Photo of assorted painters for canoe trips.
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Temagami Culture and Heritage

Culture and heritage create the fabric of Canada, in the wilderness and all around it. Temagami-Temiskaming has a wealth of experiences that point to Canada’s foundation economies: first nations, logging, mining and farming. In turn, the arts and sciences are inspired.

We recommend these museums, festivals and events to tell the stories of the people in northern Ontario. It’s a great counterpoint to your lodge-based wilderness activities and creative retreats at Smoothwater.

First Nations

Temagami First Nations Pow Wow: August 9-10/08
Come learn about First Nations ceremonies and customs in this traditional gathering of music, food and friendship.

Fort Temiscamingue
Fort Témiscamingue in Ville Marie, Quebec, was an important fur-trading post for over two hundred years. Take a guided tour and explore the natural features and First Nations archaeology.

Logging

The Marten River Provincial Park Logging Camp & Museum
Visit this replica 19th century winter logging camp and feel like a Temagami lumberjack for a day. Camp includes a cookery, meathouse, scaler's shack, stable, hay barn, boss office and blacksmith's shop.

Ontario Loggers Hall of Fame & House of Memories
The Ontario Loggers Hall of Fame is a sculptural tribute to the men and women of Latchford’s logging hey-day. The House of Memories is a ten room showcase of domestic pioneer antiques.

Mining

Early 20th century, Cobalt was the silver mining capital of North America. Cobalt’s started the Toronto Stock Exchange and pulled Ontario through the great depression. Cobalt made and destroyed Sir Henry Pellet (Toronto’s Casa Loma fame) and was a town that fascinated many famous artists, including the Group of Seven’s Franklin Carmichael.

Make a day of Cobalt, a ghost town that is very much alive. Visit the Heritage Silver Trail Tour, Cobalt Walking Tour, Underground Colonial  Adit Tour, The Cobalt Mining Museum, The Cobalt Firefighters Museum, The "Bunker" Military Museum. 

P.S. Cobalt is a terrific place to tour with your bicycle.

Farming

Did you know land around Lake Temiskaming is one of Ontario’s most important and productive growing regions? Drive off the Canadian Shield and find yourself in the land of milk and honey, lamb and beef, market gardens, wild blueberry stands, cheese factories, wheat, canola, buckwheat. Discover the local foods of Temiskaming

Foire Gourmande: August 15-17/08  

New Liskeard Fall Fair: September 18-21/08

Little Claybelt Homesteaders Museum

Haileybury Heritage Museum

16th Annual Wild Game Dinner & Silent Auction: November 08/08

Arts, Crafts, Music & Words

Temiskaming Art Gallery
This gallery is a gem, showcasing professional artists and exhibitions.

Sutton Bay Park Countryfest: July 24-27/08
Hear bluegrass music at its best over a three day festival.

The Highway Bookstore
This famous bookstore is a rabbit warren with over with 350,000 titles on site. It is a must-see destination, especially for a rainy day.

Spring Pulse Poetry Festival: April 2-4/09
This is the biggest poetry festival in Northern Ontario, with poetry contests, cash prizes and a poet Laureate position. Its inaugural year, 2008, touched 810 participants with 20 events and performances over two days.

Belle Vallee Wools
Some of the most beautiful woolen blankets, sweater kits and skeins of wool are available at this third generation store. Tours are available.

Fossil Centre
The Fossil Centre in Notre Dam du Nord, recreates the Timiskaming sea environment as it was 480 million years ago, with its cliffs and its fabulous animals. Practice paleontology techniques such as identification with magnifying glass, casting and fossil releasing.

 

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a decorative organization of canoe trip paddles

Quilt Outdoor Tour
Do you like quits and farm life? See over 100 on display on barns throughout Temiskaming. It's part of a self-drive tour to bring awareness to the 2009 International Plowing Match. There are huge painted quilts from Temagami, north to Englehart, east to Quebec, and west to Elk Lake. Gorgeous!
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