Tawagami selected as CPR divisional point but "lakes and swamps" saw it moved to Chapleau in 1885

CPR station 1886

The Canadian Pacific Railway divisional point that became Chapleau was supposed to be at Tawagami, seven miles east of the present community, but because of the lakes and swamps about there, it was situated where it is in 1885.

According to an article in the Richard Brownlee papers, among the very first "white women" who moved to Chapleau were a Mrs. S.B. Eyrie and her daughter Edna who became Mrs. Cressey, they arrived from Tawagami in September 1885.

By the end of 1885, there were about 400 citizens, most of them men. There were some women as residents by this time but many had left for the winter.

Apparently the Eyrie's had a boarding house but a "great bush fire" swept through that section of the fledgling community, and as a result they lived in tents  for about a year.

Also, as Chapleau was being established people lived in two rows of boxcars, one called Goslin Avenue and the other Stovepipe Avenue.

At the same time T.A. Austin set up shop in a tent in "old Chapleau" near the site of where the Lady Minto Hospital was opened in 1914. In February 1886, Mr. Brownlee who was about 18 arrived, and had a barber shop beside Mr. Austin's place of business.

Later in 1886, Mr. Austin built the first store on Birch Street where the Dominion store was later located, and he added a leanto for Mr. Brownlee's barber shop.

T A Austin store 1886

Tom Carr and his family were among the first citizens and they ran the first boarding house, popularly known as the "Pig's Ear," located across from where Smith and Chapple was located. Actually it would have been located across from the Austin store which had changed location. This later became Beamish and Smith then Smith and Chapple, now Chapleau Village Shops.

JMcN Austin then Beamish and Smith then Smith and Chapple, now Chapleau Village Shops

 Mr. Noel de Tilley "had the honour of driving the first engine into the station, that was in the autumn of 1885." Mr. and Mrs. de Tilley lived in a cottage next door to Tom Carr's boarding house.

Most reports I have seen over the years give credit to Mrs. Noel de Tilley for the naming of the community. The article I am using says that "Mr. R. Duschene, the civil engineer found it quite a problem to select names for all the places along the line and turned to her for an inspiration. She suggested that they name this town after (Joseph Adolphe) Chapleau, the Conservative member of parliament and Chapleau it became."

Very active in the community, before the Roman Catholic church was built, it was at their home that mass was sung on Sunday. Visiting priests also made their home with them,

That first winter was apparently bitterly cold and disease was rampant but these first citizens who had left their former way of life to create a new community in the wilderness. And they did. 

A boxcar became the first station, office building and train dispatcher's office. Very quickly a roundhouse with turntable and water tank had been erected. By 1886 a station had been completed.

The article noted that these "sturdy railroaders had a hard winter though, for the roundhouse ... had no doors. When there were snowstroms the section men had to come an shovel the snow away. There was no storehouse for oil. It was kept outside in large barrels and had to be heated before it could be used. For valve oil tey had to use tallow. ...'

I have included a photo of Bill Pellow's delivery wagon as a reminder of how deliveries were made. J.T. Serre made deliveries by dog team and sled in the winter months.

Amazingly, by the end of 1886, churches had been established, and an active social and sports life were underway. By 1889 they were curling and playing hockey, and a brass band had been started. Chapleau's first newspaper The North Star was being published. Mr. Brownlee also noted that the first school with 12 pupils had been started.

On a personal note, I am fascinated with these early years in the history of Chapleau, and so much appreciate having the Richard Brownlee papers, kindly loaned to me by Margaret Rose (Payette) and Bobby Fortin, to help me connect the dots from in the beginning. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

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