Michipicoten River
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| Michipicoten | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Mouth | Lake Superior |
| Basin countries |  Canada |
| Length | 113 km (70 mi) |
| Mouth elevation | 183 m (600 ft) [1] |
| Basin area | 5,200 km² (2,008 sq mi) |
The Michipicoten River is a river in the Algoma District of northern Ontario, Canada, which flows from Lake Wabatongushi and joins with the Magpie River to empty into Michipicoten Bay on Lake Superior near the town of Wawa. This river is 113 km (70 mi) in length and drains an area of about 5,200 km² (2,000 sq mi).
The river's name means "big bluffs" in Ojibwe and refers to the large hills located near the river's mouth.
There are several hydroelectric generating stations on the river.
[edit] History
In the days of the fur trade, this river provided access to James Bay by way of the Missinaibi and Moose Rivers. Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers are believed to be the first non-natives to travel this route. A French trading post was built at the river's mouth in the early 1700s. The Hudson's Bay Company started building trading posts along the route in the 1770s and its post at Michipicoten River remained in use until abandoned in 1904 (the site is now part of Michipicoten Post Provincial Park). [2]
In 1781 Philip Turnor, HBC's first full-time surveyor, performed a detailed survey of the river, followed by many upgrades to the portages. After 1821, the Moose/Missinaibi/Michipicoten route became the established supply route for HBC's Lake Superior District. [3]
[edit] References
- ^ Wright, John W. (ed.); Editors and reporters of The New York Times (2006). The New York Times Almanac, 2007, New York, New York: Penguin Books, 64. ISBN 0-14-303820-6.
- ^ Ontario Parks - Michipicoten Post PP
- ^ Archaeological and Historic Sites Board, Archives of Ontario.
[edit] See also
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