{"id":2421,"date":"2022-07-26T01:56:29","date_gmt":"2022-07-26T01:56:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/owlrafting.com\/?p=2421"},"modified":"2023-09-28T15:27:20","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T19:27:20","slug":"the-history-of-the-ottawa-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/owlrafting.com\/the-history-of-the-ottawa-river\/","title":{"rendered":"The History of The Ottawa River\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

The History of The Ottawa River\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Ottawa River<\/strong> is the traditional territory of the Algonquin<\/strong> peoples.<\/p>\n

The large waterway was originally known as the \u2018Grande Rivi\u00e8re des Algonquins\u2019 or \u2018Grande Rivi\u00e8re du Nord\u2019 amongst the French, \u2018Kichi Sibi\u2019 amongst the Algonquin Peoples<\/strong> (translates to the \u2018Great River\u2019 or \u2018La Grande Rivi\u00e8re\u2019) and still holds its nickname as the \u2018Original Trans Canada Highway<\/b>\u2019. Its nickname comes from its recognized trade route which was where the first Canadians and Europeans engaged in fur, timber, and lumber trade.<\/p>\n

This Ottawa River is in East-Central Canada<\/b> and is the principal tributary of the St. Lawrence River<\/b>. Due to the flow of the river (it runs for 790 miles), and permanence, the Ottawa River<\/b> is by default the \u201cheart of one of Canada\u2019s most ecologically and economically important watersheds\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Exploration of the Ottawa River\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In search of new territories, Samuel de Champlain<\/b> traveled far and wide. In 1613, he came across the Ottawa River<\/strong> and travelled \u201cas far as Allumette Island on the Ottawa River.\u201d After Samuel, many more explorers sought lands along the iconic waterway, including explorers such as LaVerendrye, Simon Fraser, Sir John Franklin, and David Thompson.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is recorded that the French explorer and cartographer Samuel de Champlain\u2019s astrolabe<\/strong> \u2013 \u201ca compact instrument used to observe and calculate the position of celestial bodies before the invention of the sextant\u201d was found in Cobden<\/strong>, Ontario<\/strong> in 1867. The story goes that Champlain and his men journeyed through small lakes near Cobden to bypass rapids and on their path, were \u201cforced to portage and climb over and under fallen logs at one particularly difficult point by Green Lake\u201d (Green lake is now known as Astrolabe lake<\/strong>). Through this turn of events, many years later it had emerged and was confirmed by many 19th century authors that Samuel de Chaplain\u2019s astrolabe was recovered there. It is somewhat \u201cunearthly\u201d that his astrolabe had been found as it is a profound finding within Canadian histor<\/strong>y. Today, it is housed within the Canadian Museum of Civilization<\/strong> in Hull, Quebec<\/strong> where it is a key artifact amongst a collection of historic valuables.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Trade on the Ottawa River
\n<\/b><\/h3>\n

Fur was a \u201cluxury article in Europe\u201d so European settlers<\/strong> struck gold when they discovered the fur trade along The Ottawa River<\/b>. The frenzy of having the material to make \u201cbroad-brimmed beaver hats\u201d swept over the continent which further heightened the pursuit. In the 17th century, King Henry IV of France<\/strong> \u201cfocused on the fur trade<\/strong> to acquire the revenue required to establish a North American empire.\u201d Acquiring many beaver pelts drove him to send expensive boats through the Atlantic<\/strong>. One can say that the demand and profit fur had at the time is likened to a modern-day person buying and selling land, as the value was significant and could increase over time. Additionally, \u201cthe First Nations Peoples<\/strong> were able to benefit from this trade from the acquisition of utilitarian items for cooking, hunting, building, and sewing.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Human impact on The Ottawa River
\n<\/b><\/h3>\n

For 8,500+ years, dating back to Algonquin ancestors, humans have impacted the Ottawa River<\/strong> by utilizing its natural resources, hunting, gathering, and \u201cliving along its banks\u201d. The more recent construction of urban estates, resource extraction, area development, wetland destruction, river dams, and other manmade factors, its area and landscape has compromised the wetlands. Maintaining the ecological health of the Ottawa River<\/strong> and learning how our cumulative human impact affects the richness and quality of the river, is crucial to its generational livelihood and system. With that being said, we give a well-deserved THANK YOU to the Ottawa River Keepers <\/strong>as they contribute to the health of the river that the future generations can experience and appreciate.<\/p>\n

Animal & Plant life of The Ottawa River\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

The \u201cdeep lakes and fast-flowing waters of the Ottawa River<\/strong>\u201d is the perfect combination for biotic and abiotic life to thrive and multiply in. \u201cIt provides habitat for more than 85 fish species, 300 bird species, approximately 53 mammal species, and 33 species of amphibians and reptiles. You can also find at least 14 different species of freshwater mussels in the Ottawa River.\u201d In the forests surrounding this \u201cmother\u201d of a river, the Ottawa River<\/strong> is largely \u201chome to many other mammals such as squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, raccoons, mice,\u00a0bats, and white-tailed deer. Along more northerly boreal sections of the river are wolves, wolverines, lynx, marten, and moose.\u201d The Ottawa River is simply full of life, richness, and beauty.<\/p>\n

The next time you journey on the river, remember its rich and ancient history. Let\u2019s make sure to protect it!<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

__________<\/p>\n

Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n