Waltham, Quebec

Waltham, also known as Waltham Station is a village and municipality in the Outaouais region, Quebec, Canada, part of the Pontiac Regional County Municipality. It is located at the mouth of the Noire River, along the north shore of the Ottawa River at Allumette Island.

Waltham
Municipality
Location within Pontiac RCM
Waltham
Location in western Quebec
Coordinates: 45°55′N 76°55′W[1]
Country Canada
Province Quebec
RegionOutaouais
RCMPontiac
ConstitutedJanuary 1, 1859
Government
 • MayorDavid Rochon
 • Federal ridingPontiac
 • Prov. ridingPontiac
Area
 • Total401.80 km2 (155.14 sq mi)
 • Land375.71 km2 (145.06 sq mi)
Population
 (2016)[3]
 • Total378
 • Density1.0/km2 (3/sq mi)
 • Pop 2011-2016
 1.6%
 • Dwellings
222
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
J0X 3H0
Area code(s)819
Highways Route 148
Websitewww.municipalitedewaltham.ca

Geography

The municipality consists of the hamlet of Carroll and the village of Waltham, both near the Ottawa River[4] between Chichester and Mansfield-et-Pontefract, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Fort-Coulonge.[1] Quebec Route 148 connects Waltham to Allumettes Island and Pembroke, Ontario.

Its territory, with a maximum elevation of just over 350 metres (1,150 ft),[4] is sparsely populated, the majority of the population living along or near the Ottawa River. The northern portion is a vast extended tract of undeveloped land,[5] dotted with lakes, such as Findlay, Landon, Gagnon, and Caughlin, which are popular for fishing.[1]

History

The name Waltham, mentioned on the Gale and Duberger map of 1795, comes from a place on the River Lea in Essex, England, named Waltham Abbey. In 1849, the Waltham Township was formed.[4] In 1859, it was officially reorganized into a township municipality, also named Waltham,[1] and its first mayor was John T. Coghlan.[5]

Winter view

In 1869, the Bryson Township was annexed, creating the United Township Municipality of Waltham-et-Bryson. The name Bryson comes from George Bryson Sr. (1813–1900), influential logging merchant, and mayor of Mansfield-et-Pontefract.[1] In 1888, the railroad from Fort-Coulonge to Waltham was completed but not until August 27, 1894, was the railroad opened by the Pontiac Pacific Junction Railway Company.[6] Four years later, in 1898, a post office was established, called Waltham Station.[1]

In 1937, a hydroelectric generating station and dam were built across the Noire River just north of Waltham village, forming a reservoir called Robinson Lake.[7]

In 1959, rail service to Waltham is discontinued, and in 1984 the railline was removed and later turned into the Cycloparc PPJ bike path stretching from Bristol, Quebec, to Pembroke, Ontario.[8]

In 1997, Waltham-et-Bryson is reorganized into the Municipality of Waltham.[1]

In 2007, the wood drying kilns at the town's lumberyard caught fire.

In 2009, Waltham celebrated its 150th birthday.

1996 UFO Landing

On March 19, 1996, a UFO was reported to have landed in the town's lumberyard. "According to Hector Brochu, a witness of the event, he watched the object, which was described as a diamond shape, 2-1/2 feet high and 2 feet wide, fall to the ground like a feather. It made no noise whatsoever, and was very shiny, as if made of foil. There were no markings whatsoever. The object had what appeared to be a "bulb of mercury" hanging from it. When Brochu got within 10 feet of the object, which he was going to bring home for his daughter, the object rose into the air and remained in a fixed position approximately 150' in the air. Brochu, who ran when the object rose into the air, is 60 years old. The object had landed in a lumber yard. Brochu was able to get 8 people who all saw the object, which remained stationary for about 10 minutes and then left and landed again in what witnesses described as Alouette [sic] Island in the Ottawa River."[9][10]

Demographics

Population
Canada census – Waltham, Quebec community profile
2016 2011 2006
Population: 378 (-1.6% from 2011) 384 (6.7% from 2006) 360 (-15.3% from 2001)
Land area: 374.22 km2 (144.49 sq mi) 375.71 km2 (145.06 sq mi) 375.71 km2 (145.06 sq mi)
Population density: 1.0/km2 (2.6/sq mi) 1.0/km2 (2.6/sq mi) 1.0/km2 (2.6/sq mi)
Median age: 50.2 (M: 51.2, F: 48.5) 48.5 (M: 49.4, F: 47.2) 47.5 (M: 47.9, F: 46.9)
Total private dwellings: 222 226 232
Median household income: $51,840 $51,889 $32,332
References: 2016[11] 2011[12] 2006[13] earlier[14]
Historical Census Data - Waltham, Quebec
YearPop.±%
1986 479—    
1991 466−2.7%
1996 496+6.4%
2001 425−14.3%
2006 360−15.3%
2011 384+6.7%
2016 378−1.6%
Source: [15]

Language

Mother tongue:[3]

  • English as first language: 82.9%
  • French as first language: 14.5%
  • English and French as first language: 1.3%
  • Other as first language: 1.3%

See also

References
  1. "Municipalité de Waltham" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
  2. "Waltham". Répertoire des municipalités (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
  3. "(Code 2484070) Census Profile". 2016 census. Statistics Canada. 2017.
  4. "Canton de Waltham" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
  5. "Waltham municipality". Pontiac MRC Gateway. Archived from the original on October 7, 2006. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
  6. "Significant dates in Ottawa railway history". Colin Churcher's Railway Pages. 2006-07-30. Archived from the original on 2006-04-27. Retrieved 2006-08-25.
  7. "Barrage de Waltham" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
  8. "History of the railroad PPJ". CLD du Pontiac. Archived from the original on 2008-04-02. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
  9. http://www.ufoinfo.com/roundup/v01/rnd01_06.shtml Archived 2015-09-09 at the Wayback Machine
  10. http://thecid.com/ufo/uf14/uf9/149438.html
  11. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 21, 2017. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  12. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-01.
  13. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
  14. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012.
  15. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
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