La Macaza, Quebec
Encyclopedia
La Macaza is a municipality and village in the province of Quebec, Canada. The village is located in the Laurentian Mountains
, in the Laurentian
region, in Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality
. In 2008 it had a population of 975.
It is home to the La Macaza – Mont Tremblant International Airport that serves the region. A medium security federal penitentiary is located in La Macaza.
One of the last standing covered bridges in North America runs over the Macaza River, built in 1904, is an international tourist attraction. There are many lakes and beaches in the municipality.
According to the Geographic Names of the Province of Quebec (1921), "Macaza is the name of a native chief from the region", possibly the name of an old Amerindian who camped on the shores of Lake Macaza.
had lived in the area, the first European settlers arrived circa 1866. In 1904, La Macaza was established when the parish of Notre-Dame-du-Divin-Pasteur (Our Lady of Divine Shepherd) was founded. In 1930, the municipality was formed when its territory was detached from the municipality of Marchand (now part of Rivière-Rouge
).
It was first a farming community and later on its inhabitants worked mostly in logging, but today La Macaza receives a flood of vacationers each year.
On December 18, 2002, La Macaza was merged into the new town of Rivière-Rouge when the Québec government forced certain province-wide mergers that were alleged to save citizens money. In 2004 the residents voted to separate from the city and on January 1, 2006, the municipality was reinstated.
Private dwellings, excluding seasonal cottages: 481 (total: 1041)
Mother tongue:
Laurentian mountains
The Laurentian Mountains are a mountain range in southern Quebec, Canada, north of the St. Lawrence River and Ottawa River, rising to a highest point of 1166 metres at Mont Raoul Blanchard, north east of Quebec City in the Reserve Faunique des Laurentides. The Gatineau, L'Assomption, Lièvre,...
, in the Laurentian
Laurentides (region)
The Laurentides is a region of Quebec. While it is often called the Laurentians in English, the region includes only part of the Laurentian mountains...
region, in Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality
Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality is located in central Quebec, Canada, in the Laurentides region. The Regional County Municipality seat is Mont-Laurier.-Municipalities:* Chute-Saint-Philippe* Ferme-Neuve* Kiamika* La Macaza* Lac-des-Écorces...
. In 2008 it had a population of 975.
It is home to the La Macaza – Mont Tremblant International Airport that serves the region. A medium security federal penitentiary is located in La Macaza.
One of the last standing covered bridges in North America runs over the Macaza River, built in 1904, is an international tourist attraction. There are many lakes and beaches in the municipality.
According to the Geographic Names of the Province of Quebec (1921), "Macaza is the name of a native chief from the region", possibly the name of an old Amerindian who camped on the shores of Lake Macaza.
History
Although indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
had lived in the area, the first European settlers arrived circa 1866. In 1904, La Macaza was established when the parish of Notre-Dame-du-Divin-Pasteur (Our Lady of Divine Shepherd) was founded. In 1930, the municipality was formed when its territory was detached from the municipality of Marchand (now part of Rivière-Rouge
Rivière-Rouge, Quebec
Small eastern section...
).
It was first a farming community and later on its inhabitants worked mostly in logging, but today La Macaza receives a flood of vacationers each year.
On December 18, 2002, La Macaza was merged into the new town of Rivière-Rouge when the Québec government forced certain province-wide mergers that were alleged to save citizens money. In 2004 the residents voted to separate from the city and on January 1, 2006, the municipality was reinstated.
Demographics
Population:- Population in 2006: 980 (2001 to 2006 population change: -3.4 %)
- Population in 2001: 1015
- Population in 1996: 1020
- Population in 1991: 900
Private dwellings, excluding seasonal cottages: 481 (total: 1041)
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 9 %
- French as first language: 84 %
- English and French as first language: 1 %
- Other as first language: 6 %