Espanola is a city in Northern Ontario.

Understand

Espanola's population has hovered near the 5000-5500 number for the last 30-40 years. It has a beautiful golf course that lies along the Spanish River, several motels, camp grounds and restaurants for visitors, and is the largest shopping area between Sudbury and Sault Ste Marie. The town of Espanola was founded in the early 1900s for the employees of the Spanish Pulp and Paper Company. Though still a fine paper town, Espanola is now renowned for it's picturesque wilderness, lakes, fishing, camping, hiking and golfing opportunities.

History

The story of how Espanola got its name dates back to the 18th century where an Ojibwe tribe went out on a raid far away and brought back a Caucasian woman who spoke Spanish. This woman was said to have married into a First Nations family and taught her children to speak her mother tongue. Later, when French voyageurs would make their way to the mouth of the river they were surprised to hear bits of Spanish spoken by the local natives. Thus giving the town the name “Espagnole” which was later anglicized to “Espanola”. The river was subsequently then called the Spanish River.

The town of Espanola was founded in the early 1900s for the employees of the Spanish River Pulp and Paper Company. The town soon populated and housed a hotel, school and theatre. A couple decades later the mill was closed during the Great Depression and was rendered a ghost town. During the war Espanola was used as a German prisoner camp and later reopened and produced paper once again. Throughout the years the pulp and paper mill has become committed to lessening their environmental impact. The 1969 CBC Television series Adventures in Rainbow Country was filmed near Espanola, close to the small First Nations community of Birch Island and at Whitefish Falls.

Get in

Espanola can be reached by car by traveling east from Sault Ste Marie or west from Sudbury on Highway 17, then south on Provincial route 6 for 2 miles.

Get around

Espanola is accessible by car but the best part of it all is that it is accessible to anyone by foot or by paddle along the Spanish River.

See

Espanola is renowned for its picturesque wilderness, lakes, fishing, camping, hiking and golfing opportunities. Tour the area on one of our many, groomed snowmobile trails or spend the day at the Espanola Ski Hill for some enjoyable downhill skiing. Take a walk along the fitness trail to the shores of a sparkling lake Espanola. Join the fun at Espanola’s Annual Paper Festival in Celebration of the areas heritage. Massey is also home to a huge agricultural fair and their annual marathon will surely give you a run for your money. While there stop into the Massey Museum & Information Centre to find out what has been and what’s coming up. When you visit the Town of Spanish you’ll see where the waters of the Spanish River flow into Georgian Bay. Take advantage of their beautiful new marina complex and the gateway to the Whalesback Channel of Lake Huron.

Do

• Come Play in the Snow, Spanish Ontario P0P 2A0, toll-free: +1-800-838-1663. For trip itineraries or guided snowmobile or ATV adventures. 
• 1 Lauzon Aviation, Blind River Ontario P0R 1B0, ☏ +1 705 849-2389. Aboard a Beaver bush plane through spectacular scenery to a northern outpost cabin on a peaceful wilderness lake for great fishing and northern adventure. 

Buy

• 1 Espanola Mall, 800 Centre Street Espanola, ON P5E 1J3, ☏ +1 705-869-4443. Free parking and over 10 stores for your convenience. 

Eat

• Roger Rabit's Restaurant, 92 Park St # 1 Espanola, Ontario, ☏ +1 705 869-3418. 
• Cafe Des Amis, 128 Tudhope Street Espanola, Ontario, ☏ +1 705 869-4000. 
• Hong Kong Restaurant, 481 Centre St Espanola, Ontario, ☏ +1 705 869-2326. 

Drink

• Chimo's Bar & Grill, 800 Centre St # 104 Espanola, Ontario, ☏ +1 705 869-5599. 

Sleep

• 1 Agnew Lake Lodge, 847 Agnew Lake Road, Webbwood Ontario P0P 2G0, toll-free: +1-877-299-6098. 
• 2 Black Bear Camp, 801C West Branch Road Webbwood Ontario P0P 2G0, toll-free: +1-800-440-2887. 
• Chalton Lake Camp, Whitefish Falls ON, toll-free: +1-877-587-3474. 
• 3 East Bull Lake Wilderness Resort, Hwy 553, Massey Ontario P0P 1P0, toll-free: +1-866-735-3649. 
• 4 Massey Motel, 295 Sables Street W. Massey Ontario P0P 1P0, toll-free: +1-866-590-2500. 
• 5 Waterfalls Lodge, 432 Waterfalls Road Spanish Ontario P0P 2A0, toll-free: +1-800-666-2812. 

Connect

Town of Espanola. Phone +1-866-904-1087. Website www.town.espanola.on.ca

Town of Spanish. Phone +1 705) 844-2300. Website www.town.spanish.on.ca

Go next

Routes through Espanola

Sault Ste Marie ← Blind River ←	W  E	→ Sudbury → North Bay
END ←	N  S	→ Manitoulin Island → Owen Sound