History of La Prairie, Québec, Canada

1647 - Seigniory (Laprairie) Granted, 1st April 1647, to the order of Jesuits

1667 - Église de la Nativité de la Sainte-Vierge established at Laprairie

www.gcatholic.org

1669 - Mission Established
The mission Laprairie de la Province de Quebec near Ville-Marie (Montreal), is established this year, as an Iroquois Mission, by Father Pierre Raffeix (1633-1724), a Jesuit. It was moved around over time and eventually settled at Kalmawake, opposite the Lachine Rapids.

www.telusplanet.net/ public/dgarneau/french20.htm

In 1687, the first flour mill was built there, surrounded by a wooden palisade.

grandquebec.com

Around 1705, the first stone church was erected there.

grandquebec.com

1753 - The parish of St-Jean-François-Régis is established at St-Philippe-de-Laprairie

Le Programme de recherche en démographie historique - Univeriste de Montreal

1813 - November 2 - British Army executes five deserters by firing squad at LaPrairie,

canadachannel.ca/ todayincanadianhistory/ index.php/ November_2

1832 - LAPRAIRIE DE LA MADELEINE,
seigniory, in the co. of Laprairie, is bounded N.E. by Longueuil; S.W. by Sault St. Louis; in the read by the barony of Longueuil; in front by the St. Lawrence - 2 leagues in breadth by 4 in depth. Granted, 1st April 1647, to the order of Jesuits, whose possessions were once so large and valuable in this province. On the demise of the last of the order settled in Canad, it devolved to the crown, to whom it now belongs...

The N. and E. parts of the parish of St. Phillip are in this S., the W. part is in La Salle, the S. part is in the T. of Sherrington. The lands or farms in this parish, conceded prior to 1759, were each 3 arpents in front by 30 in depth, and at first were charged with the payment of two-thirds of a quart of wheat and a sol tournois per arpent, or 1 1/ 2 bushel of wheat and 4 livres 10 sols, old currency, for a farm of 90 superficial arpents... In Laprairie, 30 sols were extracted for the privilege of turning cattle on the common called the Commune de Laprairie de la ... Read MORE...

1832 - Laprairie Post Office opens

www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ ~qcchatea/ placenames/

1836 - Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad
1836, July 21 - Governor Lord Gosford rides on the First train of the Champlain & St. Lawrence Railway with 300 other guests, pulled by the locomotive Dorchester over wooden rails; the 23 km portage road running from La Prairie opposite Montréal to St-Jean, Québec on the Richelieu River is Canada's First public railway line; became part of the Montréal and Champlain Railway in 1857; leased to the Grand Trunk Railway in 1864; now part of the CN system.

canadachannel.ca/ todayincanadianhistory/ index.php/ July_21

On March 3, 1846, La Prairie was incorporated as a city. But unfortunately, that same year, a great fire destroyed the city.
Then, the Victoria Bridge is built which diverts the traffic of goods. These various events mark the slow decline of La Prairie during the second half of the 19th century.
grandquebec.com

1848 - Flood
The spring flood of the St. Lawrence, by blocking up the ice at Boucherville, five miles below Montreal, has flooded the village of La Prairie, on this side of the river, the water being ten feet deep and rising. The damage must be something at Montreal, one would think, but probably there is no communication.
New Hampshire Sentinel
New Hampshire
April 13, 1848

1873
LAPRAIRIE, a county of Quebec, bordering on Hie Diver St. Lawrence, opposite the Island of Montreal. Area 110,606 acres. It is traversed by the Champlain division of the Grand Trunk railway. Capital, Laprairie. Pop. 11,861.

LAPRAIRIE, the chief town of the co. of Laprairie, is situated on the south shore of the River St. Lawrence, 7 miles from Montreal. It contains a telegraph office, churches for the Episcopalians and Roman Catholic, 8 hotels and a dozen stores. The first railway in British North America was constructed from here to St. Johns in 1836. It was first run by horses, then by steam, but was discontinued on the construction of the Champlain road, and the rails removed. A steam ferry runs between Laprairie and Montreal three times a day. Pop. 1259.
Lovell's gazetteer of British North America; J. Lovell; Montreal, 1873

1884 - Sick Sheep
The Canadian government has ordered that no sheep be allowed to leave the county of La Prairie, in the province of Quebec, because of a disease existing there. The diseased animals are to be slaughtered, the government paying the owners one-third their value.
Wisconsin State Journal
Wisconsin
August 8, 1884

1885 - Canadian Towns which are Infected
The State Board of Health of Maine announces, that besides Montreal and its suburbs, the following named places in the Province of Quebec are affected with small-pox; Batiscan, Oct. 22, 7 families; Bersenels, below Tadousac, Nov 6, 4 families; Cap St. Ignace, Oct. 29, 50 cases, Chambly, Oct 27, 2 cases; Grondines, Oct. 18, several deaths; Lachine, Nov. 4, another new case, Laprairie, Oct. 22, 1 child died and 3 sick, L'Islet, Oct. 29, 6 cases; Longueuil, Nov. 3, 7 cases, have been 20 in all, Lorette, Oct 28, six cases; Maissonneuve, Oct. 31; Mascouche, Oct 31; Montmagny, Oct 29, one case; Ottawa, Nov. 6, several cases; Pointe aux Trembles, Port Neuf, Oct. 29, six cases, Rivier du Loup, Oct 23 ten cases, Rimouski, Oct, 21, 8 cases, St Francis, Temisconata Co, Nov 7, 7 cases, St Joseph de Levis, Oct 31, St. Lambert, Nov 3, 1 case, St. I in, Nov. 5; St. Martin, Oct 27 2 houses, St. Michel, Oct. 27, 4 deaths recently, St. Paschal, Oct 23 3 cases; St. Remi, Oct 27, 2 houses, St Roch, Nov.... Read MORE...

1887 - Black Fox
La Prairie, Quebec, reports the capture of a black fox.

Weekly Times Herald
Texas
January 29, 1887

1895 - Laprairie
LAPRAIRIE, the chief town of Laprairie co., Que., on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, and a station on the G. T. R. It contains 2 churches, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic, 8 stores, 3 hotels, 1 saw and 1 carding mill, 1 brick yard, 1 tomato cannery, 1 threshing machine factory, post office savings and Ville Marie Bank and telegraph, telephone and express offices. It is a beautiful spot near the Lachine Rapids, much frequented in summer. Pop. 1246.

ST. PHILIPPE, a post village in Laprairie co., Que., on the C. P. R., 6 miles from Laprairie. It contains 1 church, 1 telegraph office, 5 stores and 1 hotel. Pop. of parish 1716.
Crossby, Peter Alfred. Lovell's gazetteer of British North America. (John Lovell & Son)., 1895

1897 - Died at 108
Mrs. Charlotte Leclair of Westerly, R. I., died yesterday morning at the age of 108 years and six months. She was born in La Prairie, a small town in Quebec. Five generations of her descendants are living.
Springfield Republican
Springfield, Massachusetts
October 10, 1897

1901 - Convent Damaged
Montreal, Jan 23 - Fire damaged the convent of the Sisters of Providence at La Prairie, Quebec, on Saturday night to the extent of $30,000. No lives were lost.
Pawtucket Times
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
January 28, 1901

1901 - Fire
Fire destroyed twenty-nine houses and one convent at LaPrairie, Que., Thursday night; loss, $100,000.
The News-Palladium
Benton Harbor, Michigan
July 27, 1901

1906
Saint Philippe, a post-village of Laprairie co., Quebec, 6 miles S. of Laprairie, on the Canadian Pacific R. Pop. 200.
Lippincott's New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns ... in Every Portion of the Globe Publisher J.B. Lippincott Company, 1906

1916
Laprairie, the capital of the co. of Laprairie, Quebec, is situated on the S. shore of the river St. Lawrence and on the Grand Trunk R., 7 miles S. of Montreal. It has canning-industries and manufactures of threshing-machines, brick, etc. Pop. in 1901, 1451.
Lippincotts New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns, Resorts, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Seas, Lakes, Etc., in Every Portion of the Globe, Part 1 Angelo Heilprin Louis Heilprin - January 1, 1916 J.B. Lippincott - Publisher

La Prairie
La Prairie, Qué, City, pop 21 763 (2006c), 18 896 (2001c), inc 1909. La Prairie, a suburb of MONTRÉAL, is located on the South Shore of the St Lawrence River. It took its name from the land called "La-Prairie-de-la-Madeleine," occupied by the Jesuits from 1647 and granted by the Abbé de La Ferté de La Madeleine, a member of the COMPAGNIE DES CENT-ASSOCIÉS. After the CONQUEST, British merchants immigrated to La Prairie and soon controlled its economy, which was linked to river transportation.

In 1836 the first Canadian railway, linking La Prairie with Saint-Jean, was inaugurated. After construction of the Victoria Bridge, goods trains coming from the east were diverted from the town. Around 1890 the establishment of brickyards gave the town new vigour; one of these yards is still among the largest in Canada.

In the 20th century, La Prairie's economy has undergone little growth. Other industries (electrical equipment, electronics, printing and food processing) have been... Read MORE...

2023 - Whether you're a local resident or a visitor, here's a list of places to go and things to do in La Prairie and its surrounding areas:
La Prairie Old Town: Start your exploration by wandering through the historic old town of La Prairie. You'll find well-preserved architecture, quaint streets, and a peaceful atmosphere that harks back to the city's early days.

Eglise Sainte-Claire: Visit the beautiful Eglise Sainte-Claire, a historic church with stunning architecture. It's not just a place of worship; it's also a piece of local history.

Fort Longueuil: Just across the Saint-Lawrence River in Longueuil, you'll find Fort Longueuil, a National Historic Site. This fort offers a glimpse into Canada's military history and provides scenic views of the river and Montreal skyline.

Bike Along the Waterfront: La Prairie offers some scenic bike paths along the waterfront, making it a perfect spot for a leisurely bike ride. You can enjoy the views of the river and the lush greenery.

Parc de la Cité: A great place for a family outing, Parc de la Cité offers walking trails, playgrounds, and picnic areas. It's an... Read MORE...