This 14,000 resident community is the largest in the Upper Ottawa Valley. The town was once surrounded by forests, and was a centre of the timber trade, which cleared much of the land in the region, which is now mainly agricultural. Pembroke was the first community in Canada to light its streets with electricity, which is commemorated on the hydro-electric plant on the downtown’s west end. Riverside Park, popular for its beach, is also home to Ontario’s largest totem pole, done by woodcarver Abe Patterson.
Pembroke Attractions
Pembroke Heritage Murals
34 Murals painted on buildings around the downtown core (Pembroke’s Outdoor Art Gallery) reflect the area’s early voyageur, forestry and railroad roots.
Champlain Trail Museum and Pioneer Village
1032 Pembroke St E, 2.5 km east of town
613-735-0517
Variety of artifacts from the 19th and early 20th centuries, covering the fur trade, lumbering, and everyday Victorian-era life. The museum includes a two-storey log house from the late 1800s, a one-room school house, a blacksmith shop, and a pioneer church. Exhibits include a water wheel, a Corliss steam engine, and Algonquin Indian artifacts. Allow 1-1/2 hours. Open early May to September, weekdays 9am to 5 pm, Saturday 9-3, and Sundays 1-4 pm; in May & September open just weekdays. Admission.
White Water Rafting
A number of firms offer white water rafting south of here (in the Beachburg area) from May to September