Wawa — an unforgettable name

Wawa — an unforgettable name. . , Wawa is just one of those place names that stands out. It is one of those names you will never forget. Where did this town get such a unique name and what does it mean?, Ojibway Country , When the first Europeans traveled to the Wawa region in the late 1600's they were introduced to a rugged landscape occupied by the Ojibway people, or Anishnabe. The forests, hills and lakes were overflowing with legends and stories which gave unique labels and place names to their surroundings. Places like Michipicoten (‘great bluff’), the official name record, however, mentions a reference from Samuel Hagan, Indian Agent in the area in 1905. Hagan states that Michipicoten is a corruption of Myshebigwading, which was the name of a local tribe (CPCGN). H.D. Cameron, the community's postmaster in 1905, states that Michipicoten is a version of Mickipigwadong, or (‘clump of green trees’), Batchawana (possibly from ‘obatchiwanang’, meaning ‘at the current of the strait’), and Agawa (‘bending shore’ or ‘sheltered harbour’). , Place of Clear Water , Early prospectors recorded the first references to the word wawa while searching for gold with the help of their local Ojibway guides. Wawa Creek was called wawank which is Ojibway for "clear water springs". This refreshing stream flowed out of a lake called wawagonk which means "place of clear water". This was shortened by the European settlers to the easier name of Wawa. , Wild Goose , Somewhere along the way wawa may have been mistranslated to wild goose instead of wewe which means "snow goose". This "wild goose" theory stuck and thus was born Wawa's legendary Wawa Goose. Wawa is in fact on a major migratory flyway from south eastern North America to the Hudson's Bay and the Arctic. Each spring and fall, the familiar V-shaped flocks of Canada Geese return to their traditional feeding grounds. , Wawa v.s. Jamestown , Residents apparently liked the name "Wawa" so much that efforts to change the name to Jamestown to honour Sir James Dunn in 1947 was a dismal failure. Despite changes to both the post office and railway station names, residents continued opposition until 1959, when a plebiscite settled the matter. 550 people voted to keep the old name, out of a total vote of 654. With so many Jamestowns in existence, it wasn't a surprise when one night's mail contained five letters and parcels all intended for five different communities with the same name , including Jamestowns in New York, North Dakota and Pennsylvania. , European Settlers , Europeans first settled in the Wawa area in the early 1700's with a fur trading post next to an Ojibway summer campsite near the mouth of the Michipicoten River. Approximately 9 kms south west of Wawa, Michipicoten River Village was home to a number of posts run by both the Northwest Company and the Hudson's Bay Company for almost 200 years. The Post is seen at the left. , The first non-natives to settle in the town site of Wawa on the shores of Wawa Lake were Mormon teamsters. They were contracted by the Canadian Pacific Railway to transport goods and supplies overland from Lake Superior to Wawa Lake, Hawk Lake, Manitowik Lake and on to Missanabie and Chapleau where the great railway was being constructed across Canada in the 1880's. , Gold and Iron , The discovery of gold in 1897 and then iron in 1898 in the mineral rich mountains around Wawa Lake sealed Wawa's future as an important player in Canada's competitive mining industry. After World War Two, Wawa was a progressive and energetic Northern community that grew to almost 5000 residents. Many of them came from the war torn countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Wawa continues to play a central role in the economy of the Superior East region and is a hub for government, medical and social services for the unique residents of this rugged corner of Northern Ontario. , [other photo captions] , . Wawa early 30’s , . Wawa mid 90’s