Rossport, Ontario
| Rossport | |
|---|---|
| dispersed rural community | |
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 Rossport
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| Coordinates: 48°50′09″N 87°31′14″W / 48.83583°N 87.52056°WCoordinates: 48°50′09″N 87°31′14″W / 48.83583°N 87.52056°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| District | Thunder Bay |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.12 km2 (0.43 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 192 m (630 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 65 |
| • Density | 58/km2 (150/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Eastern Time Zone (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | Eastern Time Zone (UTC-4) |
| Postal code | P0T 2R0 |
| Area code(s) | 807 |
Rossport is a dispersed rural community and unincorporated place in the Unorganized part of Thunder Bay District in northwestern Ontario, Canada. It is on the north shore of Lake Superior in geographic Lahontan Township, and is on Ontario Highway 17. Rossport is a designated place served by a local services board, and has a population of 65.
Rossport is named after John Ross (c1820-1898), construction manager for the north shore of Lake Superior route of the Canadian Pacific Railway from August 1882 to June 1885. His construction headquarters during that time period were in Port Arthur, Ontario and at Rossport, then known as McKay's Harbour.
McKay's Harbour was named after Alexander McKay who operated a small fur trading post at Pays Plat and his son, Charles McKay, who was a lighthouse keeper at nearby Battle Island from 1878-1913.
After the end of CPR construction in 1885, Rossport became an important commercial fishing centre. Bowman Street is named after John Bowman (1858–1950) who operated a fishing company there.
Tiny Rossport garnered a wide reputation for being a source of prime fish. An article in the Dominion Illustrated from October 1888, speaks of how dealers from Eastern Canada had travelled to Rossport and other North Shore communities in order to contract for Lake Superior’s fine freshwater fish. Another article from November 1888 talks of a trial shipment of ten barrels of fish from Rossport being sent to Belfast Ireland where it was quickly sold.
In 1901, Rossport joined other North Shore port communities in becoming a regular stop for steamships belonging to Francis Clergue. The vessels operated between Sault Ste Marie and Port Arthur.
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