The Temiskaming Mission

Photo by Alan L Brown - July 25, 2006

Plaque Location

The District of Temiskaming
The Town of Cobalt
From North Cobalt south on Highway 567 (Silver Centre Road) 20km to Old Mission Road then 4km east to the end of the road.

Plaque Text

In 1836 a Catholic mission was established directly across the lake at Fort Timiskaming, a Hudson's Bay Company post, where by 1842 a chapel had been completed. The mission was moved to this site in 1863 and a presbytery was constructed by the Oblates who had commenced missionary work in the region in 1844. A second presbytery was built here in 1867. The Grey Sisters of Ottawa, who had arrived the previous year, then established the first hospital of the Timiskaming District in the old presbytery. In 1878 a frame church, known as St. Claude's, was completed. However, in 1887 the mission was moved to the growing agricultural settlement of Ville Marie in Quebec.