Saint-Alphonse-de-Granby is a municipality in the
Canadian province
Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British Nor ...
of
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...
, located within
La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality
La Haute-Yamaska (meaning ''The Upper Yamaska'') is a regional county municipality in the Estrie region of Quebec, Canada. Its seat is Granby, Quebec, Granby.
It is named for its position at the height of the Yamaska River, which cuts through its ...
. The population as of the
2011 Canadian Census was 3,125.
Before October 25, 2008 it was known simply as ''Saint-Alphonse''.
Geography
Approximately halfway between
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
and
Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke ( ; ) is a city in southern Quebec, Canada. It is at the confluence of the Saint-François and Magog rivers in the heart of the Estrie administrative region. Sherbrooke is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional cou ...
, Saint-Alphonse-de-Granby's geography is mainly flat and its great
fields have been exploited for
agricultural
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...
ends (
maize
Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American English, North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous ...
is most popularly grown) and for
grazing
In agriculture, grazing is a method of animal husbandry whereby domestic livestock are allowed outdoors to roam around and consume wild vegetations in order to convert the otherwise indigestible (by human gut) cellulose within grass and ot ...
for centuries now; this region distinguishes itself by the presence of rocky zones that form
outcrop
An outcrop or rocky outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth.
Features
Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficia ...
s scattered randomly (some of this rock is exploited in the municipality's large private
quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to reduce their envir ...
, owned by ''Groupe Sintra''),
mixed forests are also found but are threatened by
deforestation
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated ...
serving for residential and commercial expansion. The
Yamaska River
The Yamaska River is a river in southern Quebec, Canada.
Sourcing water within the Eastern Townships, it ends its journey in Lake Saint-Pierre where it is a tributary to the Saint Lawrence River; altogether it is long. Crossing nearly twe ...
flows through Saint-Alphonse-de-Granby, many creeks and ditches empty themselves in it there and a bridge allows
autoroute 10 to pass over its waters. The crossing of autoroute 10 (at exit 68) and
route 139 happens on this territory near its border with the town of
Granby.
Neighbouring municipalities
The neighbouring towns are
Ange-Gardien
Ange-Gardien is a municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec, located within the Rouville Regional County Municipality in the province's Montérégie region. The population as of the 2016 Canadian Census was 2,699.
It was constituted on ...
, Granby,
Bromont
Bromont is a city in southern Quebec, Canada, at the base of Mont Brome; it is in the Brome-Missisquoi Regional County Municipality. The Bromont area and its resort, Ski Bromont, is well known as a tourist destination for its downhill skiing, mou ...
,
Brigham,
Cowansville
Cowansville is a town in south-central Quebec, Canada, located on Lac Davignon north of the U.S. border. It is the seat of Brome-Missisquoi, a regional county municipality. The population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 15,234.
In recent years ...
,
Farnham
Farnham ( /ˈfɑːnəm/) is a market town and civil parish in Surrey, England, around southwest of London. It is in the Borough of Waverley, close to the county border with Hampshire. The town is on the north branch of the River Wey, a tri ...
and
East Farnham, there is also access to
Saint-Paul-d'Abbotsford. The
regional cycling network ''La route des champs'' traverses St-Alphonse, connecting it to many more towns via bike.
Ecology
![Pileated Woodpecker-St-Alphonse-de-Granby](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Pileated_Woodpecker-St-Alphonse-de-Granby.jpg)
Since it is a
rural area
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are descr ...
with many fields, mixed forests, and
marsh
A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found ...
lands, it harbours a great number of animals and plant] that are active year-round such as
Pinophyta, coniferous trees, certain types of birds, fish, and mammals; many species are also present and active in a seasonal fashion because of their
migratory or
hibernation
Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate. It mos ...
habits, others still, are flora that remain dormant during the cold seasons; in this group are several thousands of
invertebrate
Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chorda ...
s, mammals, amphibians, birds, reptiles, grass, bushes, trees and
fungi
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately fr ...
. Among the most imposing creatures encountered here are
great blue heron
The great blue heron (''Ardea herodias'') is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North America and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the Galápagos I ...
and
moose
The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...
. Fruit-bearing plants are abundant in the forested regions and alongside roads; the richness of variety make it a coveted place for practices such as
hunting
Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...
,
trapping,
herbalism
Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern reme ...
, and the
collecting of sap in the spring.
A great cohabitation is noticed among humans and animals in this municipality in regards to wild species and domestic species; this is due to wildlife becoming accustomed to human presence, raising of
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...
and
poultry
Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, qu ...
has much importance, many
ranch
A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of a farm. These terms are most ofte ...
es are also established, and the keeping of domestic cats make it a common lurker. Long has man and nature cohabited at this location before the arrival of Columbus in the Americas; the most important exploitation and the most damaging has happened from the arrival of the first
French colonists that decided to farm the fields, up until the most recent development, seeing itself accelerated by modern residential, commercial and industrial growth. Many species of birds come to
bird feeders and will live in residential neighbourhoods all year. Many residents upkeep and cultivate flora that is alien to Quebec, this results in the presence of exotic species growing in many neighbourhoods and natural spaces. The most tragic consequence for animals from the town is the construction of roads, which cost the lives of thousands of animals yearly.
Although its surface area is mostly reserved to the agricultural sector, the municipal council of St-Alphonse-de-Granby knows the importance of its green spaces and has inaugurated, circa 2000, a
trail
A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. ...
in a forest. For a long time municipal and private lands have held a network of dirt roads dedicate to
ATV and
snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...
s transport.
History
![Saint-Alphonse-de-Granby](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Saint-Alphonse-de-Granby.jpg)
In the 1800s, the region that would become Saint-Alphonse-de-Granby was
colonized, but it would not known by that name until 1890. A
one-room school
One-room schools, or schoolhouses, were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries, including Prussia, Norway, Sweden, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Spain. In most rural and s ...
was inaugurated on a land held by Georges D. Fuller in 1950 to educate the children of the area. In about 1855, ''Hungerford Mills'', a
sawmill
A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...
, was constructed by Stephen Léonard Hungerford before it was sold to Joseph B. Hungerford, an American relative, who operated it for 15 years, until Thomas Ferguson took over; the mill was part of the Township of Granby.
Another
mill (for flour) appeared before 1870, and it was around these two mills that the village of Saint-Alphonse slowly developed. Houses began to be built; the space was divided in four zones and many workers were hired to run roads across its territory.
Many of the workmen who built Saint-Alphonse also worked for the township of Granby.
The
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...
of Saint-Alphonse was decreed by
Bishop Charles La Rocque of the
Diocese of Saint-Hyacinthe
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint-Hyacinthe ( la, Dioecesis Sancti Hyacinthi) (erected 8 June 1852) is a Latin rite suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Sherbrooke in Quebec, (predominantly francophone) Canada.
Its cathedral episcopal ...
, February 6, 1875. At the request of citizens from the area that a
parson was present on Sundays for
Mass
Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different ele ...
.
Abbot
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. Th ...
Charbonneau became the parson of Adamsville and Saint-Alphonse and lived three months under a locals roof while his
clergy house near the church, which would be expanded in 1881. On December 30, 1890, the municipality of Saint-Alphonse became a distinct and independent municipality after a petition by the residents of the Saint-Alphonse du Canton de Granby parish. It was in the town's school that the first
municipal council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
was elected on March 16, 1891, with six councillors and a
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
. Before the construction of the town hall in 1985, the council rented a room in the town school to hold its sessions.
The town's church was hit by
lightning
Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an average ...
in 1897 and a fire began while the parson was Pierre A. Saint-Pierre. He limited damages with the help of twelve parishioners; and decided not to save the statue of
Saint Anne
According to Christian apocryphal and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary and the maternal grandmother of Jesus. Mary's mother is not named in the canonical gospels. In writing, Anne's name and that of her husband Joachim come o ...
on its altar. Although the fire left traces, the church was not entirely demolished.
Bishop Moreau wrote in a letter that Saint Anne saved the building.
Around 1905, the town grew around a
railroad
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...
and a
train station
A train station, railway station, railroad station or depot is a railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passengers, freight or both. It generally consists of at least one platform, one track and a station building providing ...
(built by Onéisme Boisvert on rang Saint-Georges, the three floors having a
general store, hotel, and the living quarters of the owner's family. Farmers brought their
livestock
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to ani ...
on foot and got them on
railroad car
A railroad car, railcar (American and Canadian English), railway wagon, railway carriage, railway truck, railwagon, railcarriage or railtruck (British English and UIC), also called a train car, train wagon, train carriage or train truck, is a ...
s. Local merchandise such as milk and lumber were all transported by train to be sold in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
. Later, the station was sold and moved and also served as a
warehouse
A warehouse is a building for storing goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial parks on the outskirts of citie ...
for products that arrived or left the town.
Between 1925 and 1929, bridges were restored in Saint-Alphonse, and the municipal council constructed a new bridge on 6e rang. Improvements were brought to the bridges on 3e rang (now rang Parent) and the town's bridge (a central pillar was added).
In the 1940s,
Maurice Duplessis, the
premier of Quebec
The premier of Quebec ( French: ''premier ministre du Québec'' (masculine) or ''première ministre du Québec'' (feminine)) is the head of government of the Canadian province of Quebec. The current premier of Quebec is François Legault of t ...
implemented
rural electrification
Rural electrification is the process of bringing electrical power to rural and remote areas. Rural communities are suffering from colossal market failures as the national grids fall short of their demand for electricity. As of 2017, over 1 billion ...
, a teamwork of electricity co-operatives of
Roxton Pond,
Sainte-Cécile-de-Milton
Sainte-Cécile-de-Milton is a municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec, located within La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality. The population as of the Canada 2011 Census was 2,128.
Demographics
Population
Population trend:Statist ...
, Ange-Gardien, Saint-Alphonse, and
Saint-Valérien implemented the project in the region. The co-ops created the ''Coopérative d'électricité de Saint-Valérien de Shefford'', inaugurated in 1947, instead of competing. An
airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...
was established on the land had belonged to Albert Lecours; it is sold to Granby three years later. It ceased with the arrival of ''Autoroute des Cantons'', in 1962.
A new general store, which sold fresh meat, was opened in 1951, when Omer Bédard bought a three-floor building in the heart of the village. It was a popular place and provided access to all essential household items. It also had three apartments by 1957.
In 1963, the municipal council received the preliminary plans to
Route 139, which would link the municipality to the highway at exit 38 (now 68), with a
toll booth; construction lasted two years. The toll booth was converted after the tolls abolition in 1988; it was transformed in ''La maison du tourisme de l'Estrie''.
The town hall was finally opened in 1986 at the intersection of Rue Principale and Route 139; the first public session was held in the new building that year May 16.
Demographics
Population
Population trend:
[Statistics Canada: ]1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
, 2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
, 2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, 2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
census
Language
Mother tongue language (2006)
Notable people
From 1971 to 2012, Clément Choinière was mayor of Saint-Alphonse-de-Granby. He held the position 41 years (until his death) because he was the only mayoral candidate.
See also
*
List of municipalities in Quebec
__FORCETOC__
Quebec is the second-most populous province in Canada with 8,501,833 residents as of 2021 and is the largest in land area at . For statistical purposes, the province is divided into 1,282 census subdivisions, which are m ...
References
{{Authority control
Municipalities in Quebec
Incorporated places in La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality