Les Erables

History

The portage, which stood on the Ottawa River, between the La Cave and La Montagne, at Les Erables, was one of four important freighting stations. Historically a native encampment at its southern terminus, numerous explorers and fur traders used this same water route to access and transport furs. By the late 1860’s, active lumbering and the beginnings of colonization schemes for northern Ontario and Quebec, contributed to a considerable amount of traffic along the river between Mattawa to the head of Lake Temiskaming.

Eventually “La Societe de la Colonization du Lac Temiscamingue” (The Temiskaming Colonization Society), formed a land settlement scheme, incorporated by Catholic priests from the province of Quebec. To encourage and facilitate the establishment of settlers, the colonization society formed a subsidiary company in 1883. They then incorporated “La Compagnie de Chemin de fer de Temiscamingue” (or the Temiskaming Railway Company). Following that, they obtained a charter enabling the construction of freighting tramways around the rapids. The tramway at La Cave, Les Erables, and La Montagne portages were all completed that year. The following year they bridged every obstacle within the Long Sault Rapids.

A small community quickly sprang up at Les Erables. It accommodated the travellers and jobbers who funnelled through with supplies and equipment. The site grew to include a stopping place, a few freighting buildings and a depot. They added a few dwellings, a small store and post office, opened in 1883 by George Wilson. Horses pulled the carts along a narrow gauge track a distance of some 4.2 kilometres (3 miles). Completed that same year they hailed it as a major improvement for transportation.

The steamer Lottie left La Cave rapids and dropped passengers at the small landing at Les Erables. Then they unloaded the freight, packed it on a card and hauled it 4.2 kilometres to the north landing. At this point another steamer, “L’Emerillon,” came to the northern end of the portage. It picked up the freight and continued to La Montagne Rapids where another portage carried freight to Seven League Lake. Then it was on to Beauchenes’ landing on the Quebec side of the river further north.

The mouth of Beauchenes Creek was at the foot of the gruelling Long Sault portage. Lont Sault portage was a series of six rapids, which spanned nearly 28 kilometres (20 miles) up to the foot of Lake Temiscaming. This is where they constructed another series of rail portages. The TRC, eventually replaced theses and completed a direct 30.8 kilometre (22 miles) narrow gage rail line by 1890. At Beauchene, they then hauled the freight by steam engine with ease all the way to the small settlements of Gordon Creek (Kipawa Mills), and Lumsden Mills, both now present day Temiscaming, Quebec. From there the head of the lake was a mere leisurely 126 kilometres (90 miles) steamboat ride.

The Canadian Pacific Railway purchased the portage railroad in 1891. In 1893 they commenced construction of a standard gauge line from Mattawa to the Long Sault Rapids (Temiscamingue). In 1893 the rails bypassed the portage trail on the Ontario side, and the following year they completed the 88-kilometre (63 miles) line to Lake Temiskaming. At that point Les Erables lost its purpose, and faded to obscurity to become another footnote in the Ottawa River’s long history. In 1948, after they completed and activated the Otto Holden Cam, the remains of Les Erables disappeared forever beneath the river.