La Visitation-de-l'Île-Dupas, Quebec
Encyclopedia
La Visitation-de-l'Île-Dupas is a municipality in the Lanaudière
region of Quebec, Canada, part of the D'Autray Regional County Municipality
. Its territory is located on several of the Sorel Islands in the Saint Lawrence River
where it flows into Lac Saint-Pierre
. The largest of these islands is Dupas Island (Île Dupas), also known as Isle du Pads (or Isle du Pas), Île d'Angoulème, and Île du Richelieu at various times in the past.
The area is known for its geese, ducks, and muskrats, and it is suitable for farming, hunting and fishing.
as a good fishing and hunting location, and they used them to counter repeated attacks by the French.
The first Frenchman settling on the largest island was reputedly Pierre Dupas (1637-1677), officier in the Carignan Regiment
who arrived in Canada in 1665. Together with two servants, he settled in 1669 on the island which came to bear his name, and he became the first Lord of the l'Île-Dupas-et-du-Chicot Seignory in 1672. In 1677, his widow sold the seignory to Charles Aubert de La Chesnaye.
On November 11, 1690, Louis Dandonneau-dit-Lajeunesse, Sieur de Sable, and his brother-in-law Jacques Brisset, both from Champlain, Quebec
, purchased the island from Aubert. The following decade saw permanent settlement begin on the island. From 1712 to 1727, explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye
, lived on the island and his five children were born there.
In 1834, the Parish of L'Isle-du-Pads was founded, followed by the civil parish in 1842. In 1845, the Municipality of L'Isle-du-Pads was established, but abolished in 1847, when it became part of the Berthier County Municipality. In 1855, it was reestablished as a parish municipality called La Visitation-de-la-Sainte-Vierge-de-l'Isle-du-Pads, one of the longest place names in Quebec history.
In 1865, the area experienced a flood which killed 15 people and washed away 27 houses. By the end of the 19th century, more than 1,000 people lived on the island, and in the early 20th century, almost the entire island was used for growing hay, which was exported to the United States in large quantities.
In 1897, the municipality lost about half of its territory when the new Parish Municipality of Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola
was formed. In 1981, the parish municipality abbreviated its name and changed its status to become the Municipality of La Visitation-de-l'Île-Dupas.
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 267 (total dwellings: 306)
Mother tongue:
Lanaudière
Lanaudière is one of the seventeen administrative regions of Quebec, Canada, situated immediately to the northeast of Montreal. It has a total population of 429,053 inhabitants.-Geography:...
region of Quebec, Canada, part of the D'Autray Regional County Municipality
D'Autray Regional County Municipality, Quebec
300px|rightD'Autray is a regional county municipality in central Quebec, Canada. The regional county municipality seat is Berthierville. The municipality has a land area of 1,246.68 km² and a 2006 census population of 40,321 inhabitants. Its largest community is the city of Lavaltrie.-Cities...
. Its territory is located on several of the Sorel Islands in 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...
where it flows into Lac Saint-Pierre
Lac Saint-Pierre
Lac Saint-Pierre is a lake in Quebec, Canada, located on the Saint Lawrence River between Sorel-Tracy and Trois-Rivières, downstream and east of Montreal. Including its shoreline, islands, and wetlands, the lake is a nature reserve...
. The largest of these islands is Dupas Island (Île Dupas), also known as Isle du Pads (or Isle du Pas), Île d'Angoulème, and Île du Richelieu at various times in the past.
The area is known for its geese, ducks, and muskrats, and it is suitable for farming, hunting and fishing.
History
The islands were already well known by the indigenous peopleIndigenous 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...
as a good fishing and hunting location, and they used them to counter repeated attacks by the French.
The first Frenchman settling on the largest island was reputedly Pierre Dupas (1637-1677), officier in the Carignan Regiment
Carignan-Salières Regiment
The Carignan-Salières Regiment was a Piedmont French military unit formed by merging the Carignan Regiment and the Salières Regiment in 1659. The regiment began their existence in combat against the Ottoman Empire before being reorganized to consist of twenty-four companies before being sent to...
who arrived in Canada in 1665. Together with two servants, he settled in 1669 on the island which came to bear his name, and he became the first Lord of the l'Île-Dupas-et-du-Chicot Seignory in 1672. In 1677, his widow sold the seignory to Charles Aubert de La Chesnaye.
On November 11, 1690, Louis Dandonneau-dit-Lajeunesse, Sieur de Sable, and his brother-in-law Jacques Brisset, both from Champlain, Quebec
Champlain, Quebec
Champlain is a municipality in the Mauricie region of the province of Quebec in Canada.-Demographics:Population trend:* Population in 2006: 1566 * Population in 2001: 1623* Population in 1996: 1608...
, purchased the island from Aubert. The following decade saw permanent settlement begin on the island. From 1712 to 1727, explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye
Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye
Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye was a French Canadian military officer, fur trader and explorer. In the 1730s he and his four sons opened up the area west of Lake Superior and thus began the process that added Western Canada to the original New France in the Saint Lawrence basin...
, lived on the island and his five children were born there.
In 1834, the Parish of L'Isle-du-Pads was founded, followed by the civil parish in 1842. In 1845, the Municipality of L'Isle-du-Pads was established, but abolished in 1847, when it became part of the Berthier County Municipality. In 1855, it was reestablished as a parish municipality called La Visitation-de-la-Sainte-Vierge-de-l'Isle-du-Pads, one of the longest place names in Quebec history.
In 1865, the area experienced a flood which killed 15 people and washed away 27 houses. By the end of the 19th century, more than 1,000 people lived on the island, and in the early 20th century, almost the entire island was used for growing hay, which was exported to the United States in large quantities.
In 1897, the municipality lost about half of its territory when the new Parish Municipality of Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola
Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola, Quebec
Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola is a parish municipality in the Lanaudière region of Quebec, Canada, part of the D'Autray Regional County Municipality. Its territory is located on 33 of the Sorel Islands in the Saint Lawrence River where it flows into Lac Saint-Pierre, the largest of which are île Madame,...
was formed. In 1981, the parish municipality abbreviated its name and changed its status to become the Municipality of La Visitation-de-l'Île-Dupas.
Demographics
Population:- Population in 2006: 612 (2001 to 2006 population change: 6.8 %)
- Population in 2001: 573
- Population in 1996: 564
- Population in 1991: 521
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 267 (total dwellings: 306)
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 0 %
- French as first language: 98.4 %
- English and French as first language: 0 %
- Other as first language: 1.6 %