Laurentian Hills in Renfrew County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
Steamboating on the Upper Ottawa
Photographed by Kevin Craft, July 4, 2017
1. Steamboating on the Upper Ottawa Marker
The first steamboat on the Upper Ottawa River was the 25 horse-power "Lady Colborne" built in 1833 for service between Aylmer and Chats Falls. Gradually other sections of the river where opened to steam navigation and in 1854 the "Pontiac" was launched to navigate the 40-mile route between Pembroke and Rapides-des-Joachims. The "Pontiac", the first steamboat to ply in waters above Portage-du-Fort, was operated by the Union Forwarding Company which contributed to the rapid development of the Upper Ottawa as a lumbering region and tourist attraction. The steamboat gradually gave way to the railroad and by 1879 the Company (incorporated as The Union Forwarding and Railroad Company in 1859) had abandoned its passenger and freight traffic on the river.
Erected by Archaeological and Historic Sites Board of Ontario.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Ontario Heritage Trust series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1833.
Location. 46° 10.077′ N, 77° 37.237′ W. Marker is in Laurentian Hills, Ontario, in Renfrew County. It is on Provincial Highway 17 0.1 kilometers west of Kirkwood Way, on the right when
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the Haliburton Highlands to Ottawa Valley and in Eastern Ontario. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Ruperts Land.
Other nearby markers. At least one other marker is within 6 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Nuclear Power Demonstration Reactor (approx. 5.4 kilometers away).
Also see . . .
1. School House Museum website. (Submitted on July 16, 2017, by Kevin Craft of Bedford, Quebec.)
2. School House Museum. New website for School House Museum
School House Museum(Submitted on August 31, 2022, by Dianne Lemire of Laurentian Hills, Ontario.)
35753 Hwy 17
Laurentian Hills, Ontario
Photographed by Kevin Craft, July 4, 2017
2. Wideview of Steamboating on the Upper Ottawa Marker
Photographed by Kevin Craft, July 4, 2017
3. A visual history of steamboats on the Upper Ottawa River
Photographed by Kevin Craft, July 4, 2017
4. A visual history of steamboats on the Upper Ottawa River
Credits. This page was last revised on March 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 16, 2017, by Kevin Craft of Bedford, Quebec. This page has been viewed 693 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 16, 2017, by Kevin Craft of Bedford, Quebec.
