Schmap Ottawa Historical Background

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Ottawa - Historical Background
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Ottawa Home
Schmap Ottawa guide and map

Ottawa gets its identity from two major sources—its geographic location at the confluence of the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers, and the fact that it is the seat of power for the entire nation. For centuries the area around the heights that overlook the two rivers was the traditional meeting ground of the Algonquin Indians, the natives indigenous to this part of central Canada.

European Settlement

The first European to set eyes on the area was Samuel de Champlain in 1613. In fact, a statue commemorating his discovery sits atop Nepean Point overlooking the Ottawa River. For the next 200 years the area remained a meeting place where natives met with French fur traders, who took the valuable beaver pelts further downstream to Montreal and Quebec City. In 1800, a United Empire Loyalist named Philemon Wright left Massachusetts after the Revolutionary War and settled across the Ottawa River from the heights in what is now Hull. Originally called Wrightsville, the small community grew into a burgeoning lumber town within 20-30 years helping to fuel Britain's desire for sturdy wood with which to build its navy.

Rideau Canal

In 1826 construction began on Ottawa's second most identifiable landmark besides Parliament Hill. Lieutenant Colonel John By was commissioned to build a canal from the Ottawa River in the north to Kingston in the south—a distance of 202-kilometres. Construction on the Rideau Canal was completed by 1832. During the building of the canal, development began to take place on the Ottawa side of the Ottawa River, in and around what is now known as Lowertown, which is now the present day site of the Byward Market. By the time the canal was completed, the new settlement was called Bytown after the canal's chief builder.

The new waterway made the shipment of lumber to markets south of the border much easier. As a result, several American lumber barons came to the area bringing with them a wave of immigration from Poland, Scotland and Ireland, all looking for work in the forests around the fledgling city.

Chosen as a Capital

By the late 1850's Ottawa had finally come into its own, although it still possessed a reputation as a remote and rather uncivilized place. In 1860 something completely unexpected and remarkable happened. While looking at a map of the colonies of Upper and Lower Canada, Queen Victoria decided to pick Ottawa as the new capital over both York, which is now Toronto and Montreal. The decision was a very controversial one, but was made to both appease the two sides—it bordered Lower Canada, which was mainly French speaking and Upper Canada which was mainly English speaking—and because of its remoteness from the American border. The choice would change Ottawa's destiny forever.

Immediately after Queen Victoria had selected Ottawa as the colony's new capital, construction began on the neo-gothic Parliament buildings. In 1867 the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick Quebec (Lower Canada) and Ontario (Upper Canada) decided to form a confederation and the Dominion of Canada was born, with Ottawa designated as the fledgling nation's capital.

Completed that same year, the Parliament buildings were dubbed the "Westminster in the Wilderness." A bizarre study in contrasts, the stately centre block of Parliament Hill, with its Peace Tower, towered over the haphazardly planned bustle of industrial Ottawa.

Rideau Hall was also completed the same year and became the palatial residence of the Queen's representative in Canada. All of Canada's Governors General have lived there since its construction.

Modernizing the City

At the beginning of the last century, the Canadian government concluded that if Ottawa were to be a worthy capital some planning was in order. A wholesale restructuring of the city ensued with the creation of several scenic boulevards, an extensive park system beginning with Major's Hill Park.

The Greenbelt

In 1936, Prime Minister Mackenzie King commissioned French civil architect Jacques Gréber to provide a blueprint for a broad park and green space system that would encircle the city. Today Greber's creation is called the Greenbelt, which contains several natural trails as well as a number of working farms.

A Government Town

For most of the 20th century, Ottawa grew up as a government town—and an extremely conservative one at that. Small influxes of immigrants after both World Wars helped spice things up as a large number of people from Italy, Lebanon and China decided to call Ottawa home. Each immigrant community established neighbourhoods with names like Little Italy, where the annual Italian Week is celebrated in June, and Chinatown, both of which still exist today.

Silicon Valley North

It wasn't until the 1970s and the birth of the high tech sector that Ottawa began to slowly transform from a government town into something much greater. Ironically, the transformation was lead by a small cabal of former government computer scientists who started companies with names like Digital, Mitel and Northern Telecom. Soon Ottawa was being called by another name—"Silicon Valley North"—and highly skilled workers from all over the world began to flock to the area. Today, Ottawa is one of the leading computer telecommunications centres in the world with most of the industry located in the city's western suburb of Kanata.

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Byward Market

Unique Gathering Place

1 Byward Market
Ottawa, ON K1N 7A1
Canada
+1 613 562 3325
http://www.byward-market.com

This unique shopping and restaurant district covers nearly 12 square blocks (north of Rideau Street and east of Sussex Drive) and offers something for everyone. You'll find trendy stores selling the latest in designer fashions, jewelry and artwork, as well as a variety of restaurants. In the evening, the market is a buzz of activity as partygoers hop from nightclub to nightclub. To experience the true roots of the market, visit during the weekend, when local farmers and artisans ply their wares near the Byward Market Building.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Byward Market photo by Hans-Ulrich Raffelt

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Byward Market photo by (^_~) [MARK'N MARKUS] (~_^)

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Hull

Ottawa
Canada
Across the river from Parliament Hillis Ottawa's twin city of Hull. Located in the French-speaking province of Quebec, Hull has grown up struggling to find an identity under the shadow of the nation's capital. Besides having many fine French restaurants, Hull is also the gateway to Gatineau Park, a wonderfully bucolic getaway run by the National Capital Commission. The Park itself has many fine bike paths, picturesque lakes and points of interest including the Mackenzie King Estateand Meech Lake.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Italian Week

Italian Festival 440 A Preston Street
(Between Carling Avenue and Wellington Street)
Ottawa, ON K1S 4N2
Canada
+1 613 231 2815
http://www.italianweekottawa.com/ Every June the city's Italian community gathers by the thousands for an annual homecoming celebration in the heart of Little Italy, along Preston Street. The festival kicks off on Friday evening with a giant procession in honor of Saint Anthony, the Patron Saint of Italy, and culminates in a giant street festival where revelers enjoy plenty of music and fine food. On the Saturday, cyclists take over the streets with the annual Italian Week bike race. This is a free event.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Major's Hill Park

Major's Hill Park 1 Rideau Street
(behind the Chateau Laurier)
Ottawa, ON K1N 8S7
Canada
+1 613 237 5150 / +1 800 363 4465
http://www.ottawatourism.ca/fo... Originally named Colonel's Hill in honour of Colonel John By, the architect of the Rideau Canal, this park was renamed after By was replaced by a Major. Established in 1874, the park offers a panoramic view of several major attractions, including Parliament Hill, the Ottawa River, the Museum of Civilization, the National Gallery and Notre-Dame Basilica.

It's also the location of Colonel By's original home, or at least its foundation, as well as a statue of the city's founding father overlooking the Rideau Canal. The park is located along MacKenzie Avenue, directly behind the Chateau Laurier Hotel.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Nepean Point

Spectacular Lookout 380 Sussex Drive
(Behind the National Gallery)
Ottawa, ON K1N 9N4
Canada
+1 613 237 5150 / +1 800 363 4465
http://www.ottawatourism.ca/fo... Sitting high above the Ottawa River across from Parliament Hill, this lookout is topped with a towering statue of Quebec's founder, Samuel de Champlain. A French explorer, Champlain established Canadian colonies in the early 1600s. He also charted the seacoast from Nova Scotia to Massachusetts, and explored river routes in Quebec and central Ontario. Another building block in Canadian history was the trading of fur, which Champlain began by working with First Nation peoples. In the statue he clutches his astrolabe, an instrument used for navigation that historians believe he lost on a portage of the Ottawa River. Admission is free.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Parliament Hill

Parliament Hill Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
Canada
+1 613 239 5000 / +1 800 622 6232
http://www.parliamenthill.gc.ca Parliament Hill is the political heart of Canada. Situated on a bluff overlooking the Ottawa River, it is actually a collection of three turn-of-the-century Gothic structures known as the East Block, Centre Block and West Block. The West Block and East Block contain the offices of Members of Parliament. The House of Commons and the Senate are located in the Centre Block with its soaring Peace Tower. Admission is free.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Peace Tower

Peace Tower Parliament Hill
on Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
Canada
+1 613 239 5000 / +1 800 622 6232
http://www.parliamenthill.gc.c... The Peace Tower dominates Parliament Hill, rising over 300 feet into the sky above Ottawa. Dedicated to the men and women killed in World War I, the Peace Tower houses the Memorial Chamber; the Book of Remembrance at its center contains the names of the 66,650 Canadians killed in the Great War. Each day the book is turned to a different page. Other books around the chamber list the names of Canadians who lost their lives in other conflicts.

At the heart of the Peace Tower is a 63-bell carillon. The largest bell weighs over 10,000 kilograms, while the smallest is only four. Visitors to the Peace Tower can take a peak at the carillon as they take an elevator to the Tower's observation deck located just below the huge clock face.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Rideau Canal

Water Artery 1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, ON K1S 5B8
Canada
+1 613 283 5170 / +1 800 230 0016
http://www.rideau-info.com/ Built between 1827 and 1832 without the aid of power machinery, the Canal is one of Ottawa's oldest landmarks; it runs from the Ottawa River near Parliament Hill to Hog's Back Falls on the south end of the city. During the summer a wide range of vessels, including tour boats, glide along the waterway, while people in-line skate, jog or stroll on the canal's picturesque banks. During the winter, the canal is transformed into the "World's Longest Skating Rink," and is a hub of activity during Ottawa's Winterlude festival.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Rideau Hall

Governor General's Residence 1 Sussex Drive
(Near Rideau Gate)
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A1
Canada
+1 613 991 4422 / +1 866 842 4422
http://www.gg.ca/visitus/index... Rideau Hall, which was built in 1838, has been the official residence of the Queen's representative to Canada since 1867. The grounds cover more than 32 hectares and feature a magnificent greenhouse and ornamental gardens. Visitors can take a self-guided tour or book one of the many guided tours offered from 10a to 4p during the summer months. There are a number of events hosted by the Governor General throughout the year. Admission is free.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Other Schmapplets in this city related to "Ottawa - Historical Background"
Ottawa
Ottawa - Neighborhood Guide
Ottawa - Where to Stay
Ottawa - Dining & Drinking
Ottawa - Art & Entertainment
Other nearby cities:
Montreal (167 miles)
Toronto (354 miles)
Buffalo (374 miles)
Niagara Falls (377 miles)
Boston (494 miles)
New York (538 miles)
Philadelphia (602 miles)
Baltimore (681 miles)
Detroit (684 miles)
Washington DC (726 miles)

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