NITCHEQUON
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NITCHEQUON |
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NAME: Nitchequon COUNTY: Northern Quebec ROADS: 4WD GRID: 2 CLIMATE: Subarctic,cool summers and cold winters BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime-black flys in summer,very cold in winter |
COMMENTS:
Visited here in August of 2004 for one week.The only way to get here is by canoe trip,which would probably take a month or more and by float plane.There is an airstrip that has been blocked off,however,a small plane could probably still make a landing.Nitchequon is located in the heart of the sub-arctic region at 53 degrees North and 70 degrees West.The closest town is about 150 miles away and there are no roads going to the town.Even though it has been a ghost town for nearly 20 years,it is still listed in some current road maps. REMAINS: still mostly intact,some vandalism |
| Started out as a Hudson Bay Company trading post in the early 1800's and operated sporadically from 1816-22,1825 and 1834-1943.Its on and off activity was due to the late ice breakups and early freeze ups of the river systems connecting to Nitchequon.It was closed in 1943 due to being uneconomical.In 1945,the federal government opened a flight service station to provide air traffic control and weather information in the area.With air as a major way to travel,the Hudson Bay Company reopened in 1950 and ran into the 1960's before it closed for good.All of the native Cree people,then moved to Mistissini, about 250 miles southwest.The flight service station closed for good in 1985,rendering Nitchequon a ghost town.Today,there are still remains of the buildings used by the Cree residents up to the 1960's and the buildings used by the flight service station are still pretty much intact with some of the equipment,supplies,spare parts,etc still there.There was a operating 4 wheel tractor still there in a hanger,which may have been run last in 2003.The last trace that I could tell of anyone being there was in April 2004 as written on a blackboard in one of the houses.There were current supplies there and I found another old building that had a new looking tarp covering the missing roof.The building housed a snow mobile and parts,fuel and hunting and trapping supplies.So,someone may still be coming in late spring,possibly on snowmobile ?? The lake usually does not thaw out till mid June.Overall,a fun place to visit and explore,but it is hard to get here.If you want more info or pictures,just put Nitchequon in your search engine.There are a few good sites,especially Hommage A Nitchequon and ottertooth.com Submitted by: Mark A. Stidam |
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