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Mattawa, ON, incorporated as a town in 1892, population 1,881 (2021 census), 1,993 (2016 census). The Town of Mattawa is located 62 km east of North Bay, in the Nipissing District. According to the municipal government, the name Mattawa is derived from the Ojibwe language, meaning "meeting of the waters,"a reference to the confluence of the Ottawa and Mattawa rivers. In 1963, Dr. Saint-Firmin Monestime became the first elected Black mayor of Mattawa as well as in Canada.
Early History
For thousands of years, the Mattawa River was a canoe route traversed by Indigenous peoples between the St. Lawrence Valley and the upper Great Lakes. In the 17th century, Europeans began using the route, especially for exploration and trading.
Mattawa emerged at the juncture of the Ottawa River, the chief tributary of the St. Lawrence and the Mattawa River. In 1686, a group of explorers and missionaries erected "The Three Crosses" landmark to honour the meeting of the rivers.
In 1784, a fur trading post, Mattawa House, was established by the North West Company (later taken over by the Hudson’s Bay Company). As the fur trade declined, the post became a general store, but it closed in the early 20th century.
Settlement and Development
In 1881, a railroad arrived in Mattawa. French Canadian labourers who helped to build the railroad infused the community with culture and heritage from Quebec.
By this time, Mattawa had a robust logging industry. White pine trees were cut and floated down the Mattawa River to sawmills in the area. Mattawa became a regional hub for the Upper Ottawa Valley’s industry. However, in 1952 the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario completed a dam in the area. The dam’s automation resulted in industrial decline and the loss of jobs. In 2009, a mill closed which hit the town hard. In recent years, various tourist initiatives have helped keep Mattawa on the map.
Wooden Statues
Mattawa is well known for its 23 wooden statues, which honour significant figures in the town's history. These include explorer Samuel de Champlain, explorer and fur trader Pierre-Esprit Radisson, explorer Médard Chouart Des Groseilliers and well-known logger and folk hero Joe Mufferaw.
Canada's First Elected Black Mayor
Saint-Firmin Monestime was born in Haiti. (See Haitian Canadians.) After a long-standing career as a rural doctor in Haiti, Monestime relocated to Canada. In 1951, he passed through Mattawa and was charmed by the town. Monestime took on a long-standing position as the town's beloved doctor. After he served on the town’s council, citizens elected him mayor in 1963. He made history as Canada's first elected Black mayor. Monestime served as mayor from 1963 to 1965 and from 1969 to 1977. Today, the main street in Mattawa is unofficially known as Monestime Way. The town council chamber has also been renamed in his honour. In 2004, the Mattawa Museum opened a permanent exhibit dedicated to Monestime.
