Waskaganish

 
Waskaganish is a small Cree community a short way inland from James Bay, at the confluence of the Nottaway, Broadback, Rupert and Pontax rivers, on the south shore of the Rupert River. It has a population of about 1830.

This community is located at the mouth of Rupert River in the southern part of James Bay Coast. The name, Waskaganish means "little house" in Cree. Formerly known as Rupert House, it was a popular meeting place for communities established in the interior. Also known as Fort Charles, Fort Rupert and Fort St-Jacques, in 1668 it became the site of the first trading post established by Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Médart Chouart, Lord Des Groseilliers. Waters of James Bay are accessible from the community by boat. Waskaganish (Little House) was chosen to be the first Hudson Bay Post (1668) in Canada called Fort Charles. Also well known as the historic Home Land of the Nomad (Cree) hunters and trappers who make their livelihood by means of living the traditional lifestyle by hunting and trapping of the land. There is a local artists and arts/crafts store stocked with the famous goose decoy made of natural larch branches.

An unpaved road (opened in Aug 2001) connects the community to the James Bay Road, 103km to the west.

 
From Here to: Km Miles
Amos 521 323
Brisay 991 614
Chibougamau 561 648
Chisasibi 555 344
Eastmain 319 198
Matagami 339 210
Nemaska 256 159
Radisson 485 301
Wemindji 479 297
 

Aerial view of Waskaganish

 

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