Rossport, Ontario

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Rossport

Location of Rossport in Ontario

Rossport is a picturesque locality on the north shore of Lake Superior in Thunder Bay District, Northwestern Ontario. It has a population of approximately 100.

Rossport is named after John Ross (c1820-1898), construction manager for the north shore of Lake Superior route of the Canadian Pacific Railway from August 1882-June 1885. His construction headquarters during that time period were in Port Arthur, Ontario and at Rossport, then known as McKay's Harbour.

McKay's Harbour was named after Alexander McKay who operated a small fur trading post at Pays Plat and his son Charles McKay who was lighthouse keeper at nearby Battle Island, 1878-1913.

After the end of CPR construction in 1885, Rossport became an important commercial fishing centre. Bowman Street is named after John Bowman (1858-1950) who operated a fishing company there.

In 1911 the luxury steam yacht Gunilda foundered on the McGarvey Shoal and sank 8 kilometers from Rossport.

Rossport is managed by the local service board of Rossport. Rossport has a water treatment plant which serves 45 households. The hamlet falls within the provincial and federal ridings of Thunder Bay-Superior North.

Parks Canada, the federal agency, has proposed the creation of the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, which would include the waters off Rossport.