Thunder Bay is a city in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. It spans over 447.5 sq km (172.8 sq mi) and has a population of 108,000 people (2012 estimate). It is the seat of Thunder Bay District. Both are named after the body of water at the head of Lake Superior.
The earliest European settlements in the Thunder Bay area were two French fur trading posts established in 1683 and 1717. Both were subsequently abandoned. In 1803, the North West Company established Fort William in the Thunder Bay area. It served as an entrepôt until 1821, when the North West Company was absorbed into the Hudson's Bay Company. Then Fort William too redundant, but continued to exist.
Finnish Labour Temple, Thunder Bay Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thunder_Bay_Finnish_Labour_Temple.JPG Author: Vidioman
The discovery of copper in the 1850s brought renewed interest in the area. A new settlement was created a few miles north of Fort William, and in 1870 Colonel Garnet Wolseley named it Prince Arthur's Landing. In 1883 it was renamed Port Arthur.
The towns of Port Arthur and Fort William remained distinct until 1970, when they were merged, along with the townships of Neebing and McIntyre, to create the City of Thunder Bay. The name was a result of a referendum where residents got to choose between Thunder Bay, Lakehead and The Lakehead. The Lakehead/Lakehead choice split the vote, enabling Thunder Bay to win by a narrow margin.
Visiting Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay is on the Trans-Canada Highway 11 and 17. You can also fly to the Thunder Bay International Airport (YQT) from Sault Ste Marie, Sudbury, Toronto and Winnipeg.
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