History of Ignace, Ontario, Canada

Founded in 1879, Ignace has a rich history of frontier spirit and resource development. The town was named after Ignace Mentour by Sir Sandford Fleming, and the first white settler was Albert McGillie, who arrived at the townsite in 1879. Capt. S.V. Halstead established the Maple Leaf Gold Mining Company and a gold rush brought many prospectors to the area in the 1890s. Since that time, Ignace has forged through a myriad of activities including the early construction of the CPR railway in the early 1900s to the Trans Canada Highway and Pipeline development throughout the 1950s and 1960s. These particular activities led to the natural resource development of mining, logging and tourism. The town was incorporated in 1908.

In the 1950s, Ignace saw its first newspaper, the Village Tattler, started there to serve the town, published by the local YMCA. In 1971, Dennis Smyk started the Ignace Driftwood, which was suspended two years later, but was revived in the late 70s and still serves the town today. During Driftwood's suspension, the Ignace Courier was published for the town's local news.

For more information about the mining, tourism, logging and the history of Ignace, please contact the Township of Ignace at 807-934-2202.