La Prairie, Quebec
Encyclopedia
La Prairie is an off-island suburb (south shore
) of Montreal
, in southwestern Quebec
, Canada
at the confluence of the Saint-Jacques River
and the Saint Lawrence River
in the Regional County Municipality of Roussillon
. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census
was 21,763.
French
Jesuits were the first Europeans to occupy the area, which was named La Prairie de la Magdelaine but was also called François-Xavier-des-Prés. The land was given to the Jesuits by Jacques de La Ferté and the Company of One Hundred Associates
in 1647. It is in La Prairie that the story Kateri Tekakwitha
took place.
In 1668, the site was named Kentaké, the Iroquois
name for "at the prairie". In the beginning of modern Quebec history, the territory of La Prairie would be visited on numerous occasions by Iroquois and English
settlers from New York
, among others at the time of the Anglo-Iroquois expedition of Pieter Schuyler
in 1691, who commanded two battles
on August 11, 1691.
In 1845, the village of La Prairie was established. One year later, La Prairie-de-la-Magdelaine was established. In 1909, La Prairie obtained official city status.
Historically, the city has been an important transportation hub. The first railway line in British North America, the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad
, connected it with Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu on July 21, 1836; the railway has 16 miles (26 km). The construction of a rail line between La Prairie and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu would greatly accelerate the commercial development of the village. Sea transport equally played an important role in La Prairie's history.
, a private mixed French school and Saint-Francois Xavier, public french school.
South Shore (Montreal)
The South Shore is the general term for the suburbs of Montreal, Quebec located on the southern shore of the Saint Lawrence River opposite the Island of Montreal. The South Shore is located within the Quebec administrative region of Montérégie....
) of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, in southwestern 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....
, Canada
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...
at the confluence of the Saint-Jacques River
Saint-Jacques River
Saint-Jacques River is a river in southwestern Quebec, Canada that drains the Saint Lawrence Lowlands. It flows in a general south to north direction, from the area around Saint-Jacques-le-Mineur to its mouth in the Saint Lawrence River, at the border between the cities of Brossard and La Prairie...
and the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
in the Regional County Municipality of Roussillon
Roussillon Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Roussillon is a regional county municipality of Quebec in Canada. The seat is in Saint-Constant, Quebec. The region's population was 149,996 in 2006.-Communities:*Cities and Towns**Candiac**Châteauguay**Delson**La Prairie**Léry**Mercier...
. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
was 21,763.
History
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
Jesuits were the first Europeans to occupy the area, which was named La Prairie de la Magdelaine but was also called François-Xavier-des-Prés. The land was given to the Jesuits by Jacques de La Ferté and the Company of One Hundred Associates
Company of One Hundred Associates
In 1627 the French government granted the company of 100 associates a monopoly on the fur trade in New france. In return the company was supposed to bring over 4000 French catholics to settle down in new france over the next 15 years. The company allowed the settlers to trade for furs directly with...
in 1647. It is in La Prairie that the story Kateri Tekakwitha
Kateri Tekakwitha
Kateri Tekakwitha or Catherine Tekakwitha was a Mohawk-Algonquian woman from New York and an early convert to Catholicism, who has been beatified in the Roman Catholic Church.-Her life:...
took place.
In 1668, the site was named Kentaké, the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
name for "at the prairie". In the beginning of modern Quebec history, the territory of La Prairie would be visited on numerous occasions by Iroquois and English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
settlers from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, among others at the time of the Anglo-Iroquois expedition of Pieter Schuyler
Pieter Schuyler
Pieter Schuyler was the first mayor of Albany, New York and the head of the Albany Commissioners for Indian Affairs...
in 1691, who commanded two battles
Battle of La Prairie
The Battle of La Prairie was an attack made on the settlement of La Prairie, New France, a frontier settlement not far from Montreal...
on August 11, 1691.
In 1845, the village of La Prairie was established. One year later, La Prairie-de-la-Magdelaine was established. In 1909, La Prairie obtained official city status.
Historically, the city has been an important transportation hub. The first railway line in British North America, the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad
Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad
The Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad was a historic railway in Lower Canada, the first Canadian public railway and one of the first railways built in British North America.-Origin:...
, connected it with Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu on July 21, 1836; the railway has 16 miles (26 km). The construction of a rail line between La Prairie and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu would greatly accelerate the commercial development of the village. Sea transport equally played an important role in La Prairie's history.
Geography and climate
Like the rest of southwestern Quebec, La Prairie has hot summers and cold winters, for a generally temperate climate. Winters are cold and sometimes long (snow is usually present from mid-November to mid-April), with temperatures occasionally dipping below -30°C, not counting the windchill. During snowstorms, snowfall frequently surpasses 40 centimeters. In the summer, temperatures sometimes exceed 30°C.Demographics
| Census | Population | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 21,763 | 15.2% |
| 2001 | 18,896 | 10.3% |
| 1996 | 17,128 | 12.4% |
| 1991 | 15,237 | N/A |
| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| French only | 19,010 | 88.34% |
| English only | 740 | 3.44% |
| Both English and French | 115 | 0.53% |
| Other languages | 1,655 | 7.69% |
| Unilingual French speakers | 10,495 | 48.77% |
| Unilingual English speakers | 275 | 1.28% |
| Bilingual French and English speakers | 10,665 | 49.56% |
Education
The town has three secondary schools, l'école secondaire Magdeleine, a public French school with P.E.I, the Collège Jean de la MennaisCollège Jean de la Mennais
Collège Jean de la Mennais is a French, private mixed secondary school on the South Shore of Montreal, Québec, Canada at 870 Chemin de Saint-Jean in the municipality of La Prairie. As of 2007, the school had about 1450 elementary and high school students. Collège Jean de la Mennais was once...
, a private mixed French school and Saint-Francois Xavier, public french school.
See also
- List of municipalities in Quebec
- Brossard—La PrairieBrossard—La PrairieBrossard—La Prairie is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997. Its population in 2006 was 113,985.-Geography:...
- La Prairie (provincial electoral district)La Prairie (provincial electoral district)La Prairie is a provincial electoral district in Quebec, Canada that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The riding was created in 1972 from parts of Chambly and Napierville-Laprairie. La Prairie previously existed from 1867 to 1919...
External links
Ville de La Prairie Website- Répertoire des municipalités du Québec
- Commission de toponymie du Québec
- Affaires municipales et régions - cartes régionales site de la société historique de La Prairie