Bristol (Quebec)

Bristol is a picturesque municipality located on the north shore of the Ottawa River, in the regional county municipality of Pontiac, in the administrative region of Outaouais, in Quebec.

Owing to recreational and tourism activities, to the riverside landscapes, to cultural and sporting events, and also to the historical heritage, you're likely to see three times as many visitors. Recreational tourism has developed particularly because of the Norway Bay resort, the Ottawa River and two golf courses.

Economy
Today its economy is based on recreational tourism (vacation, cycling, hunting and fishing, mountain biking, snowmobiles, boating, observations of flora and fauna), forestry and agriculture.

Geography
The township of Bristol (proclaimed in 1834) has two towns: Norway Bay and Bristol. This township runs along the north shore of Lac-des-Chats, which is an enlargement of the Ottawa River. The natural beauty of the Laurentians and the charm of the shores of the Ottawa River attract visitors and residents.

The municipal territory has several levels on which agriculture has developed. The part of the territory north of Route 148 is mostly wooded with agricultural islands. Several zones are designated in the municipal territory (some forming a hamlet): Bristol Mines (hamlet), Bristol Ridge (hamlet), Caldwell (hamlet), Doherty, Elmside (hamlet), Knox Landing, Maple Ridge (hamlet), Maryland ( hamlet), McKee (hamlet), Norway Bay (village), North Onslow, Pine Lodge (hamlet), Pontiac Station (hamlet), Ruthledge, Thorne Lake, Wyman (hamlet) and Weirstead. The water bodies are small, in particular: Lake Killoran, Lake Thorne, Lake Long, Lake Stanton and Lake Swan.

The main bays on the north shore of the Ottawa River, in the Bristol area, are (from west to east): Camp Bay, Chat Bay, Webb Bay, Haughton Bay, Norway Bay, Dirty Gut Bay, Kiroy Bay. The main streams are: Silver Creek (draining the Norway Bay area), Black Creek, Dame Creek, Factory Creek, Golden Creek, and Ireland Creek.

The country roads offer an agricultural, forest and built heritage landscape comprising ancestral buildings often built of red pine trunks (often more than a hundred years old) and well stuck, as well as old barns well sheeted. Bristol is crossed from east to west in the middle by road 148 which runs along the Quebec shore of the Ottawa River.

History
The toponym Bristol refers to the city of Bristol, county of Gloucestershire, in the south-west of England. This Quebec toponymic designation appears on the map of Gale and Duberger in 1795. The Municipality of Bristol was incorporated in 1855. Originally the town was populated by settlers of English, Scottish and Irish descent; then several Germans, Poles and French arrived to settle there. At the time, immigrants arrived by boat in Montreal. They had to walk a long way to reach their assigned lot. The first houses were built of logs of fir, white pine, balsam, cedar and other hardwoods.

Gradually, the forestry industry, the mining industry (from 1872) and fish farming developed, thus establishing economic diversification. In 1835, a first mill operated by the motricity of water was erected by William King; in 1837, a second was erected by Mr. Stewart who had arrived from Scotland. The mills changed the way of treating wool for the manufacture of clothing and household accessories (dishcloths, sheets, tablecloth, etc.)

Two docks were erected in Bristol in the 1800s; one end of Bristol Road and the other at Danny Bay (now known as Haughton Bay). In 1908, the federal government called for tenders for the construction of the Norway Bay wharf at the end of Cutherburtson Street (now Quai Road). The Norvic ferry commuted from 1923 to 1963 from Norway Bay; it ceased in 1963 when it was sold. In 1988, the Municipality of Bristol acquired the wharf from the federal government. A park with landscaping (trees, benches, brick promenade, flower arrangements) has been made. This municipal wharf is particularly used for regattas, swimming lessons and boat launching ramps.

Get in
The territory of Bristol is accessible by road vehicle, seapleane VTT or snowmobile.

By car

 * From Montreal (. Time: 3 hr 110 min. Take highway 15 (north) to Mirabel; Highway 50 (West) to Gatineau; Route 148 (West); Bristol road (south) to the village of Bristol.

Trails
The marked trail of the Fédération des clubs de motoneigistes du Québec passes through Bristol territory. The snow cover is generally from mid-December until mid-March.