History of Saint-Lazare

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The first French-speaking colonists began settling in the 18th century on the land granted by the Lord who, at the time, owned Vaudreuil, Rigaud and Lotbinière. These three domains were subdivided in concessions. Among those of Vaudreuil were Côte St-Charles, Pointe Cavagnol and Côte St-Louis where Solomon Grout was the first to settle in 1812. The first settlers cultivated the land and traded their crops in exchange for the use of the land. Their harvests included oat, rye, buckwheat, corn, potatoes, peas, beans, tomatoes and hay. The majority of the first English-speaking immigrants arrived after the war of 1812. Most where from New-England, England especially from Cumberland and Scotland.

In 1875, residents living in the parish we now call St-Lazare, expressed their desire to create a distinct region. On December 29th, 1875, an act confers the status of municipality to the territory of St-Lazare which, in 1876, takes the name of the Corporation Municipale de la Paroisse de St-Lazare. The Lord’s tenure is also abolished.

According to stories carried on from generation to generation, other business men would have been seduced by the idea of exploiting iron mines along the Sainte-Angélique concession road. This first production and extraction of natural resources became an incentive for other merchants to settle in the area : three sawmills to handle tree cuttings and fulfil local construction needs, horses to pull wagons carrying mineral extracts to be shipped off to the iron forges of those days including that of St-Maurice. From agriculture to mines to mills, St-Lazare sees the beginning of its commercial activity. The residents of St-Lazare are named Lazarois and Lazaroise, not be be confused with Lazarien and Lazariene from St-Lazare-de-Bellechasse.

2003
The new Library of Saint-Lazare officially opens its doors on March 4th, 2003, ten years after the opening of the former library.

2001
29 décembre : On December 29, Saint-Lazare officially becomes a "Town".

2001
Saint-Lazare inaugurates it's new community center to serve a population of 13 310.

2000
The Town evacuates more than 70% of its territory during the fire than destroyed the Regent chemical plant. The Town also celebrates its 125th anniversary

1998
The roof of the Roman Catholic Church must be redone following the ice storm.

1997
The new des Seigneuries police Corp is created and replaced the one dedicated to Saint-Lazare.

1993

History of Hudson

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Stretching along 9 miles of the Ottawa River (Lake of Two Mountains), the Town of Hudson, Quebec is a residential community located 35 miles west of Montreal. Originally settled by French Canadian farmers and “voyageurs” in the early 18th century, the region became known for its large English farming community in the early part of the 19th century. The immigrants were mainly from northern England, with others coming from Scotland, Ireland and the United States. Many of the original families, both French Canadian and English speaking, still have their descendents living in Hudson.

The last two decades have seen an increase in visitors, drawn to Hudson by its well known flea market, numerous antique boutiques, specialty shops and fine clothiers, and well known restaurants located mostly along Main Road. Hudson is only minutes away from some excellent equestrian facilities, cross country biking and hiking trails.

The municipal logo, we know today, is adopted. It represents the groundwater,

the sand, the forest canopy, the equestrian vocation as well as the environmental quality.

1986
Saint-Lazare counts 5064 residents.

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History of Vaudreuil

Located upstream from the French colony of Montréal, where the Ottawa River—critical to the extremely prosperous fur trade—meets the strategic military route that was the Cataraqui River (later known as the St. Lawrence), the territory of Vaudreuil-Dorion was a pawn in fierce fighting over control of the Ottawa River, the main economic engine of New France.

After the Great Peace of Montréal was signed with the Iroquois Confederacy in 1701, the seigneury of Vaudreuil-Soulanges—the territory now encompassing Vaudreuil-Dorion, Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac, Île-Cadieux, Hudson, Saint-Lazare and Île aux Tourtes—was granted to Philippe de Rigaud de Vaudreuil in 1702. At the time, the seigneury had only 90 families of settlers. Then, on April 2, 1763, Louise-Thérèse Fleury de la Gorgendière, wife of Pierre-François de Rigaud de Vaudreuil, sold it to Michel Chartier de Lotbinière, who built a manor there. Development of the seigneury accelerated around 1765, with more and more trading expeditions westward along the Ottawa River. Many fur traders would stop at the manor, and the seigneury took advantage of its strategic location to build a stable farming economy.

The Beginnings of Vaudreuil and Dorion

The parish of Vaudreuil was constituted in 1845, and the citizens elected their first mayor, Hyacinthe F. Charlebois, at their first meeting on July 14, 1845.

In the 1850s, after the opening of the Grand Trunk Railway, the construction of summer cottages began in Dorion. Soon the region was rushing headlong into the modern era. On December 18, 1854, a law was enacted to abolish feudal duties and rights, sounding the death knell for the seigneurial system. In 1891, the territory of Dorion separated from the parish of Vaudreuil and was granted village status. In 1916, it was incorporated as a city. It was named after Sir Antoine-Aimé Dorion, Chief Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Québec, who died the year the municipality was constituted.

The new city of Vaudreuil-Dorion arrived later when Vaudreuil and Dorion merged on March 16, 1994.

Vaudreuil-Dorion

Et si les bâtiments se racontaient : Circuit historique et architectural de Vaudreuil-Dorion
This architectural circuit, accessible via circuitvd.ca, allows users to discover an array of buildings, sectors and figures that greatly influenced the development of Vaudreuil-Dorion in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Both history buffs and newcomers will find something that suits their needs among the numerous texts, images and videos, each more fascinating than the next. 

Produced by the Musée régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges upon request by the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion, this circuit was made possible thanks to the Entente de développement culturel between the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec and the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion.

Vaudreuil-Dorion today
Vaudreuil-Dorion has a population of 40,247 and covers a territory of more than 73.1 square kilometres. It’s part of the Montérégie administrative region and serves as the administrative centre of the Regional county municipality Vaudreuil-Soulanges, situated along the Ottawa River and Lac des Deux-Montagnes. In addition, Vaudreuil-Dorion is part of the Montréal metropolitan community, whose downtown is less than 30 minutes away.