Timeline of Ottawa history
Encyclopedia
16th and 17th century
- 1534-1542 - Jacques CartierJacques CartierJacques Cartier was a French explorer of Breton origin who claimed what is now Canada for France. He was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named "The Country of Canadas", after the Iroquois names for the two big...
explored the Saint Lawrence RiverSaint Lawrence RiverThe Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
from StadaconaStadaconaStadacona was a 16th century St. Lawrence Iroquoian village near present-day Quebec City.French explorer and navigator Jacques Cartier, travelling and charting the Saint Lawrence River, reached it on 7 September 1535. He returned to Stadacona to spend the winter there with his group of 110 men...
(Quebec CityQuebec CityQuebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
) to HochelagaHochelaga (village)Hochelaga meaning "beaver dam" or "beaver lake" was a St. Lawrence Iroquoian 16th century fortified village at the heart of, or in the immediate vicinity of Mount Royal in present-day Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Jacques Cartier arrived by boat on October 2, 1535; he visited the village on the...
(MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
) seeking the Northwest Passage but rapids at a place named after the French word for China, La Chine, or the Lachine RapidsLachine RapidsThe Lachine Rapids are a series of rapids on the Saint Lawrence River, between the Island of Montreal and the south shore. They are located near the former city of Lachine....
(and eventually the town of Lachine, QuebecLachine, QuebecLachine was a city on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is now a borough within the city of Montreal.-History:...
) prevented him from sailing up the Ottawa RiverOttawa RiverThe Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
. - 1610 – Étienne BrûléÉtienne BrûléÉtienne Brûlé , was the first of European French explorers to journey along the St. Lawrence River with the Native Americans and to view Georgian Bay and Lake Huron Canada in the 17th century. A rugged outdoorsman, he took to the lifestyle of the First Nations and had a unique contribution to the...
is the first European to see the Chaudière FallsChaudière FallsThe Chaudière Falls are a set of cascades and waterfall in the centre of the Ottawa-Gatineau metropolitan area in Canada where the Ottawa River narrows between a rocky escarpment on both sides of the river. The location is just west of the Chaudière Bridge, northwest of the Canadian War Museum at...
and the future site of the City of OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. - 1613 – Samuel de ChamplainSamuel de ChamplainSamuel de Champlain , "The Father of New France", was a French navigator, cartographer, draughtsman, soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnologist, diplomat, and chronicler. He founded New France and Quebec City on July 3, 1608....
passes the site of the future City of Ottawa on June 4. - 1613 to 1663 – A 1613 royal charter from the King of France evolved to give successive groupsCompany of One Hundred AssociatesIn 1627 the French government granted the company of 100 associates a monopoly on the fur trade in New france. In return the company was supposed to bring over 4000 French catholics to settle down in new france over the next 15 years. The company allowed the settlers to trade for furs directly with...
monopolies to invest in the vast territory of New FranceNew FranceNew France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
, control the fur trade and manage colonization. Eventually, unable to cope with numerous difficulties including territorial battles with the British and First Nations, the charter was surrendered in 1663. - 1650 – Nicholas Gatineau, a clerk in the Company of One Hundred AssociatesCompany of One Hundred AssociatesIn 1627 the French government granted the company of 100 associates a monopoly on the fur trade in New france. In return the company was supposed to bring over 4000 French catholics to settle down in new france over the next 15 years. The company allowed the settlers to trade for furs directly with...
, an organization of fur traders, gives his family name to the river flowing into the Ottawa RiverOttawa RiverThe Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
, two miles (3 km) from the present city of HullHull, QuebecHull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
. - 1670 – The Hudson's Bay CompanyHudson's Bay CompanyThe Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
is formed by British royal charterRoyal CharterA royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
and given trading monopoly over the watershed of all rivers and streams flowing into Hudson BayHudson BayHudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
- Rupert's LandRupert's LandRupert's Land, or Prince Rupert's Land, was a territory in British North America, consisting of the Hudson Bay drainage basin that was nominally owned by the Hudson's Bay Company for 200 years from 1670 to 1870, although numerous aboriginal groups lived in the same territory and disputed the...
.
18th century
- 1759 – During the Seven Years War, the British defeat the French on the Plains of Abraham and capture Quebec City
- 1763 – The Treaty of ParisTreaty of Paris (1763)The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
is signed by Great Britain, France and Spain to mark the end of the Seven Years War. It gives Britain control of all French territories in North America except the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon near Newfoundland. - 1776 – The American RevolutionAmerican RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
leads to the 1776 Declaration of Independence by thirteen colonies of British North America and the beginning of the United Empire LoyalistsUnited Empire LoyalistsThe name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
migration to Canada. - 1783 – Britain and the United States sign the Treaty of Paris of 1783. By this agreement, Britain recognizes the independence of the thirteen colonies that rebelled in 1776.
- 1791 – The Constitutional Act of 1791Constitutional Act of 1791The Constitutional Act of 1791, formally The Clergy Endowments Act, 1791 , is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain...
, passed by the British Parliament, establishes the individually administered regions of Upper CanadaUpper CanadaThe Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
and Lower CanadaLower CanadaThe Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
. - 1792 – Township BGloucester Township, OntarioGloucester Township is a historical township in Eastern Ontario, Canada.Originally known as Township B, it was established in 1792. In 1800, it was part of Russell County, but became part of Carleton County in 1838 and was incorporated as a township in 1850. The first settler in the township was...
, later becoming Gloucester Township, was established. - 1792 – Township D, later becoming Nepean Township, was established.
- 1800 – Philemon WrightPhilemon WrightPhilemon Wright was a farmer and entrepreneur who founded Wrightstown, the first permanent settlement in the National Capital Region of Canada...
establishes a farming community on the north bank of the Ottawa RiverOttawa RiverThe Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
at the Chaudière Falls arriving from Woburn Massachusetts on March 7 with his own and five other families and twenty-five labourers. The community is known as Wright's Town and later becomes the City of Hull and subsequently the City of Gatineau.
19th century
- 1805 – The Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic WarsThe Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
make the Ottawa ValleyOttawa ValleyThe Ottawa Valley is the valley along the boundary between Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec along the Ottawa River. The valley is the transition between the Saint Lawrence Lowlands and the Canadian Shield...
an attractive source of timber for the Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. - 1806 – Philemon WrightPhilemon WrightPhilemon Wright was a farmer and entrepreneur who founded Wrightstown, the first permanent settlement in the National Capital Region of Canada...
, his 18-year old son, Tiberius, and a party of men set out on June 11 to guide his first timber raft, named "Colombo", down the Ottawa RiverOttawa RiverThe Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
to the portPort of QuebecThe Port of Quebec is an inland port located in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It is the oldest port in Canada, and the second largest in Quebec after the Port of Montreal.-History:...
of Quebec CityQuebec CityQuebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. The voyage takes two months and marks the beginning of the boom in the timber, lumber and pulp and paper industries in the Ottawa Valley. - 1809 – Jehiel Collins and his family become the first settlers in the region later known as BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
. - 1810 – Braddish BillingsBraddish BillingsBraddish Billings was an early settler in the Ottawa area.He was born in Ware, Massachusetts in 1783, but moved to the Brockville area with his family when he was 9. He later worked cutting down the white pine along the Ottawa River and transporting the logs down river...
establishes a homestead and becomes the first settler in Gloucester Township, OntarioGloucester Township, OntarioGloucester Township is a historical township in Eastern Ontario, Canada.Originally known as Township B, it was established in 1792. In 1800, it was part of Russell County, but became part of Carleton County in 1838 and was incorporated as a township in 1850. The first settler in the township was...
. - 1811 – Ira Honeywell is the first settler in Nepean Township.
- 1812 – War of 1812War of 1812The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. - 1819 – Isaac Firth opens the area’s first tavern at Richmond Landing, near the present-day LeBreton FlatsLebreton FlatsLeBreton Flats is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. It lies to the west of Centretown neighbourhood, and to the north of Centretown West with "Nanny Goat Hill" as the dividing line...
. - 1821 – Nicholas SparksNicholas Sparks (politician)Nicholas Sparks was an early landholder of Ottawa, Canada who owned most of the lands in the present day commercial core of Downtown Ottawa.Sparks was born in Darrah parish, County Wexford in Ireland and came to Canada in 1816...
, one of Philemon WrightPhilemon WrightPhilemon Wright was a farmer and entrepreneur who founded Wrightstown, the first permanent settlement in the National Capital Region of Canada...
farmhands, purchases 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of land on the south shore of the Ottawa RiverOttawa RiverThe Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
for 95 pounds. Today the original Sparks property, which includes the site of the parliament buildings and the downtown business district, is assessed at over one hundred million dollars. - 1821 - Philemon Wright Jr, Philemon WrightPhilemon WrightPhilemon Wright was a farmer and entrepreneur who founded Wrightstown, the first permanent settlement in the National Capital Region of Canada...
's eldest son, dies in a stagecoach accident. In 1826, Philemon Jr's widow, Sarah (Sally) Olmstead-Wright, will marry Nicholas SparksNicholas Sparks (politician)Nicholas Sparks was an early landholder of Ottawa, Canada who owned most of the lands in the present day commercial core of Downtown Ottawa.Sparks was born in Darrah parish, County Wexford in Ireland and came to Canada in 1816...
, who will in turn adopt her children. In 1833, Sarah's daughter Erexina will become the wife of Andrew LeamyAndrew LeamyAndrew Leamy was a pioneer industrialist and community leader in Wrightstown, Lower Canada, which became Hull, Quebec and is now incorporated into the City of Gatineau in the National Capital Region of Canada.Andrew Leamy was the son of Michael Leamy and Margaret Marshall, who emigrated to...
. - 1823 – Sir George Ramsay, the Earl of DalhousieEarl of DalhousieEarl of Dalhousie, in the County of Midlothian, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, held by the Chief of Clan Ramsay.-History:This family descends from Sir George Ramsay, who represented Kincardineshire in the Scottish Parliament in 1617. He received a charter of the barony of Dalhousie and also...
and Governor-in-Chief of British North America purchases an extensive tract of land fronting the Ottawa River in preparation for the construction of the Rideau CanalRideau CanalThe Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
. - 1826 – On September 26, Lieutenant Colonel By and the Earl of Dalhousie choose the location for the entrance to the Rideau CanalRideau CanalThe Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
and consequently found a community where the City of Ottawa exists today. - 1827 – ByWard MarketByward MarketByWard Market is a district in Lower Town located east of the government & business district, surrounding the market buildings and open-air market on George, York, ByWard and William Streets.The district is bordered on the west by Sussex Drive, on the...
built. - 1827 – Sir John FranklinJohn FranklinRear-Admiral Sir John Franklin KCH FRGS RN was a British Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer. Franklin also served as governor of Tasmania for several years. In his last expedition, he disappeared while attempting to chart and navigate a section of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic...
, the famed Arctic explorer, lays the first stone of the Rideau CanalRideau CanalThe Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
locks on August 16. - 1827 – The name BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
is first used to identify the community growing up around the Rideau CanalRideau CanalThe Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
construction. - 1827 – BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
's first school, the English Mercantile and Mathematical Academy is established on Rideau StreetRideau StreetRideau Street is a major street in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and one of Ottawa's oldest and most famous streets running from Wellington Street in the west to Montreal Road in the east where it connects to the Vanier district...
. - 1829 – The first timber slide on the Ottawa RiverOttawa RiverThe Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
is constructed. *1831-34 – MaplelawnMaplelawnMaplelawn is an historic house and former estate located in Ottawa, Canada. The house was built between 1831 an 1834 as the centre of a farming estate by the Thomson family. In 1877 the Cole family bought the estate and lived there until 1989. The house is now owned by the National Capital...
constructed. - 1832 – The construction of the Rideau CanalRideau CanalThe Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
is complete and the population of BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
reaches 1,000. - 1832 – On June 20, the first Board of Health in BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
is formed to combat an epidemic of Asiatic cholera. A temporary hospital is built where the Royal Canadian MintRoyal Canadian MintThe Royal Canadian Mint produces all of Canada's circulation coins, and manufactures circulation coins on behalf of other nations. The Mint also designs and manufactures: precious and base metal collector coins; gold, silver, palladium, and platinum bullion coins; medals, as well as medallions and...
now stands on Sussex DriveSussex DriveSussex Drive is a major street in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and one of the city's major ceremonial and institutional routes....
. The location is selected to facilitate the care of boat passengers from Montreal as they disembark at what came to be known as CholeraCholeraCholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
WharfWharfA wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
. - 1830s – Shiners' WarShiners' WarThe Shiners' War was a conflict between Irish Catholic and French immigrants in Bytown from 1835 to 1845. The war started when Peter Aylen, a major Irish timber operator, organized a group of Irishmen to attack other timber operations...
: Labour unrest erupts within the lumber industry as some Irish immigrants unemployed upon completion of the Rideau Canal in 1832, a group known as ShinersShiner (Ottawa)Shiners were gangs of Irish immigrants that formed in the early days of Bytown, later Ottawa, mainly active during the 1830s.After the completion of the Rideau Canal in 1832, many Irish workers were left unemployed...
, compete with the more experienced French Canadian timbermen for jobs - 1836 – Bytown's first newspaper the Bytown Independent and Farmer's Advocate are published by James Johnston (Upper Canada politician)James Johnston (Upper Canada politician)James Johnston was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Ireland and came to Canada in 1815, moving to Bytown in 1827. He worked as an auctioneer and merchant there...
. - 1838 – Rideau HallRideau HallRideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
built. - 1839 – An Assessment Roll sets the population of BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
at 2,073. - 1841 – The first election in BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of United Canada is held March 8. - 1843 – William Harris founds the Packet, a weekly newspaper. In 1851, the Packet becomes the Ottawa CitizenOttawa CitizenThe Ottawa Citizen is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Canada. According to the Canadian Newspaper Association, the paper had a 2008 weekly circulation of 900,197.- History :...
. - 1843 – The Arch Riot takes place on Sunday August 20. Animosity between the OrangemenOrange InstitutionThe Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
and Papists of BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
erupts in fighting and stone throwing. - 1843 – Lisgar Collegiate InstituteLisgar Collegiate InstituteLisgar Collegiate Institute is an Ottawa-Carleton District School Board secondary school in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.Lisgar Collegiate Institute, one of the country's best regarded public schools, is located in downtown Ottawa by the Rideau Canal and is only a few blocks from Canada's Parliament Hill...
founded. - 1845 – The Ottawa HospitalThe Ottawa HospitalThe Ottawa Hospital or L'Hôpital d'Ottawa is a major, non-profit, public, university teaching hospital in Ottawa made up of the former Grace Hospital, Riverside Hospital, Ottawa General Hospital and Ottawa Civic Hospital. It is a 1,195-bed academic health sciences centre...
established. - 1845 – On May 8, Élisabeth BruyèreÉlisabeth BruyèreÉlisabeth Bruyère or Bruguier was the founder of the Sisters of Charity of Bytown and opened the first hospital there and the first bilingual school in Ontario....
and the Sisters of CharitySisters of CharityMany religious communities have the term Sisters of Charity as part of their name. The rule of Saint Vincent for the Daughters of Charity has been adopted and adapted by at least sixty founders of religious orders around the world in the subsequent centuries....
establish a single ward hospital on Saint Patrick Street. The name General HospitalThe Ottawa HospitalThe Ottawa Hospital or L'Hôpital d'Ottawa is a major, non-profit, public, university teaching hospital in Ottawa made up of the former Grace Hospital, Riverside Hospital, Ottawa General Hospital and Ottawa Civic Hospital. It is a 1,195-bed academic health sciences centre...
is taken from the description contained in its charter. - 1847 – John ScottJohn Scott (Canadian politician)John Scott was the first mayor of Bytown, later Ottawa, in 1847. He also served a second term as mayor in 1850. He concurrently served in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada representing Bytown from 1848 to 1851....
, a lawyer, became the first mayor of BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
. - 1849 – The Stony Monday RiotStony Monday RiotThe Stony Monday Riot took place in Bytown , Ontario on Monday September 17, 1849.In April 1849, Lord Elgin had signed the Rebellion Losses Bill, compensating Lower Canadians for losses suffered during the Rebellions of 1837-38. The bill was unpopular with Tories because it compensated those who...
takes place on September 17. - 1849 – First City Hall (Ottawa)First City Hall (Ottawa)The first city hall for the city of Ottawa, Ontario was built in 1849 on Elgin Street between Queen and Albert Streets.Originally known as the West Ward Market Building on Elgin Street, the building was one of two markets in Ottawa, then called Bytown...
built. - 1850 – After some controversy, the village of BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
is incorporated as a town. - 1850 - On March 11, the first town council meeting is held.
- 1853 - Andrew LeamyAndrew LeamyAndrew Leamy was a pioneer industrialist and community leader in Wrightstown, Lower Canada, which became Hull, Quebec and is now incorporated into the City of Gatineau in the National Capital Region of Canada.Andrew Leamy was the son of Michael Leamy and Margaret Marshall, who emigrated to...
builds his steam powered sawmill on the south bank of the lake that today, still bears his name: Leamy Lake - 1853 – BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
boasts of having 60 stores, 3 banks, 3 insurance offices, 3 newspapers, 1 telegraph office and 7 schools. - 1853 – J. B. TurgeonJ. B. TurgeonJoseph-Balsora Turgeon was the first French-Canadian mayor of Bytown, Canada. He was born in Terrebonne, Quebec in 1810 and came to Bytown in around 1836. He was elected to the town council in 1848, 1849, 1851 and 1852. In 1852, he became a school trustee and also founded L'Institut...
became the first French-Canadian mayor of BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
. - 1854 – BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
is linked by rail with the larger centers of Montreal and Toronto. - 1855 – On January 1, BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
is formally incorporated as a city. In gaining city status, BytownBytownBytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
adopts the name of OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. - 1857 – Queen Victoria approves choice of Ottawa as the capital of the Province of Canada.
- 1857 – Construction of buildings begins to prepare for arrival of government, with influx of workers.
- 1860 – Prince Albert Edward, Prince of WalesEdward VII of the United KingdomEdward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
(later King Edward VII) arrived in Ottawa as part of his wider royal tour of the provinceRoyal tours of CanadaCanadian royal tours have been taking place since 1786, and continue into the 21st century, either as an official tour, a working tour, a vacation, or a period of military service by a member of the Canadian Royal Family...
, and laid the cornerstoneCornerstoneThe cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
of the growing Centre BlockCentre BlockThe Centre Block is the main building of the Canadian parliamentary complex on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario, containing the Commons and Senate chambers, as well as the offices of a number of Members of Parliament and Senators, as well as senior administration for both legislative houses...
, with a luncheon on the grounds for the workers and their families. - 1862 – Nicholas Street Gaol built.
- 1863 – The first professional police force is established.
- 1865 – Ottawa UniversityOttawa UniversityOttawa University is a private, non-profit, faith-based liberal arts college located in Ottawa, Kansas. It was founded in 1865 and is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA...
founded. - 1866 – Roman Catholic Archdiocese of OttawaRoman Catholic Archdiocese of OttawaThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ottawa is a Roman Catholic archdiocese that includes part of the Province of Ontario and includes the suffragan dioceses of Hearst, Pembroke, and the Timmins. It is currently led by Archbishop Terrence Prendergast....
established. - 1866-68 – 24 Sussex Drive24 Sussex Drive24 Sussex Drive is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada, located in the New Edinburgh neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario. Built between 1866 and 1868 by Joseph Merrill Currier, it has been the official home of the Canadian prime minister since 1951.-History:The house at 24 Sussex...
, the future official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada, is built by lumberman and Member of Parliament, Joseph Merrill Currier, as a wedding gift for his wife to be. - 1867 – The British North America ActConstitution Act, 1867The Constitution Act, 1867 , is a major part of Canada's Constitution. The Act created a federal dominion and defines much of the operation of the Government of Canada, including its federal structure, the House of Commons, the Senate, the justice system, and the taxation system...
is ratified. Ottawa, with a population of 18,000, becomes the permanent capital of the Dominion of Canada. - 1868 – On April 7, Thomas D'Arcy McGee is assassinated. Patrick J. WhelanPatrick J. WhelanPatrick James Whelan was a tailor and alleged Fenian sympathizer executed following the 1868 assassination of Canadian journalist and politician Thomas D'Arcy McGee....
is found guilty on circumstantial evidence and is hanged at the Nicholas Street Jail on February 11, 1869. His is the last public execution in Canada. - 1870 - A vast fire burns its way from Arnprior to Ottawa. The city is saved from destruction only when a water barrier is created by cutting through a dam at Dows Lake.
- 1871 – The seven lumber mills of Ottawa employ nearly 1,300 men and the value of lumber produced annually reaches $1.5 million. By this year, Ottawa's yearly output of lumber is unsurpassed in all Ontario.
- 1871 – Stadacona Hall built.
- 1872 – Ottawa Trades CouncilOttawa Trades CouncilOttawa Trades Council was the first local labour central body established to unite workers in the city of Ottawa, Canada. It was founded on December 19, 1872, at the St. Lawrence Hotel. The executive had representation from the Bricklayers and Masons, Limestone Cutters, Plasterers, and the...
founded. - 1874 – Major's Hill ParkMajor's Hill ParkMajor's Hill Park is one of the most notable parks in downtown Ottawa. The park stands above the Rideau Canal at the point where it enters the Ottawa River. Across the canal to the west are the parliament buildings, to the north of the park is the National Gallery of Canada, and to the east are...
designated first city park. - 1874 – Until this year a number of private companies were responsible for providing firefighting services with the City council providing a premium of 20 shillings to the first company to hose a fire. This arrangement led to arguments and fistfights between companies, often to the detriment of the poor householder as his home burnt to the ground. On December 20, 1874, Ottawa establishes a professional fire brigade.
- 1874 – Ottawa Normal SchoolOttawa Normal SchoolThe Heritage Building is today part of Ottawa City Hall. It was originally built in 1874 as Ottawa Normal School and served as a teacher's college. The Gothic Revival building stands at Elgin Street and Lisgar and several extensions were added to the rear of the building.It was part of Ontario's...
built. - 1876 – Construction of first underground pipes and sewers. Ottawa households have running water.
- 1877 – Victoria Tower Bell installed in Victoria Tower (Canada)Victoria Tower (Canada)The Victoria Tower was the prominent main bell tower of the original Centre Block parliament building in Ottawa, Canada. The high tower was the centre piece of Parliament Hill that was constructed from 1859 to 1866 by Thomas Fuller. It was destroyed during the great fire of the Centre Block on 3...
. - 1877 – First demonstration of telephone in Ottawa.
- 1878 – Laurier HouseLaurier HouseLaurier House is a National Historic Site of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, located at 335 Laurier Avenue East . It was formerly the residence of two Canadian Prime Ministers, Sir Wilfrid Laurier and William Lyon Mackenzie King. The house was built in 1878, but had significant later alterations...
built. - 1879 – First Great Dominion Exhibition is held in OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and chaired by Charles Herbert Mackintosh. Later the exhibition grounds become Landsdowne Park, named after the Marquess of LansdowneHenry Petty-FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of LansdowneHenry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC was a British politician and Irish peer who served successively as the fifth Governor General of Canada, Viceroy of India, Secretary of State for War, and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs...
. Many citizens question the location of the park so far out in the country. - 1881 – Ottawa’s population exceeds 25,000.
- 1885 – Electricity comes to Ottawa.
- 1885 – Ottawa JournalOttawa JournalThe Ottawa Journal was a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Ottawa, Ontario from 1885 to 1980.It was founded in 1885 by A. Woodburn as the Ottawa Evening Journal. Its first editor was John Wesley Dafoe who came from the Winnipeg Free Press. In 1886, it was bought by Philip Dansken Ross.The...
founded. - 1886 – The Central Experimental FarmCentral Experimental FarmThe Central Experimental Farm is an agricultural facility, working farm, and research centre of the Research Branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. As the name indicates, this farm is centrally located in and completely surrounded by the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada...
is established on 1196 acres (4.8 km²) of land beyond the city’s south-western limits. - 1886 – SmallpoxSmallpoxSmallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
epidemic kills 23. - 1889 – Old Supreme Court (Canada)Old Supreme Court (Canada)The old Supreme Court building sat to the west of Parliament Hill in Ottawa and was home to the Supreme Court of Canada from 1889 to 1945.Prior to 1882, the Supreme Court conducted their business in various committee rooms on Parliament Hill, including the Railway Committee Room...
opened. - 1890 – Saint Brigid's Church (Ottawa)Saint Brigid's Church (Ottawa)St Brigid's was Roman Catholic church located in the Lower Town neighbourhood of Ottawa, Canada. It was built to serve the English-speaking, Catholic population of the area. Until the opening of St Brigid’s, this community, largely of Irish heritage, had formed part of the parish of Notre-Dame, the...
completed. - 1891 – Ottawa Car CompanyOttawa Car CompanyOttawa Car Company was a builder of streetcars for the Canadian market and was founded in Ottawa, Ontario, in 1891. The plant was located at Kent and Slater Streets, a short distance from Parliament Hill...
founded. - 1891 – First electric streetcar line opens.
- 1892 – Ottawa Horticultural SocietyOttawa Horticultural SocietyThe Ottawa Horticultural Society was founded in 1892. It is a non-profit organization that exists to promote gardening and horticulture in Ottawa. This is done through a series of presentations, flower shows and workshops...
founded. - 1895 – Ottawa's first paved street exists as of this date.
- 1897 – Caplan'sCaplan'sCaplan's was a department store in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.Caplan's began as a small dry goods shop in 1897, and operated over time at various locations throughout Ottawa. In 1916, the store moved to Rideau Street, where it grew into a department store and went on to become a retail landmark in...
opened. - 1900 – Hull-Ottawa fire1900 Hull-Ottawa fireThe Hull-Ottawa fire of 1900 was a devastating fire in 1900 that destroyed much of Hull, Quebec and large portions of Ottawa, Ontario. On April 26 a defective chimney on a house in Hull caught fire, which quickly spread between the wooden houses due to windy conditions...
decimates much of Hull and many buildings in Ottawa. - 1900 – Goodwin HouseGoodwin HouseGoodwin House is a prominent heritage building in Ottawa, Canada. Located at 312 Laurier Avenue East it was built by railway executive George Goodwin from 1899 to 1900. It is one of the largest mansions ever built in the city. It later became a convent for the Grey Nuns, and during the Second...
completed.
20th century
- 1901 – The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and YorkGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
cap a visit to OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
with a run down the lumber slide at LeBreton FlatsLebreton FlatsLeBreton Flats is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. It lies to the west of Centretown neighbourhood, and to the north of Centretown West with "Nanny Goat Hill" as the dividing line...
. - 1906 – Ottawa Public LibraryOttawa Public LibraryThe Ottawa Public Library is the library system of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and is the largest bilingual library in North America...
founded. - 1906 – Booth House built.
- 1908 – Lansdowne Park site of city's first auto show.
- 1909 – Murphy-GambleMurphy-GambleMurphy-Gamble Limited was a long-time department store in the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.The store was located at 118 Sparks Street in a 1909 building designed by C.P. Meredith, and for years used the slogan "Ottawa's Smart Store"...
opened. - 1912 – Château LaurierChâteau LaurierThe Fairmont Château Laurier is a landmark hotel in Downtown Ottawa, Ontario located near the intersection of Rideau Street and Sussex Drive designed in the Châteauesque style.-History:...
and Canadian Museum of NatureCanadian Museum of NatureThe Canadian Museum of Nature is a natural history museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Its collections, which were started by the Geological Survey of Canada in 1856, include all aspects of the intersection of human society and nature, from gardening to gene-splicing...
completed. - 1912 – Union StationGovernment Conference CentreThe Government Conference Centre is a government building in downtown Ottawa, Canada, located at 2 Rideau Street. It is situated at the intersection of Wellington Street and the Rideau Canal, just a short distance from the Parliament buildings and Confederation Square, and across the street from...
opened. - 1913 – Ottawa Little TheatreOttawa Little TheatreThe Ottawa Little Theatre, originally called the Ottawa Drama League at its inception in 1913, is the longest-running community theatre company in Canada. Based in the national capital, it presents eight plays per year from September through May....
founded. - 1914 – Stornoway (residence)Stornoway (residence)Stornoway is the name of the official residence of the Leader of the Opposition in Canada, and has been used as such since 1950. It is provided in recognition of the opposition leader's position...
built. - 1916 – Connaught BuildingConnaught BuildingThe Connaught Building is a historic office building in Ottawa, Canada, owned by Public Works and Government Services Canada. It is located at 555 MacKenzie Street just south of the American Embassy...
completed. - 1916 – Victoria Tower (Canada)Victoria Tower (Canada)The Victoria Tower was the prominent main bell tower of the original Centre Block parliament building in Ottawa, Canada. The high tower was the centre piece of Parliament Hill that was constructed from 1859 to 1866 by Thomas Fuller. It was destroyed during the great fire of the Centre Block on 3...
burned down. The present Peace TowerPeace TowerThe Peace Tower is a focal bell and clock tower, sitting on the central axis of the Centre Block of the Canadian parliament buildings in Ottawa, Ontario. The present incarnation replaced the Victoria Tower after the latter burned down in 1916, along with most of the Centre Block...
serves as a Canadian iconNational symbols of CanadaNational symbols of Canada are the symbols that are used in Canada and abroad to represent the country and its people. Prominently, the use of the maple leaf as a Canadian symbol dates back to the early 18th century, and is depicted on its current and previous flags, the penny, and on the coat of...
. - 1918 – Ottawa receives first delivery of airmail, from TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. An estimated 25,000 people and 1,000 automobiles pour onto the streets to celebrate the end of the war. - 1919 – Influenza epidemic claims more than 500 lives.
- 1920 – Ottawans crowd into Château LaurierChâteau LaurierThe Fairmont Château Laurier is a landmark hotel in Downtown Ottawa, Ontario located near the intersection of Rideau Street and Sussex Drive designed in the Châteauesque style.-History:...
ballroom to hear first local radio transmission of live concert from MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. - 1920 – The Capital CinemaCapitol Cinema (Ottawa)The Capitol Cinema was the largest movie theatre ever built in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and was the city's only true movie palace. Opened in 1920, the 2530-seat cinema was regarded as one of the best cinemas designed by famed theatre-architect Thomas W...
was constructed. With 2,530 seats, it was the largest movie theatre ever built in Ottawa and was regarded as one of the best cinemas designed by famed theatre-architect Thomas W. Lamb. It was demolished in 1970. - 1922 – A confrontation between 10,000 OrangemenOrange InstitutionThe Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
and a gathering of Irish Catholics is narrowly averted when police persuade groups to go separate ways. - 1924 – Champagne BathChampagne BathThe Champagne Bath, today officially the Champagne Fitness Center, is a historic bath in Ottawa, Canada. It is located on King Edward Avenue in Lower Town. Originally the structure was built for the greater hygiene of the largely working class residents of the neighbourhood, many of whom had no...
and Plant BathPlant BathThe Plant Bath is a historical bath in Ottawa, Canada. It was built along with the Champagne Bath in 1924 to try and improve the hygiene and well being of the city's lower classes. It was named after Frank H. Plant, then mayor of Ottawa. It is located at 930 Somerset Street West at the intersection...
built. - 1925 – Arches crack in the Victoria Museum and other buildings are damaged as Ottawa is rocked by its most severe earthquake since 1753.
- 1928 – Ottawa Flying Club incorporated.
- 1929 – 1929 Ottawa sewer explosion1929 Ottawa sewer explosionOn May 29, 1929, a series of explosions in the sewers of Ottawa, Canada, killed one person.The first blast occurred just after noon in the Golden Triangle area, west of the canal; over the next 25 minutes, a series of explosions traveled the length of the main line of the sewer system...
. - 1931 – Statute of Westminster 1931Statute of Westminster 1931The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Passed on 11 December 1931, the Act established legislative equality for the self-governing dominions of the British Empire with the United Kingdom...
. - 1932 – British Empire Economic ConferenceBritish Empire Economic ConferenceThe British Empire Economic Conference was a 1932 conference of British colonies and the autonomous dominions held to discuss the Great Depression. It was held between 21 July and 20 August in Ottawa.The conference saw the group admit the failure of the gold standard and abandon attempts to...
. - 1936 – First dial telephones installed in homes.
- 1937 – National War Memorial (Canada)National War Memorial (Canada)The National War Memorial , is a tall granite cenotaph with acreted bronze sculptures, that stands in Confederation Square, Ottawa, and serves as the federal war memorial for Canada....
relocated to OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. - 1938 – Gatineau ParkGatineau ParkGatineau Park is a park located in the National Capital Region, in Quebec's Outaouais region, just north of Ottawa, Ontario. Administered by the National Capital Commission, the park is a 361 km² wedge of land to the west of the Gatineau River...
created. - 1943-1946 - The Federal Crown expropriated 24 Sussex Drive24 Sussex Drive24 Sussex Drive is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada, located in the New Edinburgh neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario. Built between 1866 and 1868 by Joseph Merrill Currier, it has been the official home of the Canadian prime minister since 1951.-History:The house at 24 Sussex...
as the residence for the Prime Minister. - 1948 – Ottawa Transportation CommissionOttawa Transportation CommissionOttawa Transportation Commission was the public transit operator for the city of Ottawa from 1948 until the creation of OC Transpo in 1973.OTC took over streetcar operations from the Ottawa Electric Railway Company, but they were gradually abandoned for trolley bus and bus operations...
formed. - 1951 - Louis St. LaurentLouis St. LaurentLouis Stephen St. Laurent, PC, CC, QC , was the 12th Prime Minister of Canada from 15 November 1948, to 21 June 1957....
became the first prime minister to take up residence at 24 Sussex Drive24 Sussex Drive24 Sussex Drive is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada, located in the New Edinburgh neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario. Built between 1866 and 1868 by Joseph Merrill Currier, it has been the official home of the Canadian prime minister since 1951.-History:The house at 24 Sussex...
. - 1953 – Montfort HospitalMontfort HospitalThe Montfort Hospital is a hospital in Ottawa, Canada. It is noted for being the only fully bilingual hospital in the province of Ontario.The hospital was founded in 1953 by the Filles de la Sagesse Catholic order and was named after one of its founders Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort. It...
founded. - 1959 – Ottawa Memorial unveiled by Elizabeth II of the United KingdomElizabeth II of the United KingdomElizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. - 1959 – Streetcar service ends, transit now buses-only.
- 1964 – DiefenbunkerDiefenbunkerEmergency Government Headquarters are nuclear fallout bunkers built by the Government of Canada at the height of the Cold War during the infancy of the ICBM threat...
completed. - 1966 – Ottawa Train StationOttawa Train StationOttawa Station in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, located at 200 Tremblay Road, is served by Via Rail inter-city trains connecting it to Toronto and Montreal. OC Transpo’s Train rapid transit station carries railway passengers into the city centre or into the eastern suburbs.The station was designed by...
built. - 1966 – Centennial FlameCentennial FlameThe Centennial Flame is a symbolic flame that forms the central element of a fountain, itself located symmetrically in the walkway between the Queen's Gates and the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario....
inaugurated. - 1967 – Ryan TowerRyan TowerRyan Tower is a tall guyed mast on the Clifford Slope of Camp Fortune in Chelsea, Quebec, Canada. Erected in 1968, its top is above sea level, making it the highest point in the Ottawa/Gatineau area and an easy-to-spot landmark....
erected. - 1967 – Library and Archives CanadaLibrary and Archives CanadaLibrary and Archives Canada is a national memory institution dedicated to providing the best possible account of Canadian life through acquiring, preserving and making Canada's documentary heritage accessible for use in the 21st century and beyond...
opened. - 1975 – St. Pius X High School shooting.
- 1975 – National Capital MarathonNational Capital MarathonNational Capital Marathon, or Ottawa Race Weekend, is one of Canada's largest marathons. It is held in the city of Ottawa, Ontario. The 42.195 kilometres event features many races, including: the MDS Nordion 5K Run/Walk, the MDS Nordion 10K Run/Walk, the ING Ottawa Marathon Walk, the ING Marathon...
started. - 1975 – Great Canadian Theatre CompanyGreat Canadian Theatre CompanyThe Great Canadian Theatre Company, known for short as GCTC, is a professional theatre company based in Ottawa, Canada. It was established in 1975. The company specialises in the production of Canadian plays....
established. - 1980s – Nabu NetworkNabu NetworkThe NABU Network was an early home computer system which was linked to a precursor of the Internet, operating over cable TV. It operated from 1982 to 1985, primarily in Ottawa, Canada...
operated. - 1983 - The TransitwayOttawa Rapid TransitIn Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the public transit service operated by OC Transpo has two rapid transit systems: the Transitway, a bus rapid transit network, and the O-Train, a diesel-powered light rail transit service operated on one line.-Major routes:...
started its construction as a bus rapid transitBus rapid transitBus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
network between BaselineBaseline Station (OC Transpo)Baseline Transitway Station is directly across from the main campus of Algonquin College in Ottawa's west end, off of Woodroffe Avenue and Baseline Road. Many Algonquin students and Centrepointe residents use this terminal to get to various points in the city, and of course, to get to the College...
and Lincoln FieldsLincoln Fields Station (OC Transpo)Lincoln Fields Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Carling Avenue and the Ottawa River Parkway. It is adjacent but not connected to nearby Lincoln Heights Galleria Shopping Centre. It is the main western hub of the transitway system and has a ticket sales and information office...
at the west, LeesLees Station (OC Transpo)Lees Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. It is located south of the Queensway just to the west of the Rideau River. It serves the Lees Avenue region and the Sandy Hill Heights community....
to HurdmanHurdman Station (OC Transpo)Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
at the east, Operated by OC TranspoOC TranspoOC Transpo is the urban transit service of the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. An integrated hub-and-spoke system of services is available consisting of: regular buses travelling on fixed routes in mixed traffic, typical of most urban transit systems; a bus rapid transit system — a high...
. Later expanded. - 1986 – Ottawa CourthouseOttawa CourthouseThe Ottawa Courthouse is an Ontario provincial courthouse in Ottawa, Ontario. It is the main provincial court for the Ottawa area, and as such handles most of the region's legal affairs. The building is home to small claims, family, criminal, district, and the Ottawa branch of the Ontario Superior...
opened. - 1990 – Canadian Tribute to Human RightsCanadian Tribute to Human RightsThe Canadian Tribute to Human Rights, also known as the Human Rights Monument, is a monumental sculpture located at the corner of Lisgar and Elgin streets in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada...
monument unveiled. - 1992 – Peacekeeping MonumentPeacekeeping MonumentReconciliation: The Peacekeeping Monument is a monument in Ottawa, the capital of Canada, commemorating Canada's role in international peacekeeping and the soldiers who have participated and are currently participating, both living and dead....
built. - 1993 – Ottawa Dragon Boat Race FestivalOttawa Dragon Boat Race FestivalThe Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival is a yearly event that attracts 5500 paddlers and over 70,000 spectators in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.Historically, it is part of a Chinese tradition dating back almost 2400 years. It began as a rite in the banks of southern China to guarantee abundant crops...
founded. - 1994 – CKCU Ottawa Folk FestivalCKCU Ottawa Folk FestivalThe Ottawa Folk Festival is a major Canadian folk music festival. The organization presents a four-day weekend festival in September, as well as an evening benefit concert series throughout the year....
founded. - 1997 – Ottawa Fringe FestivalOttawa Fringe FestivalThe Ottawa Fringe Festival, founded in 1997, is a celebration of the non-mainstream performing arts. Held indoors and out, it is a ten-day event, held in June.-Performance Spaces:Performances all take place in downtown Ottawa...
founded. - 1998 – Ottawa-Carleton District School BoardOttawa-Carleton District School BoardThe Ottawa-Carleton District School Board refers to both the institution responsible for the operation of all English public schools in the city of Ottawa, Ontario and its governing body. Like most school boards, the OCDSB is administered by a group of elected trustees and one director selected...
created.
21st century
- 2001 – Ottawa O-TrainOttawa O-TrainThe O-Train is a light-rail transit service in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada operated by OC Transpo. The present line runs north-south on a railway line, from Bayview to Greenboro, a distance of approximately...
introduced. - 2001 – Ottawa population of the agglomeration: 1,070,000.
- 2004 – CBC Ottawa Broadcast CentreCBC Ottawa Broadcast CentreThe CBC Ottawa Broadcast Centre is located on Sparks Street in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and is home to the head office of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the CBC's various English and French language operations in the National Capital Region...
opened. - 2006 – National Capital Region (Canada)National Capital Region (Canada)The National Capital Region, also referred to as Canada's Capital Region, is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, the neighbouring city of Gatineau, Quebec, and surrounding urban and rural communities....
has a total population of 1,130,761. - 2006 – Valiants MemorialValiants MemorialThe Valiants Memorial is a military monument located in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, commemorating fourteen key figures from the military history of the country....
dedicated.
External links
- Ancient history of the Ottawa Valley - The Canadian Museum of CivilizationCanadian Museum of CivilizationThe Canadian Museum of Civilization is Canada's national museum of human history and the most popular and most-visited museum in Canada....
- History of Ottawa - Bytown MuseumBytown MuseumThe Bytown Museum is a small museum in Ottawa located on the lower locks of the Rideau Canal at the Ottawa River just below Parliament Hill.The museum's exhibits follow the early history of the city, originally known as Bytown, and the construction of the Rideau Canal...
- History of the canal - Virtual Museum of CanadaVirtual Museum of CanadaThe Virtual Museum of Canada is Canada's national virtual museum. With a directory of over 3,000 Canadian heritage institutions and a database of over 600 virtual exhibits, the VMC brings together Canada's museums regardless of size or geographical location.The VMC includes virtual exhibits,...