Petawawa, Ont, Town, pop 14 398 (2001c), 15 304 (1996c), area 164.68 km2,inc 1997, is located on Allumette Lake, a widening of the Ottawa River, 19 km northwest of PEMBROKE and about 150 km northwest of OTTAWA. Incorporated as a village in 1961, in 1997 it merged with the township of Petawawa (1865) to create the town of Petawawa. The village and township take their name from the Petawawa River, which in turn may be a corruption of the Algonquin word "pitewewe," which is said to mean "where one hears the sound of the waters." An alternative story is that it was named after a Native woman who lived on the river.
The township was surveyed in 1857, but it attracted few settlers until 1905, when the Canadian government chose it as the site for a new military camp. Camp PETAWAWA eventually grew to encompass large portions of 4 townships, and has become one of Canada's most important military bases. The community of Petawawa developed to provide services for the military base, a function that it continues to serve.