Aumond, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Aumond is a township
in the Canadian
province of Quebec
, located within La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality
.
The township is named after Colonel Joseph-Ignace Aumond (1810-1879), a native of l'Assomption
, who was one of the major timber merchants of the Ottawa Valley in the nineteenth century. His operations were particularly along the Gatineau, and even went as far as Lake Timiskaming
.
along Route 107
. The topography of the township is fairly rough, rising from 203 metres (666 ft) above sea level, near the hamlet of Val-Émard, to 375 metres (1,230.3 ft).
In 1862, Oblate priests
built the first sawmill
on the Joseph River, a tributary of the Gatineau River, in order to saw wood from the rich surrounding forests. A few months later, they built a flour mill adjacent to the first mill. At the outset, these mills were powered by a water wheel
which was replaced at the beginning of the twentieth century, by a turbine
that, from 1929 onwards, also provided electricity to the villagers. Destroyed by flames, these mills were rebuilt and remained active until 1989.
Today, the municipality of Aumond revives its history by the redevelopment of the Moulin des Pères site in the heart of the village.
Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 344
Languages:
Township (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, located within La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality
La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality, Quebec
La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau is a Regional County Municipality in the Outaouais region of western Quebec, Canada. The seat is in Gracefield. It is named for its location straddling the Gatineau River north of Low. It was incorporated on January 1, 1983.It consists of two cities, fifteen...
.
The township is named after Colonel Joseph-Ignace Aumond (1810-1879), a native of l'Assomption
L'Assomption, Quebec
L'Assomption is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada on the L'Assomption River. It is the seat of the Regional County Municipality of L'Assomption. It is located on the outer fringes of the Montreal urban area....
, who was one of the major timber merchants of the Ottawa Valley in the nineteenth century. His operations were particularly along the Gatineau, and even went as far as Lake Timiskaming
Lake Timiskaming
Lake Timiskaming is a large freshwater lake on the provincial border between Ontario and Quebec, Canada. The lake, which forms part of the Ottawa River, is in length and covers an area of almost . Its water level ranges between and above sea-level, with a mean annual average of . The lake is...
.
Geography
The township is on the eastern shores of the Gatineau RiverGatineau River
The Gatineau River is a river in western Quebec, Canada, which rises in lakes north of the Baskatong Reservoir and flows south to join the Ottawa River at the city of Gatineau, Quebec...
along Route 107
Quebec route 107
Route 107 is a north/south highway on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River. Its southern terminus is in Maniwaki at the junction of Route 105 and its northern terminus is in Grand-Remous at the junction of Route 117...
. The topography of the township is fairly rough, rising from 203 metres (666 ft) above sea level, near the hamlet of Val-Émard, to 375 metres (1,230.3 ft).
History
The history of Aumond dates back to mid-nineteenth century. In 1861, the Aumond Township was proclaimed, and in 1877 the township municipality was formed.In 1862, Oblate priests
Oblate (religion)
An oblate in Christian monasticism is a person who is specifically dedicated to God or to God's service. Currently, oblate has two meanings:...
built the first sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
on the Joseph River, a tributary of the Gatineau River, in order to saw wood from the rich surrounding forests. A few months later, they built a flour mill adjacent to the first mill. At the outset, these mills were powered by a water wheel
Water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
which was replaced at the beginning of the twentieth century, by a turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
that, from 1929 onwards, also provided electricity to the villagers. Destroyed by flames, these mills were rebuilt and remained active until 1989.
Today, the municipality of Aumond revives its history by the redevelopment of the Moulin des Pères site in the heart of the village.
Demographics
Population:- Population in 2006: 775
- Population in 2001: 658
- 2001 to 2006 population change: 17.8 %
- Population in 1996: 592
- Population in 1991: 594
Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 344
Languages:
- English as first language: 6.4 %
- French as first language: 92.3 %
- Other as first language: 1.3 %