Arnprior

Arnprior is a town of about 9,600 people (2021) on the Madawaska and Ottawa rivers in Eastern Ontario.

Understand
Arnprior, aka "the Prior", is the gateway to tourism in the Upper Ottawa Valley and the Western gateway to Ottawa and Canada's National Capital Region.

Arnprior takes its name from the village of Arnprior Stirlingshire, Scotland (UK) from where its founding fathers came. It is known for lumber, hydro power generation, aerospace, and farming.

History
In May 1613 European explorers, led by Samuel de Champlain, first visited the Ottawa River valley, home of the Algonquin tribe of First Nations (Aboriginal) people.

In 1823, a 1,200-acre (490 ha) surveyed block was ceded to Archibald McNab and given the eponymous name, McNab Township. McNab had approval from the Family Compact to treat the settlers on his land in the feudal manner practised in Scotland. In 1831 the town was named by the Buchanan Brothers after McNab's ancestral home of Arnprior, between Stirling and Drymen, Scotland.

Tired of the harsh treatment, the settlers revolted and, after a government investigation, McNab was forced to vacate the area in 1841. Arnprior, Braeside and McNab township grew as separate communities and boomed when they became integrated into eastern Ontario's massive timber industry.

One of the most successful businessmen of the upper Ottawa was Daniel McLachlin, who built a massive sawmill at the confluence of the Madawaska and Ottawa Rivers, and expanded the community of Arnprior. The lumber industry maintained a significant position until the closing of the Gillies Mill. The forests of the period are represented in the Grove which is an excellent example of indigenous forest, grown after a fire in the 18th century. With individual specimens reaching 175 feet (53 m), these are the tallest white pines in Ontario.

By car
Arnprior is on Highway 417 (Trans-Canada Highway), about 45 km northwest of Ottawa. If driving from Ottawa, take highway 417 westbound. West of Arnprior, the highway stops being a freeway and is renumbered Highway 17, and is part of the Trans-Canada Highway.

Get around
There is no public transit in Arnprior.

Taxis:
 * Grab-A-Cab +1 613-623-5601
 * A-1 Taxi +1 613-623-3522
 * Murry’s Taxi +1 613-622-0677

Do




Go next

 * Almonte — a town that formed around a major textile mill, and has since preserved many historic buildings. The inventor of basketball, Dr. James Naismith, was born here, and the local museum holds some of his memorabilia.
 * Calabogie — a lakefront town, with ski and golf resorts, and a motorsports park.
 * Carp — a small village, home to Canada's Cold War Museum in the "Diefenbunker".
 * Renfrew — the birthplace of the National Hockey Association, the predecessor to the National Hockey League. The story is told by a small museum in the town's arena.