Thorne, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Thorne is an unincorporated community within the unincorporated township of Poitras, in the Canadian
province of Ontario
. It is located in the census division of Nipissing District
. A designated place
served by a local services board, the community had a population of 254 in the Canada 2006 Census
.
Thorne is located at the northernmost end of Highway 63
, just across the Ottawa River
from Témiscaming
, Quebec
. It is also situated 63 km northeast of North Bay
.
As early as 1942 a number of squatters had established themselves on CIP (Canadian International Paper) property on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River. The small grouping of houses would eventually took the name of Thorneville after C.B. Thorne, a Norwegian born engineer and technical director in charge of building the paper mill for the Riordon Pulp and Paper Co. between 1917-20. After the Second World War owing to a lack of housing lots within the company town site at Temiscaming, CIP decided to establish a secondary town site on the Ontario shore of the river. The company surveyed and serviced housing lots which it then sold to the public. In 1948 town site was built and the homes were privately owned unlike those at Temiscaming where the CIP still retained ownership of most of the town.
Although Thorne is a modern town site, the first residents to the area came be traced back to the 1870s when a depot farm was established to cater to the regions numerous lumber camps. The surrounding valley contains mostly poor rocky soil, however some good farm land was available approximately 3 km inland. Situated on steep slope, The Farm, as residents call the place, supplied fresh produce, meat, diary and hay to the camps. The farm contained a number of families until it was abandoned during the 1940s.
Thorne has Containing a healthy mix of Francophones and Anglophones the small village quickly rooted itself. In 1956 Thorne counted 401 residents, 416 in 1961 and maintained this figure for three decades as it still counted 425 residents in 1980. However by 1990 Thorne's population had dropped to 230 residents. The decline in population is mostly attributed to the large retired population and smaller family units. Though in recent years younger families have been relocating to community.
At various times Thorne did contain a few services such as a post office, service station, 2 general stores, propane dealer, a ski resort, skating rink as well as an English Public school and a French Separate school. In the mid 80's a sea food restaurant operated and Catholic masses were conducted in the French language for a number of years the Separate School's gymnasium through the Parish of Sainte-Therese, domiciled in Temiscaming, Quebec. In the 90's a veterinary office operated for a decade.
Today only the Separate School, a nursing station, a small confectionary, and the post office remains to service the community. Other services are obtained in Temiscaming, Quebec or in North Bay, Ontario.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. It is located in the census division of Nipissing District
Nipissing District, Ontario
Nipissing District, Ontario is a district in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1858. The district seat is North Bay.In 2006, the population was 84,688...
. A designated place
Designated place
A designated place or DPL is a type of community or populated area identified by Statistics Canada for statistical purposes. DPLs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages.DPLs are communities that lack...
served by a local services board, the community had a population of 254 in the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
.
Thorne is located at the northernmost end of Highway 63
Highway 63 (Ontario)
King's Highway 63, commonly referred to as Highway 63, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario.- Route description :...
, just across the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The 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:...
from Témiscaming
Témiscaming, Quebec
Témiscaming is a town located at the south end of Lac Témiscamingue on the upper Ottawa River in the Témiscamingue Regional County Municipality of western Quebec, Canada. Also nearby is Lake Kipawa.-History:...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. It is also situated 63 km northeast of North Bay
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
.
As early as 1942 a number of squatters had established themselves on CIP (Canadian International Paper) property on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River. The small grouping of houses would eventually took the name of Thorneville after C.B. Thorne, a Norwegian born engineer and technical director in charge of building the paper mill for the Riordon Pulp and Paper Co. between 1917-20. After the Second World War owing to a lack of housing lots within the company town site at Temiscaming, CIP decided to establish a secondary town site on the Ontario shore of the river. The company surveyed and serviced housing lots which it then sold to the public. In 1948 town site was built and the homes were privately owned unlike those at Temiscaming where the CIP still retained ownership of most of the town.
Although Thorne is a modern town site, the first residents to the area came be traced back to the 1870s when a depot farm was established to cater to the regions numerous lumber camps. The surrounding valley contains mostly poor rocky soil, however some good farm land was available approximately 3 km inland. Situated on steep slope, The Farm, as residents call the place, supplied fresh produce, meat, diary and hay to the camps. The farm contained a number of families until it was abandoned during the 1940s.
Thorne has Containing a healthy mix of Francophones and Anglophones the small village quickly rooted itself. In 1956 Thorne counted 401 residents, 416 in 1961 and maintained this figure for three decades as it still counted 425 residents in 1980. However by 1990 Thorne's population had dropped to 230 residents. The decline in population is mostly attributed to the large retired population and smaller family units. Though in recent years younger families have been relocating to community.
At various times Thorne did contain a few services such as a post office, service station, 2 general stores, propane dealer, a ski resort, skating rink as well as an English Public school and a French Separate school. In the mid 80's a sea food restaurant operated and Catholic masses were conducted in the French language for a number of years the Separate School's gymnasium through the Parish of Sainte-Therese, domiciled in Temiscaming, Quebec. In the 90's a veterinary office operated for a decade.
Today only the Separate School, a nursing station, a small confectionary, and the post office remains to service the community. Other services are obtained in Temiscaming, Quebec or in North Bay, Ontario.