Chichester, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Chichester is a township
and village in the Canadian
province of Quebec
, located within the Pontiac Regional County Municipality
. The township had a population of 388 in the Canada 2006 Census
.
Chichester is located along the north shores of the Ottawa River
across from Chapeau
on Allumette Island
.
Its settlements include Chichester and Nichabau. Nichabau, also known as Nicabeau or Nichabong, is a scenic hamlet located northwest of Chichester in what used to be referred to as Poupore's Limits. It is noted for its great number of square log home
s.
.
In 1854, the local post office opened (closed in 1970). In 1855, the township was incorporated as a municipality with John B. Poupore as its first mayor.
Chichester was once a thriving community with numerous sawmills, a grist mill, shingle mill, blacksmith shop and two hotels. In the 19th century (1873-1876), the township tried to boost its economy by petitioning the Federal Department of Public Works to build large wooden lock
s in the Culbute Channel of the Ottawa River, claimed to be the largest wooden ones in Canada. The locks were meant to allow steamboat travel on the upper portion of the river but this idea never caught on. The Culbute Locks (and associated dam) were in use from 1876 until the fall of 1889 when they were "...abandoned to the forces of the river and Nature's wood-rotting agents..."
Today, the municipality is predominantly dependant on farming, lumbering, and some summer tourism.
Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 157
Mother tongue:
Township (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
and village in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, located within the Pontiac Regional County Municipality
Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Pontiac is a county regional municipality MRC Pontiac in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. It should not be confused with the municipality of Pontiac, which is located inside the county regional municipality of Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais....
. The township had a population of 388 in the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
.
Chichester is located along the north shores of the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
across from Chapeau
Chapeau, Quebec
Chapeau is a village in the Canadian province of Quebec, located along the Culbute Channel of the Ottawa River in the municipality of L'Isle-aux-Allumettes in Pontiac Regional County Municipality....
on Allumette Island
L'Isle-aux-Allumettes, Quebec
L'Isle-aux-Allumettes is a municipality in the Outaouais region, part of the Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. The municipality consists primarily of Allumette Island , and also includes Morrison Island, Marcotte Island, and some minor islets, all in the Ottawa River north of...
.
Its settlements include Chichester and Nichabau. Nichabau, also known as Nicabeau or Nichabong, is a scenic hamlet located northwest of Chichester in what used to be referred to as Poupore's Limits. It is noted for its great number of square log home
Log home
A log home is structurally identical to a log cabin...
s.
Geography
The northern part of the municipal territory is sparsely populated and undeveloped, dotted with several lakes including Lake McGillivray. In its centre there are hills some of which reach an altitude of 400 metres (1,312.3 ft). The southern portion is mostly cleared and used for agriculture, and where the 2 communities are located.History
The Gale and Duberger Map of 1795 already showed the planned "Chicheter" [sic] Township but it was not officially proclaimed until 1849. It is named after the administrative capital of West Sussex, EnglandChichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
.
In 1854, the local post office opened (closed in 1970). In 1855, the township was incorporated as a municipality with John B. Poupore as its first mayor.
Chichester was once a thriving community with numerous sawmills, a grist mill, shingle mill, blacksmith shop and two hotels. In the 19th century (1873-1876), the township tried to boost its economy by petitioning the Federal Department of Public Works to build large wooden lock
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
s in the Culbute Channel of the Ottawa River, claimed to be the largest wooden ones in Canada. The locks were meant to allow steamboat travel on the upper portion of the river but this idea never caught on. The Culbute Locks (and associated dam) were in use from 1876 until the fall of 1889 when they were "...abandoned to the forces of the river and Nature's wood-rotting agents..."
Today, the municipality is predominantly dependant on farming, lumbering, and some summer tourism.
Demographics
Population trend:- Population in 2006: 388 (2001 to 2006 population change: 1.8 %)
- Population in 2001: 381
- Population in 1996: 462
- Population in 1991: 460
Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 157
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 87 %
- French as first language: 10 %
- Other as first language: 3 %