Whitefish River Valley
Encyclopedia
The Whitefish River Valley is located in the unorganized area
of Thunder Bay District
, Ontario
, and is named for the Whitefish River that flows through it. The valley is home to several small communities that developed when land was opened for homesteading
along the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway
line at the turn of 20th century and many people, particularly those from Finland
, settled in the area. Today it has a population of approximately 1,362.
Education in the valley is provided by the Whitefish Valley School, which is located in Hymers and operated by the Lakehead District School Board
.
and Gillies
. The remainder is located in the local services board of Nolalu.
Hillside is a hamlet on Highway 588. It was settled by homesteaders from Finland in the early 1900s. There were many small dairy farms and fields in Hillside until the 1950s. Hillside had its own train platform along the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway, as well as its own school built in 1914.
Nolalu is a village located on Highway 588. It is located in Lybster geographic township. The term "Nolalu" is an abbreviation
of "North Land Lumber" and is also used to describe a wide area around the village, as well as the local service board that oversees roads and services in much of the valley. The Whitefish River flows through the village on its way toward the Kaministiquia River
.
Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario
Unorganized Thunder Bay is an unorganized area in northwestern Ontario, Canada in Thunder Bay District. It comprises all parts of the district that are not part of an incorporated municipality or a First Nations reserve....
of Thunder Bay District
Thunder Bay District, Ontario
Thunder Bay District is a district and census division in Northwestern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. The district seat is Thunder Bay....
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and is named for the Whitefish River that flows through it. The valley is home to several small communities that developed when land was opened for homesteading
Homesteading
Broadly defined, homesteading is a lifestyle of simple self-sufficiency.-Current practice:The term may apply to anyone who follows the back-to-the-land movement by adopting a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. While land is no longer freely available in most areas of the world, homesteading...
along the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway
Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway
The Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway is a defunct Canadian railway that operated in Northwestern Ontario.The PADW was built in 1889 by investors interested in extracting the mineral and timber wealth of the Whitefish River Valley, Silver Mountain Range and beyond into the Boundary Waters...
line at the turn of 20th century and many people, particularly those from Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, settled in the area. Today it has a population of approximately 1,362.
Education in the valley is provided by the Whitefish Valley School, which is located in Hymers and operated by the Lakehead District School Board
Lakehead District School Board
The Lakehead District School Board oversees all secular English-language public schools in the Thunder Bay CMA and the townships of Gorham and Ware in Ontario, Canada. It administers education at 22 elementary schools, 4 secondary schools and an adult education centre.Elementary Schools*Agnew H....
.
Communities
Communities in the Whitefish River Valley include Flint, Harstone, Hillside, Hymers, Leeper, Nolalu, Sellers, and Silver Mountain. Part of the valley is located in the municipalities of O'ConnorO'Connor, Ontario
O'Connor is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located west of the city of Thunder Bay. The municipality was formed on January 1, 1907...
and Gillies
Gillies, Ontario
Gillies is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within the Thunder Bay District.The township is part of the city of Thunder Bay's Census Metropolitan Area.-Demographics:Population trend:* Population in 2006: 544...
. The remainder is located in the local services board of Nolalu.
Hillside is a hamlet on Highway 588. It was settled by homesteaders from Finland in the early 1900s. There were many small dairy farms and fields in Hillside until the 1950s. Hillside had its own train platform along the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway, as well as its own school built in 1914.
Nolalu is a village located on Highway 588. It is located in Lybster geographic township. The term "Nolalu" is an abbreviation
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
of "North Land Lumber" and is also used to describe a wide area around the village, as well as the local service board that oversees roads and services in much of the valley. The Whitefish River flows through the village on its way toward the Kaministiquia River
Kaministiquia River
The Kaministiquia River is a river which empties into western Lake Superior at the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Kaministiquia is an Ojibwe word meaning " with islands" due to two large islands at the mouth of the river...
.