Lord Dufferin
The area was visited by Governor Gener Lord Dufferin and his wife on August 3rd, 1874. Ava Dufferin captured their first impressions of Nipigon in her diary My Canadian Journal. "Our next stopping-place was Nipigon. We passed through some very pretty scenery in coming to it - high rocks and curious shaped hills - and anchored at a little Hudson's Bay settlement at the mouth of the river..."
Thank you Kirsten Spence for contributing to our Community Quotes!
Our Town - EC Everett June 1982
Ours is a Town on the River's bend,
Where Highway eleven and seventeen blend,
At the most Northerly point on the 'Circle Route',
A place for a King or a roustabout.
Our Town was known in the early day,
As a Trading Post of the Hudson's Bay,
Where the white men came to meet the Red,
And sold their goods for fur instead.
For years and years it went that way,
Until at last there came a day,
When a need for pulpwood, fish and ore,
Brought new prosperity to this shore.
The Tourist trade was at its height,
And all the future looked so bright,
For there were Trout and Big ones too,
And Moose to hunt and Caribou.
Two Railroads came when times seemed best,
To this Northern point to meet the West,
Where a mighty River and the Largest Lake,
Are North and South of the place I spake.
A call for power to fill industry's needs,
Brought the best engineers with all their deeds,
To find a place to build a Dam,
And where do you think? - Twas the Falls at Cam.
Of power plants we've yet but three,
They serve every surrounding Community,
And they serve well their timely need,
Great Pulpmills, elevators and cities they feed.
With rocks and hills along the River's shore,
Till rain and snow will fall no more,
Our Town will grow till time is done,
You'll know this place is Nipigon.
Great Nipigon
Written in 1947 by Edwin John White. Edwin, BSc. in Forestry, was 21 years old at the time, cruising by canoe working for Abitibi Paper.
Oh Nipigon, I love thee
Thou clarion of the wild!
Where lightning fleets
And thunder beats
Thy face is undefiled!
From Wabinosh to Virgin,
From Chief to Orient Bay -
The wild ducks flaps
Where blackness laps
And Man will make his way.
An Indian to canoe me -
A ready heart and true;
With prown held high,
Our guide - the sky -
From Dawn to evening hue.
We push forever onward,
Past Pistagoni's trout -
'Twixt rolling ridge,
'Neath heavenly bridge,
Past docks where fishers shout.
At night, e'en camfire shivers,
Only Aurora shines;
The loon's haunt cry
As the stars slink by
And we sleep 'neath the sturdy pines.
The caribou of Shakespeare,
The wolf, the chipmunk and deer,
The gallant goose,
The mighty moose,
Have now Man's power to fear.
For many a leaping cataract
That dipping paddle dumbs,
Have harnessed powers
Where the wild life cowers -
There Man, destroying, comes.
For money is his watchword -
he cares not what he kills;
The forest green
He slashes clean
To operate his mills.
God grant that His own handiwork
May triumph over greed,
and flags unfurled
For Nature's world
Great Nipigon be freed!
Black Sturgeon to Ogoki -
Pellucid, wild and free!
Majestic roll,
Ahead my goal,
Paddle, canoe and me!
Oh Nipigon - I love thee!
Green verdue of thy shores;
My spirits leep
As shadows creep
Push onto Heaven's doors!
