Témiscaming, Quebec, is a charming city nestled at the southern end of Lac Témiscamingue on the upper Ottawa River. This city, located in the Témiscamingue Regional County Municipality of western Quebec, Canada, is also in close proximity to Lake Kipawa. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Algonquin Nation Wolf Lake First Nations band government.
The Ottawa River, which flows through Témiscaming, has a long history of use by Indigenous peoples, colonial explorers, coureurs des bois, and missionaries as a transportation route. Notable travellers such as Radisson and des Groseilliers, Saint-Lusson, Charles le Moyne and Pierre Le Moyne, and Chevalier de Troyes have passed through Témiscaming.
The area began to develop around 1850 when forestry companies started logging the land. By 1880, a settlement of about 13 families had formed, originally known as "Long Sault". From 1884, Long Sault became a significant stopover for colonists travelling upstream to Lake Timiskaming, leading to the construction of a hotel, wharves, stores, and a railroad to Mattawa.
In 1888, the Municipality of Témiscaming was officially incorporated. Its name, also spelled Témiskaming, was derived from Lake Timiskaming and the Algonquin words tim ("deep"), and kami ("open water"). The settlement experienced significant growth when the Riordon Pulp and Paper Company built the Kipawa Mills pulp and paper mill there in 1918. In 1920, Témiscaming gained town status under the name "Kipawa", but the name was replaced by the original name the following year.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Témiscaming had a population of 2,368 living in 1,114 of its 1,407 total private dwellings. This represented a change of -2.6% from its 2016 population of 2,431. With a land area of 710.84 km2 (274.46 sq mi), it had a population density of 3.3/km2 (8.6/sq mi) in 2021. The mother tongue distribution was as follows: English as first language: 33.7%, French as first language: 61.0%, English and French as first language: 3.6%, and Other as first language: 1.5%.
Témiscaming, Quebec, has also made its mark in popular culture. In 2014, Canadian comedian Norm Macdonald told a fictional story about a person, Jacques de Gatineau, who was supposed to have come from Témiscaming, Quebec, on an American late-night talk show, Conan. After Norm Macdonald's death in September 2021, the clip was uploaded to the official Conan O'Brien's "Team Coco" channel on YouTube as "The Most Convoluted Joke Ever", where it was viewed more than 3.9 million times.
Whether you're a history buff, a nature lover, or a fan of popular culture, Témiscaming, Quebec, has something to offer everyone. Come and discover the charm and beauty of this unique city.
