Old Fort Coulonge Pictures

Just a few old pictures of Fort Coulonge and Mansfield, Pontiac County.

Fort-Coulonge got the name after Nicholas d'Ailleboust de Mathet Sieur de Coulonge who occupied a French trading post in the winter of 1694-1695
The settlement began at the confluence of the Ottawa and Coulonge Rivers in the Township of Mansfield. Some of the first families came from Rigaud
and St.Benoît, others were descendants of the Acadian's expelled by Governor Lawrence in 1755 and came from St. Jacques l'achigan 6 miles north of l'Assomption.
Some of the first families were Marion, Francoeur, Guildice dit Labine and Belec. They came gradually into the township.

The English-speaking families who had bought land 1849-1860 were Bryson, Carmichael, Gleason, Johnson, Church, Spink, Dickson, Burton, Armstrong, Frost and Cobb. Only a few of these weir Catholic. After 1862 the following families were mentioned as settlers, Armour, Bertrand, Paré, Bovin, Romain, Leyden, Laderoute, Labine, Aubrey, Rose, Hébert, Lafrance, Leclerc, Gervais, Poirier and Belec.
PS: Left click on the pictures to get a enlargement and BACK on the tool bar will bring you back to the main page.

Pont Marchand/Red covered bridge in Mansfield.

Agustus Browns, middle picture, the man who built the Red Covered Bridge and grandsons, CLICK TO ENLARGE.

This is not a old picture, but it was at the time when logging was made through waterways. The logs that you see in the river were going to the Davidson sawmill about two (2) miles' away. I was born and raise about 600 feet north of the Red Bridge in the historical house by the name of "The Bryson House" and I seen that river pack solid with logs many and many of time. That bridge "Pont Marchand" or Red Covered Bridge in Mansfield, is still standing.There's no more logging " waterway " in the Coulonge river and the Davidson sawmill is still in operation and stronger than evermore.
Click here for info. on Davidson Sawmill / Scierie Davidson.

The P.P.J. (Pontiac and Pacific Junction) train park at the Station near Fort Coulonge. In late summer off 1886 the rail reached Fort Coulonge. Passenger service became popular, although it cannot be said that it was extravagance service, as is reflected by the favorite nicknames of the P.P.J.: " Push, Pull and Jerk " and the " Poor People's Journey " It is said that there were three classes of passengers: first class passengers stayed on the train, second class passengers walked, and third class passengers got out and helped push the train up the grades. The Pontiac and Pacific Junction ( P.P.J.) sold the line to Canadian Pacific Railway ( C.P.R.) in 1902. In 1958 passenger service was discontinued, twenty years later the C.P.R wishes to abandon the tracks altogether.

This is the Baume street in Fort-Coulonge as we know it nowadays. On your left, you can see old F.X. Bertrand's place, Labine's hotel and so onward, just to name a few. Note the sidewalks made of wood. I don't have the date that them pictures were taken' but it was prior to my time.The one on the right seem to be the old Train Station.

This picture is Davis's corner as we know it nowadays and still standing. The Post-Office today, is located behind and the Caisse Populaire on the opposite corner. I like them old pictures and I would like to lay my hands on more.

This Hotel was build in 1901 by Mr.George Jewell and was sold to Mr. Rhaoul Labine in 1922 and he had it for 54 years, then it was sold to a Mr.Leveillé in 1976. I heard abundance stories about this place, don't get me wrong, I mean good stories, OK some were hoodlum. I can tell you a few good one to, bout they wouldn't be that old, but I'm sure many old timers' could tell us some almighty good stories. This place as been standing for many of years and was renovated several time throughout interval.The Hotel burn down on the 1 september.1979 and now the Bank of Nova Scotia is standing on that same frontage. I have include above on the right, a photograph of the hotel after the fire of 1979. At the time of the fire, the owner was Mr.Leveillé.
Speaking about Bank, did you know that James MacLaren was President of the Ottawa Bank from 1874-1892,
George Bryson Jr. was President from 1913-1919
and Sir George Burn was the General Manager from 1880-1917

Thanks' to Mr.Lionel Sauriol of Fort Coulonge, for lending me this picture. This place was call the Royal Hotel and the owner was Mr. Damase V. Gervais, he was married to Lea Goulet. Their daughter Marie Julie Evaline Gervais was married to Hilary A. Cleary in 1910. This hotel was build in the 18th century and it burn down. For those ho knows Fort Coulonge, the Royal Hotel was located where is today Eddy Davis's garage/ Tony Davis. I don't have all the information's at the moment but I will try to get it. I got the information's and this old picture from Mr. Lionel Sauriol of Fort Coulonge, Que.

The Fort Coulonge hockey team in 1930 (click on the picture to get a bigger size and names of the players) and YES there is one player missing according to the list.Thank Joan Finnigan for the picture.

The old protestant school in Fort-Coulonge, Quebec. It would be nice to find out the year but I don't have it at the moment.

This Hotel was rebuilt a few year's back after it had burned down around 1996. It is located almost on the same spot and bigger than before. Ceasar Paul past away at 112 years old, he was born and raise at the Jim's Lake and live there all his life. I thought it would be nice to include the picture of Ceasar Paul and his villa.

PS: If you have some thoughtful "Old" pictures that you would like for me to impose on my SITE for free, send me a E-Mail for more details. Thank You.