Algoma District

Algoma District
District d'Algoma
Location of Algoma District in Ontario
Coordinates: 48°00′N 84°30′W / 48.000°N 84.500°W / 48.000; -84.500
Country Canada
Province Ontario
RegionNortheastern Ontario
Created1858
Area
  Land48,814.88 km2 (18,847.53 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)
  Total
113,777
  Density2.4/km2 (6/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
  Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code705
SeatSault Ste. Marie

Algoma District is a district and census division in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario.

The name was created by an American ethnologist, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (1793–1864), who was appointed Indian agent to the Ojibwe in Sault Ste. Marie region in 1822. "Al" is derived from Algonquin, while "goma" is a variant of gomee, meaning lake or water.

Algoma District has shoreline along Lake Superior and Lake Huron. It has an international border crossing to the American state of Michigan, at Sault Ste. Marie. Historically, it was known for its lumber and mining industries.

The rugged scenery of the region has inspired works by Canadian artists, particularly the Group of Seven. They rented a boxcar from the Algoma Central Railway to travel on excursions through this region.