welcome to "The Fort"
Hotel Pontiac, commonly referred to is "The Fort", is a treasured destination for locals and visitors alike. Originally established as a Hudson Bay Company fur trade post in 1823, the now popular restaurant & tavern and cottage resort is classified as a historical landmark and heritage village.
Our History
Located on a sandy beach on the Ottawa River, the site originally began as a fur trade post in 1823, established by the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) under John Siveright's direction. John McLean was sent upstream to build the post at Lac des Allumettes, which had to compete with existing petty traders. In the 1830s, a farm was added to support the post by providing provisions to lumber camps, leading to increased settlement in the area. By 1844, the post handled most of the Indian trade in the region. Hector McKenzie, managing the post from 1845 to 1864, made it profitable through dealings with lumber companies and settlers, and he constructed a large two-story house that still stands today.
In 1848, a post office was established, and the name was changed from Lac des Allumettes to Fort William in honor of William McGillivray. The site became a meeting place for Indigenous peoples and Jesuits from Montreal for baptisms and marriages, followed by grand feasts. In 1857, the HBC built an Indian church at Fort William. However, due to high freight costs, competition, and the rise of steam transportation, the HBC sold Fort William in 1869 for $3000 and relocated its operations to Pembroke, Ontario.
James McCool purchased the site in 1869 and built the Hotel Pontiac in 1896. The hotel, once featured hotel rooms and hosted guests arriving by steamboat, including silent-film actress Mary Pickford. Today, the original hotel is not operational due to ongoing efforts to restore the building in line with historical standards, but we do offer a variety of accommodation options on the property (cabins, cottages and RV parking), as well as a restaurant and tavern that is open every day from mid-June through mid-September.
