Galetta: A Pictorial Travelogue

Galetta is a small rural community about a 13-minute car ride northeast of Pakenham. It is also the (other) Mississippi River's next and last stop before converging with the Ottawa River. When I was there on June 26, however, I was approaching from due south, and arrived via Mohr's Road, a back country route, which is as good a way as any for sneaking into this outpost. Galetta is also in Ottawa's far northwest corner, situated at the doorstep of neighboring Arnprior.

The community was settled in 1823, and was initially known as Hubbell's Falls, with a post office established in 1850. It was subsequently renamed Steen's Falls (after James Steen, who built a grist mill at the site), and then in 1873 became known as Galetta, after James Galetti, who had also built a mill there.

It would be a stretch to call Galetta a tourist destination. While there are some intriguing things to see for local history and architecture buffs, it is primarily a bedroom community. There doesn't even appear to be any storefront retail within the community--the closest brick-and-mortar shops are Al's Corner Store to the west (technically in Arnprior), and The Harbour Store to the east in Fitzroy Harbour.

Rail Bridge

As you arrive at Galetta via Mohr's Road, you first cross a short, low-lying bridge onto a small island in the middle of the Mississippi, while also being given an initial view of a rail bridge to the north.

The rail bridge (below) is part of what was originally a section of the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway line, which later became part of the Canadian National Railway. (This particular line has been in limited use since 1974.)

After crossing another small vehicle bridge, you leave that small, unnamed(?) island, and are now much closer to the rail bridge.

An eastward view from the bridge (above), and a westward one (below).

Looking north from the rail bridge (below) reveals a distant glimpse of the dam portion of Galetta's hydroelectric plant.

Hydroelectric Plant

Built in 1907, and then retrofitted in 1998, the plant is now owned and operated by TransAlta, and currently generates and supplies electricity to the Ontario Power Authority via a power purchase agreement (PPA).

A closer southward view (above), with the rail bridge in the distance, as seen from a sidewalk along Galetta Side Road, the community's primary east-west thoroughfare. Below is a similar view from further east on the sidewalk, albeit framed by trees and shrubs.

Above is an approximation (while on foot) of the typically fleeting view of the plant from a driver's vantage point on Galetta Side Road.

While the plant is a local historical and architectural landmark, the property itself is not meant for tourists nor other interlopers, as it is fraught with potential danger for those with no legitimate onsite business. As for me, I made sure to stay on the safe side of any fences and signs, keeping to roadway and parking space. Nevertheless, I felt a little uneasy the whole time, and my instincts were soon telling me that I should hightail it out of there once I had some shots I was happy with.

The above gate is presumably meant to prevent vehicular access at this spot, though given enough time, Mother Nature will always have that angle covered.

A southward view (above) of the rapids on the other side of the plant, from the east entrance to the Pont de Galetta Bridge, which in 1992 replaced an older three-arch stone bridge. Below is a northward view from the middle of the bridge of the Mississippi meandering towards its trunk, the Ottawa River. (This shot is also one of the closest things to a Bob Ross painting I've ever done with a camera. Note my inclusion of happy little trees throughout the composition.)

Where Galetta Plays and Gathers

Russell Park is where Galetta unwinds, keeps active, and connects as a community--that is, when there isn't a pandemic. The onsite facilities (including a community centre building, a lawn bowling green, and an outdoor hockey rink) have been closed throughout the COVID-19 lockdowns.

On display at the entrance to the park are a couple of millstones from the original flour mills built by James Steen (above), and what I assume is part of a vintage hydroelectric turbine (below).

The sign says, "RINK CLOSED", but the grass and weeds growing inside the rink tell you everything you need to know.

Where Galetta Lives

As with any community this old, you'll find many vintage houses that are well-maintained, and one or two that look like something out of a Bruce Springsteen song. (I didn't include any of the latter here.)

You can't appreciate how tiny Galetta is until you see it for yourself (see above). Just kidding. A resident created this lilliputian version of the town in the corner section of their property.

This structure, at the entrance to a driveway on Galetta Side Road, had me curious. Was it meant to be a whimsical guard house? The weird angles of the door (wider at the top than the bottom) had me thinking about German Expressionist cinema, albeit a very colorful version. Also, is the rooftop garden intentional, or is a matter of nature eventually claiming its turf, as it always does?