Waltham, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Waltham is a village and municipality in the Outaouais region, part of the Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Quebec
, Canada. It is located at the mouth of the Noire River
, along the north shore of the Ottawa River
at Allumette Island
.
The municipality consists of the hamlet of Carroll and the village of Waltham, both near the Ottawa River between Chichester
and Mansfield-et-Pontefract
, about 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) west of Fort-Coulonge. Quebec Route 148
connects Waltham to Allumettes Island and Pembroke, Ontario
.
Its territory, with a maximum elevation of just over 350 metres (1,148.3 ft), is sparsely populated, the majority of the population living along or near the Ottawa River. The northern portion is a vast extended tract of undeveloped land, dotted with lakes, such as Findlay, Landon, Gagnon, and Caughlin, which are popular for fishing.
. In 1849, the Waltham Township was formed. In 1859, it was officially reorganized into a township municipality
, also named Waltham, and its first mayor was John T. Coghlan.
In 1869, the Bryson Township was annexed, creating the United Township Municipality of Waltham-et-Bryson. The name Bryson comes from George Bryson Sr. (1813–1900), influential logging merchant, and mayor of Mansfield-et-Pontefract. In 1888, the railroad from Fort-Coulonge to Waltham was completed but not until August 27, 1894, was the railroad opened by the Pontiac Pacific Junction Railway
Company. Four years later, in 1898, a post office was established, called Waltham Station.
In 1937, a hydroelectric
generating station and dam were built across the Noire River just north of Waltham village, forming a reservoir called Robinson Lake.
In 1959, rail service to Waltham is discontinued, and in 1984 the railline was removed and later turned into the Cycloparc PPJ
bike path
stretching from Bristol, Quebec, to Pembroke, Ontario
.
In 1997, Waltham-et-Bryson is reorganized into the Municipality of Waltham.
In 2007, The wood drying kilns caught fire.
In 2009, Waltham celebrated its 150th birthday.
Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 153
Languages:
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....
, Canada. It is located at the mouth of the Noire River
Noire River
The Noire River is a river in western Quebec, Canada. It runs in a south-eastern direction into the Ottawa River at Waltham, Quebec. It is named after the dark colour of its water ....
, along the north shore 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:...
at 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...
.
The municipality consists of the hamlet of Carroll and the village of Waltham, both near the Ottawa River between Chichester
Chichester, Quebec
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....
and Mansfield-et-Pontefract
Mansfield-et-Pontefract, Quebec
Mother tongue:* English as first language: 15.8 %* French as first language: 82.7 %* English and French as first language: 0 %* Other as first language: 1.5 %Population trend:* Population in 2006: 2043* Population in 2001: 2077* Population in 1996: 2115...
, about 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) west of Fort-Coulonge. Quebec Route 148
Quebec route 148
Route 148 is a major east-west highway in Quebec, Canada. It runs from Autoroute 25 in Laval in the Montreal region to the Ontario-Quebec border in L'Isle-aux-Allumettes in western Quebec. For most of its length, Route 148 follows the north shore of the Ottawa River where it acts as the principal...
connects Waltham to Allumettes Island and Pembroke, Ontario
Pembroke, Ontario
Pembroke is a city in the province of Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Muskrat River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley...
.
Its territory, with a maximum elevation of just over 350 metres (1,148.3 ft), is sparsely populated, the majority of the population living along or near the Ottawa River. The northern portion is a vast extended tract of undeveloped land, dotted with lakes, such as Findlay, Landon, Gagnon, and Caughlin, which are popular for fishing.
History
The name Waltham, mentioned on the Gale and Duberger map of 1795, comes from a place on the River Lea in Essex, England, named Waltham AbbeyWaltham Abbey, Essex
Waltham Abbey is a market town of about 20,400 people in the south west of the county of Essex, in the East of England region. It is about 24 km north of London on the Greenwich Meridian and lies between the River Lea in the west and Epping Forest in the east. It takes its name from The Abbey...
. In 1849, the Waltham Township was formed. In 1859, it was officially reorganized into a township municipality
Types of municipalities in Quebec
The following is a list of the types of local and supralocal territorial units in Quebec, including those used solely for statistical purposes, as defined by the Institut de la Statistique du Québec....
, also named Waltham, and its first mayor was John T. Coghlan.
In 1869, the Bryson Township was annexed, creating the United Township Municipality of Waltham-et-Bryson. The name Bryson comes from George Bryson Sr. (1813–1900), influential logging merchant, and mayor of Mansfield-et-Pontefract. In 1888, the railroad from Fort-Coulonge to Waltham was completed but not until August 27, 1894, was the railroad opened by the Pontiac Pacific Junction Railway
Pontiac Pacific Junction Railway
The Pontiac Pacific Junction Railway Company is a historic Canadian railway that operated in the upper Ottawa River valley in western Quebec and northeastern Ontario, Canada....
Company. Four years later, in 1898, a post office was established, called Waltham Station.
In 1937, a hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
generating station and dam were built across the Noire River just north of Waltham village, forming a reservoir called Robinson Lake.
In 1959, rail service to Waltham is discontinued, and in 1984 the railline was removed and later turned into the Cycloparc PPJ
Cycloparc PPJ
thumb|220px|right|Cycloparc PPJCycloparc PPJ is a Canadian rail trail located in the Pontiac Regional County Municipality in Quebec, Canada.The PPJ traverses of hills and riverfront and enables hikers and cyclists to tour through points of interest such as Grand Calumet Island, the Vinton Plain...
bike path
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
stretching from Bristol, Quebec, to Pembroke, Ontario
Pembroke, Ontario
Pembroke is a city in the province of Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Muskrat River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley...
.
In 1997, Waltham-et-Bryson is reorganized into the Municipality of Waltham.
In 2007, The wood drying kilns caught fire.
In 2009, Waltham celebrated its 150th birthday.
Demographics
Population:- Population in 2006: 360
- Population in 2001: 425
- 2001 to 2006 population change: -15.3%
- Population in 1996: 496
- Population in 1991: 466
Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 153
Languages:
- English as first language: 69%
- French as first language: 25%
- English and French as first language: 3%
- Other as first language: 3%