Pointe-des-Cascades, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Pointe-des-Cascades is a village and municipality in the Montérégie
region of Quebec, Canada, part of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality
. It is located on a spit of land where the Saint Lawrence River
flows into Lake Saint-Louis
. The river has here a significant drop, forming several cascades which give the village its name.
around the cascades on the Saint Lawrence River. The first reference to Pointe-des-Cascades appeared in a text of Louis-Armand de Lahontan
in 1684 and on a map of Deshayes in 1695, when Pointe des Cascades was included in the Vaudreuil Lordship.
In 1893, the post office opened under the English name Cascades Point (renamed in 1951 to Pointe-des-Cascades). A few years later construction began on the Soulanges Canal
and when it was completed in 1899, the village became the eastern, downstream terminus of the canal. In 1958, it closed when it was superseded by the new Beauharnois Canal
. The paths along the canal are now being used as a regional cycling route.
In 1961, the Village Municipality of Pointe-des-Cascades was formed on the territory of the Parish Municipalities of Saint-Joseph-de-Soulanges and Saint-Michel-de-Vaudreuil.
Montérégie
Montérégie is an administrative region in southwest Québec. It includes the cities of Boucherville, Brossard, Granby, Longueuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sorel-Tracy, and Vaudreuil-Dorion....
region of Quebec, Canada, part of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality
Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality, Quebec
-References:...
. It is located on a spit of land where 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...
flows into Lake Saint-Louis
Lake Saint-Louis
Lake Saint-Louis, or in French , is a lake in extreme southwestern Quebec, Canada, adjoining the Island of Montreal at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers.The lake is bounded to the north and east by the Island of Montreal...
. The river has here a significant drop, forming several cascades which give the village its name.
History
Starting in the mid seventeenth century until 1700, many military expeditions arrived at this place in order to portagePortage
Portage or portaging refers to the practice of carrying watercraft or cargo over land to avoid river obstacles, or between two bodies of water. A place where this carrying occurs is also called a portage; a person doing the carrying is called a porter.The English word portage is derived from the...
around the cascades on the Saint Lawrence River. The first reference to Pointe-des-Cascades appeared in a text of Louis-Armand de Lahontan
Louis-Armand de Lom d'Arce de Lahontan, Baron de Lahontan
Louis Armand, Baron de Lahontan served in the French military in Canada where traveled extensively in the Wisconsin and Minnesota region and the upper Mississippi Valley. Upon his return to Europe he wrote an enormously popular travelogue. In it he embellished his knowledge of the geography of the...
in 1684 and on a map of Deshayes in 1695, when Pointe des Cascades was included in the Vaudreuil Lordship.
In 1893, the post office opened under the English name Cascades Point (renamed in 1951 to Pointe-des-Cascades). A few years later construction began on the Soulanges Canal
Soulanges Canal
The Soulanges Canal is an abandoned shipping canal in Quebec, Canada. It follows the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River between Pointe-des-Cascades and Coteaux-Landing, bypassing the rapids between Lake Saint-Louis and Lake Saint-Francis. In between, it passes through the towns of Les Cèdres...
and when it was completed in 1899, the village became the eastern, downstream terminus of the canal. In 1958, it closed when it was superseded by the new Beauharnois Canal
Beauharnois Canal
The Beauharnois Canal is a Canadian canal located in southwestern Quebec. The canal is part of the St. Lawrence Seaway.Located in Beauharnois-Salaberry Regional County Municipality within the cities of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Beauharnois, Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague, and Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka,...
. The paths along the canal are now being used as a regional cycling route.
In 1961, the Village Municipality of Pointe-des-Cascades was formed on the territory of the Parish Municipalities of Saint-Joseph-de-Soulanges and Saint-Michel-de-Vaudreuil.
Population
Population trend| Census | Population | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,046 | 14.6% |
| 2001 | 913 | 0.3% |
| 1996 | 910 | 31.7% |
| 1991 | 691 | N/A |
Language
Mother tongue language (2006)| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| French only | 985 | 95.17% |
| English only | 35 | 3.38% |
| Both English and French | 0 | 0.00% |
| Other languages | 15 | 1.45% |