Pembroke (Ontario)

Pembroke is a city of 14,000 (2021) in Ontario's Ottawa Valley on the Quebec border. The city is 40 km (25 miles) east of Algonquin Provincial Park on the Trans-Canada Highway from North Bay to Ottawa.

History
The first European settler to the area now known as Pembroke was Daniel Fraser in 1823, who squatted on land that was discovered to have been granted to a man named Abel Ward. Ward later sold the land (where Moncion's Metro Supermarket is located) to Fraser, and nearby Fraser Street is named after the family. Peter White, a veteran of the Royal Navy arrived in 1828, squatting beside Fraser on the land where Dairy Queen is now located. Other settlers followed, attracted by the growing lumbering operations of the area.

Pembroke is indirectly named after Sidney Herbert, First Admiralty Secretary from 1841 to 1845 and son of George Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke.

Pembroke was named seat for Renfrew County in 1861. This set the stage for construction shortly thereafter on the Renfrew County Courthouse, which was finished in 1867, and the arrival of many civil servants, much wealth and much construction. In the 20-year period following 1861, Pembroke became the city it is today in terms of layout and buildings, although many homes and other structures have been lost to time.

Other historic buildings that survive in Pembroke include a historic synagogue, two original hospitals, the Dunlop mansion (Grey Gables Manor Bed & Breakfast), the 'Munroe Block' downtown, and two houses belonging to the White family. A fire in 1918 downtown destroyed many buildings, including the Pembroke Opera House.

Visitor information

 * City of Pembroke

By bus

 * Between Ottawa and Sudbury including stops in Kanata, Arnprior, Renfrew, Pembroke, Petawawa, Mattawa, and North Bay.

By car
Pembroke is on the Highway 17 (Trans-Canada Highway), 160km (100 mi) west of Ottawa and 215 km (135 mi) east of North Bay.

Pembroke is about 400 km (255 mi) northeast of Toronto; there are various possible routes, but going through Peterborough (Hwys 7 or 115) and Bancroft (Hwy 28 to Hwy 41) is shorter than staying on 7 or 401 right to Highway 41 (Napanee).

By boat
Pembroke is on the Ottawa River. The river is not continuously navigable from Ottawa westward due to rapids at multiple points.



Get around
Pembroke is small enough that almost everything is within comfortable walking or cycling distance.



Taxis are common and cheaper than big cities for moving around within the city and to nearby towns. Calling a taxi service - by using a phone book or asking a store owner to do so - will save time over trying to hail one.

Drink
There are two bars popular with locals near City Hall on Pembroke St.

Sleep
Usually, no reservations are necessary, except possibly during major hockey tournaments (weekends in November and early December). There are also several B&Bs on the outskirts of town.

Beachburg and Whitewater Region
Some of the world's best whitewater rafting and kayaking is available east of Pembroke, near the village of Beachburg, in Whitewater Region. Almost of shoreline along the rapid-filled rivers and shallow rocky lakes can be accessed from public boat launches throughout the region. Several outfitters in the region provide a range of equipment, tours, and lessons for whitewater kayaking, rafting, tubing, standup paddle boarding, and canoeing.

Two provincial parks in the region provides access to some of the unique natural features in the area. Neither provides visitor services or permits camping; access is only possible on foot or from the water.

Go next

 * Ottawa - Canada's capital, and the nearest big city
 * Algonquin Provincial Park - just west of town, with a variety of interior camping, canoeing and hiking opportunities.
 * Bonnechere Provincial Park in Killaloe and Driftwood Provincial Park - two other nearby provincial parks with campsites