Existence of Ottawa is part a result of British-American War of 1812. The conflict proved beneficial to the development in this region. Finally, Queen Victoria decided in 1857 that this town would be a capital city of Canada because of its location at the boundary between Upper and Lower Canada.

The name Ottawa is an Algonquians word meaning "to trade". Native Americans of this region lived on farming, hunting, fishing and trade, using Ottawa River as a communication route.