Longlac is a community in the municipality of Greenstone , in northwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located along Highway 11 and the Canadian National Railway , on the namesake Longlac Bay at the northern end of Long Lake.
25-584: It was a separate municipality from 1964 to 2001, when it was amalgamated with the former Townships of Beardmore and Nakina , and the Town of Geraldton. The area has long been inhabited by Anishinaabe peoples. French traders explored the Long Lake area in the 17th century and set up a post. The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) explored the area from 1776 on. Circa 1800, the North West Company (NWC) built
50-423: A result, the value of Nakina as a railway service community greatly diminished. In 1958, the last steam engine left Nakina. Railway shops closed in the 1960s, and its status as a maintenance centre ended in 1986, when trains would no longer stop to change crews. That same year Nakina ceased to be a station stop. In the 1970s, pulp and paper operations near the town offset the decline in railway employment. In 1978,
75-582: A source of further growth, though the Canadian Shield geology of the area makes extraction of minerals like gold an expensive and uneconomical operation. Access to the remote northern community is via Highway 584 from Highway 11 at Geraldton. Nakina is served by Via Rail at the Nakina station , and by charter flights at the Nakina Airport . Nakina Water Aerodrome is just north of
100-491: A trading post on Long Lake near its outlet of Kenogami River , possibly the former site of a French post. In 1814, HBC established a rival post nearby at Gauthier Point, which was an outpost falling under Henley House , but became a full trading post the following year. In 1819, Henley House was destroyed and Long Lake became district headquarters, until it closed in 1821 (when the HBC and NWC merged). It soon reopened as an outpost of
125-737: Is located along the Trans-Canada Highway 11 . It is also accessible by Via Rail service at the Longlac train station. [REDACTED] Media related to Longlac, Ontario at Wikimedia Commons Nakina, Ontario Nakina is a community in the Town of Greenstone in the Thunder Bay District in Northern Ontario , Canada . It is approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) north of Geraldton, located along
150-571: The Canadian National Railway . The origins of the town were initially support of the railway, but its economy has evolved through lumber, pulp and paper, mining and tourism. It has a population of about 500 people. It was a separate municipality from 1978 to 2001, when it was amalgamated with the former Township of Beardmore, and the Towns of Geraldton and Longlac . Its name is an indigenous word meaning "meeting place". Nakina
175-589: The National Transcontinental Railway at Nakina , which gave Longlac greater importance as a railway junction. A new station was built to the west at the actual junction, and the old station was renamed "Calong" (a modification of Longlac). In 1937, a pulp and paper mill opened in Longlac, and in 1942, the highway to Geraldton was built. In 1952, the place was incorporated as the Improvement District of Longlac. In 1957,
200-420: The North West Company (NWC) built a trading post on Long Lake near its outlet of Kenogami River , possibly the former site of a French post. In 1814, HBC established a rival post nearby at Gauthier Point, which was an outpost falling under Henley House , but became a full trading post the following year. In 1819, Henley House was destroyed and Long Lake became district headquarters, until it closed in 1821 (when
225-537: The Pic River post, and served as a relay post for the winter express route between Red River and Moose Factory in the succeeding years. In the early 20th century, other trading posts opened at Long Lake, including Révillon Frères (1906-1919), Mathe & Duphney, and Great Lake Fur Trading Company (both in operation circa 1918). In the 1910s, the Canadian Northern Railway was built along
250-546: The 1910s, the Canadian Northern Railway was built along the north end of Long Lake and opened for passenger service in 1915. Since the name "Long Lake" was already in use elsewhere, the French equivalent "Longuelac" was chosen as the station's name (which later became Longlac). In 1921, HBC moved its post from the nearby Gauthier Point to a site near the railroad station. In 1923, the Longlac-Nakina Cut-Off
275-407: The HBC and NWC merged). It soon reopened as an outpost of the Pic River post, and served as a relay post for the winter express route between Red River and Moose Factory in the succeeding years. In the early 20th century, other trading posts opened at Long Lake, including Révillon Frères (1906-1919), Mathe & Duphney, and Great Lake Fur Trading Company (both in operation circa 1918). In
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#1732779900802300-564: The National Transcontinental Railway at Nakina (called the Longlac-Nakina Cut-Off), which would reduce travel time by 4 hours. This prompted the development of the town, since Nakina replaced Grant (25 kilometers to the east) as the new divisional point. A repair and refueling complex, including a new large 2-storey station, was built at Nakina. The entire town of Grant was moved by flatcars to
325-426: The Town of Longlac. In 2001, Longlac was amalgamated with the former Townships of Beardmore and Nakina, and the Town of Geraldton, together with previously unorganized areas , into the new municipality of Greenstone . Railroad traffic from Longlac to Thunder Bay gradually declined, and this section was abandoned in 2005 and the rails were removed in 2010. The station was moved back to its original location, which
350-479: The cold-war threat. The Nakina base was totally removed shortly after the war. In 1955, the road from Geraldton to Nakina was built, connecting it with the Trans-Canada Highway. The introduction of diesel locomotives after World War II meant that service and maintenance could be consolidated at points much more distant from one another than had been common in the first half of the 20th century. As
375-404: The community on Cordingley Lake, where a float plane service provides transport to a variety of different lakes. [REDACTED] Media related to Nakina, Ontario at Wikimedia Commons Longlac Longlac is a community in the municipality of Greenstone , in northwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located along Highway 11 and the Canadian National Railway , on the namesake Longlac Bay at
400-506: The former Townships of Beardmore and Nakina, and the Town of Geraldton, together with previously unorganized areas , into the new municipality of Greenstone . Railroad traffic from Longlac to Thunder Bay gradually declined, and this section was abandoned in 2005 and the rails were removed in 2010. The station was moved back to its original location, which is serviced by Via Rail . Private dwellings occupied by usual residents (2021): 562 (total dwellings: 650) Mother tongue (2021): Longlac
425-541: The mill was taken over by Kimberly-Clark . In 1959, the HBC operations were transferred to the Northern Stores Department. HBC divested this department in 1987 to The North West Company , and the store subsequently closed. In 1964, the Improvement District became the Township of Longlac, which in turn changed statutes in 1982 to become the Town of Longlac. In 2001, Longlac was amalgamated with
450-467: The new Nakina town site, including a store house, the 12-stall round house with machine shop and 75' turntable, 200-ton coal plant, 1,000-ton ice house, 70,000-gallon water tank, and staff resthouse. The community was briefly renamed Thornton Junction, after Henry Worth Thornton , then president of the CNR. From the 1920s on, Nakina prospered as an important railway service stop. During World War II, there
475-501: The north end of Long Lake and opened for passenger service in 1915. Since the name "Long Lake" was already in use elsewhere, the French equivalent "Longuelac" was chosen as the station's name (which later became Longlac). In 1921, HBC moved its post from the nearby Gauthier Point to a site near the railroad station. In 1923, the Longlac-Nakina Cut-Off was built, connecting the Canadian Northern Railway at Longlac to
500-405: The northern end of Long Lake. It was a separate municipality from 1964 to 2001, when it was amalgamated with the former Townships of Beardmore and Nakina , and the Town of Geraldton. The area has long been inhabited by Anishinaabe peoples. French traders explored the Long Lake area in the 17th century and set up a post. The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) explored the area from 1776 on. Circa 1800,
525-538: The place was incorporated as the Township of Nakina and had a peak population of nearly 1000 in the 1981 census. In 2001, Nakina was amalgamated with the former Township of Beardmore and the Towns of Geraldton and Longlac, together with previously unorganized areas , into the new municipality of Greenstone . As of 2004 , the town remains focused on tourism , diminished pulp and paper operations, and support of other more northern communities (food, fuel and transportation). Mining and minerals industries are often seen as
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#1732779900802550-502: Was also a radar base on the edge of the town, intended to watch for a potential attacks on the strategically important locks at Sault Ste. Marie between Lake Superior and Lake Huron . Research into the radar site in the National Archives of Canada indicates that it was largely a United States Army Air Forces operation, that pre-dated the later Pinetree Line radar bases that were erected shortly thereafter focussing on
575-401: Was built, connecting the Canadian Northern Railway at Longlac to the National Transcontinental Railway at Nakina , which gave Longlac greater importance as a railway junction. A new station was built to the west at the actual junction, and the old station was renamed "Calong" (a modification of Longlac). In 1937, a pulp and paper mill opened in Longlac, and in 1942, the highway to Geraldton
600-443: Was built. In 1952, the place was incorporated as the Improvement District of Longlac. In 1957, the mill was taken over by Kimberly-Clark . In 1959, the HBC operations were transferred to the Northern Stores Department. HBC divested this department in 1987 to The North West Company , and the store subsequently closed. In 1964, the Improvement District became the Township of Longlac, which in turn changed statutes in 1982 to become
625-532: Was first established in 1913 as flag stop on the National Transcontinental Railway (NTR), between the divisional points of Grant and Armstrong . Nakina was at Mile 15.9 of the NTR's Grant Sub-Division. After the NTR was nationalized into the Canadian National Railway (CNR) in 1923, the CNR decided to create a "shortcut" between the tracks of the Canadian Northern Railway at Longlac to
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