The Tomifobia River is the source of the lake at its southern tip, near the village of Ayer's Cliff, Quebec.

[2] A popular summer destination for wealthy Americans in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, industrialist Foxhall P. Keene, writer Upton Sinclair, and the Barron family (of Barron's Magazine) were among those who owned seasonal estates on the lake.

[citation needed] Today Lake Massawippi is the site of two luxury hotels — Hovey Manor and the Ripplecove Inn.

[citation needed] In 2003, French President Jacques Chirac spent his summer holiday on the lake at Hovey Manor, a luxury hotel renowned for its gastronomy.

In recent years, American President Bill Clinton has been a frequent visitor.