Moose Factory, Ontario
| Moose Factory | |
|---|---|
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 Moose Factory
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| Coordinates: 51°15′30″N 80°36′00″W / 51.25833°N 80.60000°WCoordinates: 51°15′30″N 80°36′00″W / 51.25833°N 80.60000°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
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| Province |
 Ontario
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| Region | Northeastern Ontario |
| District | Cochrane |
| Settled | 1673 |
| Renamed | 1686 |
| Government | |
| • Type | multiple governments |
| • Federal riding | Timmins—James Bay |
| • Prov. riding | Timmins—James Bay |
| Area | |
| • Land | 5.25 km2 (2.03 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Total | 2,458 |
| • Density | 473.3/km2 (1,226/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC−5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC−4) |
| Postal code | P0L 1W0 |
| Area code(s) | 705 |
Moose Factory is a community in the Cochrane District, Ontario, Canada. It is located on Moose Factory Island, near the mouth of the Moose River, which is at the southern end of James Bay. It was the first English-speaking settlement in Ontario and the second Hudson's Bay Company post to be set up in North America after Fort Rupert. On the mainland, across the Moose River, is the nearby community of Moosonee, which is accessible by water taxi in the summer, ice road in the winter and chartered helicopter in the off-season (break-up or freeze-up).
The settlement is mainly inhabited by the Cree, but the hospital which provides healthcare services to the people of the island and surrounding area (collectively known as the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority) attracts a diverse group of people as an employer.
The term "Factory" refers to the jurisdiction of a factor (a business agent or merchant in charge of buying or selling) of the Hudson's Bay Company. Just as a rector presides over a rectory, a factor holds authority over a factory.
The area was explored by Pierre-Esprit Radisson in the winter of 1670/71 from the base at Rupert House. In 1673, Charles Bayly of the Hudson's Bay Company established a fur-trading post originally called Moose Fort. Besides trading, it was also intended to protect the company's interests from French traders to the south. The fort was profitable and had a direct impact on the fur trade in New France. So in 1686, Chevalier de Troyes led a small contingent of French soldiers north on an expedition to raid HBC forts. The English defenders were caught by total surprise and surrendered. The French captured Moose Fort and renamed it to Fort St. Louis. Ten years later in 1696, the English recaptured it and burned it to the ground. No trace has remained of this original fort.
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Wikipedia