Verchères, Quebec
| Verchères, Quebec | |
|---|---|
| — Municipality — | |
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| Coordinates (581, route Marie-Victorin [1]): 45°46′34″N 73°21′27″W / 45.77611°N 73.3575°W | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Quebec |
| Region | Montérégie (16) |
| RCM | Marguerite-D'Youville |
| Incorporated | September 18, 1971 |
| Electoral Districts Federal |
Verchères—Les Patriotes |
| Provincial | Verchères |
| Government[1][2][3] | |
| • Mayor | Claude Fradet |
| • Federal MP(s) | Luc Malo (BQ) |
| • Quebec MNA(s) | Stephane Bergeron (PQ) |
| Area[4] | |
| • Land | 73.24 km2 (28.28 sq mi) |
| Population (2006)[4] | |
| • Total | 5,243 |
| • Density | 71.6/km2 (185/sq mi) |
| • Change (2001-06) |  9.6% |
| • Dwellings | 2,162 |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Postal code(s) | J0L |
| Area code(s) | 450 |
Access Routes[5] A-30 |
 Route 132 |
| Website | www.ville.vercheres.qc.ca |
Verchères is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in Montérégie, Quebec, located on the south bank of the Saint Lawrence River. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 5,243.
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[edit] History
In the 17th century, the settlement at Verchères was the scene of an Iroquois raid that was apparently thwarted by the ingenuity of a 14 year old girl named Madeleine (now known as Madeleine de Verchères). A cast-iron statue of Madeleine de Verchères stands today by the former location of the settlement stronghold on the shore of the Saint-Lawrence river.
In French, the word Verchères can be used as an adjective to describe a specific type of rowboat invented in Verchères at the end of the 19th century, i.e. chaloupe verchères. A specimen of the rowboat is on permanent outdoor display during in the summer and fall in at the Parc Jean-Marie Moreau across from the town office.
The motto of Verchères is "In Tenebris Lumen Rectis Corde". The streets of Verchères are mostly named after the patronyms of residing families but also after local people who rose to celebrity in Canadian history.
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Population
Population trend[6]
| Census | Population | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 5,243 | 9.6% |
| 2001 | 4,782 |  1.5% |
| 1996 | 4,854 | 1.5% |
| 1991 | 4,781 | N/A |
[edit] Language
Mother tongue language (2006)[4]
| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| French only | 5,035 | 97.11% |
| English only | 40 | 0.77% |
| Both English and French | 20 | 0.39% |
| Other languages | 90 | 1.73% |
[edit] Notable natives and residents
- Joseph Coulon de Jumonville whose death while a prisoner of George Washington ignited the French and Indian War theater of the Seven Years War
- Louis Coulon de Villiers who is the only officer to whom Washington ever surrendered.
- François Coulon de Villiers another of the Coulon brothers who would later be Alcalde of New Orleans, Louisiana (New Spain)
- Bernard Landry former Premier of Quebec .
- Lynda Lemay, songwriter and singer.
- Mireault, silk painter.
- Calixa Lavallée, composer of O Canada.
[edit] Panorama
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Ministère des Affaires Municipales et Régions: Verchères
- ^ Parliament of Canada Federal Riding History: VERCHÈRES--LES PATRIOTES (Quebec)
- ^ Chief Electoral Officer of Québec - 40th General Election Riding Results: VERCHÈRES
- ^ a b c 2006 Statistics Canada Community Profile: Verchères, Quebec
- ^ Official Transport Quebec Road Map
- ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census
[edit] External links
Media related to Verchères (Québec) at Wikimedia Commons
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Saint Lawrence River / Saint-Sulpice | Contrecoeur | |
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| Varennes |  |
Calixa-Lavallée | ||
 Verchères  |
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| Saint-Amable | Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu |
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Coordinates: 45°47′N 73°21′W / 45.783°N 73.35°W
