorganized areas, into the new municipality of Greenstone.[13]

Railroad traffic from Longlac to Thunder Bay gradually declined, and this section was abandoned in 2005 and the rails were removed in 2010. The station was moved back to its original location, which is serviced by Via Rail.[7] [8] [14]

Demographics

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents (2021): 562 (total dwellings: 650)[1]

Mother tongue (2021):[1]

Transportation

Longlac is located along the Trans-Canada Highway 11. It is also accessible by Via Rail service at the Longlac train station.[15]

Notable people

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Longlac Ontario [Designated place] Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population ]. www12.statcan.gc.ca . 9 February 2022 . Government of Canada - Statistics Canada . 11 March 2024.
  2. 11 March 2024.
  3. 11 March 2024.
  4. Book: Voorhis . Ernest . Historic Forts and Trading Post of the French Regime and of the English Fur Trading Companies . 1930 . Department of the Interior . Ottawa . 12 March 2024.
  5. Web site: Hudson's Bay Company: Long Lake . pam.minisisinc.com . Archives of Manitoba - Keystone Archives Descriptive Database . 11 March 2024.
  6. Web site: Places To Visit on a Road Trip from North Bay to Thunder Bay . avrextravel.com . Avrex Travel . 12 March 2024 . 3 February 2023.
  7. Web site: Longlac . padwrr.com . Poverty, Agony, Distress & Want! . 11 March 2024 . en . 13 December 2020.
  8. Web site: Canadian Northern Railway Nipigon Subdivision . padwrr.com . Poverty, Agony, Distress & Want! . 11 March 2024 . en . 27 October 2020.
  9. Web site: Canadian Northern Railway Long Lake Subdivision . padwrr.com . Poverty, Agony, Distress & Want! . 11 March 2024 . en . 24 November 2020.
  10. Web site: History . www.greenstone.ca . Municipality of Greenstone . 12 March 2024 . en . 22 June 2021.
  11. Web site: Thunder Bay District GenWeb: Municipal / Administrative History . sites.rootsweb.com . OntarioGenWeb . 12 March 2024.
  12. 1971 Census of Canada - Population Census Subdivisions (Historical) . Catalogue 92-702 Vol I, Part 1 (Bulletin 1.1-2) . July 1973 . 76, 139 . Statistics Canada.
  13. Web site: O. Reg. 253/97: Restructuring Commission for the Towns of Geraldton and Longlac, the Townships of Beardmore and Nakina and Unorganized Areas, under Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25 . Ontario.ca . Province of Ontario . 12 March 2024 . en . 24 July 2014.
  14. Web site: Longlac train station . www.viarail.ca . VIA Rail . 12 March 2024.
  15. Web site: Getting Here . www.greenstone.ca . Municipality of Greenstone . 2 April 2024 . en . 22 June 2021.
  16. Web site: 2022 New Holland U21 Canadian Juniors Media Guide . Curling Canada . 13 March 2024.
  17. Web site: Mannella . Rita . Longlac's Tyler Tucker makes NHL debut . SNNewsWatch.com . Dougall Media . 13 March 2024 . 24 November 2022.