Moosonee - Cities and Towns - About Ontario - Ontario.ca (original) (raw)

The name Moosonee derives from the Moose River and was adapted from the Cree word "Moosoneek", meaning "at the Moose". The Revillon brothers, fur traders from Paris, established a trading post in 1903. Their aim was to rival the Hudson's Bay Company trading post located across the Moose River on the island of Moose Factory.

Known as "The Gateway to the Arctic", Moosonee is located along the Moose River, close to James Bay. It boasts the only saltwater port in Ontario and is the town at the end of the Ontario Northland Railway.

The Corporation of the Town of Moosonee is a recent addition to Ontario's list of municipalities. Since 1968, the area was classified as an "unorganized territory" and officially called the "Moosonee Development Area Board". In November 2000, the community was established as the Corporation of the Town of Moosonee.

To reach this community of about 3,500 you can take the Polar Bear Express, a 300- kilometre rail ride that starts in Cochrane, Ontario. Moosonee is also accessible by air. Moosonee is a popular summer destination where one can visit the various museums that are rich with history or find adventure in the surrounding wilderness.

Some nearby communities include: Moose Factory, Peawanuck, Attawapiskat, Kashechewan.

Find out more about the Town of Moosonee.