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Thunder Bay Thunder Bay, with an area of 52,471 square miles is larger than the three Maritime Provinces or the whole of Southern Ontario. Its population in 2006 was 149,063 giving a density of two per square mile. Two-thirds of this population is urban however, and concentrated in the twin cities of the "Lakehead", Fort William and Port Arthur, and most of the remainder is found in a few settled townships, the area of which is less than 600 square miles. Like Sault Ste. Marie, the Lakehead may be considered as an industrial island far removed from its chief market in Southern Ontario but tied to it by the nation's chief transportation routes. During World War II its expanded facilities produced ships and planes in great numbers. In peace time it supplies street-cars and buses for the whole country. Fort William Fort William is the second city of Northern Ontario and ranks eleventh in the province. Located in the shadow of Mount McKay at the mouth of the Kaministiquia River, it has undoubtedly been the site of Indian encampments for many centuries, and for more than 250 years has been known to white voyageurs. French explorers built the first fort there in 1678. New Fort was built here in 1803 by the NorthWest Company and renamed Fort William in 1804 after William McGillivray, Governor of the company. Under the Hudson's Bay Company, from 1821 to 1881, it was one of their most important fur trading posts. Since that time it has become an important lake port. The city extends along the dredged out estuary for about five miles. The Kaministiquia enters Thunder Bay through a broad delta by three channels, each of which is lined with docks. Port Arthur Port Arthur is located on the shore of Thunder Bay, immediately north of Fort William. Its harbour is protected by nearly five miles of breakwater behind which lie several miles of berthing space; 1,300 ships totalling 3 ¾ million tons enter Port Arthur each year. Agricultural Settlement Most of the agricultural land in Thunder Bay district is within a few miles of the Lakehead cities but there is a small pocket around Nipigon, about 60 miles to the northeast, and another at Upsala about 70 miles northwest. Possibly there are 400,000 acres of clay and loam soils suitable for agriculture. In 1941, over 300,000 acres were occupied and over 70,000 acres reported as improved land on 2300 farms. Hay, oats, potatoes, barley and wheat are the chief crops. Dairying is important in the townships immediately adjoining the cities. Nipigon Lake Nipigon has an area of 1,870 square miles and is the largest lake in Ontario, exclusive of the Great Lakes. Its elevation of 852 feet places it 250 feet above Lake Superior into which it drains by the Nipigon River. This short river is the source of power for the whole Lakehead district and for the Beardmore-Geraldton mining areas. In order to increase the water supply the Ontario Hydro-Electric Commission diverted the Ogoki River from the. Hudson Bay drainage. The Nipigon watershed is an important forest area and the wood is utilized by the mills at Nipigon and Red Rock, near the mouth of the rivers. The Nipigon region has long been known for its hunting and fishing resources. Marathon Located on Peninsula Herbout, 184 miles east of Port Arthur, is the new pulp mill town of Marathon. Wood for the mill comes from 2,500 square miles of lease hold and is driven down the Pic River to Lake Superior and towed to Peninsula Harbour. Terrace Bay Another new pulp mill town, constructed in the post-war period, is located on the north shore of Lake Superior about 70 miles east of Nipigon. The mill will produce 300 tons of sulphite pulp daily and maintain a town of several hundred population. In order to supply power to this mill the Ontario Hydro-Electric Power Commission has undertaken the development of 53,500 H.P. from the nearby Aguasabon River. Near its mouth the river falls nearly 300 feet and by means of a tunnel diversion the water is conveyed to a power house at Terrace Bay. In order to increase the water supply, Long Lake and the headwaters of the Kenagami River have been diverted into the Aguasabon River. Home